Book Review - The Four Gospels by E.V. Rieu

 The Four Gospels: a new translation by E.V. Rieu

Melbourne: Penguin Books, 1952

Sometimes it's good to take a fresh view on things. For those of us who are, or have been, regular church-goers, we think we know the Gospels from our regular Sunday attendance. Every now and then we might read some of the Gospels, but usually in isolation, and for religious reasons, rather than as literature, or as a book. This is of course right and proper, but, sometimes, it's good to take a fresh view on things.

E.V. Rieu went back to the original Greek texts of the Gospels to try and give us that fresh view. In his introduction he explains how he not only went back to the earliest texts available of the Gospels and re-translated them, but has also eschewed the Biblical tradition of dividing the text into verses (although the chapters remain). He has also taken into account the latest (in 1952) scholarship and re-ordered the Gospels into chronological order - Mark, Matthew, Luke and John.

Reading the Gospels in that order, one after the other like one would read a novel, shows them in a new light. It strengthens, I think, the idea that John's Gospel was actually written by that Apostle. Where the other three Gospels essentially tell the same story, with different emphases, John's Gospel gives us a much greater insight into Jesus himself. The first three Gospels report very much what Jesus did as much as what he said, whereas John reports so much more what he actually said, and in a way that intimates that John was there with Jesus when he spoke.

The eternal message that Jesus gave to humankind is not changed in this translation, and I found on reading this version that the incomprehension of many of those who heard him speak was more noticeable, with Jesus speaking in parables that the Pharisees and other Jews could not grasp - even the Apostles struggled at times. Jesus wanted to save us all, but we have to want to be saved - we need to move towards Him, and He will be there for us.

I can recommend this translation if you want a different way to approach the Gospels, or if you find the "official" Bible structure a little intimidating. Well worth a look.

Cheers for now, from

A View Over the Bell