Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus: A Reexamination of the Evidence [Hardcover]

Jonathan Reed (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2000

This book reconstructs first-century Galilee from archaeological surveys, excavations, and artifacts, and provides descriptions of the material remains relevant to historical Jesus research and New Testament studies. Drawing on his years of field experience in Galilee, Reed illustrates how the archaeological record has been misused by New Testament scholars, and how synthesis of the material culture is foundational for understanding Christian origins in Galilee and the Jewish culture out of which they arose. Part One shows how settlement patterns and artifacts from Galilee point to close ties between Judean and Galilean Jews at the time of Jesus, and how Herod Antipas' urbanization projects at Sepphoris and Tiberias commercialized and aggravated peasant life in agrarian Galilean society. Part Two focuses on the archaeology of two Galilean sites and their import for historical Jesus research: Sepphoris, Antipas' capital and the largest city in Galilee just north of Nazareth, and Capernaum, Jesus' base of operations on the periphery of Antipas' power. Part Three concludes with studies illustrating the necessity of considering the specifically Galilean local conditions when interpreting New Testament texts. Jonathan L. Reed is Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the University of La Verne, California. He is the Field Director at the Sepphoris Acropolis Excavations and is co-author of Excavating Jesus: Beneath the Stones, Behind the Texts.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"... fascinating... reads like a detective novel as it unfolds the evidence. -- James L. Boyce, Word and World, Spring 2001

... fascinating book... In parts it reads like a detective novel as it unfolds the evidence. -- James L. Boyce, Luther Seminary, reviewing for Word and World, Spring 2001

About the Author

Jonathan L. Reed is Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the University of La Verne, California. He is the Field Director at the Sepphoris Acropolis Excavation. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Trinity Press International (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563383241
• ISBN-13: 978-1563383243
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #773,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not_ Integrating the Book and the Spade, May 30, 2004

By 

Virgil Brown (White Oak, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus: A Re-examination of the Evidence (Paperback)

Jonathan Reed has written a critique of that form of biblical scholarship which is primarily text-centered and where exegesis is the main goal. What is needed instead is not just an awareness of more more artifacts, but an examination of the material culture that impinge upon Christian origins. Reed sees the real value of archaeology as being able to reconstruct the social world of Jesus and his followers.

In Part One, Reed considers the identity of the Galileans. They are not descendants of Israelites of the Northern Kingdom; there is an absence of settlements for over a century after the conquest of Tiglath-pileser. They are not Itureans; signs of their settlements may be found in adjacent areas but not in Galilee. The Galileans are primarily Jews; they settled Galilee during the Hasmonean period and used the same domestic space (artifacts and the like) as found in Judea.

Some implications for the Jesus tradition are obvious. The teachings of Jesus cannot be seen as some sort of Galilean Judaism over and against some sort of Judean Judaism. Likewise passages in Q which are supposedly based upon northern tradi-tions cannot be an attempt at reviving centuries old Israelite traditions.

Part Two focuses on two cities: Sepphoris and Capernaum. Though not mentioned in the Bible, Sepphoris is often used by biblical scholars to explain an influence of Hellenistic culture (such as Jesus' use of the word "hypocrite"). However most of the
Hellenization of Sepphoris came after the time of Jesus. Much attention has been given to the house of Peter at Capernaum. Reed focuses on the large fishing and agricultural village which was on the lower end of the economic scale.

Part Three reverses the methodological sequence of the first two parts. Rather than moving from archaeology to text, Reed moves from text to archaeology. Here Reed is attempting to show how texts fit the Galilean background and how situations in Galilee were worked into the text.

Reed is on target in his critique as evidenced by the misidentification of the Galileans. Also his book is well written and amply footnoted for those who want to know more.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding Study, January 21, 2001

By 

Loren Woodson "Author, The Passion of Maryam" (Santa Monica, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus: A Reexamination of the Evidence (Hardcover)

As a serious amateur student of Biblical archeology, especially the Second Temple era, I enthusiastically recommend this book. The author not only brings keen familiarity with the fundaments of Israel archeology, but an unusually rich and wide appreciation of the relevant intersecting Biblical and secular literature. He puts it together with elegant clarity, caution, and moderation, and what rewarded this reader was a picture of Jesus' Galilee more detailed, vivid, plausible, well-grounded and convincing than I have gotten from any other single manuscript on this subject.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!!, November 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus: A Reexamination of the Evidence (Hardcover)

What an interesting and amazing book!! If you've ever been interested in the context of Jesus' life and teaching then this book is for you. By vividly placing Jesus in the sociological and economic Galilean context Reed (a noted authority on Jesus) brings the gospels to life like never before. Reed bridges the gap between those who are so text centered they are blind to historical realities with the world of the often myopic academic archeologist to fuse a new understanding (if not an entirely new discipline!) of the everyday dynamics of Jesus life and teachings. A must read for anyone seriously interested in a contemporary view of Jesus.