Kelly Conatser

Kelly Conatser has long been intrigued by the many small questions raised but not fully answered in the Gospel narratives: Why was the powerful Herod the Great so paranoid about the birth of a child in Bethlehem? How did John the Baptist, a prophet respected and feared by Herod Antipas, come to such a tragic end? What were the disciples doing with swords during the Last Supper? How did Mark wind up in the Garden of Gethsemane wearing only a bedsheet? Why was the Jerusalem mob so enamored of Barabbas?

These historical nuggets and others like them lend color and context to the world in which Christ’s ministry unfolded. The Gospels themselves provide clues to the possible answers, but more importantly they illuminate the responses of the people impacted by Christ’s explosive Messanic claims—friend and foe alike. With a master’s degree in Theological Studies, Conatser applies a wide knowledge of Greek, Roman, and Judean culture to Gospel texts and other historical accounts, weaving compelling stories that portray events as they might have been experienced by Christ’s contemporaries two thousand years ago.