The Historical Jesus: Understanding Jesus' Life, Times, and Ministry
Length: 8 hours and 52 minutes
Embark on the quest for the historical Jesus.
For nearly 2,000 years, Christians have followed the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, called Messiah or Christ in the New Testament. Indeed, no other person has had such a wide-ranging and powerful impact on the history of the Western world. This has compelled scholars and the faithful alike to undertake the quest for knowledge about his life.
Now, you too can take this quest. In this series, you will explore the ways in which contemporary scholarship, scripture, and our culture have approached the life of Jesus. Your guide, Professor David Zachariah Flanagin, is both a historical scholar and Catholic educator, providing a singular and faithful perspective into this fascinating and inspiring subject.
First, you will consider the major issues surrounding knowledge about JesusÕ life. Next, you will look at three well-known reconstructions of Jesus in the work of contemporary scholars. Finally, you will explore the most fruitful line of inquiry into the historical Jesus: research that situates him firmly within the world of first-century Palestinian Judaism.
The portraits of Jesus do not end here. This course, however, will help you to understand the key issues, the illuminating insights, and the problematic uncertainties that surround the fundamental question, “Who is Jesus?”
As you embark on this journey, you will deepen both your faith and understanding. Begin this quest today.
Study Guide
01 So Many Jesuses
02 Looking behind the Gospels: The Oral Window and Translation
03 Genre and Redaction
04 Redaction as Transformation
05 What Do We Mean by the Phrase, "The Historical Jesus"?
06 Understanding the Evidence for Jesus
07 Jesus, the Near-Eastern Sage
08 Double Dissimilarity
09 Multiple Attestation, Coherence, and the Coptic Gospel of Thomas
10 Jesus, Jewish Mystic
11 Jesus, Social Reformer
12 Why Did Jesus Die?
13 Jesus, Cynic Philosopher
14 Magic and Meal
15 Jesus the Jew
16 The First Century Jewish Context
17 Diversity and Conflict in First-Century Judaism
18 Jesus in Conflict with the Jewish Leadership
19 Jesus, Herald of the Kingdom, Part I
20 Jesus, Herald of the Kingdom, Part II
21 The Resurrection