{"product_id":"9780061743641","title":"The First Christmas","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Who could argue with the message the authors draw from the Bible’s Christmas stories? Light in the darkest time of the year, hope in a period of creeping despair—these are powerful and universal themes that can give everyone a stake in Christmas.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe First Christmas\u003c\/i\u003e Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan—top Jesus scholars and authors of \u003ci\u003eThe Last Week\u003c\/i\u003e—help us see the real Christmas story buried in the familiar Bible accounts. Basing their interpretations on the two nativity narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Borg and Crossan explore the stories’ meaning in their first-century historical context, focusing on the inner truth—rather than literal historical facts—to offer a clear and uplifting message of hope and peace. With \u003ci\u003eThe First Christmas\u003c\/i\u003e readers get a fresh, deep, and new understanding of the nativity story, enabling us to better appreciate the powerful message of the Gospels.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis fascinating work of biblical scholarship unpacks the layers of meaning behind the familiar carols and pageants: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHistorical Jesus Studies:\u003c\/b\u003e Go beyond the Sunday school story to see how the nativity accounts reflect the political and social realities of the first-century Roman Empire.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMatthew vs. Luke:\u003c\/b\u003e A clear analysis of the two distinct, and often contradictory, Christmas stories, exploring why each was written and for whom.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAnti-Imperial Theology:\u003c\/b\u003e Discover the surprising political message of Jesus’s birth as a direct challenge to the claims of Caesar Augustus.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eParabolic Overtures:\u003c\/b\u003e Learn to read the nativity narratives not as literal history, but as theological introductions that frame the major themes of each Gospel.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA Message of Hope:\u003c\/b\u003e Find a deeper, more resonant understanding of Christmas that moves beyond historical debates to uncover a powerful message of peace for today.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Marcus J. Borg","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46908462956693,"sku":"9780061743641","price":10.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9780061743641.png?v=1777422820","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9780061743641","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}