Customer Reviews

Jesus and Archaeology

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In 2000, a number of scholars met in Jerusalem to deliver papers on archaeology and the historical Jesus. These papers have been gathered in this excellent collection edited by Professor James Charlesworth of Princeton Theological Seminary.

Taken as a whole, the collection discuss all the major issues and relevant locations concerning the archaeology of the Holy Land as it touches on Jesus. For example, the two articles on archaeology and John's Gospel total almost one hundred pages. There is some overlap among the various articles and a couple are somewhat "off topic" (but useful nonetheless).

Unfortunately there is no completely satisfactory introductory work on this topic. Perhaps the best is Crossan and Reed's EXCAVATING JESUS, which is quirky at places and should be used with caution.

Published around July, 2006 and weighing in at over 760 pages, 'Jesus and Archaeology' constitutes a major contribution to the title's field by a scholar with a distinguished pedigree. James H Charlesworth is perhaps best known for being closely involved with research and publishing in connection with the Dead Sea Scrolls, indeed, he heads the team of DDS scholars at Princeton Theological Seminary.

The archaeological sites covered within 'Jesus and Archeology' are mainly situated within Jerusalem, Galilee and Samaria; the work contains discussions and explanations of some of the various techniques employed by modern day archaeologists and historians. This is a very useful and quite considerable one-volume fund which will be usefully and possibly frequently dipped into by scholars, expositors and lay folk alike. It is logically presented and quite readable, even for non-specialists in this area.

Some previous reviewers - within critical circles - have questioned precisely how much genuinely fresh light is cast upon the First Century culture of Jesus and his contemporaries within this work, but few can question the progress outlined on the Qumran sites and at various other sites within and around the Jerusalem Old City - it was only quite recently, after all, that the exact location of the pool of Siloam was found and settled upon. Further north, sites about Galilee continue to illuminate and illustrate aspects of ancient Jewish Palestinian life under Roman occupation - such as the adoption of Roman imagery and iconography by certain sectors of the Jewish upper class strata (if indeed such termas themselves are not exssentially anachronistic)!

As this reviewer has already indicated, he is convinced that the majority of readers with anything like a committed interest in the question of Palestinian antiquity and it's relationship to and with Jesus of Nazareth - and it's difficult to imagine anybody considering purchasing this book, who is not genuinely interested in its field of study - will find it to be a useful source to refer to again and again. It is not a work for the dilettante, but neither is it inaccessible by any means.

Michael Calum Jacques

Edited by James H. Charles worth (Professor of New Testament Language and Literature and Director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Project at Princeton Theological Seminary), Jesus and Archaeology is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors, many of whom worked recently and directly in excavations at Bethsaida, Capernaum, Nazareth, and Jerusalem. Essay topics range from "Did Jesus Attend the Synagogue?" to "Jesus and Resurrection Faith in Light of Jewish Texts" to "The Christian Apocrypha and Archaeology" and much more. A handful of black-and-white photographs, a selected bibliography, an index of scripture and other ancient texts, and a glossary round out this cutting-edge compilation of what the latest archaeological findings tell us of Jesus and the era in which he lived.

***
"As hard evidence from the past, "the very stones cry out" the reliability of the Biblical record. It is amusing to note that many of the last century's most trenchant critics of Jesus and the New Testament refused at first even to consider the result of archaeology, so counter to their opinions was its evidence!" --Dr. Paul Maier, professor of Ancient History @ WMU, MI



Jesus Research, Conference/Book:
An international team of thirty experts, archaeologists and biblical scholars, Jewish and Christian, joined the eminent Princeton director of the Dead Sea Scrolls project, in Jerusalem, to discuss the recent discoveries and revelations of archaeology about the life and ministry of Jesus, his world, and its historical setup and religious milieu. These and related questions in this volume that stems from the millenium conference on Jesus and Archaeology, in 2000 CE.

Jesus and Biblical Archaeology:
Biblical Archaeology is a powerful reconstruction tool in understanding the life and teachings of Jesus, son of Joseph as referred to in John's Gospel (Jn 1:45, and 6:42) Dr. Charlesworth preaches the relevance of asking related questions, to reply to a debated Christian one: "Why did the Jewish nation closely associated with Jesus of Nazareth claim within ten years of his crucifixion in 30 C.E. that he indeed was the promised Messiah?" In Prof. Charlesworth own words, "The study of Jesus begins with theological texts, the intra-canonical Gospels. These are clearly shaped by the desire to proclaim that Jesus from (of) Nazareth is the Christ (the Messiah) and that one should believe in him as the Savior." He selected few of 'stellar questions' are all about archaeological evidence, or geographical confirmations to biblical locations, activities, artifacts, etc. Those inquire about Nazareth, Cana, Bethsaida, Sepphoris, Jerusalem, the Temple, the synagogues, and data on Caiaphas, Pilate, Simon of Cyrene, and many others. He concludes that, "Obviously, we will always have more questions than answers.

A New Perspective:
After a concise introduction by A. Biran, 'Jesus Research and Archaeology' is given a new perspective by the eminent New Testament scholar. This is the core of the 'Jesus Research Symposium.' He clarifies the methodology of the 'Jesus Research' as primarily inquisitive. This is a monograph that reveals Charlesworth's expertise in depth and breadth, in addition to NT languages and literature, his unparalleled works on the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old and NT, the Qumran Scrolls and the Coptic Gnostic writings. Not only did he introduce systematically the new research, but he recounts in an engaging style the archaeological discoveries on the Essene gate, the Galilean boat, the Herodium, and Peters house, and sepphoris theater between many others. His photos proves him a talented photographer!

A compendium of scholarly papers:
The papers of the symposium, edited and reviewed into book chapters, notes were completed and glossary compiled. This took more than a year, with significant computer assistance. 'Archaeology and John's Gospel,' U. von Walde's lengthy study does challenge the readers to upgrade and integrate their understanding of the gospel which has been always the theological cornerstone of orthodox Christology. It would not be feasible to comment on more essays, but I would consider part II of this collective work the most significant for Jesus inquisitive readers. Prof. Emile Puech wrote a compelling essay on the core of Christian belief, Resurrection Faith, starting from early Jewish beliefs in the Qumranic texts. He gracefully proceeds from the Damascus Document, discovered earlier in the Cairo Genieza, through the Thanksgiving hymns to the Messianic Apocalypse on Resurrection.

Dr. James H. Charlesworth, is Princeton's Professor of New Testament Language and Literature. He has written and edited over 60 books on the New Testament, Dead Sea Scrolls, and other Jewish literature. Dr. Charlesworth specializes in the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old and New Testaments, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, Jesus Research, and the Gospel of John.

The Archeology of the New Testament: The Life of Jesus and the Beginning of the Early Church
Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus: A Re-examination of the Evidence