third edition

JESUS AND THE GOSPELS

An Introduction and Survey

Craig L. Blomberg

nashville, tennessee

Jesus and the Gospels, Third Edition

Copyright © 2022 by Craig L. Blomberg

Published by B&H Academic

Nashville, Tennessee

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-0877-5314-0

Dewey Decimal Classification: 225.7

Subject Heading: BIBLE. N.T.—STUDY\JESUS CHRIST—HUMANITY\JESUS CHRIST—DIVINITY

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible. New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version. Public Domain.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NET are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996–2017. All rights reserved. Build 30170414 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The web addresses referenced in this book were live and correct at the time of the book’s publication but may be subject to change.

Cover design by Emily Keafer Lambright. Upper painting: The Calling of St. Peter and St. Andrew by Pietro Da Cortona, 1630; image © NMUIM / Alamy Stock Photo. Lower painting: Man of Sorrows by William Dyce, 1860; image © Artmedia / Alamy Stock Photo.

for Elizabeth, Rachel, Joshua, Ada, and Rebecca

CONTENTS

Abbreviations

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part One

Historical Background for Studying the Gospels

1 Political Background

2 Religious Background

3 Socioeconomic Background

Part Two

Critical Methods for Studying the Gospels

4 Historical Criticism of the Gospels

5 Literary Criticism of the Gospels

Part Three

Introduction to the Four Gospels

6 The Gospel of Mark

7 The Gospel of Matthew

8 The Gospel ...