A Marginal Jew, Volume Three: Rethinking the Historical Jesus

by John P. Meier

The third volume of the author's monumental study of the historical Jesus goes beyond the person of Jesus himself to offer incisive portraits of hisboth his followers and such rival groups as the Pharisees and Zealots and examines his ministry in terms of its role and influence amid the political, social, and religious movements of his era.

Genres: Religion, History, Theology

720 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

John Paul Meier is a Biblical scholar and Catholic priest. He attended St. Joseph's Seminary and College (B.A., 1964), Gregorian University [Rome] (S.T.L, 1968), and the Biblical Institute [Rome] (S.S.D., 1976).

Meier is the author of nine books and more than 60 scholarly articles. He was editor of The Catholic Biblical Quarterly and president of the Catholic Biblical Association.

Meier is Professor of New Testament in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. Before coming to Notre Dame, he was Professor at The Catholic University of America.

Reviews

[David Szatkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to be one I recommend (I also suggest you buy the books used if you want copies of your own due to a 1/3 reduction in price). This series is not for casual reading, nor is it strictly a commentary as we would normally think of that term. Rather, it is a quest to see what can be said of the historical person Jesus of Nazareth, approached from a historian's perspective (as opposed to a strict theologian). This search and scholarship helps open up the gospels and the world that Jesus would most likely have lived in.

[Erik]

From Catholic Book Club Newsletter, December 14, 2001: True to its predecessors in this monumental series, Companions and Competitors is a work of impeccable scholarship. Meier presents this with an eye to teaching and preaching. His careful attention to detail as he tells the story of Jesus and those around him provides inspiration and matter for those involved in the ministry of the word, and indeed for all who pray. He approaches the context of Jesus’ life by relating to him all the groups with whom he came in contact: the crowds, the disciples (and the cost of discipleship), his followers, the Twelve and individuals among the Twelve. Then he takes on the competitors, rounding up the usual suspects: Pharisees, Sadducees, Hasmoneans, Herodians, Essenes, Romans.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume Three.
Erudite, compelling.
A balanced and inspirational demonstration of the contribution of historical criticism to our appreciation of the Gospels.