a. In Fisk’s book, each chapter represents a section of Jesus from words and deeds to his death. Jesus’s role in society mimics roles of other passages in the Hebrew Bible; there are many parallels that can be drawn between the Jesus and historical biblical figures and prophecies. There is a parallel between Elijah and Jesus both men go forty days without food, being raised as miracle children, preforming miracles with food, among other resemblances (65-67). Jesus and Moses have very similar birth situations, with the rulers of their time period ordering to kill them (94). Jesus also parallels with Israel and the large events that happened with both; some of these similarities are having either twelve sons/tribes/disciples and meeting God on a mountain (97). Jesus fulfills the prophecy of the kingdom riding on a donkey, with the rider mounted on its back in Zechariah, Matthew, and John (195). In 1 Kings Solomon has a similar story to that of the later story of Jesus riding on a donkey as Solomon ride on a donkey to be crowned king (199-200). Jesus also mentions the falling of the temple and the building of a new temple which is important topic to God in the Hebrew Bible (206-207; 212-213). Each of these represents an important section of Jesus’ life and is spread throughout A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus.
b. These parallels also bring out the marketing side of the Bible. As the writers wrote the gospels, the content shows the words of Jesus and stories of Jesus parallel or change; which implies that the story was changed to allow Jesus to be placed in better light. Something to remember is in the study of this book, Norm is a character set up as a Christian who is curious. Anne Lamott’s quote says “faith also means reaching deeply within” (27) this could also mean that studying the historical Bible can be looked at from an academic point of view and a faith point of view. As Dr. Reis noted, “there is nothing wrong with curiosity, questioning, and doubt” (27,132, 208). This book is both for an academic study and a faith perspective which Norm travels (7). Fisk writes focusing mainly on the historical stand point of Jesus’s culture. A Christian can look at both faith and historical context and be able to compare with the Biblical stories and the real happenings of Jesus in his day.
b. These parallels also bring out the marketing side of the Bible. As the writers wrote the gospels, the content shows the words of Jesus and stories of Jesus parallel or change; which implies that the story was changed to allow Jesus to be placed in better light. Something to remember is in the study of this book, Norm is a character set up as a Christian who is curious. Anne Lamott’s quote says “faith also means reaching deeply within” (27) this could also mean that studying the historical Bible can be looked at from an academic point of view and a faith point of view. As Dr. Reis noted, “there is nothing wrong with curiosity, questioning, and doubt” (27,132, 208). This book is both for an academic study and a faith perspective which Norm travels (7). Fisk writes focusing mainly on the historical stand point of Jesus’s culture. A Christian can look at both faith and historical context and be able to compare with the Biblical stories and the real happenings of Jesus in his day.
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