Including a range of materials dating from the nineteenth century to the present, this comprehensive collection brings together the essential research into the historical reality of Jesus the man, his teachings, and the acts and events ascribed to him that comprise the foundational story of one of the world's central religions. br br The set features a substantial new introduction by the editor in the first volume and a full index in the last, and provides work covering all of the key aspects of the field, including the recent discussions concerning anti-Semitism in early Christianity, and the political and ideological filtering of the Jesus story through the Roman empire and beyond.