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Title: Jesus and Archaeology
ISBN: 080284880X
Author:
Publicate Date: 2006-08
Publish: 2006-08
List Price: $50.00
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Format: Paperback
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1: Biblical Archaeology in Understanding the Life and Teachings of Jesus
"The 'quest for the historical Jesus' has returned and is currently generating more publications than at any time in the history of scholarship. The central issue is the question of what can be reliably asserted about the person of Jesus..." Mark Powell, Issues in Jesus Research and Scholarship
Jesus Research, Conference & Book:
An international team of thirty experts, archaeologists and biblical scholars, Jewish and Christian, joined the eminent Princeton director of the Dead Sea Scrolls project, in Jerusalem, to discuss the recent discoveries and revelations of archaeology about the life and ministry of Jesus, his world, and its historical setup and religious milieu. These and related questions in this volume that stems from the millenium conference on Jesus and Archaeology, in 2000 CE. The papers of the symposium, edited and reviewed into book chapters, notes were completed and glossary compiled. This took more than a year, with significant computer assistance.
The Historical Jesus Quest:
No serious attempts have been made to learn about the Jesus of history but only recently. Hermann Reimarus, a German scholar has started in 1774 the first quest for the historical Jesus. This was followed by a surge of interest in the "religious personality" of Jesus in the 1800's. Criticism of that quest culminated earlier last century with the writings of Rudolph Bultmann, who tried to separate Christ from the historical Jesus. "There is nothing more negative than the result of the critical study of the life of Jesus," said Dr. Albert Schweitzer, a key figure in the early "quest for the historical Jesus.' Despite how often the question of recovering the Jesus of history has been declared hopeless, it has nevertheless generated a vast literary additions. Even the Pontificial Gregorian University, the highest Catholic institute of theological learning, has invited prof. James Charlesworth to offer a course in 2005, on 'The Historical Jesus: History, Arcaeology, Theology, and christology.
Jesus and Biblical Archaeology:
Biblical Archaeology is a powerful reconstruction tool in understanding the life and teachings of Jesus, son of Joseph as referred to in John's Gospel (Jn 1:45, and 6:42) Dr. Charlesworth preaches the relevance of asking related questions, to reply to a debated Christian one:
"Why did the Jewish nation closely associated with Jesus of Nazareth claim within ten years of his crucifixion in 30 C.E. that he indeed was the promised Messiah?" In Prof. Charlesworth own words, "The study of Jesus begins with theological texts, the intra-canonical Gospels. These are clearly shaped by the desire to proclaim that Jesus from (of) Nazareth is the Christ (the Messiah) and that one should believe in him as the Savior."
He selected few of 'stellar questions' are all about archaeological evidence, or geographical confirmations to biblical locations, activities, artifacts, etc. Those inquire about Nazareth, Cana, Bethsaida, Sepphoris, Jerusalem, the Temple, the synagogues, and data on Caiaphas, Pilate, Simon of Cyrene, and many others. He concludes that, "Obviously, we will always have more questions than answers.
A New Perspective:
After a concise introduction by A. Biran, 'Jesus Research and Archaeology' is given a new perspective by the eminent New Testament scholar. This is the core of the 'Jesus Research Symposium.' He clarifies the methodology of the 'Jesus Research' as primarily inquisitive. This is a monograph that reveals Charlesworth's expertise in depth and breadth, in addition to NT languages and literature, his unparalleled works on the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old and NT, the Qumran Scrolls and the Coptic Gnostic writings. Not only did he introduce systematically the new research, but he recounts in an engaging style the archaeological discoveries on the Essene gate, the Galilean boat, the Herodium, and Peters house, and sepphoris theater between many others. His photos proves him a talented photographer!
Archaeology and Theology:
It would not be feasible to comment on more essays, but I would consider part II of this collective work the most significant for Jesus inquisitive readers. U. von Walde's, 'Archaeology and John's Gospel' lengthy study does challenge the reader to upgrade and integrate his/her understanding of the gospel which has been always the theological cornerstone of orthodox Christology of Athanasius & Cyril of Alexandria.
Prof. Emile Puech wrote a compelling essay on the core of Christian belief, Resurrection Faith, starting from early Jewish beliefs in the Qumranic texts. He gracefully proceeds from the Damascus Document, discovered earlier in the Cairo Genieza, through the Thanksgiving hymns to the Messianic Apocalypse on Resurrection.
Dr. James H. Charlesworth (Ph.D., ET, Litt.D.), is Princeton's George L. Collord Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, has written and edited over 60 books on the New Testament, Dead Sea Scrolls, and other Jewish literature. He is also Director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Project, which is preparing the text, critical apparatus, introduction, and translation of all the non-biblical Dead Sea Scrolls. Dr. Charlesworth specializes in the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old and New Testaments, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, Jesus Research, and the Gospel of John.
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2: Jesus and History
In 2000, a number of scholars met in Jerusalem to deliver papers on archaeology and the historical Jesus. These papers have been gathered in this excellent collection edited by Professor James Charlesworth of Princeton Theological Seminary.
Taken as a whole, the collection discuss all the major issues and relevant locations concerning the archaeology of the Holy Land as it touches on Jesus. For example, the two articles on archaeology and John's Gospel total almost one hundred pages. There is some overlap among the various articles and a couple are somewhat "off topic" (but useful nonetheless).
Unfortunately there is no completely satisfactory introductory work on this topic. Perhaps the best is Crossan and Reed's EXCAVATING JESUS, which is quirky at places and should be used with caution.
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3: Cutting-edge compilation
Edited by James H. Charles worth (Professor of New Testament Language and Literature and Director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Project at Princeton Theological Seminary), Jesus and Archaeology is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors, many of whom worked recently and directly in excavations at Bethsaida, Capernaum, Nazareth, and Jerusalem. Essay topics range from "Did Jesus Attend the Synagogue?" to "Jesus and Resurrection Faith in Light of Jewish Texts" to "The Christian Apocrypha and Archaeology" and much more. A handful of black-and-white photographs, a selected bibliography, an index of scripture and other ancient texts, and a glossary round out this cutting-edge compilation of what the latest archaeological findings tell us of Jesus and the era in which he lived.
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