Paper Summary:

This paper explains how Theissen and Merz explore the subject matter of the historical Jesus in light of primary sources, especially relying on the Gospels, both canonical and apocryphal. It discusses the unique style of the layout and sources of the book and provides a critique of its shortcomings.

From the Paper:

"The book is divided into four main sections, in addition to a meaty Introduction, a "Retrospect" called "A Short Life of Jesus", and two helpful indexes, one of Biblical References and one of Names and Subjects included in the text. The Historical Jesus, published in North America by Fortress Press, was translated from the original German by John Bowden. A full set of sources and collections of sources is provided by the authors at the beginning of the book; moreover, at the onset of each chapter of the book are blocks of bibliography offering the reader a helpful guide for further research and reading. Therefore, the authors do not follow the traditional arrangement of bibliographical information by providing a set of sources at the end of the book; however, footnotes are frequently used. Furthermore, suggestions for further readings are provided at the end of some of the sections. Following the initial source selection is a comprehensive list of abbreviations used within the text. The Historical Jesus is as comprehensive as its title purports; it is also a well-organized, structured, and straightforward piece of accessible scholarship."

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