Jesus and Magic - by Horsley (Paperback)

About the Book

A compelling re-examination of the miracle stories of the Gospels, arguing that modern interpretations that depict them as 'magical' events misconstrue their original context.

Book Synopsis

A compelling re-examination of the Gospel miracle stories, arguing that modern interpretations depicting them as 'magical' misconstrue their original context.

It has become standard in modern interpretation to say that Jesus performed miracles, and even mainline scholarly interpreters classify Jesus's healings and exorcisms as miracles. Some highly regarded scholars have argued, more provocatively, that the healings and exorcisms were magic, and that Jesus was a magician.

As Richard Horsley points out, if we make a critical comparison between modern interpretation of Jesus's healing and exorcism, on the one hand, and the Gospel stories and other ancient texts, on the other hand, it becomes clear that the miracle and magic are modern concepts, products of Enlightenment thinking.

'Jesus and Magic' asserts that Gospel stories do not have the concepts of miracle and magic. What scholars constructed as magic turns out to have been ritual practices such as songs (incantations), medicines (potions), and appeals to higher powers for protection.

Horsley offers a critical reading of the healing and exorcism episodes in the Gospel stories. This reading reveals a dynamic relationship between Jesus the healer, the trust of those coming for healing, and their support networks in local communities. Horsley's reading of the Gospel stories gives little or no indication of divine intervention. Rather, the healing and exorcism stories portray healings and exorcisms.

Review Quotes

...[Horsley's] succinct, acute critique tackles a vitally important interpretative issue in a way that is intelligible to students and scholars alike, and it should be given serious attention.--Kimberley Fowler "Journal for the Study of the New Testament, Volume 38.5, August 2016"

Horsley's book is truly thought-provoking and provides a critical awareness of how modern scholars approach healing and exorcism stories in the Gospels. .. His challenge to drop preconceived notions can help advance the scholarly understanding of Jesus' healings and exorcisms as His audience understood them.--Jason Bermender "Religion and Theology, Vol. 24, Issue 2, 2017"

The biggest strength of this book lies in its candid reminder of the fact that 'map is not territory' in the study of religion; sometimes our scholarly constructs obscure more than they reveal . this book is well-written and would be useful for undergraduate and graduate seminars alike--Jonathan Homrighausen, Santa Clara University "Theological Book Review vol.27 (2017) no.2, pp.50-1"