An Introduction to the World of Jesus and the Gospels
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Discover the world of Jesus and the Gospels!
The book invites readers to familiarise themselves with the historical developments that preceded the ministry of Jesus, and the historical context of Judeans in Palestine during the first-century AD. It was a context dominated by the Roman Empire, as well as social values and institutions that were very different to our own.
The book also gives a basic introduction to the contemporary study of the Gospels and proceeds to present some key features of each Gospel individually. This includes how the authors present the life and significance of Jesus in their own unique way. Adorned with many images and maps, the book is a visual feast. This is a great resource for any person who wants an introduction to the Gospels and understand the world in which Jesus and the early Christians lived.
Reviews
‘Beautifully illustrated and finely written, this Introduction to the World of Jesus and the Gospels will help ministers and lay readers to appreciate better the importance of knowing the historical and cultural context of the early Christian texts in order to read the Gospels in a considerate and respectful way. Dr. Cromhout has managed to digest and present in a very didactic way a huge amount of contemporary biblical scholarship.’
SANTIAGO GUIJARRO, Professor of New Testament, Pontifical University of Salamanca, Spain
‘In this book, Markus Cromhout has sifted through and translated the fruits of technical biblical scholarship into a highly readable and enjoyable resource that many in the church will appreciate, regardless of background. Cromhout demonstrates how research on the Bible enriches the understanding of the context in which Jesus lived and in which the gospels were composed without overly simplifying the complexity of the ancient world and its literatures. The book is an invitation for any interested person in the church to learn more about Mediterranean antiquity such that they will have a more enriched and informed experience as they read the New Testament and reflect upon the significance of the figure of Jesus. The clarity of prose, as well as the plentiful figures and images, render the volume all the more engaging. It is wonderful that such a book has appeared, and the volume will undoubtedly stimulate theological discussion.’
ALICIA J. BATTEN, Professor of Religious Studies and Theological Studies, Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario), Canada
‘An Introduction to the World of Jesus and the Gospels is a marvellous book. Dr. Cromhout is clear that he is not carving new ground in the book, and that is not the purpose of the book. This work excellently brings the results of scholarship to interested readers of the Gospels. Each chapter is filled with important information. The first three chapters briefly but deeply set up the historical, social, political, and literary contexts of the Hellenistic era, the Roman world, and the Second Temple period in Galilee and Judea. Each of these chapters offers a reasoned expression of why these contexts matter for understanding the meaning of the Gospels. Chapter four of the book describes why the types of study undertaken by biblical scholars are important and how they matter for reading the Gospels within the church. This chapter alone makes the book worth the time it takes to read it and should be especially valuable for ministers and lay people who want to enhance their understanding of what historical-critical scholarship of the Gospels is and how it can be employed. Chapters five through eight describe the Gospels in their (likely) order of composition. Cromhout expertly describes the social-cultural and historical contexts of each Gospel, the composition history of each text, and provides a narrative analysis of the major themes of each of the four canonical Gospels. This book is not a commentary on the Gospels, and more could certainly be said about each text than is said here, but this book is a brilliant primer for how biblical scholarship works, why it matters, and how it can be used by ministers and lay people alike to enhance their understanding of Jesus and the Gospels. Beautiful photographs throughout the book provide the reader with a significant sense of the regions of Galilee and Judea, detailed illustrations imaginatively reconstruct important spaces of ancient Galilee and Judea, and useful charts significantly enhance the textual descriptions of the Gospels.’
ERIC STEWART, Professor of Religion, Augustana College (Rock Island, Illinois), USA
About the Author:
Markus Cromhout earned his PhD in New Testament studies from the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Theology in 2006. He has authored several scholarly books covering various aspects of New Testament study. Currently, he is engaged in research and ministry training, focusing on deepening the understanding of Scripture in its historical context.