The conventional approach to understanding the New Testament from the Gospels is turned on its head as a well-respected professor of early Christianity delves into what preceded the written documents, which documents were written first and why, and what debates and personalities shaped what were ultimately chosen for inclusion in the Bible-shaping Christianity as we know it.I bought this for my Kindle, not remembering I'd already once checked it out of the library and posted this summary of it on my blog. I don't find it on my lists of completed books, so I still need to read it. But I was surprised to run across the link while looking for something else. I think this book goes along with the one I borrowed from my friend Sheila:
Nolan's portrait introduces readers to Jesus as He was before He became enshrined in doctrine, dogma, and ritual, a man deeply involved with the real problems of his time, which are the real problems of our time as well. In a new preface, Nolan reflects on recent work in Christology and how a book written in South Africa in 1976 still has a message for people today.Goal
My goal is to come up with a fairly concise response to a Jewish friend's remark that "Jesus was the first Christian." I said he was Jewish, never a Christian. She insisted he was a Christian, the first Christian. She's not a theologian, so I need a way of explaining it that will make sense to a lay person. If you've read either of these books, do you think it would be helpful?
Update 2-8-18
Nobody commented on this conundrum about Jesus and Christianity, but I found a book by a Jewish rabbi that seems to be exactly what I need to read about the Jewishness of Jesus.
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