I have read a number of these Very Short Introductions, including recently on Islam and Judaism, and all are very informative and interesting. Although I didn't really need to be introduced to Jesus, I like Richard Bauckham's stuff so thought I'd give it a go. If you've read much Bauckham, or NT Wright for that matter, it's not really anything new - Bauckham says that much of the info in here is expanded in his book Jesus and the Eyewitnesses - but it is great to have lots of his thoughts on the historical Jesus gathered together in a concise form like this.
And there are some real gems in this book. His stuff on Jesus' often indirect style of teaching is fascinating, and he is brilliant on Jesus' attitude to social status: 'Jesus thus took the unparalleled step of abolishing social status, not by giving all the disciples the status of master... but by reducing all to the lowest social status: that of slave'.
Also recommended are his thoughts on the gospels as eyewitness accounts (Ch 2), and chapter 3 which is all about the 1st Century context Jesus found himself in.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in Jesus!
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