Studying the Historical Jesus: A Guide to Sources and Methods
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Interest in the historical Jesus continues to occupy much of today's discussion of the Bible. The vexing question is how the Jesus presented in the Gospels relates to the Jesus that actually walked this earth.Studying the Historical Jesus is an introductory guide to how one might go about answering that question by doing historical inquiry into the material found in the Gospels. Darrell Bock introduces the sources of our knowledge about Jesus, both biblical and extra-biblical. He then surveys the history and culture of the world of Jesus. The final chapters introduce some of the methods used to study the Gospels, including historical, redaction, and narrative criticisms.Bock, a well respected author, provides an informed evangelical alternative to radical projects like the Jesus Seminar. His audience, however, is not limited only to evangelicals. This book, written for college and seminary courses, offers an informed scholarly approach that takes the Gospels seriously as a source of historical information.
List of Illustrations7Preface9Abbreviations11Introduction: Sources of Our Knowledge13Part 1Jesus in His Cultural Context431.Nonbiblical Literary Evidence for Jesus452.A Basic Chronology of Jesus' Life653.Political History794.Sociocultural History107Part 2Methods for Studying the Gospels1375.The Three Quests for the Historical Jesus1416.Historical Criticism1537.Source Criticism1638.Form Criticism1819.Redaction Criticism18910.Tradition Criticism19911.Narrative Criticism and Gospel Genre205Selected Bibliography217Subject Index221Scripture Index227
