Beyond the Passion: Rethinking the Death and Life of Jesus

by Stephen J. Patterson

Overview

For most Christian believers, what is truly remarkable and important about Jesus is not his life, but his resurrection from the dead. They may believe that Jesus' death is significant not as the end of Jesus' life, but as the first half of the saving event that comprises the Christian gospel: the death and resurrection of Jesus. For Christians, this great divine cosmic event, around which all of human history pivots, is what saves us from our sins. Apart from this, the death of Jesus would simply be the meaningless end to an interesting but insignificant life. In this lively and provocative work, Patterson reconstructs early Christian assessments of Jesus' significance and also questions basic assumptions about modern interpretations of Jesus' death. He emphasizes the importance of Jesus' life in relation to his death and resurrection. And he challenges individualistic notions of how Jesus' death relates to Christian ethics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780800636746
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	08/16/2004
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Stephen J. Patterson is Professor of New Testament at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. His previous books include The Gospel of Thomas and Jesus (1993), The God of Jesus (1998), and The Fifth Gospel (1998).

Table of Contents

Introduction: Is Jesus Dead?

Prologue: The Crucifixion of a Nobody

1. Victim

2. Martyr

3. Sacrifice

Epilogue: The Resurrection of a Nobody

Conclusion: Killing Jesus