Bibles Bible Studies Books

The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition

I have spent hundreds of hours reading skeptics of the Gospels, particularly John D. Crossan, as I write my doctoral dissertation. Crossan claims that "the last chapters of the gospels and the first chapters of Acts taken literally, factually, and historically trivialize Christianity and brutalize Judaism."

Others promote that we need to distinguish "the 'mythical' (anything legendary or supernatural) in the gospels from the historical." Speaking of Crossan's, The Historical Jesus, British scholar, N. T. Wright, claims "the book is almost entirely wrong."

Bruno Bauer, Arthur Drews and G. A. Wells argue that the Jesus tradition is perhaps entirely fictional in nature.

To these and other doubters of Gospel content, Paul Eddy & Greg Boyd, in The Jesus Legend, challenge the Jesus-legend thesis and defend the historical reliability of the Synoptic Jesus tradition - based on evidence.

This is a book for those who want the challenges of the skeptical left addressed in a substantive, scholarly way. The authors examine (1) The historical method & the Jesus tradition in first-century Palestine, (2) Other witnesses, including ancient historians & the apostle Paul, (3) The early oral tradition between Jesus and the Gospels, and (4) The Synoptic Gospels as historical sources for reliable evidence for Jesus.

They reach the researched decision that "our broad cumulative case for the historicity of the essential portrait(s) of Jesus found in the Synoptic Gospels" refutes the legendary-Jesus thesis, based on the Gospels an examination of "the general religious environment Jewish Palestine" (p. 452).

They are in agreement with James Dunn that "if we are unsatisfied with the Jesus of the Synoptic tradition, then we will simply have to lump it; there is no other truly historical or historic Jesus" (cited in p. 453).

This is one of the most refreshing books I have read in my scholarly escapades. It is not for those who want a nice bed-time story, but for those who seek answers to the scholarly rot of recent years that has infected the church and the Christian faith.

Spencer Gear,
Hervey Bay, Qld., Australia

Simply put, if you're only going to read one book for the Christian side of the mythological/legendary debate concerning Jesus, this is it. Boyd and Eddy do a great job of presenting the reliability of the Jesus tradition. Greg Boyd has had numerous debates with Robert Price (about 6 or 7 actually) on this very subject and much of what is covered in this book reflects that. For those of you who love heavily footnoted books like myself, you will find loads of them here also. For whatever it may be worth, I can only think of one other work (who's name is evading me at the moment) that has provided such a thorough examination of the writings of Josephus. Of course other ancient writings are examined as well. In my opinion, this is one of those books that no Christian should be without.

The set of respectable ways to argue that Jesus was legendary or never existed just got a whole lot smaller. Two highly qualified scholars with impeccable credentials have granted the skeptics their wish: to subject the Jesus-myth arguments to critical scrutiny instead of simply dismissing them as 'anti-God' or 'just so much rhetoric'. Maybe now people like Robert Price and Earl Doherty wish they hadn't. Greg Boyd and Paul Eddy conduct such a thorough demolition of the Jesus myth and make such a strong case for the general reliability of the Gospels that, unless dramatic new discoveries come to light from the ancient world, I doubt anyone will be able on the available evidence to produce such an argument which withstands their criticisms. Skeptics will no longer be able to simply refer to 'the writings of Robert Price and Earl Doherty' and act as if that settled the issue of Christian origins. They will have to pass through Boyd and Eddy first.

From the reviews below it is evident that a major point of contention surrounding this book is whether it is a serious scholarly book or just 'conservative Christian propaganda'. The answer, of course, is that it is both: it is arguing for a conservative position vis a vis the reliability of the Synoptic Gospels, but the authors back this position up with scholarly arguments and extensive (even exhaustive) bibliography. The truth is that ALL scholars are apologists for one position or another, that is, they present positive arguments for their case and try to rebutt possible objections. If Boyd and Eddy are writing conservative Christian propaganda, then John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg are writing liberal Christian propaganda, while Burton Mack and Robert Price are writing skeptical/atheist propaganda. Let us say rather than each scholar argues as best he/she can and then it is up to other scholars and lay reader to judge whether or not they are convincing. If the arguments are good arguments, what does it matter the position they point to?

I will just make a few comments on the substance of the book, as the best word to describe it is 'exhaustive'. The authors try to address EVERY issue or question which arises with respect to determining the historicity of the Gospels and wrestle with the views of many other scholars. Less attention is given to the Jesus Seminar (whose views Boyd demolished in his Cynic Sage Or Son Of God?) and more to radical theorists such as Doherty, Price, Barker, Weeden, et al. With the exception of the important (indeed, according to the authors, most important) middle section of the book which deals with oral tradition, there is little new argumentation. Anyone who has read Meier, Sanders, Wright, Theissen, Dunn or Bauckham on the historical Jesus will find much of the material familiar. Indeed, it becomes obvious that serious scholars HAVE engaged and refuted most of the arguments which Jesus-mythers advance, but the lines of evidence are presented in piece-meal fashion in various parts of various books. Where Boyd and Eddy excel is bringing all this material together and putting it in dialogue with explicit statements and arguments of the Jesus-mythers.

It would be a mistake to think that this book is solely a defensive reply to the Jesus myth, however. The book also presents a constructive case for the reliability of the Gospels, again drawing from the best results of the last two centuries of historical study of the New Testament. Reading this book will acquaint you with all the critical tools and results one must be familiar with to offer a responsible historical assessment of these documents. That is no small feat. Indeed, I know of no other book (even Dunn's massive Jesus Remembered (Christianity in the Making, Vol. 1), to which the authors are heavily indebted) that covers this amount of material. Add to this an important preliminary treatment of philosophical issues surrounding the question of miracle and divine action, and you have a historical Jesus book unparalleled in the history of scholarship. Its interdisciplinarity is its major strength.

Evaluations of the book's main argument will of course differ, but as far as I can objectively tell the authors succeed brilliantly in arguing that the Jesus of the Gospels is the Jesus of History, or at least as close as we'll ever come to him. Their presentation of skeptical arguments is meticulous and fair (quotations are always put in their original context and further points and arguments are referred to when appropriate) and the implications they draw from their original research in oral tradition are eminently logical. This book strengthened my faith in Jesus and greatly encouraged me with regard to the state of believing scholarship. In a word, it is blossoming. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Is it legitimate to approach the Gospel stories with purely naturalistic presuppositions? Was primitive "Palestinian" Christianity replaced by Paul's "Hellenized" Christianity? Was Christianity nothing more than a new spin on the old paganism of surrounding cultures (e.g. the mystery religions, the hero myths)? What did Paul know about the historical Jesus? These and many other important questions are explored and addressed in this book. Great response to novel and sensationalist interpretations of early Christianity and the person of Christ. Written on a popular level but with extensive footnotes for further research. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in researching the "historical Jesus."

Boyd and Eddy have done an excellent job! In every chapter, the views they intend to criticize are first explained fully and fairly before being critiqued. Especially interesting is their forthright insistence on the primacy of religious and philosophical presuppositions that have shaped Jesus scholarship. By bringing these to light, Boyd and Eddy have been honest and faithful to what is really going on in Jesus scholarship. Also, their use of findings in the field of orality studies have proved to be a cogent check on hyper-literary standards that the Gospels necessarily fall short of.

The ONLY reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is because the binding is beyond cheap-- I am always kind to my books, and I never left this one open and face down or with a heavy object holding it open, yet the binding broke in about six places. Since a review is supposed to be about a book as a whole, I think taking away one star for this defect seems fair. Hopefully there will be a reprint that will use a better binding.

I purchased a leather Quest Bible the same Bible in my church book/gift store is $20.00 higher so I was pleased at the savings.

Great side notes. Brings great understanding and clarity. Has all the answers and explanations that you're seeking.

This is my first study bible and I couldn't be happier. My wife has the hard cover version and I found myself always borrowing her bible. I finally bit the bullet and bought my own, except with the leather cover.

The cover is fine leather and it looks great. More importantly this is just a great bible. It gives you answers to many questions that new believers will find helpful and insightful. This bible helps those of us who are trying to learn and understand more about this great book.

I would highly recommend this bible for anyone looking to learn more from their bible and get some answers to verses and passages that may have confused you in the past.

I deliberated a lot in my search for a new Bible until finally I settled on the Quest. I'm glad I did -- it is a perfect size, has a great two-tone cover, is easy to read, and the notes in the margins (the trademark of this Bible) are fantastic! Instead of your standard reference Bible with a myriad of symbols and cross-references crammed into the margin, the questions addressed in the Quest are typically the very ones that occur to me as I read and deal with a wide range of things, from elusive vocabulary words (ephod, anyone?) to controversial head-scratchers that have had theologians thinking for centuries. I highly recommend it!

I have been on the search for the right Bible to help me in my understanding of God and Christianity. And as far as I'm concerned, this is it.

In reading the Bible, there are many questions that pop up and need clarification. Somehow, the side-notes of this Bible have been able to address every one, to the point of asking and answering my exact questions.

This is a Bible that gives historical and cultural explanations to help you better understand what the scriptures are talking about. I would not recommend this as a daily devotional Bible, but as a study Bible.

It is easy reading and I thoroughly enjoy diving into it. It keeps my attention and leaves my wanting to know more. It has helped me in strengthening my faith since I have a better understanding of where my beliefs are rooted.

Alter continues here what he started in ' The Art of Biblical Narrative' and applies the techniques of literary criticism to the Biblical text. He does not discard Lowth's discovery of parallelism as the key technique of Biblical poetry but rather sharpens and intensifies the meaning of this concept. He shows the way different kind of parallelism operate in the text. He illustrates how intensification of meaning comes through repetition and variation. He closely reads some of the great Biblical poetry.
This is a wonderful work for all those who love the Bible and all those who love Poetry.

This is one of the books that I was supposed to read for a class but didn't get around to it until now. I am halfway through this book and it is one of the most readable academic books that I've read. It is no wonder that Robert Alter has set and will set the standards by which Biblical litery criticism is judged.

The Bible comes alive under his translations and his insights into the text make this old book new and exciting.

T.D. Jakes breaks down the book of Ephesians in such a way that it is so easy to understand and apply it to your everyday life. I am constantly learning fron this book. I even bought one for my mom!

This is a wonderful and insightful book. I have been in L'Arche for over 31 years, mostly in the US. I have not had the privilege of listening to Jean(our founder)speak to Long Term assistants in Trosly, France on this Gospel. I was privileged, however, to go with a group of English speaking assistants to the Holy Land where Jean gave reflections on the Gospel of Jean. It was an incredible 10 days but I was so awe struck by where we were, I could not retain all that was being said about this Gospel. This book has made that trip to the Holy Land come alive in ways it did not do when I was there. I use this for retreats and other times when we just want to read scripture. You won't be sorry to purchase this book. S. Hudacek

Jean Vanier's meditation on the Gospel of St. John is almost as moving as the Gospel itself. Jean Vanier's life and work for Christ are interwoven into his excellent commentary. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who, like me, has had a life-long interest in and curiosity about this mystical Gospel.

Vanier's lyrical commentary on the soaring, poetic, sometimes cryptic gospel by Christ's beloved disciple does exactly what its title claims -- it draws you into the MYSTERY of Jesus! The Son of God IS a mystery -- loving, gentle, compassionate, intense, demanding, radical -- both completely human and completely divine at all times! To the extent that it is possible, St. John and Jean Vanier make Christ's ministry accessible and understandable on a profoundly spiritual level.

Unlike the other gospels, St. John begins with Christ's baptism by John the Baptiser and moves in a direct line to the cross and resurection. Every step of the way, Jean Vanier ties the gospel to the Old Testament, provides 1st century cultural and religious context, expounds on the multi-faceted meanings of the original Greek, and ties the message to our life and our culture -- to my life and my culture! And he does it with some of the most beautiful, heart-stopping, illuminating language I have ever read.

My copy is dog-eared and highlighted through and through. The language is beautiful and the message amazing in its simplicity and glory. I have many favorite quotes, but the one that may best encapsulate the message of the gospel is: "This journey, our pilgrimage of love, begins and deepens as we hear God murmur within our hearts: 'I love you just as you are. I so love you that I come to heal you and to give you life. Do not be afraid. Open your hearts. It is all right to be yourself. You do not have to be perfect or clever. You are loved just as you are. As you become more conscious that you are loved, you will want to respond to that love with love, and grow in love.'"

If you want an inspiring, challenging, enlightening commentary on the treasure at the heart of Christianity -- God's unconditional love and His gift of grace through Christ's sacrifice -- look no further.

Originally a television script, this meditative commentary on the fourth gospel once again demonstrates that Jean Vanier is one of the most readable spiritual authors writing today.

The founder of the worldwide L'Arche communities has a rhetorical style that is simple and lyrical. But don't mistake this simplicity for superficiality. Vanier is proficient in Greek and has done his critical homework. Perhaps more importantly, his contemplative spirit deeply resonates with the Johannine text.

Section by section, he explores the rich symbolism and spirituality of the gospel, focusing on major themes such as human vulnerability, the compassion of Jesus, and the importance of service.

But the central message he finds is a universal call to communion in Jesus Christ. For Vanier, John's gospel invites everyone to fall more deeply in love with the Trinitarian God who loves them.

In addition to the praise offered in the previous reviews, I wish to add that Jean Vanier's book on the Gospel of John has been the best material that I have come across in the last 20 years for use in an ecumenical bible study setting. We are using this book along with the DVD series entitled "The Knowing Eternity Collection" that is available through Title House e-Distribution or through Vision Video who sells the "Knowing Eternity" DVDs that cover the same material in Chapters 1 -10 in the book. Because Jean Vanier is a man of such deep integrity and visibly reflects in himself such a profound love for the Jesus revealed in the Gospel of John, our group finds that watching him on the DVD is just like having him in the room with us! We then spend the week in private reflection on the same chapter of the book that was presented on the DVD.

Even though Jean Vanier's insights are very accessible and relevant to 'ordinary' daily living I still find myself only reading a little each day because my whole being engages in what he says and it takes me time to digest it into my life. If I could, I would give this book to every single person in my life whether they are a 'practicing' Christian or not because I deeply trust that anyone engaged in the adventure of growing in an understanding of what it means to be fully human would be well served by encountering the 'earthy' wisdom contained in this book.

Learned a lot of information concerning the Bible. Easy to read and understand. Great addition for all that teach Biblical courses.

I taught Hermeneutics, a course on how to study the Bible, for 13 years at S.C.S.E. I read "Words of Delight" (when it was still a two volume work) six years into my work with the school and found that it fit the bill for what I wanted to accomplish with my students.

The book is divided into four parts treating Biblical Narrative first. Part two focuses on Biblical Poetry; Part Three on Other Biblical Literary Forms and Part Four, The New Testament. Some books treat the Bible as nothing more than literature. But if you are looking for a book that helps you to appreciate the literary aspects of the Bible while at the same time addressing it as the Word of God, this book is for you.

Frankly, I am surprised that someone else hasn't already written a glowing report of this book for Amazon. I recommend it to every Bible student. It is the single-most useful book I have read on the subject. (I would also recommend a work Dr. Ryken co edited, "Dictionary of Biblical Imagery" and "The Complete Literary Guide to the Bible," and a book he co-authored with Jim Wilhoit, "Effective Bible Teaching.")

Oh, why don't I just come right out and say it, "If Leland Ryken's name is associated with it, get it.

The book is well organized, highly researched, and well written, but very boring! It simply analyzes biblical literature to death and makes many of the not so interesting and not so well written parts of the Bible out to be much more than they really are. It's a bit like trying to make the phone book out to be a great piece of literature. It isn't. It is a good source of information and that's all. The Bible has some nice literary parts to it to be sure, but the author stretches the value of much of the literature in the Bible. Her focus on the mundane, was tedious, and left much to be desired. I would have much rather had her be less detailed and cover the more interesting and valid aspects of Biblical literature rather than trying to make even Geneologies and redundant historical accounts out to be more interesting than they really are. Frankly, many of the stories in the Bible are really not that well written and to try and make it seem as though they are is just delusion

This book is something that is very necessary to give to today's christian teens (or any teen for that matter) who are asking the tough questions. I have Hank Hanegraaffs bible answer book volumes 1 and 2 and noticed that a good sampling of the same question and answers are presented here, suited for the kinds of questions that pop into teenagers minds. One thing I would note is that I find the book to be more suited for mature teenagers who are at least 16 and older. I have found that some of the answers given are too hard to grasp for some early teens 13, 14 years old. Overall, a great bible answer book to give as a gift to any teen or college student in the family.

I ordered 4 new books, 2 were perfect but the other two had some sort of manufacture rubber glue on the edges of the pages. I was able to open each page carfully and separate them but it would have been nice to have them without residue. The residue doesn't come off but the book can be used.

The content of the book is fantastic. It is a nice little pocket size practical guide for common questions regarding what the Bible says about current and classic questions. I gave them to 3 teenagers and one young adult--well received.

I have grown up reading the biblical stories recounted in the Hebrew bible as essentially historical recollections. I have always had some reservations about their accuracy as historical fact and their exaggerations of the scale of the Exodus. This book dispels any notion that the Bible records history accurately or factually. This book strongly suggests that the Exodus, as described in the Bible, is a work of fiction and that the 40 year wandering in the desert is more a theological wandering than a historical event. It does appear, from having read this book twice, that much of Israel's history is fabricated for political purposes and exaggerated toward the Southern Kingdom's benefit. Even the revered Solomon's very existence is questionable. At best he may be a fairly minor king whose exploits and building projects are either non-existent or greatly enhanced by later scribal embellishment.

This is an excellent introduction to the latest research in Biblical Archaeology, presenting a middle ground between the Minimalist and Maximalist debate which has sought to polarise the issue over the last 15 years. Both Finkelstein and Mazar are leading exponents in the field of Post-processual Archaeology, but neither are afraid of examining where the Biblical record is confirmed or challenged by the findings of modern archaeology. For a balanced view, with good editorial summaries, this book looks at the various periods and brings the reader up-to-date with the findings of the latest ecavations.

This book is a great resource for those who are interested in the history of ancient Israel. It is written in a manner that is very informative, but not so academic that the material is meaningless to people to aren't scholars. The book is divided into sections, with each part consisting of a chapter by Finkelstein and a chapter by Mazar. The intent of the authors is to examine and evaluate the archaeological data that pertains to the history of Israel, which includes a look at what archaeology says about the period of the patriarchs, the story of the exodus, the conquest, and the monarchy. The book demonstrates in an engaging way that, while the authors disagree on the interpretation of some of the archaeological data they are both in agreement that the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) contains historical data within its pages, and is not, as some scholars would assert, a completely fictional work. The book also serves as a handy summary reference for the archaoleogical data pertaining to these topics.

I am only 2 weeks in to the book so far. I am enjoying it though. Along with that an my devotional I am enjoying getting up and having "my time". It is a fantastic way to learn the bible from front to back. It is interesting and keeps you wanting to read on.

From the pen of John Stott, life-long New Testament scholar, Anglican pastor, and evangelical advocate for biblical training of pastor/teachers around the world, comes a very readable book for daily use. Dividing the year according to the Christian Calendar, the author guides the reader through an overview of the Bible, and concludes each page with personal reflection and application. Scripture references are provided for further reading. Superb!!!

While the Bible is central to the Christian faith, polls and surveys have repeatedly shown how little people know about the holy book and how rarely they read it. With John Stott's new book, any Christian can be given a guided tour of the Bible in short doses throughout the year.

The majority of devotional Bible reading books starts in January, but this one is different. While you can pick it up anytime, if you want to start at the beginning and follow to the end, the readings begin the first week of September. Organized in 52-week segments, the readings follow the liturgical church calendar, which divides into three periods, each containing four months. From September to December, Stott focuses on how God the Father revealed himself in the Old Testament. From January through Pentecost, he focuses on the life of Christ in and through the Gospels. And between May and August, Stott looks at the Holy Spirit in Acts, the epistles, and Revelation.

Each day includes an achievable one-page reading with a Bible verse, a brief devotional thought and some further Bible reading with a reference to between three and five verses. Each devotional is a simple yet inspirational focus on a different portion of the Bible from Stott, who has spent a lifetime creating commentaries on various books of the Bible. For each reading, an individual gains an experienced mentor through the difficult and story sections of the Bible with insight from this theologian.

As an example, consider his look into 2 Corinthians during week 44 in the book's third section. The Sunday devotion titled "Power through Weakness" begins, "The lust for power has been a characteristic of the human story ever since Adam and Eve were offered power in exchange for disobedience. Still today the pursuit of money, fame, and influence is a concealed drive for power. We see it in politics and in public life, in big business and industry, in the professions and the media, and even in the church and in parachurch organizations. Power! It is more intoxicating than alcohol, more addictive than drugs."

Then, on a single page, Stott describes how the Apostle Paul gives three striking examples of how divine power can be shown through human weakness. God uses the weak vessels of this world through the power of His spirit to shame the strong. It teaches a pointed lesson --- and is just one example of the multiple teaching points in this powerful devotional book.

Many people know Stott from his 1982 bestseller BASIC CHRISTIANITY, which has sold over two million copies. Now, with THROUGH THE BIBLE, THROUGH THE YEAR, he touches the readers' hearts and connects them to the inspirational words from the Bible yet in daily bite-sized sections. For a heart-rending journey, I recommend this book.


--- Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin

What if you could read through the Bible shoulder to shoulder with a Bible scholar? Wouldn't the experience keep you motivated and give you an "edge" to keep going? It's what you get with THROUGH THE BIBLE, THROUGH THE YEAR.

Dr. John Stott, best-known for his BASIC CHRISTIANITY gives a fresh, devotional look at the Scriptures. Each day is loaded with spiritual insight and highly recommended.

Daily devotionals come in many varieties -- from simple one paragraph reminders of the fundamentals of the Christian faith, to several pages of relatively in-depth bible study on a short passage. Stott's book falls into the latter category. With one page per day, it's not too much to read when time is short, but the thoughts recorded within are clear, concise, and well worth thinking about for the rest of the day.
If you're having trouble spending time in God's word daily (as I was), then I definitely recommend this devotional. Start with just reading a page a day -- once this becomes a habit, you can breaking out your bible and reading the passage referenced as well as the devotional. Regardless though, reading a page from this devotional and spending time discussing it with God is an excellent way to draw nearer to Him.

After reading the book, I feel that the author missing the point about the most important thing about the Bible, and God/Jesus: Faith

The spiritual aspects of Christianity are clouded (even in the Bible) because it is about the personal experience or journey that each person must travel.

Good writing, just lots of gaps or assumptions based on the lack of data. Just look at Pauls dealings with the Gnostic Christians even in his own time.

Walking away from Fundamentalism doesn't necessarily mean losing interest in biblical studies. Price's work is among the most refreshing in blending an understanding of the bible, the latest facts available to us from cutting edge biblical scholarship, and an engaging writing style that takes complex and sometimes academic matters and delivers to the lay reader in an understandable way without losing substance in the process.

The 2003 book "The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man: How Reliable is the Gospel Tradition?" by Robert M. Price is a brilliant & scholarly exposé on the origins of the Christian new testament gospels. While many gospel believers view the gospels as having been written by eyewitnesses (Jewish) to events that allegedly occurred during the first century CE in Roman-occupied Palestine, it is far more likely that the gospels were written by people who never witnessed any of the events that they wrote about. First, it is clear that the gospels were written many decades after the events allegedly occurred (no earlier than the last part of the first century CE to well into the 2nd century CE) since the Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE and again in 132 CE. Thus, the gospels could not have been written before 70 CE (and possibly not before 132 CE) since Jesus allegedly makes a dire prediction that it will be destroyed. Further, given that there were no synagogues in Galilee until after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE, Jesus could not have preached in one as the gospels claim with the temple intact. Next, it is clear that those who contributed to them were influenced by non-Jewish beliefs, including Zoroastrianism and Mithraism. Ironically, the Pharisees, often viewed by Christians as Jesus' main rivals, had incorporated various Zoroastrian beliefs into their views of Judaism including the notion of Satan (based upon Ahriman, the anti-god of Zoroastrianism), a vast angelology, the notion of an end-time deliverer (who, for many of the time was Mithras) and a pronounced Light versus Dark dualism. The Sadducees (a rival sect of the time) had rejected all these Zoroastrian & Mithraic concepts (including the belief in an afterlife), but they were pivotal to the development of Christianity. Belief in Mithras, who was venerated as long as ago as 1500 BCE in India as the son of a deity, was popular among Roman soldiers for being the slayer of a bull, but was also believed to have been born of a virgin on December 25th in a cave and had been visited by shepherds that had been alerted by angels of the divine baby's birth. December 25th is a popular birth date for many sun gods worshiped in the first century CE and corresponds to the rising of the constellation Virgo on the horizon, as well as being close to the winter solstice.

As Mr. Price describes in the "Introduction" to the book, there are several tools used for textual criticism for examining authenticity. They include history versus the gospels, the criterion of dissimilarity, the principal of analogy and the principal of biographical analogy. As to history versus the gospels, there is no archaeological evidence that any synagogues existed in pre-70 CE Galilee. They only came into existence after Pharisees & scribes went there following the destruction of the temple in 70 CE. This also comes into play with statements allegedly made by Jesus that were clearly written for a Gentile audience, including the alleged Great Commission that should have precluded any controversy for Peter to preach to the gentile Cornelius (Acts 10-11). The criterion of dissimilarity is simple: there is no reason to accept that a saying attributed to Jesus is authentic if it has any parallel in contemporary Judaism, Hellensim or the early church. For example, can the gospels claim that Jesus specified what is the "greatest commandment" when Rabbi Hillel had previously said the same thing? Or, for another example, are we to believe the nativity story of Jesus as presented in the gospels is authentic when it is so strikingly similar to other nativity stories, including that of Mithras? The principal of analogy views that all historical and scientific judgments are probabilistic, provisional and tentative because they are inevitably based upon analogy with contemporary experience. When reading the various miracles stories in the gospels of faith healings, raising the dead, walking on water or feeding thousands with nothing, one is expected to unquestionably believe that such actions were the result of the supernatural. If so, then why not also believe in various medieval tales of werewolves and weeping statues? Regardless of how much one believes in the authenticity of gospel miracle stories, one would be hard-pressed to find a Pentecostal meeting today where similar miracles are occurring. Hence, if there is high probability that something could not happen, there is high probability that it did not happen. The principal of biographical analogy examines the relationship of the gospel stories about Jesus with other mythical & legendary hero stories. The gospels are highly suspicious in this way since there is nothing in them that doesn't conform to the typical mythic hero archetype.

Using a vast number of references, Mr. Price demonstrates that the origins of the Christian new testament gospels are more a description of the politics that was occurring in the first & second centuries CE within early Christian communities and not what Jesus actually said or did. It was much easier for someone to increase the potency of a particular point of view by attributing it something that Jesus allegedly said. Thus, many sayings attributed to Jesus in the new testament gospels were more a reflection of what the authors wanted to impress upon others and not necessarily what he actually said. Ultimately, the view that prevailed and evolved into the Christianity of today is the Pauline view. Thus, did a historical Jesus (after his alleged resurrection) actually send the disciples to preach his gospel to Gentiles and (ultimately) reject Jewish traditions, or did a group of Pauline Christians not interested in following Jewish traditions have greater sway over what was written in the gospels?

Whether or not a historical Jesus ever existed will probably never be known, but the historical battles that occurred in early Christianity are preserved in the gospel writings, which is what the gospels appear to be more than anything: what early Christians wanted people to believe, and not necessarily what actually happened. Thus, the gospels cannot be viewed as being either historical or authentic in spite of how many people have chosen to believe what is written within them, but how closely do believers actually read what is written in the gospels? If Jesus actually repudiated his Davidic lineage in Mark 12:35-37, then the lineages written in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 that claim a Davidic heritage for him are clearly wrong. Further, each of these lineages (both supposedly the lineage of Joseph) are completely different and include individuals whose offspring were condemned from ever sitting on the throne of David. If Jesus said "Verily I say unto you, there shall no sign be given unto this generation," (Mark 8:12), then all of the various miracle stories written in the gospels must be rejected as being inauthentic. If Jesus only became the messiah after his resurrection as indicated by Romans 1:4, Acts 2:36 & 3:36, then any messianic claims attributed to Jesus before his crucifixion cannot be authentic. If Jesus renounced all apocalyptic speculation with signs (Luke 17:20), then the so-called Olivet Discourse (or Little Apocalypse) as written in Mark 13, Matthew 24 and Luke 21 that was riddled with signs was clearly said (written) by someone else. The "Good Samaritan" parable (Luke 10:25-37) and the Great Commission could not have been given by Jesus when he is also attributed to having said "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and set foot in no village of the Samaritans" (Matt. 10:5).

Overall, I rate the very thought-provoking 2003 book "The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man: How Reliable is the Gospel Tradition?" by Robert M. Price with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. The descriptions contained within this review are but a meager sample of the depth & breadth of the detailed information & analysis contained with Mr. Price's book.

Fascinating, clear exposition and compellingly persuasive. If you have an open mind and follow the reasoning and logic of this book it will change your view of Christianity. Read also Doherty's [[ISBN 978-0968925911 The Jesus Puzzle]].

This is my first exposure to Dr. Price's writing, and I am truly astounded. Rarely have I seen writing so intellectually stimulating and so easily approachable. Price manages, time and again, to do the impossible - to condense hundreds of years of esoteric material, research, and language study into a format easily approachable to anyone, and without "dumbing down" the content in any way.

What particularly sets this book apart in it's genre is that, at no time, does it feel that the literalist Christian is being ridiculed. The proffered theories, evidence, and possible conclusions are never condescending. I believe this book could be easily shared with any kind of Christian as food for thought, without causing hurt feelings or anger. The reader isn't make to feel wrong or ignorant, just exposed to new and exciting possibilities for consideration.