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In his new book Paul Zahl seeks a broader understanding of the life and teachings of Jesus. What was it within his message that burst his first-century Jewish context? What was creative, fresh, and universal about his message? What did Jesus maintain, within his own setting and period, that is still true and applicable today? In pursuit of these questions Zahl swims against the current of modern scholarship, arguing that Jesus was more 'Christian' than 'Jewish.' Jesus' teaching concerning the kingdom of God is replete with Christian perspectives on personhood and salvation, and his insights into original sin and grace are closer to core Christianity than much recent literature acknowledges. A pleasure to read, The First Christian makes a significant new contribution to today's quest for the historical Jesus.
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