John the Baptist and Jesus: A Report of the Jesus Seminar

Who was John the Baptist? What was the relationship of Jesus to John? What message did John proclaim? Did Jesus repeat John's message or did he devise one of his own? These and other questions concerning the historical John the Baptist and Jesus are answered in this provocative and lucid book.

The Jesus Seminar has considered all the historical evidence related to John the Baptist found in the gospels, Josephus, the documents known as the Pseudo-Clementines, and the traces of the Baptist tradition preserved in Mandaeism, a baptizing sect that continues to exist in southern Iraq and neighboring Iran. This book contains a summary of the deliberations and votes of the Seminar, together with a concise sketch of the historical figure of John the Baptist.

"This book is undoubtedly a must not only for those who would like to keep up with the results of the work done by the Jesus Seminar, but also for anybody who may be interested in the current state of affairs in JB research. The book naturally does not claim to be the only or the last word about JB, but it certainly represents the findings of a significant number of the most prominent scholars in this field at this point in time. I am convinced that the book not only makes available startling new evidence about JB, but that it will definitely also revive and stimulate further JB research. The language usage and style of the book is of such a nature that it can be enjoyed by specialists and non-specialists alike. It accordingly deserves a wide readership and is stronly recommended."—Hervormde Teologiese Studies

W. Barnes Tatum is Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Greensboro College and author of In Quest of Jesus: A Guidebook and Jesus at the Movies.

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