This introductory text for the study of the synoptic gospels accomplishes two major goals: it teaches the student the principles of a critical reading of the New Testament documents in order to determine what it was that Jesus really said, and it uses our knowledge of the New Testament background to make the meaning of Jesus' lepch ing clear for readers today.

The author clearly introduces critical methods and explains them oprefully for those who have not encountered them before Such practices os retranslation into Arg maic, the examination of teachings which are dissimilar to the teachings of the Judaism of New Testament times, and comparison of the texts of the gospels with one another, with the Gospel of Thomas, and with the Qumron materials, ore in troduced, explained, and applied

Once a teaching has been established as originating with Jesus, the author ex amines the meaning of the teaching in its original context. This involves o further examination of the Judaism contemporary with the New Testament, and on explor ation of Old Testament concepts such as the Fatherhood of God and the edent of Torgiveness This background throws new light on Jesus leachings, especially on parables such as the prodigal son and the sower on the sayings about forgiveness and the Lord's Prayer, and on the teachings about the Kingdom of God.

For studems, each chapter ends with a glossary, bibliography, and study ques tions But the book is so designed that it can also be used for individual study A valuable appendix includes Dr. Abemathy's selection and poroptirases of the authentic teachings of Jesus, given without the connecting narrative of the gospel writers

In Understanding the Teaching of Jesus. Jesus own voice emerges with a clanty that is refreshingly new.

David Abernathy has tought of several colleges and universities in the United States and overseas, including Union Theological Seminary in New York and fimory Usi versity in Atlanta, Georgia