Who Is Jesus? Answers to Your Questions About the Historical Jesus

by John Dominic Crossan, Richard G. Watts

Explores actual historical records to present a more factual account of Jesus's personality and teachings, addressing such topics as the miracles, his baptism, and his resurrection. Original.

Genres: History, Christianity, Religion, Theology, Nonfiction, Ancient History, New Testament

183 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

John Dominic Crossan is generally regarded as the leading historical Jesus scholar in the world. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Birth of Christianity, and Who Killed Jesus? He lives in Clermont, Florida.

John Dominic Crossan was born in Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland in 1934. He was educated in Ireland and the United States, received a Doctorate of Divinity from Maynooth College in Ireland in 1959, and did post-doctoral research at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1959 to 1961 and at the École Biblique in Jerusalem from 1965 to 1967. He was a member of a thirteenth-century Roman Catholic religious order, the Servites (Ordo Servorum Mariae), from 1950 to 1969 and was an ordained priest in 1957. He joined DePaul University in Chicago in 1969 and remained there until 1995. He is now a Professor Emeritus in its Department of Religious Studies.

Reviews

[G0thamite · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever wanted to know what members of the Jesus Seminar really believe about Jesus, his existence, sayings and deeds, his trial, crucifixion and resurrection, etc. then look no further. John Dominic Crossan responds to the many questions he has received from the public. He is quite open about his beliefs and how he reached his conclusions. I admire him for his candor and think this is a good addition to any library about the historical Jesus.

[Dennis Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished Who Is Jesus?: Answers to Your Questions About the Historical Jesus by John Dominic Crossan and Richard G. Watts published in 1999. Crossan is the Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at DePaul University and a former religious monk for twenty years. Watts is is a former pastor of New Covenant Community in Normal, Illinois. This book outlines the conflicts between the historical Jesus and the Jesus described in the Gospels and Christian writing. Both authors are religious men who speak to Jesus’s central meaning. A thought provoking book.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave some interesting theories on the historical Jesus that many persons would find offensive. The author basically believes in the teachings of Jesus but does not see him as a deity. He subscribes to a general "liberation theology" and, interestingly enough, he is not an agnostic. He promotes a vague faith towards a vague Judaeo-Christian God. Much my like Reza Aslan, he believes there was a Galilean peasant crucified by the Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate around 36 AD. He cites Flavius Josephas, Tacitus, and Celsus as close contemporaries who documented the existence of the namesake to the early Christians. He also treats the Gospels as relevant evidence to Christ's existence but as accounts that should truly be considered as early religious propaganda.

I am always drawn to these books that are highly critical of the origins and history of Christianity but I always seem to have the same complaints after completing the books. The authors cherry pick the historical accounts that agree with their conclusions and ignore the Biblical passages that are contrary to their thesis. I tend to have that complaint with traditional theologians as well.

I recommend this book for persons who want to test their faith or explore nontraditional theories of the New Testament. It is a worthwhile read.

[Izabella Britten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my theology class and I thought I was not necessarily going to enjoy it the way I did but I actually really did. I have always struggled with aspects of religion and I think this book does an excellent job of explaining questions I and many other have had. It brings up many controversial topics that probably pisses some people off but I enjoyed it immensely. It brings up the historical truth which is often ignored, but as someone who is studying history it is very important to me. So overall I really enjoyed the questions it brought up and the intellectual answers that Crossan gives. It is not just about blindly following what others say, he puts thought into every word and it is incredible.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Lee Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short, very readable book (now fifteen years old) that does an excellent job of introducing the Historical Jesus; Crossan’s take in particular. Labeled by liberal Christian Marcus Borg as the “premier Jesus scholar in the world today,” Crossan’s picture of Jesus is controversial and base … which is precisely what you would expect of research into the “historical Jesus.” It’s about the flesh-and-blood man who walked the earth, not the legends that grew about him. A series of contrived questions meant to introduce the topic and the scholarship of Crossan and Watts steer the reader through the life and death of Jesus; how he lived, what he taught, what he really hoped to accomplish.

According to Crossan, Jesus was not really born of a virgin, performed no nature miracles, and never rose from the dead. Probably, he was never buried to begin with, as that would be uncommon for a crucifixion victim. Jesus was a social revolutionary with a humanitarian vision of a “Kingdom of God,” which, by Crossan’s definition, is how Jesus imagined “the way a kingdom on this earth would be established if God were in control.” This vision left Jesus in conflict with the Roman Empire, and eventually led to his arrest and sentence. By the Romans, of course, not the Jews.

Crossan insists that his book is not meant to be about Christ, but only about Jesus. Faith is not about Jesus, or about any historical reconstruction of his life, but about Christ. “Jesus”is the historical person; “Christ” affirms who he is for believers, and Christian faith is always faith in the historical Jesus as a manifestation of God to us. As Crossan explains, faith cannot ignore or bypass the historical facts, but faith goes beyond the facts to wrestle with the meaning.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent introduction to the thought of New Testment scholar John Dominic Crossan. Crossan has some positions that are eccentric (his bizzare use of the Gospel of Peter, and his "hypothetical gospels" of Secret Mark and the so called Cross Gospels) and some of his claims, such as the claim that Jesus is best understood as a Jewish Cynic, seem to me to be false. Nevertheless, I agree with his theology quite frequently, find his comments very thoughtful and provoking, and think that he has done more than almost any other N. T. Scholar to describe the social and political world of Jesus, and consequently the radial social and political edge and implications of the good news of the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached and lived. Of particularly profound interest are his chapters on the Birth of Jesus (he holds, quite correctly, the the christmas narratives are mytical), and the meaning of Resurrection and the "Living Jesus". Great Book!!!!!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are going to start with one of Crossen's books make it this one. This is a question and answer format that is well organized and flows smoothly from one subject to another. Crossen answeres tought questions straightforwadly and backs them with years as a Jesus scholar.
So much of what is written about Jesus betrays his tough messages about the Kingdom of God and how we are to live so as to bring it into being. Jesus' parables are often watered down and read as nice stories rather than srong social and polital messages.
Here is a fresh perspective to the question of who is Jesus, and few are as equipped to anwser this profound question. I hope there is a sequel as this is a great format for understanding Crossen whose most famous book on the histroical Jesus is too long, complicated and contains more informaion on mediterrainian culture thatn I cared to know.
A fast read.

[lp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crossan beileves a bunch of crazy shit, like that Jesus' body was eaten by dogs and that there was no Barabbas. It's all stuff I agree with. And I think people wary of Christianity could read this book and say "alright, that version of Christianity, I can believe." Crossan says most of the Jesus stories are not historical accounts, but yet stresses that they are still incredibly meaningful. The evidence he presents rebuking the virgin birth, the resurrection, etc., make Jesus seem even more amazing and God even more real. My next hurdle is lining up Crossan's arguments of a very human Jesus and the faith that I have that he wasn't just human, but God. I think it's possible, I just can't figure it out quite yet.

[Cedar · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are new to Crossan's work, I suggest reading this book first. This is a straightforward glimpse into his rather atypical and controversial views and beliefs. Jesus, by Crossan's definition, was a radical peasant and Jewish Cynic who through questioning and violation of social, religious, and societal norms, demonstrated a revolutionary egalitarianism. In this book, he explores this portrait of Jesus and traditional dogma and precepts about Jesus and his life.

Some people may be unsettled with Crossan's ideas, but he is backed by decades of scholarship, and if nothing else, he will encourage you to think differently, question, and consider perspectives and possibilities that you might not have otherwise.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether or not you accept the book's essential premises, you still come to the realization that Christ's "mission" on earth (advancing the "Kingdom of God") has NOT been embraced by orthodox Christianity. And that, be truthful, is both a shame and a disgrace. In my opinion, Jesus came both to give us a purpose "on earth" and salvation. Unfortunately, most people solely focus on the later and totally neglect the former.

Read it again a second time in 2017. Where did Crossan's faith die? I suppose in the Catholic Church...

Just read it again a third time in 2018. I am convinced that Crossan's theme is that of a "Dumb Jesus" - an ignorant peasant with a few socialist ideals.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Dominic Crossan presents an interesting and informative look into the historical life of Jesus. His book is a reader-friendly version of more scholarly texts that he has written. The author brings up many good theories, but there is just a bit too much speculation passed off as fact for my taste.

[Adam Tierney-Eliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use this in our Bible seminars at church. While his conclusions are interesting, it also illustrates an approach to scripture that is common but poorly articulated in my congregation. Very helpful and very popular in my setting .

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading Crossan. He challenges me to think about my beliefs and why I believe the things that I do. His writing is clear and understandable although I sometimes have to reread a sentence or two to get the full meaning. His books have strengthened my faith and in many ways set me free.

[Sabio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crossan (like Spong) still somehow considers himself a Christian. His doubts are correct but still is not critical enough of the text. Ehrman is better.

[Jonni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accessible without compromising the author's scholarship, this book acts as a good starting point for those interested in the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth. N.B, May offend the closed-minded.