Jesus the Priest

Following his critically acclaimed book Jesus the Temple, Nicholas Perrin here offers an insightful theological contribution to Jesus studies that synthesizes the best in traditional/conservative and liberal reconstructions of Jesus's life and teaching. Some view Jesus as an eschatological prophet (conservative tradition) while others view him as a teacher of wisdom (liberal tradition). Perrin identifies the priesthood of Jesus as a mediating understanding that sheds crucial light on the kingdom of God. By viewing Jesus as priest, we understand that the central aim of God's kingdom is not the salvation of individual souls or the creation of a better society but rather the establishment of authentic worship.