Jesus: The Last Day

By Molly Dewsnap Meinhardt

This illustrated volume details the most important events in Jesus' life-the last 24 hrs. Why did the Romans arrest Jesus? How did the earliest Christians interpret his Passion? Where was Jesus... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 188031763X
• ISBN13: 9781880317631
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Biblical Archaeology Society
• Length: 136 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Findings from the world of Biblical archeology

If you were to read a first line of a book that stated: "What Jesus was doing at the Last Supper has not been understood for the better part of 2000 years," would that prompt you to read more? It did me. That is how this book, a collection of essays by Biblical scholars, begins. In the initial chapter, Bruce Chilton, (professor of religion at Bard College) traces the development of the Last Supper through the various groups active in the early Church, from the followers and Peter and James, through the letters of Paul, to the Gospel of John. In it, he shows how, step-by-step, the Church grew in its understanding of the Eucharist as a sacramental meal representing Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. In chapter two, Joan E. Taylor (author of Biblical archeology books) asks, "Where was Gethsemane?" She provides a convincing answer and in so doing, also provides plans and photographs of the large Cave of Gethsemane, which is likely where Judas betrayed Jesus. In a third chapter, Jerome Murphy-O'Connor (professor of New Testament and inter testament literature at the Ecole Biblique et Archeologique in Jerusalem) compares and contrasts the Gospel accounts of Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, using very helpful parallels of the Gospel's texts. Thomas Schmidt (formerly of Westmont College, now of the Laguna Blanca School) offers an understanding of "Jesus' Triumphal March to the Crucifixion," in chapter four, showing that in Mark's Gospel, Jesus' progress along the Via Dolorosa is presented as "a kind of Roman triumphal march". In so doing, Mark depicts Jesus, as triumphant even in "the moment of his greatest suffering and humiliation..." (page 59) Jerome Murphy-O'Connor traces the route of the Via Dolorosa in the fifth chapter; using both ancient and modern sources. In chapter six, recently retired director of excavations at the Israeli Antiquities Authority Vassilios Tzaferis presents the "Archeological Evidence for Crucifixion.". This is followed by a "New Analysis of the Crucified Man in chapter seven; written by Hershel Shanks, editor of Bible Review and other magazines. Both charters are based on remains of a man who was crucified in about 37 AD. In a concluding chapter, archeologist Dan Bahat talks about the likely place where Jesus was buried. Suffice it to say this is a collection of some of the latest findings from the world of Biblical archeology. You would not get this information in the standard references because it is too new. It is all well worth pursuing, especially in Lent or Holy Week.