Review: Interpreting Jesus

January 15, 2026January 14, 2026 / rtrube54 / Leave a comment

Interpreting Jesus

Interpreting Jesus, Dale C. Allison Jr. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802879196) 2025.

Summary: Six essays on Jesus addressing eschatology, Moses, miracles, women with Jesus, memory, and methods of attestation.

In 2010, after completing Constructing Jesus, Dale C. Allison Jr. told his wife, “Honey, I’m done with Jesus” to which she replied, “He’ll be glad to hear that.” In the Preface to this book, he confesses, “But I was wrong. I have been unable to stay away. What he thinks now I do not know.” I cannot speak for Jesus, but I’m glad he didn’t stay away. I found each of the six essays here thought-provoking, the work of a careful scholar not afraid to engage prevailing scholarship with fresh ideas.

The first essay explores the indications that Jesus believed the “last things” were imminent and that the latter days had begun. Yet his followers had to deal with delay beyond what they expected (and we all the more). However, Allison notes the indications as Jesus nears Jerusalem and faces not only unreceptiveness but imminent death, that he foresaw some form of interim period before his triumphal return. He cites the parables of the bridegroom’s delay and the master’s delay as examples. And he looks at examples of contingency in Jewish literature and allows for the possibility of the delay being contingent on the occurrence of certain events.

The next essay explores how Jesus’ life may be seen as a type of fulfillment or enactment of Moses. He does this by way of noting some of the parallels between Moses and Simeon Stylites and exploring how these map onto Jesus. Allison follows this with what I thought one of the most important essays that took exception in some ways to the radical skepticism of Jesus scholarship of the miracle accounts. He allows, with scholars like Michael Licona, that historical investigation does not require on to a priori rule out the miracle accounts. He notes credible contemporary testimony documented both in Catholicism and scholars like Craig Keener. Should the possibility of credible testimony to the miraculous be ruled out for the accounts of scripture?

The Chosen introduces the idea of women being included in the company of Jesus, sometimes traveling with Jesus and the male disciples. While Allison does not interact with this portrayal, his next essay discusses the biblical accounts. He notes the support women gave, and their presence in various accounts. Allison also notes Jesus teaching on the lustful look and other issues relating to men and women. He seems to be reluctant to allow for women as a permanent part of an itinerating band, while allowing for them to accompany a larger group to Jerusalem for feasts.

But how reliable are the memories of the eyewitnesses? Allison’s next essay addresses the question of the reliability of memory. He particularly has in view Richard Bauckham’s strong defense of the eyewitness accounts of the life of Jesus. He considers the case of Peter and Mark and how the literature on memory leads him to bring a measure of caution in weighing their accounts. While not dismissing Bauckham, he raises the question of whether all memories are equally reliable. May some be more reliable than others?

The final essay is a deep dive into the criteria and methodologies used in historical Jesus scholarship. The question is what may we most confidently attribute to Jesus? For example, scholars consider themes that have multiple attestation as more likely to be authentic. They discredit independent sources. Likewise, there is the criteria of dissimilarity. That is, scholars credit Jesus with saying things found nowhere else. Allison explores a number of exceptions to this methodology.

I must confess that as a non-professional, I knew of Allison but have not read his prior works. While evangelicals may not agree with all his conclusions, his careful scholarship also offers encouragement. What struck me about these essays was a sense of even-handed fairness and an openness to modify his own views. I appreciated his engagement with scholars like Michael Licona, Craig Keener, and Richard Bauckham. And I appreciated his candor in wrestling with questions any of us who have studied the gospels at length have wrestled with.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: The Next Quest for the Historical Jesus

April 28, 2025April 27, 2025 / rtrube54 / Leave a comment

Cover image of "The Next Quest for the Historical Jesus" edited by James Crossley and Chris Keith

The Next Quest for the Historical Jesus, edited by James Crossley and Chris Keith. Wm. B. Eerdmans Co. (ISBN: 9780802882707) 2024.

Summary: A prospectus for a new round of “historical Jesus” research: both foundations and research topics.

What was Jesus really like? Can we somehow get behind the gospel accounts and other sources to get at “the real Jesus of history”? Are we left with only a Christ of faith? Albert Schweitzer began this process. More recently, a group of scholars known as “The Jesus Seminar” took up this quest, with others like N.T. Wright as respondents. One of the critiques of all these efforts was that the attempt could be likened to peering down a very deep well only to glimpse a pale reflection of oneself.

The editors of this work, James Crossley and Chris Keith discerned that the time might be right for a new approach. An older generation of scholars was passing on and a newer generation with different concerns was rising. This volume represents a kind of prospectus of what the next quest might look like. In it, the editors and a team of scholars offer both some foundational ideas for a “next quest” and the beginnings of diverse research topics that might be aligned with the foundations.

The editors devote the first part of the book to foundations. Fundamental to their approach is the recognition that it is not possible to get behind source texts. As best as I can describe it (and I apologize if I am in error) is that this is an indirect or oblique approach. Instead of trying to get behind the text, they commend studying the reception history of the texts and how different groups construed Jesus. Likewise, they advocate a social history of quest scholarship. Brandon Massey examines how the social milieu in which it took place shaped portrayals of Jesus. Likewise, Adele Reinhartz advocates that this approach crucially needs to be applied to the Jewishness of Jesus and how that was constructed by the research. Helen K. Bond argues for the gospels being studied in light of what we know of the character of Greek biography.

Chris Keith argues more broadly for going beyond what is behind. Then Mark Goodacre spells out that our sources are like a puzzle with a substantial number of pieces missing and how research on a variety of social backgrounds may uncover some of those pieces. These include the material and visual culture, argues Joan Taylor. Studies of religion, visions and mythmaking may shed light on the gospel accounts.

The second part of the book, “The Beginnings of a Next Quest” includes chapters from a number of scholars representing a wide array of subfields. For example, these include examinations of ancient social networks, synagogue life. armies and soldiers, textiles, sustenance, and economy. In addition, other essays concern embodiment, sexuality, disability, ritual impurity, race, and ethnicity. The latter includes an examination of how whiteness has influenced Jesus scholarship. Finally, essays explore violence, death and apocalypticism. A thought provoking essay by Justin Meggit explore comparative microhistory and the resurrection accounts.

To sum up, this collection lays the groundwork for a new generation of Jesus questing. It does this, not by trying to get behind the gospel texts but by filling missing contextual pieces. Meanwhile it seeks to strip away previous constructions of Jesus and other social biases that prevent us from seeing what is really in the record. We’ll see whether this approach of deconstruction and fresh construction will escape the subjectivity of previous quests. I also wonder whether the wide variety of subfields will offer a coherent, or rather a fragmented and even conflicting picture. But I welcome the jettisoning of the unconstructive “criteria of authenticity” with the colored beads of the Jesus Seminar. Likewise, I appreciate the admission of the flaw of thinking what we see “behind the text” is more important than the text.

Ever since Schweitzer, it seems each scholarly generation has needed to pursue this quest in new forms. Crossley and Keith have framed a compelling prospectus for the next phase. I hope it helps the church “to see Jesus more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly.”

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.