Overview

This accessible introduction to the Gospels examines the distinctive messages offered by the texts, giving students a better understanding of methods and interpretations. It explores a close reading of each Gospel and encourages students to approach texts from their own perspectives, from postcolonialism to environmentalism. Discussion questions help students focus their reflections on the gospel narrative, its theology, and methods of reading it. How to Read the Gospels is an ideal textbook for undergraduate and seminary classrooms. The book aims to reach seminary and graduate students who study the Gospels critically and comprehensively. It provides user-friendly summaries such as the basics of each Gospel—authorship, history, important parables, etc. —the Jesus of each Gospel, andnotable interpretation and translation issues. Without reading the entire story, readers often focus ononly specific passages. This book aims to foster close reading of each entire text, sensitizing students to historical and literary issues that commonly arise—and helping them better understand various ways to interpret these formative stories. What makes this book unique is that it also engagesvarious readings of the Gospels from traditional to deconstruction approaches, including womanist interpretation, disability interpretation, ecological interpretation, and many more. For example, how can readers understand the story of Jesus’ surprising conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4 through the lens of feminism? Or disability studies? By providing alternative ways to think about these stories, various methods of approaching texts that may be new to the student, the book opens up how such passages can be interpreted and appreciated.

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9781538186077

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Reviews

How to Read the Gospels is well organized and clearly presents his goals and objectives. I appreciate his innovative approach by which he examines the distinctive features of each Gospel from the standpoint of several interpretive methods, which especially gives voice to perspectives not customarily included in traditional works of similar genre. In addition, providing summaries and questions at the end of each chapter facilitates the book's use as a textbook. I would describe this book as an introduction both to traditional literary and contemporary inclusive, current cutting-edge, marginalized methodologies, and approaches to Gospel interpretation. I welcome a text like this that seeks to provide readers with a broad range of interpretive perspectives (that includes, ecological, post-colonial, minoritized, literary-historical, and other approaches). It is this very feature of Kim's book that is commendable and attractive and the basis upon which to highly recommend it to others. --Demetrius K. Williams, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Dr. Yung Suk Kim's How to Read the Gospels offers informative, in-depth, and inclusive guidance on each Gospel. Dr. Kim invites the reader to engage with and interpret the Gospels through close, careful, and critical reading. This well-organized and well-balanced book will enrich any discussion on the Gospels, whether in seminary or parish. --Jeehei Park, Assistant Professor of New Testament, Seminary of the Southwest Dr. Yung Suk Kim's brilliant and meticulous textbook How to Read the Gospels offers a refreshing approach to reading the gospels that exceeds most introductions. I appreciate that he encourages readers to read the gospels closely for themselves. Readers are also encouraged to read multiple interpretative approaches to the gospels in conjunction with learning how to read them contextually and critically, even though the various methods are situated in the second half of the book. Kim's book rises above the many textbooks on the gospels that either ignore or provide shallow and marginalizing introductions to queer, disability, postcolonial, feminist, womanist, ecological, ekklesia, and minoritized criticisms. This contribution to biblical studies is revolutionary. --Mitzi J. Smith, J. Davison Philips Professor of New Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary With How to Read the Gospels, Yung Suk Kim has once again written a comprehensive and accessible primer for the study of the New Testament. The introduction to each gospel, diverse array of interpretive methodologies presented, and insightful bibliographical references will make this an essential resource for any class engaging the gospels. --Nicholas Elder, Associate Professor of New Testament, University of Dubuque Theological Seminary Yung Suk Kim has gifted us with a much-needed resource for studying the Gospels. Thanks to his exceptionally lucid writing style, this book presents the complex textual and historical issues around the Gospels, as well as their diverse interpretations, in an easy-to-follow way. Students and teachers of the New Testament will find this book useful and insightful. --Ekaputra Tupamahu, Assistant Professor of New Testament of Comparative Literature and Religious Studies, Portland Seminary

Author Information

Yung Suk Kim (PhD, Vanderbilt University) is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University. He has written seventeen books in the area of biblical interpretation, Pauline studies, and the Gospels, including Monotheism, Biblical Traditions, and Race Relations (2022), How to Read Paul (2021), and Resurrecting Jesus (2015). He co-authored Toward Decentering the New Testament (2018) with Mitzi Smith. He also edited Paul's Gospel, Empire, Race, and Ethnicity (2023), among other volumes. He serves as a member of the Bible Translation and Utilization Committee (BTU) to assist in the Bible publishing activities of the National Council of Churches.

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