Jesus Before Christianity

I really like this book and the approach it takes. Rather than looking at mere historical facts or starting with a lot of assumptions, it starts from scratch. Most importantly, it looks at various points where Jesus had to make a decision and analyzed the meaning based on the decision made. In other words, it looked at what Jesus' behavior meant relative to a particular historical and social context. This is a very psychological approach and one that sheds light on his life by providing a somewhat different lens than most people use habitually to understand Jesus' life. Also, this book is well-written and easy to read. It brings the bible and the figure of Jesus and his time to life. It provoked a lot of inquiry on my part and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author also follows a good line of reasoning and seems to try very hard to avoid bias. No book is perfect and this book is no exception. However, overall it is well done, scholarly and accessible. If you are a Christian or just someone curious about the historical Jesus, you will find a lot of value here. Many parts of the book read like good fiction and like good fiction this good storytelling is quite compelling.

This wonderful book now over 25 years old, is intelligent, learned and easy to read, no mean feat. Fr. Nolan presents Jesus within the framework of His time, answers the questions that nag at the mind of those who are uncomfortable with religious dogmatic explanations. For example, he explains how Jesus and the apostles became actual fugitives who had to hide out and not be seen in towns lest they be arrested. This makes the exchange between Jesus and Peter on the question of going to Jerusaleum so much easier to understand. For many of us raised thinking of Jesus as always robed in white and haloed this book brings Him closer and more beloved than ever. Scholars know many of things in this book, but sadly the faithful know almost none of it. I believe this book is a must read for Catholic Christians particularly those raising children today.

Orbis-Maryknoll's 25h anniversary reissue of Nolan's book is both timely and well advised. Jesus Before Christianity is above all a very careful explication of the life of Jesus as it is portrayed in the New Testament. It tends to concentrate on His mission prior to the resurrection and, therefore, weeds out much Christological material, early Church development, and liturgical instruction. It also occasionally references Jesus to Old Testament prophecies where called for. What we have here is a remarkable book of exegetics, interpretation, and commentary on the New Testament in so far as it sheds light on the historical Jesus. Nolan a Roman Catholic priest brings a fresh outlook and vast erudition to his task considering its original publication date. That many a reader is excited by his project is a tribute to his writing and the message he finds in Jesus' life. He arranges his book in nineteen chapters each of which examines an aspect of Jesus and or his mission. Do I necessarily agree with each of the author's interpretations? No, not always, but at his best, he has an expansive understanding of God's love and compassion that is deeply moving. Written in the 1970's, Nolan is well versed in the literature of the mid Twentieth Century regarding his subject. The bibliography and footnotes are a treasure yielding much to read of further interest. So who is Nolan's Jesus? He reminds one of John Crossan's Jesus but with far greater majesty and simplicity. His portrait of Jesus as the revelation of the one true God is moving. Compassion and love and an unerring sense of the truth distinguish Jesus in this book. Regarding the human aspect of Jesus, little I have read is more insightful or convincing. Liberation theology it may be, but Nolan tries to convince us that Jesus came to liberate mankind and that is all mankind. While gospel attestations of Jesus' part in the mission to gentiles does not receive the attention it deserves, Nolan's interpretation of Jesus' dealings with the Jewish authorities and His mission to the Jews are deftly handled. Jesus' problems with the scribes and Pharisees are clearly delineated. However, it should be remembered that Josephus numbered the party of the Pharisees at six thousand with the Temple faction even smaller and the Herodians a tiny group. Jesus' problems were with the rich and powerful among the Jews. And, His preaching and pronouncements to them are there and unvarnished. Some impute to Nolan an Anti-Semitic bias. I see this more as a reader response problem motivated by political correctness. This book is without a doubt one of the best short consideration of the life of Jesus I have ever read. It has stood the test of time remarkably well. Whether you are thrilled by this book as a Christian or merely wish to know more about the historical Jesus, by all means, read this book. It should encourage all readers of it to continue on to more ambitious studies of the matters herein covere

As a mass-attending Catholic, I have spent many Sundays go through the motions of "religious" life. My religion meant very little to me until I read Jesus Before Christianity. Jesus' radical teachings to throw off the chains of power, prestige, wealth, and group solidarity and live a life of compassion towards all others is just as relavant today as it was 2000 years ago. Please, read this book and take to heart what Jesus really meant so that you may truly live.

I was so stunned to read the one-star review that I had to write. Above anything I have ever read, this book changed my life. It was a clarion call for we who say we are Christians to wake up and absorb the radically uncomfortable messages of the real Jesus, Jesus the Jew, the Jesus who existed before the apostles hit the road to create the belief systems and institutions that undergird Christianity. His profound messages speak of love for the dispossessed, the exploited, the forgotten, and challenge our rationalizations about why we deserve to enjoy such cushy lives without thinking twice about our impact elsewhere in the world. If you want to learn, and to grow deeply and broadly in your faith and in its expression in the world, read this book. But be warned: you may feel a strong pull to radically change your own life -- for the sake of others.