Tim Keller has established himself as one of the top evangelical writers of today, especially in writing to an audience of skeptics and unbelievers. He has been given a unique gift and ability to interact with the intelligent skeptics on their level, which is most clearly seen in his bestseller, The Reason for God. Because of his church’s placement in the middle of Manhattan, surrounded by the young, intellectual-type, Keller has honed his ability to interact on their level with the truths of Scripture and Christianity.
In his new book, Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life’s Biggest Questions, Keller is at it again. The book comes out of two series of lectures that Keller presented a couple of years ago. The first series of lectures was given at an Oxford Town Hall in Oxford, England in 2012. Over 5 nights, Keller spoke to a group of students — most of them skeptics — on the various encounters that individuals had with Jesus in the Gospel of John (xii). These make up the first 5 chapters of the book, where in each chapter Keller looks at a different interaction that Jesus had with people in John. These include the conversation (1) with Nathaniel in John 1; (2) with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman in John 3-4; (3) with Mary and Martha in John 11; (4) with Mary, Jesus’ mother, in John 2; and (5) with Mary Magdalene in John 20.
In each of the five conversations, Keller looks at a different fundamental life-question that Jesus is addressing in his conversation with the individual.
- Chapter 1 – Where should we look for answers to the big questions of life? Where shouldn’t we look for answers?
- Chapter 2 – What is wrong with the world the way it is?
- Chapter 3 – What, or Who, can put it right?
- Chapter 4 – How can He put things right in the world?
- Chapter 5 – How should we respond to what He has done?
As you read each chapter, Keller exegetes the passage at hand in the clear and concise way that we have all come to expect from Keller, which is what makes reading his books so profitable and enjoyable.
The second section of the book transitions from the conversations Jesus had with individuals in the Gospel of John and moves to how we, today, can encounter Christ — how we can encounter Him as savior. The basis for these chapters was a series of talks that Keller gave at the Harvard Club of New York City, where he “spoke at regular breakfast meetings to business, government, and cultural leaders over the period of several years” (xv). In these final five chapters, Keller looks at some of the pivotal events in the life of Jesus as they are presented in the Gospels.
- Chapter 6 – He overcomes evil for us
- Chapter 7 – He intercedes for us
- Chapter 8 – He obeys perfectly for us
- Chapter 9 – He leaves earth to reign for us
- Chapter 10 – He leaves heaven to die for us
Now, you may be thinking, “Why didn’t Keller include the 3 best-known event in Jesus’ life — His birth, death and resurrection??” Keller addresses this on page 104, saying that these events are more familiar to us, and generally more clearer to us. It is not, by any means, that he does not view these as “pivotal events” in the life of Jesus. Rather, he focuses on 5 pivotal events that are less known to us, and because they are less known to us, their significance to the Christian faith is less clear to us.
Not really knowing what the book was all about when I first got a copy of it, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It was written, as I’ve already said, in a very clear and concise manner, as well as in a very engaging manner. As with many of Keller’s other books, I think I could use this for a variety of contexts. I could use it with a believer to think more deeply about the truths of Christ, who He was, and what He has done. But I could also use it with an unbeliever. Because of Keller’s writing and teaching style, I think that the book would not be, on the surface, intimidating and threatening to an unbeliever. But I think that as an unbeliever worked through the book, he would come face to face with the Jesus of the Scriptures and the truths of the Gospel. Keller says, as he ends the introduction, that his hope is that “whether you are looking at these accounts for the first time or the hundredth, you will be struck again by the person of Christ and what he has done for us” (xvii). His hope certainly became a reality for me as I read the book, and I trust it will for you as well. I would definitely recommend you getting a copy for yourself, and if you have an unbelieving friend who would be willing to read this with you, get them a copy too. You’ll be glad you did.
In accordance with FTC regulations, I would like to thank Dutton Publishers for providing me with a review copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Longing 4 Truth 