The Jesus Dynasty: The Hidden History of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of ChristianityThe Jesus Dynasty offers a startling new interpretation of the life of Jesus and the origins of Christianity that is grounded in careful analysis of the earliest Christian documents and recent archaeological discoveries, including the much-discussed "Jesus family tomb." In The Jesus Dynasty, biblical scholar James Tabor brings us closer than ever to the historical Jesus. He explains the crucial relationship between Jesus, a royal descendant of David, and his relative John the Baptizer, a priestly descendant of Aaron and Jesus' teacher. When John was killed, several of his followers -- including Jesus' four brothers -- joined with Jesus, who continued John's mission, preaching the same apocalyptic message. After Jesus confronted the Roman authorities in Jerusalem and was crucified, his brother James succeeded him as the leader of the Jesus dynasty. James Tabor has studied the earliest surviving documents of Christianity for more than thirty years and has participated in important archaeological excavations in Israel. His reconstruction of the life of Jesus and his followers, and of the early years of Christianity, will change our understanding of one of the most crucial moments in history. |
Contents
Discovering the Jesus Dynasty I | 1 |
A Tale of Two Tombs | 6 |
In the Beginning Was the Family | 35 |
A Virgin Shall Conceive | 37 |
A Son of David? | 48 |
An Unnamed Father of Jesus? | 59 |
Children of a Different Father | 73 |
Growing Up Jewish in Galilee | 83 |
Herod Strikes | 171 |
Last Days in Jerusalem | 187 |
The King Is Dead | 208 |
Dead but Twice Buried | 223 |
Go to James the Just | 243 |
The Challenge of Paul | 259 |
The Legacy of the Jesus Dynasty | 272 |
The End of the Age | 284 |
The Lost Years | 85 |
A Kingdom of this World | 95 |
The Religion of Jesus the Jew | 109 |
A Great Revival and a Gathering Storm | 123 |
Hearing the Voice | 125 |
A Crucial Missing Year | 138 |
Recovering Lost Treasures | 305 |
Epilogue | 319 |
Timeline of Major Events and Figures | 333 |
Acknowledgments | 359 |
Photo Credits | 379 |
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The Jesus Dynasty: Stunning New Evidence about the Hidden History of Jesus James D. Tabor No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
1st century A.D. ancient Apostles Aramaic archaeological began birth bones brother of Jesus burial buried called cave Christ Clophas crowds crucified crucifixion David Dead Sea Scrolls death disciples early Christian emperor Essenes Eusebius Church History evidence excavation faith family tomb father followers Galatians Galilee Gentiles Gibson gospel of John Greek heaven Herod Antipas historical holy inscription Isaiah Israel James Ossuary Jerusalem Jesus dynasty Jesus family Jesus family tomb Jewish Jews John the Baptizer John’s Jordan Joseph Josephus Judaism Judas Jude Judea King Kingdom later lineage lived Mark Mary Magdalene Matthew and Luke meal Messiah mother Mount of Olives movement Nazarenes Nazareth Palestine Pantera Passover Paul Paul’s Peter Pharisees Pilate preaching priestly priests Q source refers Revolt Roman Rome royal rule says scholars Sepphoris Shroud Simon story Talpiot tomb teachings Temple Testament gospels things tion Torah tradition tribe Twelve Vespasian Yahweh Zechariah