Jesus: A Very Short Introduction

Two billion people today identify as Christians, indicating that Jesus is the focus of their relationship with God and their way of living in the world. Such followers of Jesus are now more numerous and make up a greater proportion of the world's population than ever before. Despite its decline in the West, Christianity is rapidly increasing in areas such as Africa and China. Richard Bauckham explores the historical figure of Jesus, evaluating the sources and concluding that they provide us with good historical evidence for his life and teaching. To place Jesus in his proper historical context as a Jew from Galilee in the early first century, Bauckham examines Jewish religion and society in the land of Israel under Roman rule. He explores Jesus' symbolic practices as well as his teachings, looks at his public career, and emphasizes how his actions contribute to our understanding of him.