Reza Aslan has been on a high-profile book tour for Zealot, the Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, and the book is already in libraries in e-format.  I have reviewed Bart Ehrman’s book on the historic Jesus and Aslan’s effort is an interesting comparison.  Aslan avoids the references to sources and debate among experts in his text.  In his Author’s Note, Aslan explains that “rather than burden the reader with the centuries-long debate… I have constructed my narrative upon what I believe to be the most accurate and reasonable argument.”  (Aslan does include some of the debate in his Notes section.)  This makes his book easy to read and much better story telling.

Jesus lived during an apocalyptic time, a situation lost in the New Testament.  I was aware of the Roman conquest of Palestine, the Jewish revolts, and subsequent devastation wreaked by Rome, but I did not appreciate the extent of the events.  This story would make compelling reading even without any mention of Jesus.  There seem to be no “good guys” in this struggle.  Aslan describes the viciousness and terrorism on both sides.  Roman brutality is well know (crucifixion was the standard Roman punishment reserved for insurrectionists) but even within the Jewish population rebel factions would terrorize those deemed collaborators or moderates in the struggle with Rome.

Rome came to despise the rebellious Jewish people.  They obliterated Jerusalem in 70 C. E.  Rome” chose to waive the customary practice… whereby a vanquished enemy had the option of worshiping its god in Rome… [and Jews were] forbidden to rebuild their temple, a right offered to nearly every other subject people in the empire.”  Even those Jews who had remained loyal to Rome were subjected to retaliatory taxes.

The conflict between Jesus’ brother James the Just and Paul of Tarsus for leadership of Jesus’ movement has, perhaps, the most direct influence on Christianity today.  It seems ironic that the apostles of Jesus lost to the Hellenized Paul.  Ultimately, Rome came to dominate Christianity.  Emperor Constantine convened the Nicene Council in 325 C. E. to establish the canon that forms the Christian Bible today.  (“The balding, gray-bearded old men who fixed the faith and practice of Christianity” were Romans.)  While Aslan does not comment on it, I wonder if Imperial Rome is the source of antisemitism in European history and into modern times.  Roman dislike of Judaism was so intense that I don’t understand how the Hebrew Scriptures were embraced as the “Old Testament” for Christianity.

Aslan concludes by writing “the magnetic preacher who defied the authority of the Temple priesthood… [and] challenged the Roman occupation… has been almost completely lost to history.  That is a shame…Jesus the man is every bit as compelling, charismatic, and praiseworthy as Jesus the Christ.  He is, in short, someone worth believing in.”