This volume examines what the followers of Jesus meant when they declared that he was raised from the dead. This claim, which lies at the core of Christian faith, is one of the most controversial topics in Christianity. Jesus' resurrection has no analogy in human history. Although many 1st-century Jews expected the resurrection of the dead at the end of time, the Christian claim that this had already happened to one individual within the realm of history was unprecedented. Moreover, an affirmation of Jesus' bodily resurrection contradicts the known laws of nature. Additional difficulty comes from the nature of the available evidence. The New Testament sources not only mirror the worldview of ancient authors but also differ with regard to who saw him alive, what was the nature of his risen body, and whether the empty tomb was a widespread knowledge or an assumption based on prior beliefs. Novakovic presents all these issues in a clear and methodical way. She examines the literary sources and addresses various questions related to historical investigations of Jesus' resurrection.

Product Description: Interpretation and the Claims of the Text combines the writings of more than a dozen prominent biblical scholars to elucidate the theological building blocks for the New Testament. Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Mikeal C. Parsons, Jason A...read more

Product Description: The New Testament writings allow only limited access to the interpretative traditions that lie beneath the claim that Jesus' resurrection took place according to Scripture. This book investigates the underlying principles of scriptural arguments in relation to Jesus' resurrection and the unstated interpretative moves that govern the selection and combination of texts relating to it...read more

Product Description: Lidija Novakovic offers an explanation of the remarkable link found in the Gospel of Matthew between the royal messianic title Son of David attributed to Jesus and his miracles of healing. There is no doubt that this represents a Christian development, because there is no extant early Jewish text that portrays the Davidic Messiah as a miracle worker...read more

Product Description: Since their discovery among the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Pesharim have sparked intense debate. Are these ancient documents biblical commentary, or are they historiographies alluding to figures and events of the time? Charlesworth demonstrates that these 16 books do indeed contain historical allusions and relates these references to a synopsis of Qumran history...read more