A More Christlike Word

Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way

By: Bradley Jersak

Narrated by: Boyd Barrett

The scriptures are an essential aspect of the Christian faith. But we have often equated them with the living Word himself, even elevating them above the One to whom they point. In doing so, we have distorted their central message - and our view of God. Tragically, this has caused multitudes of people unnecessary doubt, confusion, and pain in their encounters with the scriptures.

Many people understand God as being truly loving and good. Yet, they struggle with depictions of God in scripture as wrathful, violent, and genocidal. These “toxic texts” have caused some to set aside their Bibles as R-rated and unreliable. They have led others to completely reject their faith.

Author and theologian Bradley Jersak has wrestled deeply with such passages over many years. He has experienced the same questions, doubt, and pain. In A More Christlike Word, he offers a clarifying and freeing path forward. Whether listeners consider themselves believers, doubters, or skeptics, all are invited to a more beautiful and ancient way of listening to the scriptures. Bradley calls this path the “Emmaus Way”, because it demonstrates how Jesus regarded all scripture as fulfilled in himself, the final Word of God who reveals the true nature of the Father.

After deconstructing the modern biblicist/literalist approaches to scripture interpretation that have failed us, Brad turns to the early church for a hermeneutic of prefigurement, treating the Bible as the grand narrative of redemption, told through a polyphony of voices and worldviews, culminating in the arrival of Christ as the eternal Word of God - what God has to say about himself.

The interpretive system of the church fathers and mothers who gathered the New Testament and preached the gospel from the Old Testament has largely been ignored or dismissed by both evangelical and liberal movements, the twin children of modernity. The patristics explain and model the apostles’ Christ-centered interpretation of the scriptures. Brad applies their approach to “unwrath” sample passages from each genre of the Bible, showing how even the cringe-worthy texts have an important place in the Christotelic saga of divine love.

Your journey on the Emmaus Way will open up to you the fullness of the scriptures, and, most important, lead you to the God who deeply loves and welcomes you.

©2021 Bradley Jersak (P)2021 Bradley Jersak

Essential (and better than Christlike God)

Not a fairy tale-backed up by solid scholarship. How have I swallowed the bogus renderings of the OT God?!

Loved the book, not the narrator.

I agree that the narrator was distracting, I didn’t like how he changed his voice up so often, felt like a parent reading a fairy tale to a child. I was often confused at what he was saying.


Other than that, I loved this book!

Excellent way of …

Excellent way of understanding the Bible. I wish I read decades ago. Everyone should read it

The theological mind orgasam

Best book ever. Could not stop listening. I’m definitely going to check out the rest of jersaks books

Don't start at Chapter 1

Just a suggestion, but listen to chapter 16 BEFORE you listen to the chapter 1.
I say that because I believe it prepares the heart. And our heart needs to win the battle with the brain, because the author is going to make his tireless effort to wrestle with the religiously trained brain. And THAT brain is a stubborn old goat. :)
I also urge the reader/listener the courage to FINISH. Don't throw in the towel because of the discomfort of the root canal that might be required for Jesus to be Lord of your theology rather than the pulpit.
I hope you discover that Jesus is so much better than they told us. The Gospel isn't just good news. It's the best news EVER!