35 h 5 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 35 h 5 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What does the life of Jesus mean when its story begins before creation and reaches toward his promised return?
In Jesus the Christ, James E. Talmage follows the life and mission of Jesus through a Latter-day Saint understanding of scripture. Drawing chiefly on the four Gospels, he brings history, geography, and Jewish customs into an orderly account of the people, places, and claims at the heart of the story.
The study moves from Jesus’s birth and boyhood to John the Baptist, the Galilean ministry, and growing conflict with religious authorities. Talmage also draws on the Book of Mormon and other Latter-day Saint scriptures. He treats these accounts as true history, offering a sustained theological reading rather than a neutral historical biography.
What you’ll discover
- A story before Bethlehem Explore Talmage’s belief that Christ’s mission begins before the creation of the world.
- The world around Jesus Find Roman rule, Jewish customs, and geography woven into the scriptural account.
- Teaching and growing opposition Follow Talmage’s account of parables, miracles, and disputes over the Sabbath and religious practice.
- The weight of Gethsemane Consider why Talmage places the suffering of Jesus at the heart of his study.
- Beyond the Gospel accounts Examine the Book of Mormon’s account of Jesus among the peoples of the Americas.
Who will love it
Readers who love Bible study, who want the Gospels explained with history and custom, and who enjoy following one question, who Jesus is, from the first council of heaven to the last days.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- The story begins before Bethlehem
- A Savior leaves people free
- Humanity needs a willing Redeemer
- Jesus is Jehovah and Creator
- A humble birth enters a divided world
- His teaching calls for action
- Miracles still leave room for choice
- Love meets betrayal in Jerusalem
- The sources tell one connected story
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Jesus the Christ
by James E. Talmage · 1915
A scholar traces Jesus from a council in heaven to a tomb in Jerusalem and a return still to come.
Challenging10–20 hours to read20 languages
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In short
Why would a book about Jesus begin before Bethlehem? James E. Talmage does exactly that in Jesus the Christ.
Jesus the Christ at a glance
- Reading time
- About 19 h 15 min15 h 20 min fast, 22 h 55 min slow
- Length
- 275,400 words
- Library level
- Challenging long sentences, a rich vocabulary
- First published
- 1915by James E. Talmage
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Christ was chosen Savior before the world began
Talmage opens with a claim that shapes the whole book. Jesus of Nazareth existed with the Father before his birth, and in that earlier state he was chosen to be the Savior of the human race.
He builds his case on a war in heaven. John saw Michael and his angels fight the dragon, and Isaiah mourns the fall of Lucifer, who wanted to raise his throne above the stars. A revelation to Moses adds that Satan offered to save everyone by force, and asked for the honor in return.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1915
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 22 h 50 min
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Talmage, James E. Jesus the Christ. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/jesus-the-christ.
Talmage, J. E. (2026). Jesus the Christ. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/jesus-the-christ (Original work published 1915)
Talmage, James E. Jesus the Christ. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/jesus-the-christ.
@book{talmage2026jesus,
author = {Talmage, James E.},
title = {Jesus the Christ},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/jesus-the-christ},
note = {First published 1915}
}
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What is Jesus the Christ by James Talmage about?
It is a detailed account of the life and mission of Jesus. It begins with his existence before birth, covers his ministry, death, and resurrection, then follows his appearances in later ages and his promised return.
Who wrote Jesus the Christ and when?
James E. Talmage wrote it in 1915 at the request of the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The First Presidency and the Twelve read and approved it before it was published.
How is Talmage's book different from other lives of Christ?
Most begin at Bethlehem and end at the Ascension. Talmage starts before Christ's birth and follows his mission beyond the Millennium, reading the Bible alongside the Book of Mormon and modern revelation.
The author
James E. Talmage
1862–1933 · American Mormon theologian and writer
James E. Talmage (1862–1933) was born in England and moved to Utah in 1876. He worked as a scientist and educator and became an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1911. He wrote The Articles of Faith (1899) and Jesus the Christ (1915).
More by James E. Talmage
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