The Authentic Gospel of Jesus

Sep 30, 2024 7:33 AM

Author:Geza Vermes

There can be no doubt that Jesus, 'a religious genius' as Geza Vermes describes him, lived and taught in Palestine some 2000 years ago. The influence he has had is incalculable. How though can we distinguish between the doctrines shaped to the needs of the burgeoning Christian church and the original views laid out by Jesus himself? How can we dig back through the additions, misinterpretations and confusions of later writers and two millennia of tradition to get back to the authentic gospel of Jesus? In his new book, Vermes subjects all the sayings of Jesus to brilliantly informed scrutiny. The result is a book of unique value and novelty--scraping aside the accretions of centuries to come as close as we can hope to be to the true Jesus.

Reviews

A sparky and erudite book, packed with information and written with passion

—— Julia O'Faolain , Times Literary Supplement

A book full of delights, anecdotes, observations; it exhibits a wealth of scholarship, and a passion and charm which are hard to resist

—— Jackie Wullschlager , Financial Times

Haskins' analysis of the Magdalen myth is a rich and scholarly detective story, an unveiling which is at the same time a revelation. This is an intelligent book, which blends a sensitive and critical knowledge of art with theology and history. It is written with style and a delightful mocking wit, and is mercifully free of tediously inconclusive arguments about sex and gender

—— Angela Tilby , Church Times

The strengths of Mary Magdalen are real and obvious. It has a bold sweep. It takes an icon of faith and sexuality and trails it through ideas and hypocrisies, through travesties and beautiful representations on canvas and in bronze

—— Eavan Boland , Observer

This is indeed a thought-provoking book

—— BBC History Magazine

Highly readable

—— TLS

A sympathetic and interesting guide to the intellectual and social landscape of the past 200 years or so.

—— Church Times

Readable and memorable, this is intellectual history at its best

—— Publishers Weekly

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