Includes bibliographical references and index.

John Dominic Crossan, widely regarded as the leading authority on the words and life of Jesus, cuts through the minutiae and arcane research of much biblical scholarship to present the best possible historical depiction of Jesus--the man and his message. In elegant prose marked by startling revelations, Crossan presents Jesus as a social revolutionary who preached and practiced a message of radical egalitarianism. The Jesus portrayed by Crossan is a savvy and courageous Jewish Mediterranean peasant who challenged the sacrosanct social rules regarding class, gender, and status. What emerges from this stunning biography is a vision of Jesus as a Jewish Socratic philosopher and political agitator who gave voice to those who had never been heard and love to the most cast-out members of society. He proclaimed--in thought and action--that all may participate in the rule of God.

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