The Last Days According to Jesus’ Family

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

Franklin Pyles

“M. L. Banzhaf’s study invites readers to examine the traditions surrounding early Christianity with careful attention to their historical and theological context. As a student of Rabbi Eliyahu Benamozegh, whose Israel and Humanity envisioned a constructive relationship between Judaism and Christianity, I welcome works that pursue serious and respectful engagement and help renew our shared scriptural heritage.”

Ben Abrahamson

“Marty opens our eyes to see past centuries of Western church, back to ekklesia rooted in family, around tables, in community. Rich insight into Jesus’ own family and Jewish community, and capable detangling of years of empire, church, and forced eschatology, lead us see—and be—the faithful people of God in fellowship and on mission in these last days.”

Tim Crouch

“In The Last Days According to Jesus’ Family, M. L. Banzhaf invites readers to reconsider the end not as a timeline to decode, but as a covenantal story to inhabit. With careful attention to Scripture, history, and lived experience, he offers a vision shaped less by fear and more by humility, healing, and hope. This is a thoughtful and needed contribution for those seeking a deeper, more faithful reading of the biblical narrative of the last days.”

Hunter Barnes

“Banzhaf weaves his own spiritual journey throughout this book with both theological rigor and pastoral sensitivity, addressing divisive issues such as Christian nationalism, dispensationalism, and replacement theology, not to inflame controversy, but to heal theological fractures. The result is not so much mind blowing as mind stretching—a work that invites pastors and scholars alike to think beyond our traditional and popular frameworks and calls the church back to A. B. Simpson’s ‘center of gravity: a Christ-shaped theology ordered toward mission.’ The appendices and Franklin Pyle’s foreword are essential reading as capstones for the book.”

Paul L. King

“Banzhaf courageously challenges readers to reconsider the stories that have shaped our imagination. Mary and her family, and the early Jewish followers of Jesus, are not tribal weapons meant to justify hostility. They are invitations to rediscover God’s covenantal purposes—purposes rooted in mercy, faithfulness, and the restoration of relationship. . . . For those of us who live in the land where these biblical stories took place, the questions raised in this book are not abstract theological debates. They shape how Christians understand their neighbors, how they pray for peace, and how they embody the gospel in a fractured world. The church does not serve the kingdom of God by amplifying division. Rather, we serve Christ when we become witnesses to his reconciling love. If this book helps the church rediscover that calling—even in small ways—it will have served the gospel well. May these pages encourage readers to seek truth, pursue mercy, and remember that the story of God has always been, and will always be, a story of family gathered by grace.”

Jack Sara

“It was not only a great pleasure but also a deep learning experience to host Martin Banzhaf on The Meaning Code YouTube channel back in 2022. Major kudos that he has written a book that puts these ideas together in a compelling format, and so beautifully written as to be almost poetic.”

Karen Wong

“In this warm and heartfelt book, Marty has woven personal memoir, historical research and theological reflection into a narrative that asks the reader to put aside dogmatics and enter instead into the story of God for the world. Using the Torat Edom—a concept that many in the Evangelical world will do well to comprehend—Marty has provided a framework for understanding the last days that focuses on lived experience rather than the abstract countdown of eschatological events. Indeed, we are reminded that the last days are better read not as the triumph of Christians over other religions, particularly those of Judaism and Islam, but the story of the covenant God who is fulfilling his covenant promises. In following the example of Jesus’ own family—through expressing mercy (Mary), faithfulness (James), and perseverance (Jude), we better reflect the heart of God for all of humanity. With personal prose and accounts of his own upbringing as a refugee and later missionary work providing a real-world grounding, Marty exhorts us to live as citizens of the coming kingdom in the present—even as we await its ultimate unveiling.”

Peter Laughlin