Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 04-15-2010, 04:57 PM

A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ by Emil Schurer

available for $25

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Schurer's original landmark work. This edition gives you extensive essays on the Roman political system and its leaders, Jewish political and religious parties, messianic movements, and pertinent Greek and Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha) from the centuries before and after Christ. Five convenient volumes that include the original index (formerly a separate volume). 2144 pages total, hardcovers from Hendrickson.

mountainman · 04-15-2010, 05:12 PM

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Outstanding compendium of available material from 175 B.C. to 135 A.D. It includes Josephus, Greek & Roman literature, coins, inscriptions and other original material from this period. Caveat: Some of the footnoted quotes are in Greek or Latin, but the text and conclusions are in English. Also note that the authors sometimes prefer these sources over the Scriptural text.

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Schurer's work is, without a doubt, the most thorough work to date on the Jewish context of the New Testament. His research is unparalleled (and more reliable than Edersheim's) and is a seminary-level resource essential to any serious student of the Bible's personal library. The work, though extensive, is well indexed both by Scripture citation and by topic, making it very user-friendly and extremely valuable as a reference tool. This work is a great asset to anyone desiring to understand the Bible in its proper context.

Of course all this assumes that the historical context of "Jesus Christ" and the "New Testament" can actually be located in the epoch up until the year 135 CE. This basic assumption could be wrong. How many exhaustive accounts have examined the ground of the first century (ie: until the year 100 CE) and found no evidence?

The hypothetically historical figure of "Jesus Christ" and the appearance of the "New Testament" literature may in fact have an historical context which does not actually commence until after the year 135 CE. If this is the case where does that leave us and Schurer's work?

Toto · 04-15-2010, 05:46 PM

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Originally Posted by mountainman

[...
The hypothetically historical figure of "Jesus Christ" and the appearance of the "New Testament" literature may in fact have an historical context which does not actually commence until after the year 135 CE. If this is the case where does that leave us and Schurer's work?

Just where we are now. You can read it as the time of the legendary or fictional Jesus if you wish.

Minimalist · 04-15-2010, 07:34 PM

Emil Schurer's book appeared in 1886.

Archaeology has made a few advances since then!

Toto · 04-15-2010, 07:41 PM

Evidently this is the original. The updated version revised by Matthew Black, Fergus Millar, and Geza Vermes is still quite expensive.

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04-15-2010, 07:34 PM	#4
Minimalist Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,808	Emil Schurer's book appeared in 1886. Archaeology has made a few advances since then!

04-15-2010, 07:41 PM	#5
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Evidently this is the original. The updated version revised by Matthew Black, Fergus Millar, and Geza Vermes is still quite expensive.

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