Jesus the Jew: A Historian's Reading of the Gospels

Géza Vermès

Fortress Press, 1981 - Religion - 286 pages

This now classic book is a significant corrective to several recent developments in the study of the historical Jesus. In contrast to depictions of Jesus as a wandering Cynic teacher, Geza Vermes offers a portrait based on evidence of charismatic activity in first-century Galilee. Vermes shows how the major New Testament titles of Jesus-prophet, Lord, Messiah, son of man, Son of God-can be understood in this historical context. The result is a description of Jesus that retains its power and its credibility.

About the author

Geza Vermes was a religious scholar who became one of the "essential translators and a vocal advocate for their broad dissemination" of the Dead Sea Scrolls, according to the New York Times. Until his death, he was a Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Emeritus Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, but continued to teach at the Oriental Institute in Oxford. He was born on June 22, 1924, in Hungary and died on May 8, 2013, after a recurrence of cancer. He was 88.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Jesus the Jew: A Historian's Reading of the Gospels
• Author: Géza Vermès
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: Fortress Press, 1981
• ISBN: 0800614437, 9780800614430
• Length: 286 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Biblical Biography / New Testament; Religion / Biblical Studies / General; Religion / Christian Theology / Christology; Religion / Christianity / History; Religion / General