A few more reviews of my book Who is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew ^[1] have recently been posted.

First, Jennifer Fitz over at Riparians at the Gate ^[2] gives 7 Reasons You Should Buy “Who is Jesus Christ? by Eric Sammons ^[3]:

This is a top notch, can’t-go-wrong book .   I had a hard time writing a review because everything I had to say sounded so trite and trivial and fluffy, and this book is none of those.  I finally just decided to gush away in a nice neat top-7 list (no biblical allusions intended).  So here you go:

Jen’s Top 7 Reasons You Should Buy This Book

1. It is interesting! When I picked this book for my Catholic Company ^[4] book review item, I thought it would be boring-but-good-for-you. I was so wrong. Not boring. Not at all. The book is packed with interesting perspectives on Jesus – how he was seen by his contemporaries, how Jesus fits into the Old Testament prophecies of a messiah, and how the Gospel impacts our lives today. Loaded with details, and never slow and belaboring. (But I was right about the good-for-you.)

Continue reading ^[3]…

Next, Marcel over at Aggie Catholics ^[5] says I’m in big trouble ^[6]:

Eric Sammons, the author of the new book Who Is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew ^[7], is in big trouble. Why? Because I have a bad habit of reading anywhere from 4-15 books at a time. I generally pick one up and read it for a while. The next time I read, I pick up a different book from the book pile. Once in a while, esp. when reading fiction, I read a book cover-to-cover and can’t put it down. Eric’s new book has been one that I can’t put down and this means the stack of other books has been neglected since I starting reading Who Is Jesus Christ?

Continue reading ^[6]…

Julie over at Happy Catholic ^[8] recommends my book for Advent reading ^[9] in her “pre-review”:

Today, I bring you a book that I haven’t yet finished because I am finding myself almost forced to read it slowly and meditatively in order to consider the wealth of information.

Who is Jesus Christ? by Eric Sammons ^[10] takes an interesting tack in answering the question that Jesus him self put to the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” We all have our favorite and comfortable concepts about Jesus. They are not necessarily wrong but they also are not all that Jesus Christ is. It is in contemplating those areas outside our comfort zones that we most often meet God. Or so it seems in my experience.

Continue reading ^[9]…

And finally, Jeff Miller, a.k.a. “The Curt Jester ^[11],” happily recommends my book ^[12]:

Catholic blogger Eric Sammons of The Divine Life has written a book now released titled Who Is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew ^[13].  Eric was kind enough to send me a copy.

This book uses the Gospel of Matthew as a guide, but it is not a sequential reading of themes and passages from this Gospel.  The book is arranged into groups of  major themes  which included incomplete perceptions of Jesus as shaped in the Old Testament, major roles Jesus fulfilled, fulfillment of Old Testament types, and finally his role as Son.

Eric is quite a capable writer who presents information in a way that is easily readable while also passing more technical information in that same easily accessible manner.

Continue reading ^[12]…

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

As Julie mentioned, my book would make great Advent reading, as you could read one chapter every day in the month of December leading up to Christmas. Also, the Sunday readings for the upcoming liturgical year come from the Gospel of Matthew, and Who is Jesus Christ? can prepare you to encounter our Lord in Matthew’s Gospel during the next year.