Jesus the Jew


Jesus the Jew: A historian's reading of the Gospels is a book by Géza Vermes, who was a Reader in Jewish Studies at the University of Oxford when it was written. It was originally published by Collins in London.

Review citations and excerpts

  • Review: Publishers Weekly, September 13, 1993, volume 240, issue 37, page 36
  • Review: The Christian Century, September 16, 1981, volume 98, page 916

"Fortress picked this book up from the dying Collins firm; it has a 1973 publication date in England. The author has written on the Dead Sea Scrolls, but in this book his main interest is to give a Jewish Portrait of Jesus in his environment. Elaborate reference materials at the back of the book reinforce his arguments and lead readers beyond his significant beginnings. His Jesus is a very recognizable zaddik, a just man, a teacher, an exemplar."


"Already regarded as a turn-in-the-road book, this historical study eschews most theological elements and jolts Christian readers into relocating Jesus in his original Jewish environment. Positive thinking about an often forgotten context; readable by nonspecialists."

Category:1973 non-fiction books
Category:History books about Judaism
Category:Books about Jesus