The Historical Figure of Jesus

This biography of the historical figure of Jesus is for a non-specialist readership. In the first part of this study, Professor Sanders proposes that people can have an excellent knowledge about Jesus on a general level: where he fits into the history and religious movements of first-century Palestine, the main themes of his teaching, his principal activities and those who followed him. But more specific questions, such as "What was he like?", "What were his aims?" can be answered with less certainty. The second part of the book identifies the range of possible answers, and weighs the evidence in favour of each. E.P. Sanders won the Grawemeyer Award in Religion for his book, "Jesus and Judaism".