The Realia Jesus

"""This beautifully illustrated, carefully researched, and up-to-date book answers many of the questions that ordinary Bible readers (and scholars) ask but don't know where to look for answers. David Fiensy carefully but charitably surveys a range of approaches and accessibly synthesizes years of research in ways that even students newest to the discipline can grasp. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the Gospels and Jesus's life and ministry."" --Craig S. Keener, professor of biblical studies, Asbury Theological Seminary ""Realia is a look at the cultural backdrop and the archeological evidence of the first century that helps us to understand the world of Jesus in the first century. This is a solid survey and up-to-date discussion of what we have and what it may show about Jesus' life. It is full of fascinating observations. Read it for a better glimpse of Jesus' ministry."" --Darrell L. Bock, senior research professor of New Testament studies, Dallas Theological Seminary ""A remarkable and unique resource that will be valuable to anyone who wants to appreciate more fully the stories and teachings of our Third Gospel. David Fiensy relates data and insights from recent archaeological studies to principal texts and motifs from Luke's Gospel in a way that makes the findings accessible and relevant. His emphasis is on realia--documents, artifacts, structures, objects, and even human remains that emerge from the soil to help us understand the environment in which Jesus lived, ministered, and died."" --Mark Allan Powell, retired professor of New Testament, Trinity Lutheran Seminary ""This book is a wonderful, thorough survey of the archaeological discoveries that impact the story of Jesus. Though David Fiensy, of necessity, also appeals to the contemporary written accounts left by the elite social class, he does not neglect the conditions of average people understood through the fossil record they left behind. Profusely illustrated, this book should prove a boon to scholars, students, and educated non-specialists looking for a comprehensive yet readable introduction to the historical context of the Gospel accounts."" --David Christian Clausen, adjunct lecturer in Christian origins, University of North Carolina at Charlotte ""There has been a longstanding need for accessible archaeological information that is relevant to the study of Jesus and the Gospels. David Fiensy meets this need with a book that is readable and approachable while also being rigorous, comprehensive, and steeped in ongoing conversations in the archaeology of Jewish Galilee in the early Roman period. This book will be the go-to reference on the shelf that we reach for when looking for reliable and accessible information on the archaeological and historical context of Jesus and the Gospel of Luke."" --Jordan J. Cruz Ryan, associate professor of New Testament, Wheaton College"