The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus Review

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(More customer reviews)THE JEFFERSON BIBLE is an interesting historical source by one of America's brilliant "Founding Fathers." Many know Jefferson as the author (co-author) of The Declaration of Independence, third US President, architect, etc. What many readers may not know is that Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)was an accomplished violinist, a brilliant mathematician (he knew calculus which was know as "fluctions"),and someathing of an expert on the Bible. Jefferson was obviously not a "mainline" Christian, but he knew the Bible much better than many self proclaimed Christians.
As readers may know Jefferson titled his "bible" THE LIFE AND MORALS OF JESUS OF NAZARETH. As mentioned in other reviews, Jefferson accepted much of Christ's social teachings, but he did not believe in the miracle stories which he thought were exploited to enhance supersition at the expense of moral conduct.
Another interesting feature of Jefferson's "Bible" is that he wrote this source in parallel columes in English, Greek, Latin, and French. This arrangement was designed to help his children to learn these languages. Such work also demonstrates Jefferson's knowledge of fogeign languages.Some editions of THE JEFFERSON BIBLE have photoplates of these translations which would appeal to those who know these languages.
Some editions of THE JEFFERSON BIBLE has essays and comments by Jefferson who passionately believed in freedom of religion. Recent "critics" have attempted to distort Jefferson's passionate defense of religious freedom by claiming he did not claim such freedom. Essays and anecdotes refute such distortions. For example, some have denied that Jefferson used the phrase Separation of Church and State. It was Jefferson who used the phrase that there was a wall of separation between Church and State. Jefferson argued that only error needed defense of the government and that different views should be brought to the bar reason. Truth would stand on her own. One must reaalize Jefferson's time. Terrible religious persecutions in Europe and colonial America were recent history during Jefferson's lifetime. One must remember that the Salem Witchcraft trials occured between 1692-1693.
Jefferson accepted reason as an adequet guide to find truth as mentioned above. Some editions of JEFFERSON'S BIBLE have a well written, well reasoned essay of Jefferson's scathing denounciation of John Calvin. This essay is not only penetrating criticism of Calvin, but Jefferson effectively denounces religious persecution in this particular essay.
Thomas Jefferson was a brilliantly talented indivudual. His intelligence is reflected in his constitutional thought, mathematics (mentioned above), etc. Supposedly the late US President John F. Kennedy reflected that when there was never so much intellect who sat at the White House dinner table as when Jefferson sat there alone. The above titled book is a good example to justify this high praise.

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The Reverse Jefferson Bible: What the President Left Out Review

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(More customer reviews)Admittedly, without having read this book, I can honestly condemn the actions of the real "editors" of this work simply for their blatant misrepresentation that this book was authored by Thomas Jefferson. It was not. Thomas Jefferson wrote his version of the Bible and titled it "The Life and Morals of Jesus". On the cover they say "What the President Left Out". If that is true, Jefferson cannot be the author because he left out the parts they re-included. By simply reprinting the whole of the Four Gospels, and then highlighting the sections Jefferson chose to keep, does not make Jefferson the author. One of these Gospels, Revelations, was entirely rejected by Jefferson because he felt, as I do, that John the Divine was likely insane. If you believe in the Gospels as divine truth, then the authors are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and not Thomas Jefferson. However, the editors of this Christian apology really go too far when they state "many the passages Jefferson left out are those which can impart the most power and life to our spiritual walks". In doing so, they do create a Reverse Jefferson Bible which Jefferson himself would repudiate. Thus, to claim Thomas Jefferson is the author of this book is a LIE. Once you lie on the cover, what is inside should be treated with the absolute disrespect it deserves. Amazing chutzpah, even for whack-job fundamentalists. What they forget is Jefferson wrote his version to denounce the orthodoxy of fundamentalist Christianity. Jefferson felt Jesus' central message was first corrupted by Paul and followed by a host of others; most of the corruption was political, pecuniary, tended to justify greed and excessive wealth, minimized the role of women and created a justification for misogyny, and gave believers the easy way out by incorporating the belief "once saved, always saved" no matter what one might do to another. I have read the real "Jefferson Bible" and personally I believe Jefferson was right: Christianity, even by his time, was thoroughly corrupt and Jesus' values were ignored and replaced by much more venal, political and selfish concerns. Christianity today is far worse and has drifted so far from Jesus' values I imagine the religion in his name would embarrass him. The unconscionable acts promoted by so many christian sects have become so evil it is sometimes difficult to see the handiwork of God anywhere in what they do. I do not hate Christians nor Christianity; I just wish it were practiced as Jesus taught, not as others corrupted it so we could justify every ugly thing we do unto our fellow man and claim we were righteous in doing it.

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The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth: The Jefferson Bible Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth; The Jefferson Bible" is Thomas Jefferson's Unitarian idea of what Jesus said and believed. Jefferson's idea was simple, but deeply meaningful. Unitarians believe there is one God and that the notion of a 'Trinity' is mistaken. As a Unitarian, Jefferson had the idea of taking the four Gospels, as they were, and cutting out all mention of miracles or of Jesus being God. Jeferson bought two copies of the four Gospels and cut out and pasted together only those passages that quoted Jesus and showed his life and he discarded any direct mention of Jesus as God or anything about miracles. There was no mention of virgin birth or of resurection. Jefferson rearranged the passages, keeping similar themes together, in a logical fashion. What emerged was a book of sayings from a man, who was a philosopher and a teacher and who spoke to everyone about belief in God and moral behavior.
If one reads this short book, one finds, as Jefferson did, the teachings of Jesus, stripped of most of the ideas of others. Jefferson's idea had been very simple. However, the book is a wonderful teaching tool, that focuses on Jesus, separate from all that was not important to Jesus, the philosopher and teacher.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in what Jesus taught, rather than what the various Christian churches teach, today. If you are a Trinitarian Christian (Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, or Protestant), I believe that this book will not discourage your own faith, but will help you to understand Jesus and his own teachings.

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The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth: The Jefferson Bible, written by legendary author Thomas Jefferson is widely considered to be one of the greatest classic and historical texts of all time. This great classic will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth: The Jefferson Bible is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Thomas Jefferson is highly recommended. Published by Classic Books International and beautifully produced, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth: The Jefferson Bible would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library.

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The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth Extracted Textually from the Gospels: The Jefferson Bible Review

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(More customer reviews)I was surprised to see what the product description fails to mention: this book wasn't simply published at the turn of the 20th century. Rather, if you look at an original first edition, at the bottom of the title page, it states as follows:
Washington
Government Printing Office
1904
This book wasn't simply published, it was published by the Congress of the United States of America, for the express purpose of being given to each freshman member of both houses of Congress.
Disagree with it if you wish, that is the right of every American, but the 1904 Congress were following the wishes of Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers that so many today insist was a godless, deist, atheist of a man. And yet he wished for every freshman member of Congress to have in their possession the words of Christ. What does that say about the original intent of what Jefferson himself coined as 'the separation of church and state' in 1802?
Please, I would urge all Americans not only to read this brilliant collection, edited by Jefferson himself, but also the complete, original, unabridged writings of one of our most profound, brilliant, intelligent, and spiritual founding fathers and former presidents, Thomas Jefferson. So many questions about our country today, so many questions about the original intent upon the founding of our republic, can be answered by reading his original words. But more importantly, there's so much we can learn from him about what it means to be an American, from one of our greatest forefathers, one of our greatest examples of what it means to be a truly remarkable, intelligent, loving, tolerant, respectful, yet proud American citizen.

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In the early nineteenth century Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence, conceived the idea of extracting a gospel purified of what he saw as extraneous philosophical, mythological, and theological elements. To do so, he took verses from the four canonical gospels and arranged them into a single narrative, focusing on the actual words of Jesus. This work was never published during Jefferson's lifetime, but was inherited by his grandson and printed for the first time in the early twentieth century. The original bound manuscript, often referred to as "the Jefferson Bible," is held by the United States National Museum in Washington.

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