Familiar stranger : an introduction to Jesus of Nazareth / Michael J. McClymond.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McClymond, Michael J., 1958-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Jesus Christ--Person and offices.

Jesus Christ.

Physical Description:

xii, 212 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Grand Rapids, Mich. : W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., [2004]

Summary:

Familiar Stranger by Michael McClymond is a very readable introduction to that elusive figure known as "the historical Jesus" -- his life, his world, his sayings and doings, accounts of his death and resurrection, and his followers' efforts to understand him. Three features set Familiar Stranger apart from the many other available books on Jesus. First, it's targeted to general readers but doesn't dumb down in its attempt to inform them. Second, it's ideologically balanced, exhibiting a refreshing lack of agenda or ulterior motive beyond the desire to genuinely present what we can and cannot know about Jesus today. Third, it brings together the two most fruitful models for understanding Jesus and his mission -- Jesus the "moral sage" and Jesus the "eschatological prophet." The result is a truly well-rounded picture of Jesus.

Marked by concision, clarity, and thoroughness, McClymond's Familiar Stranger is ideal for classrooms, study groups, and individuals in search of an up-to-date, trustworthy guide to the historical Jesus. Readers familiar with Jesus may well find him becoming stranger to them through these pages, and, conversely, those to whom Jesus is a stranger may well discover a growing familiarity with him.

Contents:

Jesus: A Thumbnail Portrait 1

Piles of Books: A Short History of Jesus Research 7

Sources and Methods: What Can We Know? How Can We Know It? 26

The Palestinian Context: Geography, Politics, Economy, and Religion 44

The Forerunner: John the Baptist 62

The Central Message: The Kingdom of God 67

The Man of Power: Healings, Exorcisms, and Other Works of Wonder 82

The Teacher: Sayings and Parables 93

The Public Figure: Career and Controversies 109

Approaching the End: The Final Week 120

A New Beginning: The Resurrection 129

Wisdom, Apocalypse, and the Identity of Jesus: Some Historical Reflections 133

Thinking Outside the Boxes: A Critique of Contemporary Images of Jesus 139.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 153-198) and indexes.

ISBN:

0802826806

OCLC:

54034963