The Earliest Perceptions of Jesus in Context: Essays in Honor of John Nolland

The question of the identity of Jesus has been an important focus of modern New Testament scholarship, with particular attention paid to how Jesus was originally perceived by his contemporaries and in the earliest Christian writings. This volume contributes to the study of this question, with the various essays presenting new facets on the subject from a variety of angles. Approaches include: methodology, archaeology, background, individual gospel perspectives, gospel relationships, intertextuality in the gospels, as well as the earliest reception of the Jesus tradition in the post-Easter writings of the New Testament, and the ethical implications of Jesus' teaching.

The contributors have used the work of John Nolland as the starting inspiration for their exploration of the theme, as his work has laid the foundations for inquiry into the issue of the earliest perceptions of Jesus and the sources which comprise the New Testament.

• Table of contents
• Abbreviations
• Profile and Appreciation of John Nolland, Craig Smith
• John Nolland Select Bibliography
• List of Contributors
• Introduction
• 1. The Nazareth of Jesus - Rainer Riesner, Technische Universität Dortmund, Germany
• 2. 'On This Rock I Will Build My Church' (Matthew 16.18): Was the Promise to Peter a Response to Tetrarch Philip's Proclamation? - Craig A. Evans, Houston Baptist University, USA
• 3. Biographies of Jesus in Old Testament and Rabbinic Style: the Genre of the New Testament Gospels - Armin D. Baum, Freie Theologische Hochschule, Germany
• 4. The Provenance of Jesus' Quotations of Scripture from a Social Memory Perspective - Thomas R. Hatina, Trinity Western University, Canada
• 5. Son of Man-Lord of the Temple? Gospel Echoes of Psalm 8 and the Ongoing Christological Challenge - N. T. Wright, University of St Andrews, UK
• 6. Authority and Accountability in Luke 11.24–13.9 - Darrell Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary, USA
• 7. Pharisees and Jesus' Power of Persuasion in Luke-Acts: Another Consideration of their Characterization - Robert L. Brawley, McCormick Seminary (Em), USA
• 8. Jesus, Son of Adam and Son of God (Luke 3.38): Adam-Christ Typologies in Luke-Acts - Yongbom Lee, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA
• 9. Identity and Christology: the Ascended Jesus in the Book of Acts - Steve Walton, St Mary's University, UK
• 10. The Jewish Saviour for Israel in the Missionary Speeches of Acts - Christoph Stenschke, University of South Africa, South Africa
• 11. 'A Tale of Two Cities'?: Jerusalem in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke - Daniel M. Gurtner, Bethel University, USA
• 12. Insisting on Easter: Matthew's Use of the Theologically Provocative Vocative (kyrie) in the Suppliant Narratives - Douglas Sean O'Donnell, Trinity College Bristol, UK
• 13. How do the Beatitudes Work? Some Observations on the Structure of the Beatitudes in Matthew - David Wenham, Trinity College Bristol, UK
• 14. The Holy Spirit in the Gospel of Matthew - Roland Deines, University of Nottingham, UK
• 15. Jesus, the Foundation of sabbatismos -Craig A. Smith, University of British Columbia, Canada
• 16. Exalted Lord and Suffering Servant: the Response to Jesus in James and 1 Peter - Peter Davids, Houston Graduate School of Theology, USA
• 17. Jesus, the Theological Educator: Lessons in Transformational Teaching from the Gospel of Luke - Eeva John, University of Cambridge, UK
• 18. Lives that Speak: 'e logike latreia' in Romans 12.1 - Eckhard J. Schnabel, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, USA
• Index of Main Biblical References