Authoritative account of the Jesus movement's Greco-Roman and Jewish matrix and its development into the second century In this book Sean Freyne explores the rise and expansion of early Christiani
Authoritative account of the Jesus movement's Greco-Roman and Jewish matrix and its development into the second century
In this book Sean Freyne explores the rise and expansion of early Christianity within the context of the Greco-Roman world -- the living, dynamic matrix of Jesus and his followers. In addition to offering fresh insights into Jesus' Jewish upbringing and the possible impact of Greco-Roman lifestyles on him and his followers, Freyne delves into the mission and expansion of the Jesus movement in Palestine and beyond during the first hundred years of its development.
To give readers a full picture of the context in which the Jesus movement developed, Freyne includes pictures, maps, and timelines throughout the book. Freyne's interdisciplinary approach, combining historical, archaeological, and literary methods, makes The Jesus Movement and Its Expansion both comprehensive and accessible.
Catholic Library World
"Readers will be richly rewarded and gain new insights into the Gospels in reading this highly recommended study."
John J. Collins
--Yale Divinity School
"Seán Freyne devoted his life to the study of Galilee and the early Jesus movement in its Galilean context. This book, completed shortly before his death, pulls together the insights of a lifetime. It is distinguished by its grounding in the archaeological realia of ancient Galilee, but it also contains a notable discussion of the sayings tradition and ranges on into the second century. A fitting capstone to a fine scholarly career."
J. Andrew Overman
--Macalester College
"The most comprehensive and insightful study of the nature and realm of the Jesus movement that we have today. This volume by Seán Freyne is a must-read for students and scholars of Galilee and the contours of the early Jesus movement. . . . Freyne's lifetime of scholarly research and learning is on full display in this tour de force."
Karen L. King
--Harvard University
"This book culminates a distinguished career studying the historical Jesus in Roman Galilee. Freyne guides readers expertly through the most recent archaeological and literary research in a fascinating and highly readable account that exhibits rare insight into the social and political world of Jesus and his earliest followers. . . . Highly recommended."
Elaine Wainwright
--University of Auckland
"The pinnacle of a life's work, drawing together threads of much previous research to weave a matrix for the ministry of Jesus and the Christian mission into the second century. . . . A very significant final work by Seán Freyne."
Choice
“This book is an outstanding, up-to-date account of background, contextual, and historical dimensions of Jesus’s life and ministry and the Jesus movement that developed after his death and resurrection. . . . Essential.”
The Furrow
“This is clearly a book of value as the last word of a distinguished Irish scholar who shows an impressive mastery of both primary and secondary sources.”
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Sean Freyne (1935-2013) was professor emeritus of theology at Trinity College, Dublin. His other books include Jesus, a Jewish Galilean: A New Reading of the Jesus Story and Texts, Contexts, and Cultures: Essays on Biblical Topics.
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