Publisher’s Description:
Jesus Christ has been given the name above all names, the highest seat of honor, the right to reign and rule. Yet the busyness of our lives and the diversions of this world often distract us from knowing the most important person we could ever know. Perhaps we need some help to see Jesus afresh.
In this thoughtful study and worshipful reflection, two influential pastors draw on decades of pastoral experience in order to guide us through the whole sweep of Scripture and examine seven key qualities of Jesus’s identity and ministry:
- Jesus as the True Prophet
- Jesus as the Great High Priest
- Jesus as the Conquering King
- Jesus as the Seed of the Woman
- Jesus as the Son of Man
- Jesus as the Suffering Servant
- Jesus as the Lamb on the Throne
Name above All Names helps us to see and meditate on the incomparable character of Christ—a spiritual exercise that enables us to readily respond to the exhortations of Scripture, to focus our gaze upon the King of kings, and to better understand just how great Jesus really is.
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Authors: Allistair Begg & Sinclair Ferguson
Title: Name Above All Names
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Crossway (May 31, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1433537753
ISBN-13: 978-1433537752
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
Price: $19.99
Buy Name Above All Names on Amazon.com.
Purchase from Crossway.com
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Editorial Reviews:
“No biblical or theological subject captivates my heart and stimulates my mind more than the glory of Christ. One day every knee with bow at the mention of His name. If you want to understand why (and have your won heart humbled, filled with gratitude, and aroused to worship), nourish your soul with this simple yet profound overview of who Jesus is and what He has accomplished.”
—John MacArthur, Pastor, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California
“As Christians, we find it easy to talk about God’s work in our communities and around the world. It’s easy to describe our growth in Christ and what we are learning from him. But how many of us simply delight in talking about Jesus? The art of contemplating the loveliness of Christ—and infusing those admirations into everyday conversation—is a dying discipline. But in Name above All Names, my friends Alistair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson invite us to meditate afresh on our wonderful savior and all that makes him beautiful and praiseworthy. I highly recommend this remarkable volume!”
—Joni Eareckson Tada, Founder and CEO, Joni and Friends International Disability Center
“Who is Jesus? There is no more important question human beings can face. Alistair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson provide a wealth of knowledge about Christ by looking at how Christ is presented in the New Testament through a collection of exquisite images. Every Christian will celebrate this book as these two gifted authors bring us into an even deeper understanding of who Christ is and who he is for us.”
—R. Albert Mohler Jr., President and Joseph Emerson Brown Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“You can’t have too many good books about the person and work of Jesus Christ. And this is a great book. Alistair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson handle the most important doctrines of the faith with clarity, fidelity, pastoral insight, and good humor. New Christians, non-Christians, and long-time Christians will benefit from these superb expositions.”
—Kevin DeYoung, Senior Pastor, University Reformed Church, East Lansing, Michigan.
For all of those who, like me, have spent a lifetime in church hearing the Bible stories, but have only begun to grasp the central story of the Bible, Name above All Names winsomely and clearly connects the dots. Two wise guides help us to see Jesus throughout the scriptures—from the promise of his coming as the seed of the woman in Genesis, to the promise of his coming again as Lamb on the Throne in Revelation.”
—Nancy Guthrie, Bible Teacher; author, Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament Bible study series
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Summary & Evaluation:
Jesus. It’s all about Jesus. Working in full-time ministry, I’ve heard that over and over. Sometimes I get numb to it. Can I confess that sometimes I get numb to Jesus. I’ve heard the gospel at the very least 2-3 times a month since I was a boy.
I grew up in a Christian home with parents who did their best to point me toward Jesus. Jesus was the “Savior of my sins” the “Lord of my life”. Jesus was the person who got me out of hell. He was the one who “died for me”.
My tone my sound sarcastic. I assure you it’s not. Jesus is indeed my Lord and Savior. He is my rescuer and restoration. He is my hope and guide. He is my anchor in storm. He is my refuge. I’m simply going to be honest about the fact that growing up around Jesus smoothed out some of His rugged edges.
I began to shape my own ideas of who Jesus was. I took advantage of His grace and my get out of hell free card. I knew little of what it actually meant to surrender my life to His lordship.
In college I began to align my life with Jesus life. I began to examine Scripture for a closer look at who this man was that I claimed allegiance to. If I lived my life under the banner of His call on my life, I had better know what the heck that banner was waving for.
I found the banner of Jesus to be love and truth. My favorite passage in Scripture comes from Matthew 22:35-40 in which a religious leader tries to pigeon hole Jesus into answering the question “which law is the greatest”. The religious leader was referring to the over 600 laws found in the Old Testament Scriptures handed down from God. Jesus takes a confusing an trapping question and turns it on it’s head. “Love God with all that you are and love people as you love yourself.” Love. The greatest of all commandments. Jesus went as far as to say that all of the laws from before hinge on those two things. That was a banner I could align myself with. Jesus became a person I could follow.
Yet, every week I stand on stage and sing songs about Jesus. I lead people to lift their voices in a gang vocal melodious noise in exalted praise to Jesus. Who is Jesus? I can’t just go off of who I think He is or what I want Him to be. Jesus is who He is.
I believe in the value of Biblical Authority. It gives me a basis in which to examine God. It’s a standard I can align myself with. So when asking the question: “Who is Jesus?” I must ask, “What do the Scripture teach about Jesus?” This is the question that Allistair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson hope to answer in their book Name Above All Names.
The authors begin by looking at some major “names” or “roles” that we see Jesus fill throughout Scripture. They divide the sections of the book into these roles:
- Jesus as the True Prophet
- Jesus as the Great High Priest
- Jesus as the Conquering King
- Jesus as the Seed of the Woman
- Jesus as the Son of Man
- Jesus as the Suffering Servant
- Jesus as the Lamb on the Throne
The authors do an great job of showing Scripture’s support and explanation of these roles and how seeing Jesus in these roles effects the life of the believer – all without ever feeling too academic. It’s a great read. Check it out!
Buy Name Above All Names on Amazon.com.
Purchase from Crossway.com or listen to an interview about the book.
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“This book was provided free from (Crossway Publishers) with my promise to post an unbiased review.” Review was written by M. Hasty.
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