Table of Contents

Preface; A Galilean Jew: Under the Roman Empire, the Grandiose & Sinister Memory of Herod, Galilee in the Time of Antipas, Urbanisation in Galilee, A Different Kind of Jews; Life in Nazareth: Jesus' Home Town, In the Heart of a Jewish Family, Among the People of the Countryside, the Religious Environment, A Worker's Life, Unmarried, without Children; A Seeker of God: John's Radical Diagnosis, the New Beginning, the Baptism of John, What the Baptist Expected, the "Conversion" of Jesus, the New Mission of Jesus; A Prophet of the Reign of God: An Itinerant Prophet, Passion for the Reign of God, an Ancient Hope, A Burning Hope in the Heart of the People, God is Already Here!, the Best News, God, the Friend of Life, the Fortunate Poor, Things Have to Change, the Best is Yet to Come; A Poet of Compassion: the Seduction of the Parables, Life is More than Meets the Eye, God is Merciful, Be Merciful Like Your Father; A Healer of Life: Sickness in Galilee, No Easy Way to Healing, An Unusual Healer, Jesus' Curative Power, Liberation From Demons, Signs of A New World; Defender of the Last: the Last in Galilee, God Belongs to Those Who Have No One, Foolishness or Solidarity, Dignity for the Undesirable, Friend of Sinners, the Forgiveness Jesus Offers, Undeserved Forgiveness; a Friend of Women: the Status of Jewish Women, Friend of the Last Women, Breaking the Mould, A Different Way of Seeing, A Space Not Controlled by Men, Women as Jesus' Disciples, the Woman Closest to Jesus; A Teacher of Life: An Unconventional Teacher, Change Your Hearts, Beyond the Law, the Important Thing is Love, Love Your Enemies, the Non-Violent Struggle for Justice; Creator of a Renewal Movement: His Power of Attraction, a Widespread, Warm Welcome, the Twelve, a Radical Summons, Living with Jesus, A New Family, in the Service of God's Plan, Sent Out to Proclaim God by Healing; A Faithful Believer: Rooted in the Faith of His People, A Decisive Experience, Withdrawing to Pray, God As the Father, Jesus' Good Father, the God of Life, the Prayer of Jesus; Combative & Dangerous: Conflict with the Pharisaic Sectors, Opposition to the Religious Authorities, the Defensiveness of the Roman Powers, Single-Minded to the End, a Dangerous Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a Very Dangerous Act, a Memorable Farewell; Martyr of the Reign of God : Handed Over by the Temple Authorities, Condemned to Death by Rome, the Horror of the Crucifixion, the Final Hours. In the Hands of the Father; Raised by God: God Has Raised Him!, What Happened in Jesus' Resurrection?, On the Way to New Faith In the Risen Christ, the Decisive Experience, Was Jesus' Tomb Empty?, God Has Vindicated Jesus & Done Him Justice; Exploring the Identity of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Luke, the Gospel of John, Finding the Right Name for Jesus, Encounter with the Living Jesus Christ. Epilogue: Coming Back to Jesus, Believing in the God of Life, Living for the Reign of God, Following Jesus, Building the Church of Jesus, Living & Dying in the Hope of Jesus.

About the Author

Jose Antonio Pagola was born in Spain in 1937. He completed his theological studies in 1962 at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and his studies in Sacred Scripture at the Biblical Institute in Rome in 1963. He also studied Biblical sciences at the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem. He has dedicated his life to Biblical studies and Christology and has done research on the historical Jesus for more than 30 year. His new books have been recognized as one of the best latest studies on the Historical Jesus.

Reviews

'One of Pagolas most controversial stances is that Jesus never described his death in theological terms and did not understand it as a sacrificial atonement for the sins of humanity. The Father doesnt need to preserve his honor with anyone s destruction, Pagola writes. His love for his sons and daughters is gratuitous, his forgiveness unconditional. Rather, Pagola says, Jesus viewed his death as a service to God s reign for the benefit of all. Jesus: An Historical Approximation may frustrate conservatives, who fault Pagola for departing from traditional formulas of faith, as well as liberals, who wonder how a follower of Jesus can analyze the historical sources objectively.' --Darrell Turner, National Catholic Reporter; 'Pagola has a simple message to convey. God must be understood as compassion, not power. In his book he set out to depict, in clear, accessible layman s language, as much as the historical sources allow, a comprehensive picture of Jesus of Nazareth. Just who was he? What was his contemporary world really like? Why did he want to go beyond complex religious codes and ritual practices? And why did he end up on collision course with the local Jewish authorities and the delegates of imperial Rome?' --Mark Dowd, The Tablet, UK.