Few issues are as important as understanding the Christ-centered nature of the Scriptures. When we consider who Christ is, what He came and did in His death and resurrection, and what He continues to do as our Mediator, Advocate, Intercessor, and High Priest, His people should stand in awe of the awesomeness of Christ. Knowing Christ and being known by Him are perennial issues every person and indeed, every generation must wrestle with. This is why I enjoyed the new book Knowing Christ by Mark Jones.
Jones explains the purpose of the book, “Is to look at the person of Christ and give readers—particularly those in the church- a reason to love him more. We can only love him more by knowing him better- which takes us beyond conceptual to relational knowledge. ‘To know’ in the Bible can very often mean to have a concern about something that involves the understanding of the mind, the movement of the will, and the application of the heart. ‘To know’ means ‘to know with particular interest’ or ‘to set one’s affections upon’. Let us then approach this study with wide-open hearts longing to know Chris who first loved us” (xv).
It is from the foundation that the author explores Christ’s declaration, dignity, covenant, incarnation, divinity, humanity, faith, emotions, growth, reading, prayers, sinlessness, temptations, humiliation, transfiguration, miracles, sayings, death, resurrection, exaltation, intercession, Christ’s people, Christ’s wrath, and the names and offices of Christ.
This book follows in the footsteps of Knowing God by J.I. Packer, a book that many consider one of the best Christian books of the 20th century. Knowing Christ is a worthy sequel to Knowing God. While Knowing God focuses on who God is and what He’s like, Knowing Christ teaches us who is Christ and what He demands. As Mark opens the Scriptures, he helps his readers understand the totality of the work and person of Christ in easy to understand language. In this book, Mark writes to help the lay person understand the doctrine of Christ.
Knowing Christ is a treasure trove of biblical teaching, Reformed theology, and practical insight into the doctrine of Christ. Whether you are a new or seasoned Christian this helpful book will help you to grow in your understanding of Christ.
I received this book for free from Banner of Truth and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
