Learning about the Gospels from a theological standpoint is always something I enjoy. Understanding Biblical teachings bring me closer to God.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for honest statements.

In "Reading the Gospels as Christian Scripture," Jipp provides a comprehensive analysis of the Gospels, emphasizing their function as sacred scriptures within the Christian tradition. The book is structured to guide readers through a detailed examination of each Gospel, exploring their unique characteristics while also highlighting their common themes and theological messages. Jipp’s goal is to help readers understand how the Gospels convey the story of Jesus and its significance for Christian faith and practice.

While "Reading the Gospels as Christian Scripture" is a comprehensive and insightful work, some readers may find the detailed academic analysis challenging, especially if they are new to biblical studies. Additionally, Jipp’s emphasis on the theological and narrative unity of the Gospels may not resonate with readers who prefer a more historical-critical approach that emphasizes the differences and tensions between the texts.

This book is recommended for students of theology, pastors, and lay readers who wish to deepen their understanding of the Gospels and their significance for the Christian faith. Jipp’s work invites readers to engage with the Gospels in a way that is both intellectually enriching and spiritually nourishing, making "Reading the Gospels as Christian Scripture" a must-read for anyone serious about studying the New Testament.

In understanding and/or interpreting scripture, it is usually important to know the context in which they are written. Most of the commentaries that I have encountered spend a lot of time on the details, often debating the interpretation of the original language, marching verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book … rarely looking at the work as a whole. Reading the Gospels as Christian Scripture fills the gap here well, giving a brief over of how we got the Gospels in Part 1, before providing a general, historical context by which to read the Gospels in Part 2, before diving into each of the four (4) Gospels specifically in Part 3 … and it is this last part that is the best part (and accounts for nearly half of the total book … and is extremely well organized for each Gospel. Each Gospel will have an historical discussion followed by a literary analysis (structure, form, emphasis, et al) and concluding with how this view should impact living the faith of the Gospel. While perhaps not as interesting to those outside of the Christian faith, I found it to be extremely helpful to my personal growth and understanding of my faith.

A very helpful overview of what the Gospels are, how we got them, and how to best read them. I will return to this as a resource for historical questions I have regarding the origins and purpose of the four canonical Gospels

This text is very informative and, I believe, can be a transformative way of looking at the gospels with exegesis. It goes over the history, narrative, and discipleship of each of the four gospels after explaining what the gospels are, the different gospel forms, the relationships between the gospels, the differences between the gospels, how these four were chosen, etc. Excellent, thorough work!