By Richard Bauckham

I heard abut this book from a lecture that Bishop Tom (N.T.) Wright had given. In it he called it something like the “strongest case for the nature of the eyewitness testimony of the Gospels.” So, I ordered a used copy. It was long, thorough book presenting the case. Bauckham starts by surveying other contemporaneous histories based on eyewitness accounts, by looking at the modern scholarship and the more traditional Form Criticism, and by reexamining the second century Church Fathers writings on the authorship of the Gospels.

This is the first edition and its academic in nature. It tends to wallow a bit in the details, rather than always giving clear, concise points. I hear the second edition improves upon this. Given its academic nature, I am not sure if someone not conversant in New Testament studies would be able to follow the arguments. I don’t know if the thrust of the book will be persuasive for someone who is not a believer.

I enjoyed and broadly agree with Jesus and the Eyewitnesses – I really feel like it could have used some more editing.

552 pages

3.5/5