The Surprising Genius of Jesus: What the Gospels Reveal About the Greatest Teacher

Williams (principal and CEO, Tyndale House, Cambridge; Can We Trust the Gospels??) argues in his newest tract that while Jesus Christ is often thought of as the exemplar of what a human should strive to be, he should also be considered a genius for his teaching deftness. This, Williams contends, puts Jesus on par with the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Mozart. Focusing on Luke 15:11–32, the tale of the return of the prodigal son, the book insightfully breaks down this rather short but integral passage in an effort to highlight numerous instances of Jesus’s exceptional teaching prowess. As a parable, the story works on many levels. It also underscores the Messiah’s great familiarity with the Old Testament—specifically the book of Genesis—with many callbacks to familiar father and son relationships, such as Adam and his sons, Abraham and his offspring, and Isaac and his progeny. In a way, Jesus’s twice-told tales seek to reincorporate them purposely to engender greater meaning and depth for his believers who would likely comprehend the references.