In Search of Paul

by John Dominic Crossan, Jonathan L Reed

s/t: How Jesus' Apostle Opposed Rome's Empire with God's Kingdom
John Dominic Crossan, the eminent historical Jesus scholar, and Jonathan L. Reed, an expert in biblical archaeology, reveal through archaeology and textual scholarship that Paul, like Jesus, focused on championing the Kingdom of God--a realm of justice and equality--against the dominant, worldly powers of the Roman empire.
Many theories exist about who Paul was, what he believed, and what role he played in the origins of Christianity. Using archaeological and textual evidence, and taking advantage of recent major discoveries in Italy, Greece, Turkey & Syria, Crossan and Reed show that Paul was a fallible but dedicated successor to Jesus, carrying on Jesus's mission of inaugurating the Kingdom of God on earth in opposition to the reign of Rome. Against the concrete backdrop of first–century Grego–Roman and Jewish life, In Search of Paul reveals the work of Paul as never before, showing how and why the liberating messages and practices of equality, caring for the poor, and a just society under God's rules, not Rome's, were so appealing.
Readers interested in Paul as a historical figure and his place in the development of Christianity; Readers interested in archaeology & anthropology.

Genres: Religion, History, Theology, Christianity, New Testament, Biography, Biblical Studies

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

John Dominic Crossan is generally regarded as the leading historical Jesus scholar in the world. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Birth of Christianity, and Who Killed Jesus? He lives in Clermont, Florida.

John Dominic Crossan was born in Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland in 1934. He was educated in Ireland and the United States, received a Doctorate of Divinity from Maynooth College in Ireland in 1959, and did post-doctoral research at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1959 to 1961 and at the École Biblique in Jerusalem from 1965 to 1967. He was a member of a thirteenth-century Roman Catholic religious order, the Servites (Ordo Servorum Mariae), from 1950 to 1969 and was an ordained priest in 1957. He joined DePaul University in Chicago in 1969 and remained there until 1995. He is now a Professor Emeritus in its Department of Religious Studies.

Reviews

[Eduardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a book on the historical backdrop for Paul's letters? Wrong question. At least as far as Crossan and Reed are concerned. This volume is not an account of any historical backdrop; but, as they say, of a confrontational foreground. Christ and Caesar cannot occupy the one throne of the universe - and these two fellows aim to show why. Deeply illuminating. Even if Crossan leans on a more Bultmanian side, this book will surely bring Paul's Messiah and his agenda into the three dimensions where they rightly belong.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Placing Paul in the context of the Gecko-Roman world that he inhabited. This book gives you a critical tool to deciphering his enigmatic letters. "In Search of Paul" advances the idea that Paul's mission was to proclaim an alternative to the then current world order of imperial Rome. A vision of the world under the kingship of the anointed Jesus that replaces military power with a community of love.

[Marty Solomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unbelievable fantastic resource from one of the greatest scholars of our day. Even though this book was on the front end of the new Pauline discussions, it is anything but outdated. There are two things in particular that I love about this book:

First, there is so much scholarly and archaeological work packed into this read. As somebody who leads study tours over to Israel and Turkey, it was incredible to see many of the sites that I have visited come to life and even add to my repertoire of teaching at those sites. Crossan and Reed talked about these things in a way that anybody could understand and appreciate.

Second, this book was anything but opinionated, "down the nose" scholarship. It did so much more than just give the incredible facts and information spoken of above. Crossan also did the work of unpacking the Apostle Paul's ministry and get down to the heart of Paul's gospel.

This book gets as close to a fifth star as you can get in my world. The only reason I didn't give it the fifth star was because I can't buy in to the minimalistic scholarship, even though I completely understand that most of the scholastic world leans this way. But, having said all of that, this book was a fantastic read and a resource that will come off my shelf again and again.

[Bobbettylou · Rating 3 out of 5]

"With dusty, tired, much-traveled Paul came Rome's most dangerous opponent, not legions but ideas, not an alternative force but an alternative faith. Paul too proclaimed one who was Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and Liberator. He announced one who was Divine, Son of God, God, and God from God. But Paul's new divinity was Christ, not Caesar. His was a radically divergent but equally global theology."

"To announce Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior was calculated treason."

One of the authors' hypotheses is that Paul incurred the wrath of the Jews mainly be poaching the pagan "God fearers" away from the synogogue into the new Christian faith. Paul did not go "to the Jew first then to the Greek" as Luke says repeatedly in Acts, but to the God-fearers. Luke himself was a God-worshipper, not a real Jew.

The book is a good mix of the specialties of the two authors, theology and archeology. Lots of pictures, but not particularly readable. Gets bogged down in lengthy, tedious arguments.

[Doug Piero · Rating 4 out of 5]

To understand Jesus, I needed to understand ho the world learned about Jesus, and why they formed the Christian faith the way they did. This VERY in-depth book on the Apostle Paul paints a photographic image in my mind of the days and years following the life and mission of Jesus.

For example, no previous sermon or bible study had ever led me to really THINK about how Judean dietary laws make blood very un-kosher and meat from most mammals very un-kosher. Now, Paul presents them with a ritual of drinking this man's blood and eating this man's flesh. Cannibalism. And that's just the start of Paul's problems!

The book is academic in places, and transitions from topic to topic in a rather rough shifting of gears, but the information is so important and wonderful that it was worth it.

[Emil Martinsek · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better accounts of early Christianity. The authors do an pretty good job of peeling back layers of myth to look at the historical context of the man, "Paul," who if not for the gospels might be seen as the true founder of Christianity.

A lot of the book focuses on the political context of the Paul's messianic cult. This is deconstructed particularly looking at Paul's letters and the questions of their authenticity and the political, social, and economic realities of the city-states that administered the Roman empire.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent text on Paul, particularly the mileau in which his ministry takes place. Crossan does an excellent job providing an insight into the places that Paul preached and the audience he directed his letters to. That sets the stage for his radical rethinking of the meaning of Jesus' story and the theology that Paul develops.

[Frans Vermeiren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book convincingly describes the triumphant Roman empire in the East, and why the Jews and Paul in particular hated it so profoundly.
The undertitle of the book is quite helpful: 'How Jesus' Apostle Opposed Rome's Empire with God's Kingdom'.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good but very deep. Not a quick read but one that will challenge and refine your view of Paul and how he fits in the 1sr Century world.

[Geoff Wehmeyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't as interested in the architectural histories but found the analysis of Paul's letters to fit well with the cultural background presented.

[Dan Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book but it is a little hard to read. The authors seem to walk through the evidence to bring you to a conclusion - so you have to be patient until you finally get to that point. More than other books, I had to highlight key sentences and then review them to make sure I understood the argument. The book is not very direct.

And what was that argument? That Paul was an extraordinary figure who brought a world-changing view to the Roman Empire. He was so controversial that he essentially had to be rewritten by those who came after in order to make Christianity more acceptable to that hierarchical world. But following Paul's teachings more closely, as stated in Galatians 3:28, for example, is what has really brought us to our modern social views. It's as if Social Justice Warriors, desperate to achieve equality, sweep away the rubbish of "Christian" teachings on race and gender, only to find Paul having arrived 2 millennia before them! Eliminating Christianity from our society would only return us to Roman "morals," which are very repugnant as explained in this book.

To summarize the colliding worldviews, Augustus ruled by achieving Peace through Victory. In other words, peace through force and the violent deaths of any who opposed him. Paul brought the view, sourced from Judaism and Jesus, of Peace through Justice. The first can be achieved by force. The second comes primarily via personal change, IMO. Both views are held as firmly today as they were so long ago.

The authors use of archeology and knowledge of Roman society help open a new view into Paul's writings. Some subjects he addressed are obscure to us today. The authors help explain them and even gently show how Paul could be trapped between his vision of what the world should be and what Roman and Jewish Christians were really like. Romans 15:1 comes to mind when dealing with difficult subjects.

So read the book. Maybe start by reading the conclusion so you have a better idea where the book is going, so that you understand more clearly the points the authors make along the way.

[Paul Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul the Apostle is explored in this intricate exploration. Meet Paul as you never understood him before. Paul has been misinterpreted through as many eyes that have read his words let alone the many words and books merely attributed to him, but the authors pick all of this apart to reveal his essential message—one that few casual New Testament readers ever consider and fail to value. Unfortunately, even his own words have been used against him and Christianity in the process. But herein you will be taken on a working vacation to the places Paul taught. In time and place you will meander through and examine Paul’s words through the eyes, ears and beliefs of Imperial Roman, Jewish, Jewish/Christian, Pagan/Christian, slave and finally an emerging Roman/Christian world; nominally between 20 CE – 75 CE.

[marcus miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this in a thrift store and thought I'd give it a try. If you are interested in archeaology and in knowing what Rome was like when Jesus lived and Paul was traveling the empire, you will like this book. The authors gave a helpful description of the Roman empire and its culture of emperor worship and system of patronage. In the face of these, Paul offers a message, based on Jesus which was a direct challange to Roman culture. Given that we can't be separated from our culture, at least not easily, Paul faces challenges, especially at churches such as Corinthians, as Paul hopes to build a model of society based on the equality taught by Jesus.

[Neil White · Rating 3 out of 5]

The difference a decade makes, when I read this early in my ministry much of the information inside was new and it also marked a significant change in John Dominic Crossan's view of Paul. For a person who is just encountering the perspective of the Roman empire's influence on the New Testament there is a lot of good information, but if you've read much in this field this is more of an introductory work. Still worth reading and being in conversation with but at least for me recovering material I had encountered before in other authors.

[Adam Bevis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a grind and intellectual exercise for me but it’s worth the torture to get to many meaty pages. Recommend get a feel of the writers by reading the first 50 pages then skim the next 200 or so pages besides pausing to read more carefully any sections of catchy subtitles, maybe read a page or two tied to an interesting picture/map, and definitely dig slower into specific Pauline discussions. Speed readers can still get the gist of the book. Authors should have edited more because the authors drill the same themes many, many times ad nauseam and they openly admit they are doing that on purpose about halfway into the book.

[Pearl Loewen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book on the heals of Crossan’s and Reed’s other co-writing project, “Excavating Jesus.” I found the book on Paul denser, and at times I got bogged down in the details of Roman civilization and imperial culture, needful as they were for context of Paul’s world. The parts on Paul were very interesting and enlightening, and the book overall is a masterpiece of research and writing.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed. The constant descriptions of places was an interruption and irritating to me trying to see what Crossan had to say about the "real" Paul.

[Richard Pütz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most excellent book on what the cause effect of the Roman Empire was and if we think about continues to have on Christianity today.

[Kim Hollon]

Very interesting history of the time when Paul lived and wrote his letters. At times too much history and too little explanation of Paul.

[Richard Worden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors (Crossan and Reed) imagine the Roman Empire and the Church as two tectonic plates in collision. The combined efforts of an archaeologist and a New Testament scholar reveal the kind of world in which Paul did missionary work.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times this was over my head, but I enjoyed learning more about Paul's world in the first centuries before and after Christ walked the earth.

[Bob Buice · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is difficult to avoid dualism in writings of first century Christianity. Using perhaps too much detail and various sideline stories, Jesus scholar John Dominic Crossan and biblical archaeologist Jonathan L. Reed attempted to contrast the Roman concept of “Peace through Victory” with the Pauline concept of “Peace through Justice”. As I read, I felt like I was switching back and forth between two books: One a well written account of the ministry of St. Paul the Apostle; One a detailed description of archaeologists’ findings in present-day ruins of cities Paul visited. Discussions of Paul’s ministry, the problems he encountered, and how he dealt with such problems were highly informative – I took quite a few notes as I read. Paul’s struggle for unity of the Gentile Christians and the Jewish Christians was well described. Paul’s negative side - e.g. his anger at the Corinthians for being led away from his message – came out very clearly. However, despite being somewhat familiar with the topics, I found the archaeological discussions difficult to follow without photographs and artwork, neither of which were provided. I had to constantly look up photographs of various monuments, statues, etc. Overall this book is an interesting and informative read, but slow and tiresome because of its lack of illustrations.

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

In the preface they seem to pit the "7 NT letters [Paul] actually wrote" against the letters "attributed to Paul by later Christians though not actually written by him," (xiii). They seem to say that the message contained in the one set is opposed or contradicted by the other set, without giving any explanation for this, which would seem necessary because -- whether or not they were written by Paul -- they continue to be part of canonical Scripture and inspired by the Holy Spirit, who cannot contradict Himself. Instead of answering this question that they introduced, they say, "Our book is about the actual and historical Paul, about the radical apostle who was there before the reaction, revision, and replacement began," (xiii-xiv).

I can understand perhaps a desire to use only the undisputed letters, if you are trying to construct an accurate picture of Paul, but there seems to be an undercurrent of antipathy toward the disputed letters, which I don't understand if one believes them to be Scripture.

[Duane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the most riveting book on Paul that I've read but, not terrible. I found it to be a bit of a grueling read and struggled to get through it, not because of depth, breadth, scope, or density but, rather that all the archaeological and architectural expositions I didn't find to be that interesting.

[Kevin Brubaker · Rating 2 out of 5]

very disappointing book - a combination of travelogue and biblical history which does neither very well. Chocolate and salmon may both taste great, but it doesn't follow that you'd want to eat poorly prepared chocolate salmon. That's what this book is - a poorly prepared combination of approaches that just don't seem to work together.

[Jeffry · Rating 2 out of 5]

These Jesus Seminar guys can drive me up the wall sometimes. Fine writing, fine thinking ... but what these guys take as "evidence" can be really frustrating. Then again maybe my own Catholic/Christian knee jerk reaction gets in the way.

[Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

informative read, gives you insight on what Paul may have meant, but can be a little condescending and weighed down with some useless info. good read overall, and the descriptions are amazing.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a class with Dr. Crossan....he's amazing ! :D We actually ended up reading this book for his class...really interesting stuff...plus he looks at everything from a historical perspective.

[Elizabeth Schurman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was very heavy in the archeology, very light in the theology, not what I was looking for.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seemed more like two books pressed into one, one about archaeology/history and another on Paul. Not as integrated as the authors presumably wanted.