Prophet and Teacher: An Introduction to the Historical Jesus [Paperback]

William R. Herzog II (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 4, 2005

Offering a unique introduction to the historical person Jesus of Nazareth, respected New Testament scholar William Herzog traces the history of discussion and scholarship of the historical Jesus, including that of the recent and very public Jesus Seminar. He does so, however, with an eye toward the theological. No other introduction is tied so closely to the biblical texts. By exploring in depth Jesus' words--the parables--and Jesus' deeds--miracles, Herzog presents a holistic picture of Jesus that will explain how Jesus' followers would have understood his miracles and his role as prophet. With its accessibility and clear connections to what the gospels are saying, Prophet and Teacher will appeal to general readers with little theological background and be a popular primary text in undergraduate and seminary classes.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"This is the first sustained, social-scientifically founded, scholarly work describing the life of Jesus as it was perceived by Jesus’ own contemporaries. Herzog employs the full panoply of literary, historical and social scientific methods to set out the major dimensions of the significance of Jesus’ career. This well-founded, scholarly portrait of the historical Jesus is compelling, accessible and relevant—and bound to leave the contemporary reader with insights to appreciate Jesus in a wholly new and totally realistic way. Anyone interested in understanding contemporary Jesus research from Borg and Wright to Crossan and the Jesus Seminar would do well to be informed by Herzog’s insightful presentation and useful critique. Historically oriented laymen and clergy alike will welcome this book as a guide in their attempts to follow contemporary Jesus study, and perhaps more importantly, as an expert companion in their reflections on the person and activity of Jesus." —Bruce J. Malina, Creighton University

"In engaging prose, Herzog explores the figure of Jesus as prophet, teacher and rabbi, traditional healer, and as a 'reputational leader' who brokers of the reign of God. Using insights from the social sciences, Herzog focuses on the social, economic and political dimensions of Jesus' teaching and activity. He places special emphasis upon Jesus' approach to Torah and the Temple. This book is a `must read.'" —Alicia Batten, Pacific Lutheran University

About the Author

William R. Herzog II was formerly Sallie Knowles Crozer Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, New York. His books include Parables as Subversive Speech: Jesus as Pedagogue of the Oppressed; Jesus, Justice, and the Reign of God: A Ministry of Liberation; and The Faith of Fifty Million: Baseball, Religion, and American Culture, all published by WJK.

Product Details

• Paperback: 243 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press (July 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664225284
• ISBN-13: 978-0664225285
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #596,476 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars balanced, thoughtful, September 16, 2009

By 

Ron Miller (Natick, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Prophet and Teacher: An Introduction to the Historical Jesus (Paperback)

A very good review of the times Jesus lived in where the author closely follows biblical texts while offering insights from a sociological perspective. The author leans on works by Paulo Friere's Pedagogy of the Oppressed Pedagogy of the Oppressed as well as works by Crossan. In this book Herzog draws a distinction between at least two (what he calls) Torah "traditions" at play in those times; the Great Tradition and the Little Tradition. The former (made up of the powerful, namely the Pharisees and the landowners) looks at culture, life, and law from the top down and used the Torah as an explanation of where they (the elite) fit in God's scheme of things. They do this to also be somewhat in conformity with the occupying force, the Romans. Peasants on the other hand who make up the largest block of people, look at these things from their perspective and try to understand their situation, their impoverishment, their plight in different terms. How does Torah apply to them when they are being taxed by the Romans, the landowners, the priests, and the Temple?

Jesus lived the little tradition and his parables can be interpreted from that perspective. Herzog takes us through many biblical passages and shows, or argues, that Jesus was a threat to the existing powers because he challenged their mis-use of Torah. He did this through teaching and prophesying. His was a call to come back to Torah and it's intended meanings. For that, he was a threat and suffered the consequences.

This is not an easily read book but not dry either. Most of it is almost like a textbook in that it repeats things from previous chapters. It's helpful to have read other works by other authors first.

5 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From the cover:, August 25, 2005

By 

S. McDonald "Library World" (Independence, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Prophet and Teacher: An Introduction to the Historical Jesus (Paperback)

From the back of the book:
Offering a unique introduction to the historical person Jesus of Nazareth, the author, a respected New Testament scholar, traces the history of discussion and scholarship of the historical Jesus, including that of the recent and very public Jesus Seminar. He does so, however, with an eye toward the theological. No other introduction is tied so closely to the biblical texts. He asks, "What difference does the historical Jesus make in the understanding of the Gospels?" and, correspondingly, "What difference should this Jesus make in lives today?" By exploring in depth Jesus' words-the parables-and Jesus' deeds-miracles, he presents a holistic picture of Jesus that will explain how Jesus' followers would have understood his miracles and his role as prophet. With its accessibility and clear connections to what the Gospels are saying, this book is an excellent introduction for general readers and students.

0 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Shallow Water, May 30, 2010

By 

Skip (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prophet and Teacher: An Introduction to the Historical Jesus (Paperback)

This is a grossly dishonest work dealing with the historical Jesus. Herzog fails to credibly deal with the relevant NT textual matter not to mention addressing and genuinely interacting with scholarship that finds much more to the historical Jesus than Herzog's unplatable academic gruel indicates. He has very little to say about very much; one can thus wade through the shallow waters of Herzog's Prophet and Teacher never getting one's feet wet.

Try the following for a good trip through the land of modern historical Jesus scholarship: Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony

Dale G. "Skip" Wagner, Jr.