Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament (Paperback)

by Frederick Fyvie Bruce (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 215 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co (June 1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802815758
• ISBN-13: 978-0802815750
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #445,792 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dated, But Informative, May 23, 2006

By	Dr. James Gardner (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Jesus and Christian origins outside the New Testament

Frederick Bruce (1910 to 1990) was a biblical scholar in England and highly evangelistic in his religion. He produced dozens of books and authored The Evangelical Quarterly. This book is spared much of his evangelical preaching, and instead focuses on what Bruce did best - scholarship. The book surveys a vast array of literature (Pagan, Josephus, Rabbinical, Moslem, Canonical, Non-Canonical, DSS) to highlight what has been said about Jesus. Much of this literature can be found elsewhere, but Bruce tends to provide lengthier quotes and more explanatory material. His section on the Slavonic Josephus is particularly instructive.

The book is not without its faults. Bruce's discussion of the Roman/Pagan writers assumes that when they spoke about Crestus or Christianity they were talking about Jesus. In fact, Jesus' name never appears in these documents, and Crestus was a generic name used for the "anointed one"

Advanced scholars may find Bruce's survey repetitive, and beginning students may find his material too detailed. But for anyone else, this book would be a valuable addition.