Before reading this paper, I did some research into Dr. Farrar, as I was not very familiar with he or his works. Farrar was a well-known British preacher who lived from 1831 to 1903 and served—among other places—as minister of London's famed Westminster Abbey and later as Dean of Canterbury. "His ability to blend historical details with biblical facts" drew huge crowds to listen to his sermons.
Farrar makes Christ's life on earth come alive. He puts you in the First Century. You feel as though you walk with that happy band that followed Jesus. You triumph, you toil, you weep and you suffer with Him . . . and at the end you stand amazed and joyous at His resurrection. (Farrar also sent me running for my dictionary, at times, as he certainly enlarged my vocabulary.)
It was amazing to me the way Dr. Farrar, gave such excellent coverage of the life of Jesus. It was such a beautiful blending of piety and scholarship, with the clarity of description, and such a dramatic portrayal of the events as they unfold in the Gospels. I believe few readers could ever hope to produce a work of such literary and theological excellence. Within the pages of this book I was treated to the best scholarship of the period. This discussion of Christ's life and teaching, person and work, certainly repaid me for the time I spent reading the book.