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| Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes: A Literary-Cultural Approach to the Parables in Luke (Combined edition) | 
 enlarge | Author: Kenneth E. Bailey
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Category: Book
List Price: $28.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (13 reviews)
Sales Rank: 55715
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: Combined
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 448
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6 x 1.2
ISBN: 0802819478
Dewey Decimal Number: 226.406
EAN: 9780802819475
ASIN: 0802819478
Publication Date: June 1983
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Well worth the time and effort August 3, 2008
You will be glad you spent the time to work your way through Kenneth Bailey's works. You will learn the structure of Jesus's parables and the genius of the New Testament writers. You will learn what was on the heart of Jesus, and your heart will be moved as you read the parables through new lenses. Your faith will also be strengthened as you realize that these were not made up stories put in the mouth of Jesus by the church decades later, but these were true-to-life stories for the time of Jesus Himself by Jesus Himself.
Jonathan Williams
Indispensable source for cultural and historical insights pertaining to many of the parables in Luke July 30, 2007
Dr. Kenneth Bailey spent most of his life in the Middle East and as result has a great appreciation and understanding for its culture and its spiritual history. This book is actually two previously released books combined that examine in extensive detail the parables of Jesus in the book of Luke in their first century Palestinian context.
The first fifty or so pages in the first book goes into exhaustive analysis of the structure of parables showing that they have four basic types of patterns and there is sometimes a predictable symmetry to them. This segment is highly technical and can be overwhelming for the layman. But once you get through that part of the book and begin the chapters dedicated to each parable, it becomes a literary treasure, revealing the hidden cultural nuances in the setting of first century Palestine and unlocks many spiritual truths for 21st century Westerners.
Overall I strongly recommend this book - especially for someone who gives sermons or leads a Bible study on these parables. I only have a few minor criticisms. One is that I strongly disagree with Bailey's exegesis on the Parable of the Unrighteous Steward in Luke 16 and also but to a much lesser degree, his exegesis on the Parable of the Fig Tree in Luke 13. My other criticism is that Bailey does not cover every parable in the book of Luke. Fortunately he covers most including the Prodigal Son. In spite of these two issues, I still enthusiastically recommend this book.
Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes May 15, 2007
An interesting view of the parables found in the Gospel of Luke from a literary and cultural perspective. It helped me understand some of the more obscure parables and gave a fresh perspective on the familiar ones.
Although some of the language studies lost me, the literary form and cultural perspective can be very enlightening.
A Very Scholarly Treatment of the Lucan Parables January 10, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Having grown up with his missionary parents in the Near East, among the very cultures that spawned the Judaeo-Christian Scriptures, Dr. Kenneth Bailey is uniquely qualified to translate their cultural nuances into such idioms as modern Western minds can grasp. Note that I did not say "readily grasp": as is the case with his other books, 'Poet and Peasant' and 'Through Peasant Eyes' (actually two books in one volume) is a VERY heavy and scholarly treatment of the subject matter. As the titles suggest, the author takes the positions that both Jesus and His first-century audience were peasants and that the Biblical writers were both poets and peasants. Hence, the key to understanding the Christian Parables--a form of poetry themselves--is to be found in the cultures and bodies of literature of the region.
As is the case with 'Jacob and the Prodigal' (which I have also reviewed here), 'Poet and Peasant' and 'Through Peasant Eyes' will be best appreciated by serious Bible scholars interested in exegetical study. If this category excludes you, pass on this one; there are lots of other decent commentaries out there that won't confuse or bore you to death.
Highest recommendation October 11, 2006
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
Bailey's unique contribution is that he sat down with a number of trusted Palestinian nomads and listened carefully to their take on the cultural issues behind various parables. He contends, with some justice, that this group of people have something in contact with the original culture that these parables arose in, and thus can help us understand the unstated assumptions and cultural implications of the texts. He invested many years in this and did it with care and precision. On top of that, he has explored the early translations of the New Testament into Syrac and related languages. The result is nothing short of stunning. His analysis of the puzzling parable of the unjust steward (Luke 16:1-13) is worth the price of admission alone, and even on the well-trod parable of the Good Samaritan, he has much valuable insight to share.
Bailey has also written other works including "Finding the Lost: Cultural Keys to Luke 15" that focus on the lost sheep, lost coin, lost son, parables of that chapter. All of his works I especially recommended.
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