From Jesus to Christianity by L. Michael White (HarperOne, 2004) can be best summed up by the subtitle: How Four Generations of Visionaries & Storytellers Created the New Testament and Christian Faith. This was the book I didn’t know I looking for when I read the superficial Between the Testaments: From Malachi to Matthew. With clarity, this historical non-fiction volume covered the state of the Jewish world before Christ’s coming and then went smoothly into discussion of the books of the New Testament and how they were created. Even beyond that, the author continued into subsequent generations (essentially through to the 100s AD).
Rather than following the New Testament and explaining the books as they appear, White carefully looks at the historical record of when each work was written, as well as other contemporary authors, to determine what we know about history during these times. He successfully explains the limitations to knowing specific details all while providing a picture, as clear as possible, of what we do know given historical evidence and especially historical writings. When applicable, sidebars overview the books from the New Testament (and a few from the apocrypha) to give Christian readers of his tome a general understanding of how the familiar texts fit in to the big picture he discusses.
I loved learning the information in this book! It is certainly a lengthy tome on the subject and it is not for the faint of heart. For those looking for a detailed analysis of the New Testament world and the early years thereafter, however, From Jesus to Christianity may be just what you are looking for. White writes with authority and details without being incomprehensible and overwhelming.
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