John of History, Baptist of Faith

The Quest for the Historical Baptizer

By: James F McGrath

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Hardcover | 3 October 2024

At a Glance

Hardcover
486 Pages

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22.9 x 15.2

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$102.50

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Studies of the historical Jesus typically reduce John the Baptist to a subordinate role in the story of Christian origins. This meticulous historical study focuses on John himself, revealing his extensive and enduring influence.

In the popular imagination, John the Baptist plays the supporting role of Jesus's unkempt forerunner. But meticulous historical study reveals his wide-reaching and enduring influence on the history of religion.

The first study of its kind, John of History, Baptist of Faith sheds light on the historical John the Baptist and his world. James F. McGrath applies historical-critical methodology not only to the New Testament but also to the Mandaean Book of John, a holy text of the last extant gnostic sect. McGrath uses the teachings of John's pupil, Jesus, as a window into his mentor's beliefs. Along the way, he brings new clarity to questions of contention among scholars, such as John's use of immersion as a substitute for temple sacrifice.

Bold in its claims yet careful in its method, John of History, Baptist of Faith lends fresh insight into John, Jesus, and their world. McGrath's pioneering monograph will challenge and intrigue students and scholars of the New Testament and Second Temple Judaism.

Industry Reviews

"Engaging an astonishingly rich and polyglot array of scholarly secondary sources, reading closely in ancient authors and traditions not often brought together--Q, Josephus, Mandaean texts, the Protoevangelium of James, Coptic and Syriac Christian materials--James McGrath offers an imaginative and original interpretation of the figure of John the Baptist, one whose work and life importantly informed and inspired both the mission and the message of Jesus. John of History, Baptist of Faith inaugurates a new phase in the quest for this elusive historical figure. It is a major scholarly achievement."
--Paula Fredriksen, Aurelio Professor of Scripture emerita, Boston University; Distinguished Visiting Professor, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

"Based on an impressive array of sources, including Mandaean texts, this fresh new volume quests for the historical Baptist, assiduously building on prior work in a readable volume of model scholarship."
--Clare K. Rothschild, professor of Scripture Studies, Lewis University

"In this erudite study, James McGrath has managed to advance our scholarly understanding of the continuity and relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth while simultaneously laying the foundations for future historical research. McGrath expertly navigates difficult questions and sources with historiographical sophistication and advances bold new hypotheses. This study expands the horizons of current scholarship and will likely be referenced for years to come."
--Jordan J. Ryan, associate professor of New Testament, Wheaton College

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