One of the book’s early and interesting points is that the names we find in the Gospels are representative of what historians can now document - that is, that the names that are common in the Gospels were historically common at that time, and the names that are less commonly found in the Gospels were less common then. I believe it could not have been written without the prayers of many who supported me during that period - to use Paul’s phrase (2 Cor 12:9) - God’s grace working as power in weakness.” I also like this, from the preface to the first edition: “Much of this book was written during a gradual recuperation from prolonged illness. At the beginning of the second edition, I rather like the fact that the author says (xviii) that he’s made no changes, just additions, since he hasn’t changed his mind about anything (see also 542-47). When you read this book, it’s worthwhile to get the second edition, since it includes three additional chapters at the end: “Eyewitnesses in Mark (Revisited),” “Who Was the Beloved Disciple? (Continued),” and “The End of Form Criticism (Confirmed).” But note that apparently the entire first edition is available online here. And I heartily recommend it, though it’s very long and has its dense spots. The key theme - as the title suggests - is that the Gospels are based on eyewitness testimony. Wright (“a remarkable piece of detective work”). This is a prize-winning book, including an award from Christianity Today, and I read it because of endorsements by Lee Strobel (in The Case for the Real Jesus) and N.T.
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