What Have They Done with Jesus? - by Ben Witherington (Paperback)

About the Book

A leading Jesus scholar debunks the latest fad theories about Jesus and offers a compelling portrait of his real mission and message, according to the followers who knew him best.

From the Back Cover

Strange theories about Jesus seem to ooze from our culture with increasing regularity. Ben Witherington, one of the top Jesus scholars, will have none of it. There were no secret Gnostic teachings in the first century. With leading scholars and popular purveyors of bad history in his crosshairs, Witherington reveals what we can--and cannot--claim to know about the real Jesus. The Bible, not outside sources, is still the most trustworthy historical record we have today.

Utilizing a fresh "personality profile" approach, Witherington highlights core Christian claims by investigating the major figures in Jesus's inner circle of followers: Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Thomas, Peter, James the brother of Jesus, Paul, and the mysterious "beloved disciple." In each chapter Witherington satisfies our curiosities and answers the full range of questions about these key figures and what each of them can teach us about the historical Jesus. What Have They Done with Jesus? is a vigorous defense of traditional Christianity that offers a compelling portrait of Jesus's core message according to those who knew him best.

Review Quotes

"Admirably learned, shrewdly argued, and thoroughly readable - exactly what we have come to expect from Ben Witherington!" - Philip Jenkins, Professor of History and Religious Studies, Pennsylvania State University
"In this accessible, yet scholarly book, Ben Witherington is absolutely right to focus on the people whe were closest to Jesus. We know lot about them, enough to know that they knew a lot about Jesus. As Witherington shows, to know the real Jesus, we don't have to resort to late and unreliable sources. The best sources are the ones we've always known about." - Richard Bauckham, Professor of New Testament Studies, University of St Andrews, Scotland
"Witherington insightfully critiques today's plethora of speculations about the evolution of earliest Christianity, rightly pointing us away from misinterpretations of Gnostic and other late documents and back to the earliest sources." - Craig S. Keener, Professor of New Testament, Eastern University, and author of three commentaries on the Gospels.
"Witherington brings sanity into those areas of the historical Jesus debate where it has been lacking, even as he presents what can and can't be known about the first, closest followers of Jesus and what their testimony demonstrates about Jesus himself." - Craig L. Blomberg, Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary
"Ben Witherington has done it again. What Have They Done with Jesus is an important look at those around Jesus, those most responsible for what we know about him. This reasonable and carefully argued work shows that these figures were impacted by the real Jesus and did not morph him into a figure that had little to do with who Jesus really was, as some claim. For those curious for how Jesus is being distorted in the public square, here is a book that sets the record straight." - Darrell Bock, Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
"The question Jesus asked about himself long ago, "Who do folks say that I am?" just won't go away. Ben Witherington gauges the plausibility of some of the recent answers and presents a new portrait of the Jesus of history who emerges as a believable, compelling figure still to be reckoned with. A superb read by one of our finest scholars of Christian origins." - Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, and an executive editor of Christianity Today.
"Ben combines a devoted heart with a scholarly mind, and illumines a topic that has generated more heat than light." - John Ortberg, Teaching Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church
"Ben Witherington has produced just the right book for exposing the nonsense that has been written about Jesus in recent years." - Craig A. Evans, Payzant Distinguished Professor, Acadia Divinity College, Nova Scotia
"Rumor, conjecture, salacious gossip, conspiratorial plots, innuendo and hysterical alarm swirl around the name of Jesus these days. Ben Witherington III genially and coolly examines each item, one by one. It is a pleasure to watch one of our best biblical historians do some of his best historical work." - Eugene H. Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, BC.
"Ben Witherington does a great job of cutting through the fluff and fuss around modern thinking about Jesus. He shows that much of this isn't really 'thinking' after all. Here is in-depth, faithful scholarship made accessible for all of the rest of us. Here is orthodox, traditional Christianity not only defended but also made delightful." - Bishop William H. Willimon
"Ben Witherington III is respected in the academy and honored in the Church. This book shows why: it is candid, it is fair-minded, and it tells the truth: nonsense is nonsense. Very few can get to the heart of historical issues as Ben Witherington can." - Scot McKnight, Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, North Park University
"A fresh, bracing approach, pursued with both rigor and real verve: to discover Jesus through the records we have of those closest to him, whether before his death or after it. The Marys, Peter, the Beloved Disciple, the brothers of Jesus - all come out of the shadows in this book; and so does Jesus himself." - Robin Griffith-Jones, author of The Four Witnesses and Master of the Temple Church, London