Jesus and the Four Gospels

1979, Harper & Row Publishers. "Jesus Christ is a crucial figure of history. Today he is worshipped as God by millions, and his teaching continues to influence individuals, even whole societies. His life has been dramatized and written about many times; he is the star of film and musical. John Drane does not simply retell the familiar story. He asks searching questions. How does Jesus fit into the time in which he lived? Did he really make great claims for himself or did the church later make them for him? Why did he teach in parables? What was the point of his miracles? And who recorded accurate or embellished with legend? And why did he die...? This book is both faithful to the New Testament evidence and fully aware of modern scholarship. The approach is popular and not over-technical; it is also thorough and well-informed. Subjects of more technical interest are tackled in special articles separate from the main text; photographs and line illustrations are informative and stimulating. The fresh presentation of the book makes it suitable not only for the general reader but also for schools and colleges. Dr. John Drane is a lecturer in Religious Studies at Stirling University. "Paul", his companion volume to this book, has been published in several editions, and received outstanding reviews in the religious and educational press".