This unconventional cultural history explores the lifecycle of the radical historical Jesus, a construct created by the freethinkers, feminists, socialists and anarchists who used the findings of biblical criticism to mount a serious challenge to the authority of elite liberal divines during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era.

Recent scholarship on the historical Jesus has rightly focused upon how Jesus understood his own mission. But no scholarly effort to understand the mission of Jesus can rest content without exploring the historical possibility that Jesus envisioned his own death. In this careful and far-reaching study, Scot McKnight contends that Jesus did in fact anticipate his own death, that Jesus understood his death as an atoning sacrifice, and that his death as an atoning sacrifice stood at the heart of Jesus' own mission to protect his own followers from the judgment of God.

"The Historical Jesus: The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ" is an illuminating exploration of one of history's most profound mysteries and its impact on Christianity and world history. Delving into the final days of Jesus Christ, this book presents a detailed chronological account of His death, trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, brought to life through rigorous historical and archaeological investigation, theological insights, and a deep dive into biblical texts. From the foreboding prophecies of Jesus' coming death to the pivotal moments of His trial before Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas and onto the harrowing details of the crucifixion at Golgotha, each chapter meticulously examines the events that culminated in what is arguably the cornerstone of the Christian faith. The narrative continues through the respectful burial by Joseph of Arimathea and culminates in the miraculous resurrection, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of these events' significance. Further enriching this narrative are chapters dedicated to assessing the historical reliability of the resurrection accounts, including discussions on extra-biblical sources and the role of early Christian creeds. The book doesn't shy away from presenting the latest archaeological discoveries and ongoing debates, providing tangible connections to the ancient world. "Theological Implications" delves into the profound spiritual and doctrinal consequences of Jesus' death and resurrection, exploring themes of atonement, salvation, and the transformative power of faith. The conclusion synthesizes the historical, archaeological, and theological strands into a compelling argument for the historical and spiritual significance of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. Rich in detail and scope, this book is designed for scholars, students of the Bible, and anyone interested in the historical figure of Jesus Christ and the foundations of Christianity. It invites readers on a journey through the past to rediscover the profound impact of Jesus' life, offering new insights into familiar stories and challenging believers and skeptics alike to consider the depth of Christianity's historical roots.

What difference does it make to identify Mark's gospel as an ancient biography? Reading the gospels as ancient biographies makes a profound difference to the way that we interpret them. Biography immortalizes the memory of the subject, creating a literary monument to the person’s life and teaching. Yet it is also a bid to legitimize a specific view of that figure and to position an author and his audience as appropriate “gatekeepers” of that memory. Biography was well suited to the articulation of shared values and commitments, the formation of group identity, and the binding together of a past story, present concerns, and future hopes. Helen Bond argues that Mark’s author used the genre of biography to extend the gospel from an earlier narrow focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus so that it included the way of life of its founding figure. Situating Jesus at the heart of a biography was a bold step in outlining a radical form of Christian discipleship patterned on the life – and death – of Jesus.

Rev. ed. of: Ancient evidence for the life of Jesus. Includes bibliographical references and index.