With My Own Eyes - by Bo Giertz (Paperback)

About the Book

Bo Giertz takes the reader on a guided tour of the gospels using the culture and historical context of Christ's life with a novel approach that illuminates nuance and deepens understanding of Christ's words and actions.

Book Synopsis

Bo Giertz wrote this book drawing upon the exegetical insights that he received from his mentor Anton Fridrichsen before, during and after his trip to Palestine in the early 1930's.

The book is a third-person retelling of the gospels that brings into account various Old Testament references and the contemporary interpretations of those passages by the Jews of Jesus' day as well as contemporary events throughout the Roman Empire, but most especially those directly affecting the Jewish people of Israel at the time, so that the gospel stories take on new life and meaning for the reader. It's both a harmonization of the gospels, and a commentary on them, but much richer.

The perspectives change depending on the episode. Sometimes the perspective is from that of a disciple, sometimes from that of a person being healed or a bystander observing. The Christmas story is told from the perspective of Shepherds, the crucifixion scene dwells on the perspective of Simon of Cyrene.

About the Author

Bo Giertz (1905-1998) spent his youth as a militant atheist before his conversion in college set him to become an apologist for the Christian faith, a beloved novelist, pastor and bishop in the church of Sweden. These commentaries were written in retirement after a long life carefully studying both the scriptures and the human soul.
Bror Erickson currently serves as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Farmington New Mexico where he lives with his wife, Laura. He graduated from Concordia University, Irvine, in 2000 where he studied apologetics under Dr. Rod Rosenbladt. Subsequently, he attended Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne Indiana, and graduated in 2004. He has translated many works by Bo Giertz, but he also enjoys hunting upland game and ducks with his dog, Grinner.