The Last Week

The Last Week: A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus's Final Week in Jerusalem

By Marcus J. Borg & John Dominic Crossan

HarperSanFrancisco, 2006. 220 pgs. Nonfiction

This book recounts the events of the last week of Christ’s life and provides a very readable and remarkable analysis of the words and deeds of Christ. Each day is studied in detail from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Each day is supplied with discussion and analysis of Jesus’ words and deeds that shows their economic, political, social, and theological importance at the time.

Although many are familiar with many of the events of this final week, surely most readers will find that Borg & Crossan’s text presents news ideas and raises issues and questions that reverberate even now 2,000 years along the way. What did it really mean when Christ drove out those who were buying and selling in the temple? How are we to understand the familiar passage where Jesus says to render to Caesar those things that are Caesar’s and to God those things that are God’s? You may be surprised and intrigued by the authors' conclusions.

SML