Choosing a controversial title is always a good way to encourage people to buy a book and Michael Frost has certainly done that with his book, Jesus the fool (Albatross Books, 1994). Frost does not use the word fool, in a derogatory sense. He is attempting to show us Jesus through fresh eyes and illustrate from, the point of view of worldly values, that many of Jesus’ actions were foolish. Perhaps the most foolish of all is the way he continues to love mankind despite the numerous times people continue to reject Him.
Thus the main thrust of his book is to look at Jesus’ actions from a different perspective. It is a technique often used in counseling whereby if you can help the counselee sees a particular situation differently to the way they currently see it. Then the way they react will also change.
Our view of Jesus is often colored by our upbringing and by leaders who shaped our early Christian walk. In the introduction Frost talks about particular writers who changed his perception of Jesus. I know myself, watching Bruce Marchiano as he played the role of Jesus in “The Gospel according to Matthew”, forever changed the image of Jesus that I held. Like Frost I realized that Jesus was much more animated and humorous than I had been taught.
I have been led to believe the book has now been republished by UNOH publications and is well worth a read.
