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Zealot
- The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
- Narrated by: Reza Aslan
- Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
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Zealot
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Summary
From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative, and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as Jesus of Nazareth.
Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher and miracle worker walked across the Galilee, gathering followers to establish what he called the "Kingdom of God." The revolutionary movement he launched was so threatening to the established order that he was captured, tortured, and executed as a state criminal.
Within decades after his shameful death, his followers would call him God.
Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history's most influential and enigmatic characters by examining Jesus through the lens of the tumultuous era in which he lived: first-century Palestine, an age awash in apocalyptic fervor. Scores of Jewish prophets, preachers, and would-be messiahs wandered through the Holy Land, bearing messages from God. This was the age of zealotry - a fervent nationalism that made resistance to the Roman occupation a sacred duty incumbent on all Jews. And few figures better exemplified this principle than the charismatic Galilean who defied both the imperial authorities and their allies in the Jewish religious hierarchy.
Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against the historical sources, Aslan describes a man full of conviction and passion, yet rife with contradiction; a man of peace who exhorted his followers to arm themselves with swords; an exorcist and faith healer who urged his disciples to keep his identity a secret; and ultimately the seditious "King of the Jews" whose promise of liberation from Rome went unfulfilled in his brief lifetime. Aslan explores the reasons why the early Christian church preferred to promulgate an image of Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary. And he grapples with the riddle of how Jesus understood himself, the mystery that is at the heart of all subsequent claims about his divinity.
Zealot yields a fresh perspective on one of the greatest stories ever told even as it affirms the radical and transformative nature of Jesus of Nazareth's life and mission. The result is a thought-provoking, elegantly written biography with the pulse of a fast-paced novel: a singularly brilliant portrait of a man, a time, and the birth of a religion.
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- FBCOL
- 18-01-15
Great
Brilliant, as near to the truth as I think you will get. Totally plausible and well researched story, read by the author himself.
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- Alex Lancaster
- 29-11-15
Fascinating
a beautifully written / produced piece. a compelling read for those with or without faith.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 28-02-15
Well written.
A pragmatic and unsentimental work. Pieces history together in a rational way, making sense of the politics and movements during the time of Jesus and the time when Christianity was emerging as a world religion.
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- Fiaz
- 20-12-18
Delivery on point.
Putting the critical aspect aside, the delivery was more entertaining and gripping rather than academic. Hard to stop listening and a possible candidate of binge listening. Raises lots of questions, forcing the reader to yearn for more.
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- MrTellyBelly
- 15-05-16
Very Informative
What did you like most about Zealot?
Very well researched book. I think we all know the story of Jesus but what this book did was to put it into a social context of the time.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Zealot?
I was shocked at the society at that time - groups fighting each, massacres, foreign invaders. I was left with the thought that it doesn't look as if much has changed since then - just the names are different.
Which character – as performed by Reza Aslan – was your favourite?
Jesus :-)
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
When the Romans came back after the rebellion with the express intent of "pummelling" the local population to teach them a lesson. I was shocked at the cruelty.
Any additional comments?
Great book to listen to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- K.
- 03-01-18
Thoroughly Enjoyable.
Highly recommended insight into the early days of the Church, and the now almost forgotten brother of Jesus, James the Just.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-06-22
Excellent audio and subject
Best audio book on the subject I’ve listened to in ages, learnt a lot about the historical context of early Christianity 👏
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- Scott
- 14-11-22
Amazing
Deeply fascinating and insightful, I will look forward to listening many more times to this audiobook. Reza Aslan is a great writer
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- Ricardo Garcia
- 06-06-18
Great book
Great book if you like the topic. Very insightful and very detailed on the life of Jesus the man. Would definitely recommend.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- S
- 03-05-21
Well researched but heavy going
Full of detail and historically accurate. Last few chapters are particularly important - clearly explains how the new Christian Roman Empire had to deflect blame for Jesus's death away from themselves and onto someone else "which laid the foundations of two thousand years of anti-Semitism"
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