Jesus Before Pentecost

Jesus before Pentecost studies the history of Jesus' ministry from William P. Atkinson's Pentecostal perspective. This perspective affects both his method and the book's content. In terms of method, Atkinson puts forward a strong argument for looking carefully at John's Gospel, as well as the synoptic gospels, as a reliable historical source for Jesus' life. And in terms of content, his main areas of study follow key Pentecostal interests, summed up in the ""foursquare"" Pentecostal rubric of Jesus as savior, healer, baptizer in the Spirit, and soon-coming king. The picture that emerges offers fresh insights into Jesus' life: notably, the symbolic meaning Jesus invested in the feeding of the five thousand; the personal cost to Jesus of his approach to healing the sick; the involvement of God's Spirit in his life and in the lives of those around him; and, lastly, his enigmatic predictions of his future coming. Overall, the study is both academically rigorous and warmly engaging. It will appeal to anyone who is seriously interested in Jesus, whether or not they are Pentecostal. ""Precisely because he goes into this project with his eyes wide open, William Atkinson helps open our eyes to possibilities we'd not seen before. There are new challenges to consensus positions offered here; you'll start by raising an eyebrow, but to reply effectively, you'll need to raise your game."" --Conrad Gempf, Lecturer in New Testament, London School of Theology; author of Jesus Asked ""Within the recognizably Pentecostal framework of the fourfold Gospel, Atkinson's marvelously lucid book examines the work of Jesus by engaging closely with the biblical text and a range of scholarly studies. The result is original and inspiring. It will benefit pastors, scholars, and students in equal measure."" --William K. Kay, Professor of Pentecostal Studies, University of Chester ""Written with clarity and verve by a Pentecostal for Pentecostals, Atkinson offers a highly readable and creative contribution to Jesus research. Appealing to Pentecostal religious experiences as analogues, Atkinson builds a hermeneutical bridge for the imagination to the Jesus tradition. Fully aware that there is no such thing as value-free historical enquiry, his Pentecostal grid is not imposed but generates questions around the Pentecostal foursquare gospel--Savior, Healer, Spirit baptizer, and soon-coming King. The result is studded with gems."" --Graham H. Twelftree, Charles L. Holman Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, PhD Program Director, School of Divinity, Regent University ""Using the Pentecostal foursquare gospel as his lens--Jesus as Savior, Healer, baptizer in the Spirit, and soon-coming King--Atkinson gives a vigorous but also academic and well-informed Pentecostal reading of the Gospel accounts of Jesus' ministry."" --James D. G. Dunn, Emeritus Professor of Divinity, University of Durham ""In this ambitious undertaking, William Atkinson seeks to identify the shape and contours of a Pentecostal study of the life of Jesus. Drawing heavily on his own Pentecostal context by means of the reception history of Jesus within early Finished Work Pentecostal literature, he sets forth an understanding of the person and work of Jesus from a Full Gospel perspective that focuses on Jesus as Savior, Holy Spirit baptizer, Healer, and soon-coming King, areas of enquiry that have often been underrepresented in the academy. Atkinson's pioneering work bears much fruit and will no doubt generate others of its kind."" --John Christopher Thomas, Clarence J. Abbott Professor of Biblical Studies, Pentecostal Theolo