Jesus and His World: The Archaeological Evidence - Softcover

Evans, Dr Craig A

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0664239323 ISBN 13: 9780664239329

Publisher: Westminster/John Knox Press,U.S., 2013

Synopsis

In this provocative work, world-renowned scholar Craig A. Evans presents the most important archaeological discoveries that shed light on the world of Jesus of Nazareth. Evans challenges many sensational claims that have been proposed in recent books and peddled in the media by using archaeological findings to uncover the truth about several key pieces of Jesus' world. For example, what was the village of Nazareth actually like in the time of Jesus? Did synagogues really exist, as the Gospels say? What does archaeology tell us about the ruling priests who condemned Jesus to death? Has the tomb of Jesus really been found? Evans's engaging prose enables readers to understand and critique the latest theories--both the sober and the sensational--about who Jesus was and what he lived and died for.

This new paperback edition includes an additional appendix with questions for discussion and reflection, making it ideal for both group and individual study.

About this title

Review:

"A masterful, erudite, and well-written review of the archaeology of the world of Jesus. Highly recommended for scholars and students alike." Shimon Gibson, Head of the Archaeology Department, University of the Holy Land, Jerusalem

"Evans has done a favor for the lay public, college students, seminary students, and likely more than a few scholars in the writing of this book. We expect clarity, accuracy, and detailed knowledge from Evans, and he delivers it. He reports much of what archaeologists have found that relate to the story of Jesus of Nazareth and with as little bias as possible. Furthermore he has interleaved the literary evidence with the archaeological evidence to give a broader scope and understanding of the subject matter to the reader. This book does not smother us in detail, nor is it superficial, but he helps the reader to greater understanding and in a vigorous style." James F. Strange, Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Graduate Studies, University of South Florida
"Craig Evans has a gift for synthesizing large swaths of complicated, technical material, identifying its most significant implications, and making it accessible to non-specialists. Scholars, students, and general readers will benefit from this engaging overview of how archaeological finds illuminate the life of Jesus, from Galilee to the grave." Mark A. Chancey, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Southern Methodist University

"Although written for non-experts, this up-to-date survey of a truly fascinating topic has much to teach the experts, too. Particularly noteworthy is the thought-provoking case for widespread literacy in Jesus' Jewish world, a case that goes against much recent work." Dale C. Allison Jr., Errett M. Grable Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

"Craig Evans has done a favor for the lay public, college students, seminary students, and likely more than a few scholars in the writing of this book. We expect clarity, accuracy, and detailed knowledge from Evans, and he delivers it. Readers at many levels will be grateful for being spared archaeological jargon and for his many insights." James F. Strange, Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Graduate Studies, University of South Florida

"A masterful, erudite, and well-written review of the archaeology of the world of Jesus. Highly recommended for scholars and students alike." Shimon Gibson, Chair of the Department of Archaeology, University of the Holy Land, Jerusalem, and author of The Final Days of Jesus: Archaeology as Evidence

"In 1943 F. F. Bruce, the distinguished New Testament scholar wrote a classic work, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Many challenges to the credibility of the Gospels have been raised since then by some skeptical scholars. Craig Evans, with a mastery of all of the relevant archaeological, inscriptional and literary evidence answers in a lucid exposition the question discussed by Bruce with a resounding 'Yes'." Edwin M. Yamauchi, Professor Emeritus of History, Miami University

"This book, by a leading New Testament scholar, is a user-friendly introduction to what the main issues are, and what archaeology can contribute to the search for the Jesus of history. Evan's book is a fine and useful entry point for considering important but often neglected sources and their impact on our understanding of the historical Jesus." Anders Runesson, Associate Professor of New Testament and Early Judaism, McMaster University

About the Author:

Craig A. Evans is Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Acadia Divinity College, Acadia University, in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. The author or editor of more than fifty books and hundreds of articles, Evans is a regular guest on many national media outlets, including NBC, The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, and BBC. He is an internationally distinguished authority and lecturer on the historical Jesus. For more information, visit craigaevans.com.

About this edition

• Publisher: Westminster/John Knox Press,U.S.
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0664239323
• ISBN 13: 9780664239329
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 214