Jesus in Context: Background Readings for Gospel Study by Darrell Bock and Gregory Herrick  E-mail this product to a friend Paperback (Baker Book House)

Publisher Description:

Crucial to a proper understanding and interpretation of Scripture is an awareness of the historical, cultural, and religious context in which the Bible was written. But the passing of two millennia often prevents the modern student from fully understanding the significance of various actions and teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. For instance, the controversy over Jesus's healing on the Sabbath must be understood against the backdrop of the Mishnah's detailed list of forbidden Sabbath activities.

In Jesus in Context, Darrell L. Bock and Gregory J. Herrick have identified and compiled into one handy volume the key extrabiblical texts that provide the necessary cultural background for understanding passages in the Gospel narratives. Brief comments from the editors precede each selection, noting its relevance to the biblical text.

Sources quoted include Josephus, Philo, the Mishnah and Talmud, the Old Testament Apocrypha, Eusebius, and classical authors.