The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus TraditionEven mature Christians have trouble defending the person and divinity of Christ. The Jesus Legend builds a convincing interdisciplinary case for the unique and plausible position of Jesus in human history. He was real and his presence on the planet has been well-documented. The authors of the New Testament didn't plant evidence, though each writer did tell the truth from a unique perspective. This book carefully investigates the Gospel portraits of Jesus--particularly the Synoptic Gospels--assessing what is reliable history and fictional legend. The authors contend that a cumulative case for the general reliability of the Synoptic Gospels can be made and boldly challenge those who question the veracity of the Jesus found there. |
Contents
| 9 | |
A Jewish Legend of Yahweh Embodied? How Open to Pagan | 91 |
One among Many Legends? Do ParallelsRelativize the Jesus | 133 |
Ancient Historians and the Apostle | 163 |
The Silence of Paul? What IfAnything Did Paul Know | 201 |
The Early Oral Jesus | 237 |
Historical Remembrance or Prophetic Imagination? Memory | 269 |
Completing | 407 |
Index of Scripture and Ancient Writings | 455 |
| 465 | |
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Common terms and phrases
ancient world and/or archaeological argue argument assessment assumption believe Biblical Bultmann burden of proof century Christ Christology claim conclude contemporary context divine early Christian early church Eerdmans evidence example eyewitnesses fact fiction first-century form critics form-critical Fortress Galilean Galilee genre Gospel authors Gospel of Mark Gospel tradition Grand Rapids Greco-Roman Greek Hellenism Hellenistic historians Historical Jesus historical reliability historical-critical method historiography Ibid idem Jesus Puzzle Jesus Seminar Jesus’s Jewish Josephus Judaism Kimbangu legendary-Jesus theorists literary Luke Luke’s Marginal Jew Mark Mark’s Meier memory methodological miracles modern monotheism mystery religions myth N. T. Wright narrative naturalistic nature notes Oral History oral Jesus tradition Oral Tradition orally oriented original pagan Palestinian passage Paul Paul’s perspective plausible presuppositions prophets question Qumran reason recent redaction criticism religious resurrection rhetorical Roman Sheffield significant skeptical studies suggests synagogues Synoptic Gospels Synoptic Tradition Tacitus texts textual theological thesis University Press Western worldview writing written York