DaSilva's analysis of the figure of Jesus in these tales illustrates the historical context and exegetical differences of these books, and his interpretation also implies that the fullest vision of contemporary Christianity is one that embraces all versions of Christ across all four gospel narratives. For example, an individual seeking Biblical counseling may first find psychological respite in the image of Mark of the suffering Christ, crying out in despair upon the Cross. Next, there is an attempt, as in Matthew, to tie an individual's mission, suffering, and life to a larger familial and national tradition of hope, of fulfillment, faith, and redemption, through talking and emotional healing. Then, through discussing the Jesus as presented in Luke, the heart in a less intellectual and verbal fashion is opened up, to a mission of forgiveness and hope and return to the Father anew. And finally, a greater understanding of the self in a larger context of a relationship of earth to heaven is achieved through discussing an individual's problems in context of the book of John. Through diversity of understanding of the figure of Jesus, comes strength in the Christian mission, and one's personal mission, and this is why Jesus' words and deeds were recorded in such a pluralistic fashion.

DaSilva also gives considerable attention to other redemptive figures in the New Testament, such as the story of Paul, once the persecutor Saul, who became the missionary of the word to the gentiles. In all of the gospels, the figure of John the Baptist is given equally great attention...

And the tale of establishing the Early Christian faith is itself instructive, as it shows how the difficult process of creating something anew is often a process of debate and struggle, rather than seamless harmony -- another important message for an individual seeking solace in Biblical counseling, particularly in work related matters. Ministry formation will always be divisive, a vital thing for the counselor to remember, too, in the counselor's own life.
The most important concepts the book offers for Christian counseling is thus the diverse schemas offered through the figure of Jesus as morally instructional devises. Exegesis can be a revelatory, rather than a deconstructive process, as it reveals how apparent differences in the text are examples of textual depth and richness rather than contradictions. The book affirms why the New Testament has the construction it has today, in its choice of books and sequence in the Christian tradition and why the fourfold narrative about nature of Jesus is a particularly helpful notion. Through understanding Jesus in the exegetical tradition, his ministry becomes a way of encouraging a subject to see things from all sides, rather than just his or her side, during counseling. If God shows his own Son from a variety of perspectives to the Apostles, surely we can look at our own problems from he perspective of another, in our own different but often equally troubled yet rich historical context