by Dr. Andreas Kostenberger and Justin Taylor,
with review by Dan Larison

The Final Days of Jesus is a helpful book that explains the biblical narrative surrounding Jesus’ life and death.  Authors Andreas Kostenberger, Justin Taylor, and contributor, Alexander Stewart walk us through the events of each day of Jesus’ last days on earth, his execution, and his resurrection appearances. They tell us in the introductory material that they hope the book helps readers worship as they see the “historical detail, the literary artistry, and theological insight to be gleaned from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ final week.”  It is intended to aid readers in their understanding of all that happened from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, which is known by some as Holy Week.

After some useful context and other material given in the introduction, the book begins on Sunday and proceeds through the week treating each day almost like a subsequent chapter in the story of Jesus’ final week. Each day appears like a chapter title with the specific date underneath, for example, Thursday – April 2, AD 33, and under each event we are given a brief explanation, the full text of the corresponding Scriptures (except Sunday-Tuesday, where we are just given references), and a profitable, non-technical commentary section that include charts, timelines, maps, and drawings.   

I personally enjoyed the thoughtful introduction and epilogue that nestled the story of Jesus’ final week within the greater story of His life and why He came. I also found the graphics very helpful -- who doesn’t like a book with some good illustrations; especially when they are placed at potentially confusing points in the story? I found the commentary to be concise, but very insightful and I will most likely reference this book whenever I teach through the ‘Holy Week’ narratives. It was practically beneficial to see the individual events in the Gospel accounts chronologically ordered. Personally, I think and plan in chronological weeks, so to see Jesus week in this way was a powerful reminder that He walked among us and shared in our daily humanity.  But the most important benefit of the book is not the convenience of all this information together in one volume or the useful chronology.  No, the most important benefit that I received from this book was the gritty-in-real-time reminder of the pain, humiliation, and death Jesus experienced.  Even the way the date is given underneath each day seemed to underline the unavoidable fact that what I am about to read happened to my Savior on a specific day in history.

If you want to expose your family to the truths of Easter in a way they can understand and relate to, read The Final Days of Jesus as a daily devotional for the week leading up to Easter Sunday. If, when you think of Christ’s life and death it seems theoretical and dry, and you desire for your worship of Him this Easter to have a renewed sense of reality and awe, I recommend that you read The Final Days of Jesus.

You can pick up your copy of The Final Days of Jesus at Books by the Park. For more book recommendations to help you build your personal library, please visit our website.

About the Reviewer
Dan Larison joined Parkside’s pastoral team in 2005, but he and his wife, Pam, have been Parkside members since 1998. Dan enjoys good fiction, appreciates organization that features beauty, simplicity, and functionality, and loves spending time with his family, particularly when they laugh so hard that someone ends up on the floor.