Good books about NT and Jesus?

[SwoleMan]

I've read Peter Kirby's book tips, but I still feel a bit insecure about which books dealing with the NT and Jesus to start with. I'm leaning towards Koester's "Intruduction to the New Testament" and J D Crossans "The Historical Jesus", the latter because I've heard Crossan doesn't believe everything in the gospels to be historical truth in spite of the fact he's a Christian (if the author of the book I'm in debates with Christians refering to is biased towards Christianity, it'll perhaps make my arguments look less suspect). I've also thought of buying Earl Doherty's "The Jesus Puzzle", but am hesitating a little because I didn't get too convinced by another MJ advocate, namely Alvar Ellegård. Is Doherty better? Of what I've read about Jesus so far, I like Richard Carrier's essays (those that are available here on II) best.

So, which books do you think I should spend my money on first?

[Amaleq13]

So, which books do you think I should spend my money on first?

I think Koester is a good place to start to give you enough background to read the rest.

Personally, I liked Crossan's The Birth of Christianity and would suggest that before The Historical Jesus. Oddly enough, the former book by Crossan seems to me a pretty good precursor to Doherty's thesis.

[gregor2]

In all due respect, I think Koester is too much a college textbook to be your first foray into the area. You risk getting lost in the discussions of Epikorus and the monetary policies of the Persian Empire. Crossan's TBOC is great, but it's long and presupposes you know alot of the historicity debates. It's easy to be overwhelmed by it.

I'd start with smaller books - Randall Helms and Burton Mack first.
Then, I'd try Ehrman's Lost Christianities
Then I'd go for Crossan's TBOC and other Jesus' stories
Then I'd go for Koester and Robert Price
Stay away from James the Brother of Jesus for a few years.

[Toto]

. . . I've also thought of buying Earl Doherty's "The Jesus Puzzle", but am hesitating a little because I didn't get too convinced by another MJ advocate, namely Alvar Ellegård. Is Doherty better? . . .

Doherty is better, and makes more sense.

[SwoleMan]

I think Koester is a good place to start to give you enough background to read the rest.

Personally, I liked Crossan's The Birth of Christianity and would suggest that before The Historical Jesus. Oddly enough, the former book by Crossan seems to me a pretty good precursor to Doherty's thesis.

Isn't TBOC a lot like Koester's two books about NT?

[SwoleMan]

By the way, thank you guys for your tips! It may be that I don't comment everything you write, but I read and ponder it.

[Amaleq13]

Isn't TBOC a lot like Koester's two books about NT?

Koester is more about the texts while Crossan gives a more broad consideration of what we can conclude about the earliest Christians based on their texts but also incorporating what outsiders were saying. There is certainly overlap but I enjoyed the cultural context Crossan provides for early Christianity and I also found his discussion of the "great divide" in the earliest evidence (living ministry vs resurrected Christ) very interesting.

IMO, Koester describes and explains the facts while Crossan provides a context for those facts.

[SwoleMan]

Koester is more about the texts while Crossan gives a more broad consideration of what we can conclude about the earliest Christians based on their texts but also incorporating what outsiders were saying. There is certainly overlap but I enjoyed the cultural context Crossan provides for early Christianity and I also found his discussion of the "great divide" in the earliest evidence (living ministry vs resurrected Christ) very interesting.

IMO, Koester describes and explains the facts while Crossan provides a context for those facts.

Ok.

I read a review of TBOC, and I got the impression Crossan is a believer of a spiritual resurrection. Is this true, or did I get it wrong?l

[Amaleq13]

I read a review of TBOC, and I got the impression Crossan is a believer of a spiritual resurrection. Is this true, or did I get it wrong?l

Yes. He believes that Jesus' body was most likely buried in a common grave, and scavanged by dogs, along with all the other crucifixion victims.

[SwoleMan]

Yes. He believes that Jesus' body was most likely buried in a common grave, and scavanged by dogs, along with all the other crucifixion victims.

Aha.

Hmm, I wonder if the Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, K G Hammar, has read Crossans works. Don't know what he thinks about the alleged resurrection, but he has stated clearly that he doesn't believe Jesus walked on water etc. .

You've convinced me to order TBOC. I think I'll wait with ordering Koester's books, though; they're rather expensive.

[Javaman]

I've not read many but I'd like to suggest:

Jesus : A Life by A.N. WILSON (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0449908070/InternetInfidels/)

[TerryDucDaul]

Andreas83,

I have heard that the book by Earl Doherty ("The Jesus Puzzle") is good. But I am not always sure that people are giving good advice until I've read it for myself. I too, have been looking for some good books on the subject of the New Testament. There is a female author who I see sometimes associated with Doherty in lists of books. I don't know if she just writes similar books or what.

I don't know what the Di Vinci Code is about, but I hear that it is good. I am sure that it must have a lot of conjecture. There seems to be some talk now about a new book which is coming out soon. Something like "Caesar's Messiah." Does anyone know anything about that book? Thanks.

Terry

[Diogenes the Cynic]

The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant (http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/bookdetail.asp?BookID=758) by John Dominic Crossan is one of the seminal books on HJ.

Who Wrote the New Testament? : The Making of the Christian Myth (http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/bookdetail.asp?BookID=620) by Burton Mack is an excellent introduction to NT scholarship

The Jesus Puzzle (http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/bookdetail.asp?BookID=663) by Earl Doherty is one of the definitive books on the mythicist perspective (and Doherty is one of the most discussed authors on IIDB).

The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version (http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/bookdetail.asp?BookID=617) is a favorite of mine and boasts some of the best translations i've seen.

The Five Gospels: The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus (http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/bookdetail.asp?BookID=772) by Robert Funk details the conclusions of the Jesus Seminar.

The Acts of Jesus: The Search for the Authentic Deeds of Jesus (http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/bookdetail.asp?BookID=788) is the follow up to that one.


I would also recommend any of Bart Ehrman's (http://www.secweb.org/bookstore/author.asp?AuthorID=505) work for his accessibility and readable style. He provides some good introduction to the material.

[Speedkill]

I think Koester is a good starting place. The first volume is pretty dense and boring at times, but it's not too horrible. Mack's book, which I read before Koester (I'm a beginner at this as well), seemed to gloss over a lot of what I wanted to know.