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Jesus Eclipsed: How Searching the Scriptures Got in the Way of Recounting the Facts
Who was Jesus of Nazareth? Was he a miracle-working savior who walked on water as the gospels claim? Or was he a mythical figure, a Jewish variant of the dying-and-rising gods found in pagan belief? In Jesus How Searching the Scriptures Got in the Way of Recounting the Facts , David Chumney suggests that the truth is more nuanced, and it will be found only by recognizing the clear scriptural influences on the gospel accounts of Jesus.
In the tradition of scholars such as Bart Ehrman, Chumney offers readers a chance to engage in critical study of what biblical texts can reveal about the Jesus of history, while firmly rejecting mythicist claims that Jesus never existed.
A small handful of writings, alongside the gospels, provide the only sources of credible information about Jesus. Historians want to know more, but as Chumney's new book shows, the church's efforts to make the story of Jesus conform to Old Testament prophecies leaves historians with little reliable data.
Buttressed by reputable academic sources and offering readers avenues for further study, Jesus Eclipsed will appeal to freethinkers seeking a careful, evidence-based look at the historical Jesus and his true place in the annals of the past.
In the tradition of scholars such as Bart Ehrman, Chumney offers readers a chance to engage in critical study of what biblical texts can reveal about the Jesus of history, while firmly rejecting mythicist claims that Jesus never existed.
A small handful of writings, alongside the gospels, provide the only sources of credible information about Jesus. Historians want to know more, but as Chumney's new book shows, the church's efforts to make the story of Jesus conform to Old Testament prophecies leaves historians with little reliable data.
Buttressed by reputable academic sources and offering readers avenues for further study, Jesus Eclipsed will appeal to freethinkers seeking a careful, evidence-based look at the historical Jesus and his true place in the annals of the past.
181 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 10, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 22, 2017
(Full disclosure: The author was kind enough to forward me a copy for review for which I'm extremely grateful)
On page 122, Chumney writes, "Few may read this book...". If that is the case, it would be a shame. Among some other works, I hold Richard Carrier's "On the Historicity of Jesus" up as the gold standard that anyone in this field needs to be overly familiar with. Now, I'd like to add Chumney's to that list. If you want a quick read that hits most of the points on where research stands in New Testament studies, "Jesus Eclipsed" is recommended.
It begins with a survey of when real criticism began, with Hermann Samuel Reimarus (1694 -1768). The first chapter notes that before this time, the New Testament was pretty much taken at face value for 1600 years. After this section, we move to examining some examples to determine what may be possible, probable or plausible using proper historical methods. Like, did Jesus really walk on water or carry his own cross at Golgotha.
My favorite parts came after these sections. I'm most interested in any verification of a historical Jesus outside the New Testament. And Chumney does well addressing the sources where some have claimed this can be found: In the works of Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, Josephus and Suetonius. Spoiler alert: There simply are no sources outside the New Testament.
We're then off to examining what Paul wrote, those seven authentic letters, the oldest writings we have regarding Jesus. And although Chumney grants that Jesus probably was historical due to Paul noting he met with James, the Lord's brother (Gal 1:19), it's pretty clear Paul knew nothing about the Jesus observed in the Gospels. Paul never mentions anything about a birth or disciples or healings or anything at all about Jesus' supposed ministry. In other words, if there was a historical Jesus, not even Paul bothered to record it.
The rest of the book does an excellent job covering items such as the fact that the Gospels are mostly works of mimesis using Old Testament pieces, reworked into stories about Jesus. There's nothing at all historical about them. And thus the title of the book, "Jesus Eclipsed". If there ever was a historical Jesus, he's been lost in history, painted over by myth.
Chumney ends with some suggestions on moving forward in the field of finding a historical Jesus, if we can. If there even is one.
"Jesus Eclipsed" is a worthy read and a great contribution to the study.
On page 122, Chumney writes, "Few may read this book...". If that is the case, it would be a shame. Among some other works, I hold Richard Carrier's "On the Historicity of Jesus" up as the gold standard that anyone in this field needs to be overly familiar with. Now, I'd like to add Chumney's to that list. If you want a quick read that hits most of the points on where research stands in New Testament studies, "Jesus Eclipsed" is recommended.
It begins with a survey of when real criticism began, with Hermann Samuel Reimarus (1694 -1768). The first chapter notes that before this time, the New Testament was pretty much taken at face value for 1600 years. After this section, we move to examining some examples to determine what may be possible, probable or plausible using proper historical methods. Like, did Jesus really walk on water or carry his own cross at Golgotha.
My favorite parts came after these sections. I'm most interested in any verification of a historical Jesus outside the New Testament. And Chumney does well addressing the sources where some have claimed this can be found: In the works of Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, Josephus and Suetonius. Spoiler alert: There simply are no sources outside the New Testament.
We're then off to examining what Paul wrote, those seven authentic letters, the oldest writings we have regarding Jesus. And although Chumney grants that Jesus probably was historical due to Paul noting he met with James, the Lord's brother (Gal 1:19), it's pretty clear Paul knew nothing about the Jesus observed in the Gospels. Paul never mentions anything about a birth or disciples or healings or anything at all about Jesus' supposed ministry. In other words, if there was a historical Jesus, not even Paul bothered to record it.
The rest of the book does an excellent job covering items such as the fact that the Gospels are mostly works of mimesis using Old Testament pieces, reworked into stories about Jesus. There's nothing at all historical about them. And thus the title of the book, "Jesus Eclipsed". If there ever was a historical Jesus, he's been lost in history, painted over by myth.
Chumney ends with some suggestions on moving forward in the field of finding a historical Jesus, if we can. If there even is one.
"Jesus Eclipsed" is a worthy read and a great contribution to the study.
March 17, 2018
A brilliant, carefully reasoned, evidence-based book that arrives at two conclusions: 1) there is a very small amount of evidence that Jesus Christ probably lived and 2) most of the information we have about Jesus in the New Testament is fiction and is more about what the early Christian church believed about him decades after he lived. If anyone is interested in what we really know about Jesus, this book is a must-read. It demonstrates how mythicists (who don't believe Jesus ever really existed) are overstating the case and how evangelical apologists are ignoring the actual evidence of the NT documents, overstating their objectivity, and avoiding the conclusions of scholarship. The author writes with clarity and lays out the evidence in a compelling argument. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews