In 1804 Thomas Jefferson decided to study the gospels to see if he could distill the essence of Jesus' teachings into a concise book that could be quickly read and easily understood. This volume is the result, offering valuable insights into the teachings of Jesus Christ and into the mind and beliefs of Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson used a razor to cut the sections where Jesus was teaching out and then he pasted them all together into a coherent narrative. In a sense this book is a precursor to the red letter editions of the bible emphasizing the teaching of Jesus. This edition has twelve interior illustrations by Robert Scott Crandall designed to enhance the reading experience.