- Paperback: 640 pages
- Publisher: Corgi Books; New edition edition (1 July 1993)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0552139505
- ISBN-13: 978-0552139502
- Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 10.8 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 389,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
This is a controversial account of Christ's life which challenges accepted Christian doctrine. Basing her theories on 20 years of close study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gospels, the author propounds that Jesus was the leader of a radical faction of Essene priests; that he was not of virgin birth; that he did not die on the cross; that he married Mary Magdalene, fathered a family, and later divorced; and that he died sometime after 64AD.
From the Back Cover
Jesus was the leader of a radical faction of Essene priests. He was not of virgin birth. He did not die on the Cross. He married Mary Magdalene, fathered a family, and later divorced. He died sometime after AD 64.
This controversial version of Christ's life is not the product of a mind which wants to debunk Christianity. Barbara Thiering is a theologian and a biblical scholar. But after over twenty years of close study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gospels she has developed a revolutionary new theory which, while upholding the fundamental faith of Christianity, challenges many of its most ingrained supernaturalist beliefs.
Jesus the Man will undoubtedly upset and even outrage those for whom Christianity is immutable and unchallengeable. But for many who have found the rituals of the contemporary church too steeped in medieval thinking, it will provide new insights into Christianity in the context of the 1990s.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you've been brought up as I have, with a 'belief' in the virgin birth, the miracles, the death on the cross and the resurrection - and you've gradually realised that you can't really rationalise these concepts, now that you're an adult; if you feel you are still looking, even though you know you have your Christian faith and shouldn't that be enough? - well this may very well be the book you need to completely frazzle your train of religious thought.
Barbara Thiering is a supreme academic and goes to great lengths to justify her theories with much referencing, to the point where I have to admit that I probably need to re-read this immediately and I do confess to only really reading the narrative chapters at the start - which is very readable. A great deal of the theory just feels 'right' as you read it. The social and political contexts of the time are explained brilliantly and all of a sudden the bible story is bang up-to-date and you feel the relevance of it - as if it happened only yesterday; you can see how and why matters were recorded as they were. If you repel the literalism of Christianity today, it will appeal to you. But at the same time, don't expect to think of Jesus in the same way ever again, even if you think only a small proportion of the material is nearer the truth.
Reading this has led me on to find a whole welter of knowledge and discussions and further reading.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I belong to the mass of people that just cannot swallow the amazing stories about Jesus and his "son of God" status, however many time I attempt to read the bible. I cannot buy the idea of someone giving a virgin birth, walking on water, rising from the dead, and so on, it is just too amazing to believe. On the other hand I have always believed that the man, Jesus, existed and was a very intelligent person with wonderful ideas about human equality, compassion, etc. The book "Jesus the Man" finally brings some sense behind the amazing stories in the New Testament and makes the whole story about Jesus and his preachings belieavable, however not as some devine beeing but as the wise and intelligent man that he was who also had strong convictions he wanted to bring to others. I can finally believe in Christianity again, not in the sense that the church wants us to believ in it, but from a point of reality and not mystery.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
this is a crucial book. not only have the mists of time romanticised Jesus and the rest, but Dr Thiering sets the complex scene of political intrigue and religious discipline/dogma at the time. there were not in reality goodies and baddies - the author even suggests Jesus had a hand in a politically-inspired death - but all sorts of parties and interests manouevring for power. The Herod family was a religious leading group at the time, not (just) bloody ogres, Jesus and John the Baptist did not have a too fraternal relationship, and there were close ties between the Roman leadrership - I.e. in Rome, and the Jewish administration. a very densely textured picture of Jewish politics is painted, and this is what brings the gospels to life. Her thesis is that the language of the gospels and new testament is heavily symbolic, partisan, political but always intensely accurate and not a fantasy. read and learn. Jesus won't be any less worthy, but the superstition will dissipate.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
shattering
An extraordinary piece of work. I am not a theologian, but it seems that Prof Thiering has done some very painstaking and detailed work from Dead Sea scrolls sources. Read more
Published 12 months ago by expate
Difficult to digest.
I appreciate the researches that Thiering had done on behalf of the religious realm. The book Jesus the Man may have many things to reveal to us, but it seems inundated with too... Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2010 by hyobel
Will the real Jesus Christ please step forward.
I read Dr. Thiering's book 'The Qumran Origins of the Christian Church' before reading this later published book. The former was better written, I felt. Read more
Published on 25 Oct 2009 by Mr. S. Milton
One for the conspiracy theorists
Barbara presents the gospels as two-level stories. A "surface" level gives a blurred and miraculous life of Christ, while the "pesher" level (a code which she alone of all... Read more
Published on 12 July 2004 by G. Perkins
A myth-busting book. Essential for Freethinkers!
The only people who seemed to have taken offence at this exceptional bookare Christians, whose very belief is wrapped up in the myth of theResurrection. Read more
Published on 27 April 2004 by Proudmomofagayson
File under 'fantasy'!
Jesus Christ, father-of-three, is married to Mary Magdalene. He's employed as a priest at Qumran, famous these days for the Dead Sea Scrolls. Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2002 by bobobob5
Like the curate's egg - good in parts
As a theology graduate, and erstwhile Christian, I was happy to begin to read this book. By the end of the book I was left with a rather empty feeling. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2002 by chris.mertoncourt@argonet.co.uk
An excellent account of the True Jesus
Jesus The Man as brought me closer to the teachings of Jesus and the Pauline Myth as been shown what it is just myth. Read more
Published on 5 May 2000
An interesting interpretation of the life of Jesus.
This may be a little offensive to some, but if you're willing to look at the story of the New Testament with an open mind - then this book is a great place to start.
Published on 15 July 1999
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