Water into Wine: An Empowering Vision of the Gospels.

Stephen Greenhalgh is Prospect Research Analyst, Advancement Services,
University of Alberta.

In this follow-up to his The Pagan Christ: Recovering the Lost Light, Harpur’s goal is to help the reader to interpret the gospels as they were originally understood by early Christians. His argument is that early Christians viewed the gospels as symbolic and mythological texts and not literal and factual accounts of the life of Jesus. In seeking to provide the reader with the original early Christian interpretation of the gospels, the book explores a wide range of topics such as the virgin birth, Jesus’ miracles, his sermon on the mount, the parables, and transcendence from the physical world to encounter the divine. In each instance, Harpur discusses how these topics, as related in the gospels, would have been interpreted by early converts. Periodically, he goes so far as to question the actual existence of the historical Jesus; Harpur believes the Jesus of the New Testament to be an amalgamation of Near Eastern deities such as the Egyptian god Osiris, who was said to have risen from the dead, and the Persian Mithras, who was born of a virgin. Still, whether or not Jesus existed is not at issue for Harpur. Instead, it is the example of Jesus’ life and his message which provides the true inspiration for Christians. Only through following the example of Jesus and looking within ourselves can we hope to find and commune with the divine.

Harpur’s book is definitely Gnostic in flavour and may deter some readers whose beliefs align with more mainstream Christianity; nevertheless, his informal tone and personable narration will put many readers at ease. In addition, while Harpur may challenge the reader’s past assumptions surrounding Jesus and his life, Water into Wine may also serve to strengthen or give new direction to one’s personal faith.