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    Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
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    Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
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    Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
    Ebook428 pages8 hours

    Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

    By Reza Aslan

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as Jesus of Nazareth. Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher from Galilee launched a revolutionary movement proclaiming the 'Kingdom of God', and threatened the established order of first-century Palestine. Defying both Imperial Rome and its collaborators in the Jewish religious hierarchy, he was captured, tortured and executed as a state criminal. Within decades, his followers would call him the Son of God. Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history's most influential and enigmatic figures by examining Jesus within the context of the times in which he lived: the age of zealotry, an era awash in apocalyptic fervour, when scores of Jewish prophets and would-be messiahs wandered the Holy Land bearing messages from God. They also espoused a fervent nationalism that made resistance to Roman occupation a sacred duty. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against historical sources, Aslan describes a complex figure: a man of peace who exhorted his followers to arm themselves; an exorcist and faith healer who urged his disciples to keep his identity secret; and the seditious 'King of the Jews', whose promise of liberation from Rome went unfulfilled in his lifetime. Aslan explores why the early Church preferred to promulgate an image of Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary, and grapples with the riddle of how Jesus understood himself. Zealot provides a fresh perspective on one of the greatest stories ever told. The result is a thought-provoking, elegantly written biography with the pulse of a fast-paced novel, and a singularly brilliant portrait of a man, a time and the birth of a religion.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThe Westbourne Press
    Release dateAug 8, 2013
    ISBN9781908906281
    Unavailable
    Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
    Author

    Reza Aslan

    Reza Aslan (he/him) is a writer and scholar of religions. He lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife and 4 kids, so he knows a thing or 2 about trying to solve conflicts. Reza always wanted to be a writer. But his mom told him he had to get a "real job" first. So, he spent years at school earning a bunch of degrees so he could become a scholar of religions. Now, he gets to do both of those things: study religion and write books! A recipient of the prestigious James Joyce Award, Reza has written several internationally bestselling books, including the #1 New York Times Bestseller, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. Reza is also an Emmy- and Peabody-nominated scholar and public intellectual who tries to help people make sense of the sometimes nonsensical things we all do in the name of religion and politics.

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    Reviews for Zealot

    4/5

    627 ratings70 reviews

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    • 4/5
      The author details the historical life of Jesus and compares it to the biblical version. Very interesting study that should give the reader some new insights into our Christian beliefs.
    • 3/5
      Though not really contributing anything new to scholarship, Zealot nevertheless acts as an effective crash course in studies of the New Testament, a refresher for the initiated and a valuable challenge for those who are not.
    • 5/5
      One more researcher who studies antique documents in their original languages.

      The book describes who was Jesus of Nazareth, what did he say, and what did he do. However, these descriptions are not those that most of the people would expect. The historical Jesus of Nazareth, who lived in Palestine in the 1st century, is very much different from the one depicted by christian mythology. The New Testament, despite of its flaws and contradictions, gives us a lot of information about Jesus of Nazareth. However, most of the people who consider themselves "christians", have never read the New Testament, and have no choice but to rely on the wide-spread mythology.
    • 4/5
      There is a curious line in Josephus’ The Antiquities of the Jews. It reads: “…so he [Ananus, high priest of Judea] assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others…” This is one of the few non-Biblical passages that give credence to the existence of an historical Jesus, and indeed, most historians are on board with the existence of a person named Jesus who lived and preached to Jews in Galilee and Judea. But what else can be gleaned from the historical record? And does this information change the way historians should view the life of Jesus? Reza Aslan’s believes so, and traces the life, teachings, and even his political agenda in Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. Aslan finds, in a very close reading of the Biblical and historical source material, that a different picture of Jesus emerges. He places Jesus in the historical context of the age. First century BCE Jews rebelled against their Roman leaders, especially as they began to denigrate the holiness of the Temple of Jerusalem by appointing unqualified high priests. Those who advocated for a separate nation for the Jews became known as Zealots. Aslan’s contention is that Jesus’s activities and sayings point to him being more a part of this movement that previously thought. Only after his crucifixion did he change the way in people believed and worshipped.This book was interesting, but not in the way I thought it would be. While there is a good discussion on the life of Jesus, there is also a lot more on the history of ancient Judea and political movements of the day. Those who do not normally study in this era will pick a great deal of contextual information on Biblical history. Also, Aslan’s commentary on translation leads one to believe that the Biblical sources are not as cut and dry as they would seem to be. A curious and engaging book.
    • 4/5
      This is a book about what could be one of the hardest subjects a historian could attempt to tackle. The historic Jesus is a character that has very little real historic verification, leading most scholars to take best guesses on what the real Jesus may have been like, or if he even existed. And this book is no different as Aslan attempts to build a picture based on the available historic evidence and what records we do have about actual events around that time and place. It does start off with one assumption though: that Jesus was a real man and not a deified entity created from the various self proclaimed messiahs of the time, as other works on this subject have claimed.In the process of piecing together a more realistic picture than the dramatic stories presented in the canonical gospels Aslan is quick to dismiss the portions that are plainly absurd and only there to present a particular picture to the audience the gospel version is intended for. For example, The stable in Bethlehem picture, because Bethlehem did not even exist in that time based on known historical documents, Nazareth did however. Or also the scenes with Pontius Pilate, who in some versions of the story tries to save Jesus, but is historically accounted for as absolutely hating the Jewish people,so much so that complaints are regularly sent to the Roman Emperor regarding the numerous crucifixions. And just as equally Aslan is quick to point out when the version presented adds insight to the real man and highlights his real motivations when looked at in the historic context in which it takes place.The research done by the author is well documented in the notes and bibliography, which is sure to give the reader plenty more to explore should he or she wish to do so. Unless your the type who refuses to stray one ounce from your dogma, this book is a must read for believers and non-believers alike. It adds to the many other volumes on this subject and paints a picture of a man who is probably more fascinating than the one presented by the religion in his name.
    • 3/5
      This book is written in a conversational tone, providing a slapdash history of sorts of the life of Jesus the man and how he came to be viewed by some as the messiah. It's not a bad book, but I wish it had been more scholarly. The "story" was not laid out logically, or even chronologically, so the history got lost and it was sometimes hard to tell what was going on. Some knowledge of Christianity and the Bible is presupposed, which was a problem for an atheist like me who is largely ignorant about that particular religion. But the notes at the back are extensive, and the author clearly knows the subject matter.
    • 3/5
      Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan though a well researched and written book left me scratching my head as to what exactly he had to say that was so revealing. I must first reveal my point of view on the subject. I am not an atheist or agnostic, I am simply one that does not know the answers to the true spirituality and do not think anyone else does. A true skeptic perhaps. In my studies of the subject I have come to the conclusion that all religions are man created and the concept of faith is the only test of validity. I recently finished Aesop's Fables and found that the stories and homilies are just as valid as those from the religions.Having stated that my main argument with Mr. Azlan would be that he presented really nothing of an astounding discovery to me. His main point being that the Jesus we get from the Christian religions is not quite what the reality of his life was. In essence he was a Jewish Zealot who promoted basically Jewish doctrine and the kingdom of God to be established on earth, soon. Now that could be tomorrow for all we know, but it is 2,000 years and counting. And instead of shaking off Roman rule maybe it will now go after the other religions that are causing so much trouble in the world today. The other great revelation Azlan establishes is that Paul the great rebel in the newly founded Christ movement went his own direction against the views of Jesus' disciples. Nothing new there. In fact the Christian churches and their dogma would should more aptly be called Paulism not Christianity. He ultimately held sway over this great division and all the books written in the New Testament were written by the unknowns and many who sided with his persuasion. His followers also managed to shape and shift events to square with their doctrine.But these are my views. I have to say despite my reservations the book flowed well and Azlan does his due in scholarship and research. He presents I think more accurately the historical facts of Jesus, that we can surmise in any event. I had hoped he would have espoused a bit more on why after his introduction to the Jesus movement and his falling away, his historical research brought him back in line with the faith. But aside from that disappointment a generally good read and worthwhile.
    • 5/5
      This is a great book to read on the history of the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth. Aslan has gotten much criticism from the less-informed "news" anchors about how he, a person of Middle Eastern persuasion, would even THINK about writing a book about Jesus.Well, first Aslan moved to America at a very young age and is an American citizen. Second, he converted from Islam to Christianity when he was 15. And third, it's his job to think and write about these things since he has a Ph. D. in sociology of religions. This particular book is the culmination of 20 years of work in the field.ETA: (My mistake, Aslan converted back to Islam in 1990, however this does not negate the notion that he actually knows what he's writing about.)Ancient Christianity is a topic which absolutely fascinates me. People get so worked up over what they think they know, when they don't really know much at all. It's interesting to me to read about the Jesus others don't like to acknowledge, the subversive who went up against the existing power structures of both Rome and Jews in Jerusalem and, ultimately, lost. Aslan's book sets the stage for us by discussing the political atmosphere of the time, and describing what it was like to live in Middle East when Jesus began his ministry. Aslan explains the power structure of Rome in the area, and how it worked (or didn't) with the Jewish leadership.This is a thoroughly researched, well-written biography of a man who has reached mythological status of biblical proportions (yes, I went there) throughout the world. Whether one believes Jesus is a historical figure or not, Zealot explains how this one man, of many who claimed to be the messiah, came to be recognized as the leader of a new religion.I found this book to be utterly fascinating and recommend it to anyone interested in knowing more about this historical Jesus and the times he lived in.
    • 4/5
      The portrayals of Jesus in the synoptic gospels are ineluctably integral to the essence of Christianity. These powerful and profound images of Christ are understood and accepted, whether deeply or superficially, by billions of people today. But, is the stories of Jesus contained in the gospels (Mark, “Q”, Matthew, Luke and finally in the gospel of John) truly historical – that is, are they factually accurate, and do they contextually and logically comport with the political, economic and social influences of the era? Professor Aslan’s analysis of Jesus from the historical perspective posits a sharply different interpretation from the commonly held gospel view of who Jesus was and what his ministry really meant. Aslan proposes that Jesus must be seen through the lens of the political turmoil and foment that was widespread throughout 1st century Palestine. There was throughout the land, especially in Galilee, fervent opposition to the Roman rule. The Roman occupation and the enforced fealty due the emperor were seen as sacrilegious, as defiling the purity and sanctity of the land of Abraham, Isaac, David and the prophets. Still more infuriating were the Jewish high priests who titularly led the spiritual realm of Judaism, but were reviled by many throughout Israel for their ostentation and corruption. The priestly aristocracy was viewed by many as betrayers of the Jewish heritage, debased through their collaboration with the Roman occupiers.In these tumultuous times the spirit of resistance and revolt was extant throughout the land. There was a number of movements lead by self-proclaimed messiahs whose aims were to drive out the foreign occupiers, cleanse the temple of corruption and restore the sovereignty of God over the land. Jesus was among those radically minded revolutionaries.Aslan holds that Jesus was far from the pacifistic, ethereal spiritual being that the gospels portray. To the contrary, Aslan shows that Jesus was determined to lead the Jews in a revolt to overthrow foreign occupiers and supplant the corrupt Jewish leaders with a kingdom led by God as the sovereign ruler. Jesus wished to restore the Judean kingdom of David and return the land exclusively for the Jews. Jesus’ mission may have been uncertain to his disciples (was his aim an earthly or heavenly kingdom?), but it was correctly understood by the Jewish hierarchy and the Roman governor to be an overt threat to the power structure. He was dealt with in the manner uniformly carried out by the authorities – arrest and execution. Understood in the context of the times and the history of the region, Aslan’s analysis and conclusions are compelling. There is a surprising degree of historical record before, during and after Jesus’ time that supports his assessment of Jesus as a radical revolutionary whose interests and objectives were as contemporary as they were ephemeral and eternal. Why, then, do the gospels put forth such a different understanding of Jesus, of his mission on behalf of the Jews and, ultimately, make assertions about his divinity? Aslan argues that the gospel authors had many motivations to convey an image of Christ as God incarnate, as the fulfillment of prophesy and the herald of a completely new paradigm of religious belief, initially for the Jews and ultimately for all. He reminds us that the gospels are not a history written according to standards we expect of historical writing in our times, but rather a biased portrayal of a figure whose advocates recounted his life and teachings to set forth new beliefs and to attract new adherents. Aslan points out many selective (or mis-) interpretations in the gospels and literary sleights of hand used by the gospel writers for ulterior motives which easily, when seen outside the boundaries of dogmatic belief, undermine their historical accuracy.A question for the reader is what is the implication to faith of debunking the historical veracity of the gospels? Can/should Aslan’s rigorous, scholarly historical revision of the centuries-old depiction and interpretation of the life of Jesus and its meaning undermine the beliefs of persons of faith? Are the two views so mutually exclusive, so inherently contradictory that they are incompatible? Perhaps, but my personal conclusion is that there can be room in one’s spiritual and intellectual realms for both views. Sometimes history’s purpose is to remind us of important moral values, meaningful traditions and common heritage that are important to our shared humanity. (It is important, however, that we recognize this use of history in our culture.) In other words, there is much about the subtlety and complexity of human appreciation of cosmic and universal realms that permits us to live comfortably with conceptual perspectives that do not align intellectually with each other. (I say this as one who believes that the tenants of evolution v creationism are utterly incompatible with each other. Nonetheless, thoughtful, but critical, consideration and acceptance of the philosophical and guiding meanings of Christianity can still be valuable and meaningful.)
    • 4/5
      Don't try to read it aloud or to study for a quiz on historical facts. Gahhh - it's best to skim over all the difficult names, rulers, historical factoids. I don't think anyone I know would ever be that absorbed in info that exacting.
      However, I DO recommend reading it.
      Don't torture yourself with all the details in the first chapters, but read them just well enough to get a feeling for those centuries and some understanding of the politial, social climate of the centuries surrounding Jesus of Nazareth.
      I'm not a student of the Bible, but know most of the 'stories' and familiar with most things mentioned. However, never mused about what would have been known historically of the man who has such a tremendous influence on the world.
      Author has laid out an understandable view of how Jesus fit with life at that time and then follows with a brief tracing of how Christianity evolved in coming centuries.
    • 4/5
      I've not read a lot about the historical Jesus so this short summary of his life and times was engaging and enlightening.  "His times" is an important part of the title as few historical documents survive outside the scriptures (canonical and otherwise) which tend to provide a spiritual truth rather than historical facts (or are completely made up if you're a non-believer).  Aslan does a great job of establishing first century Judea with its Roman occupiers and Jewish elites who accommodate them.  Then there are the various Jewish groups who seek to fight against Roman oppression and/or purify the practices of the Jewish people.  It's among these where Aslan places Jesus, a more revolutionary figure than often depicted.  The transition of Jesus from a Jewish zealot to a peaceful, spiritual leader for all peoples comes about after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the success of Paul to appeal to the Gentiles, the Gospels being written after this date.  While finding no historical backing for some of what the evangelists wrote about Jesus, Aslan is sensitive to the belief in Jesus as messiah that survives to today, and the revolutionary message of Jesus remains relevant.Favorite Passages:This is an extremely difficult matter for modern readers of the gospels to grasp, but Luke never meant for his story about Jesus’s birth at Bethlehem to be understood as historical fact. Luke would have had no idea what we in the modern world even mean when we say the word “history.” The notion of history as a critical analysis of observable and verifiable events in the past is a product of the modern age; it would have been an altogether foreign concept to the gospel writers for whom history was not a matter of uncovering facts, but of revealing truths. The readers of Luke’s gospel, like most people in the ancient world, did not make a sharp distinction between myth and reality; the two were intimately tied together in their spiritual experience. That is to say, they were less interested in what actually happened than in what it meant. That Jesus had brothers is, despite the Catholic doctrine of his mother Mary’s perpetual virginity, virtually indisputable. It is a fact attested to repeatedly by both the gospels and the letters of Paul. Even Josephus references Jesus’s brother James, who would become the most important leader of the early Christian church after Jesus’s death. There is no rational argument that can be made against the notion that Jesus was part of a large family that included at least four brothers who are named in the gospels—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas—and an unknown number of sisters who, while mentioned in the gospels, are unfortunately not named. In other words, according to Jesus, Caesar is entitled to be “given back” the denarius coin, not because he deserves tribute, but because it is his coin: his name and picture are stamped on it. God has nothing to do with it. By extension, God is entitled to be “given back” the land the Romans have seized for themselves because it is God’s land: “The Land is mine,” says the Lord (Leviticus 25:23). Caesar has nothing to do with it. So then, give back to Caesar what is his, and give back to God what belongs to God. That is the zealot argument in its simplest, most concise form.  And it seems to be enough for the authorities in Jerusalem to immediately label Jesus as lestes. A bandit. A zealot. To the modern mind, the stories of Jesus’s healings and exorcisms seem implausible, to say the least. Acceptance of his miracles forms the principal divide between the historian and the worshipper, the scholar and the seeker. It may then, to say that there is more accumulated historical material confirming Jesus’s miracles than there is regarding either his birth in Nazareth or his death at Golgotha. To be clear, there is no evidence to support any particular miraculous action by Jesus. How one in the modern world views Jesus’s miraculous actions is irrelevant. All that can be known is how the people of his time viewed them. And therein lies the historical evidence. For while debates raged within the early church over who Jesus was—a rabbi? the messiah? God incarnate?—there was never any debate, either among his followers or his detractors, about his role as an exorcist and miracle worker Then something extraordinary happened. What exactly that something was is impossible to know. Jesus’s resurrection is an exceedingly difficult topic for the historian to discuss, not least because it falls beyond the scope of any examination of the historical Jesus. Obviously, the notion of a man dying a gruesome death and returning to life three days later defies all logic, reason, and sense. One could simply stop the argument there, dismiss the resurrection as a lie, and declare belief in the risen Jesus to be the product of a deludable mind. However, there is this nagging fact to consider: one after another of those who claimed to have witnessed the risen Jesus went to their own gruesome deaths refusing to recant their testimony. That is not, in itself, unusual. Many zealous Jews died horribly for refusing to deny their beliefs. But these first followers of Jesus were not being asked to reject matters of faith based on events that took place centuries, if not millennia, before. They were being asked to deny something they themselves personally, directly encountered. The disciples were themselves fugitives in Jerusalem, complicit in the sedition that led to Jesus’s crucifixion. They were repeatedly arrested and abused for their preaching; more than once their leaders had been brought before the Sanhedrin to answer charges of blasphemy. They were beaten, whipped, stoned, and crucified, yet they would not cease proclaiming the risen Jesus. And it worked! Perhaps the most obvious reason not to dismiss the disciples’ resurrection experiences out of hand is that, among all the other failed messiahs who came before and after him, Jesus alone is still called messiah. It was precisely the fervor with which the followers of Jesus believed in his resurrection that transformed this tiny Jewish sect into the largest religion in the world.
    • 3/5
      Fascinating information about the zealots and the bandit wars that drove Rome to destroy the Temple and as many of the Jews as possible. Seems to leave out inconvenient material, however, that might make the conclusions less clear for the author.
    • 2/5
      Very readable but Aslan makes broad assumptions that lack credibility.
    • 5/5
      Let me start by confessing that I’ve been a huge fan of Reza Aslan and his scholarly work for quite some time. His book No god but God shifted my thinking about Islam in a way that has changed how I perceive Islamic conflict and the Middle East to a more educated and less ‘War on Terror’ perspective. I mention this only because the impact that book had on my life set the bar quite high for Zealot.I jumped at the first opportunity to read and review Zealot, and I was not disappointed. While shorter than No god but God, Zealot offered the same world-shifting perspective that the aforementioned book brought forward. Does it present new, earth-shattering information the world has never seen before? No. But that is not the aim of the book. Written in a grey zone that allows it to be a worthwhile read for scholars and the common person alike, Zealot strives to connect the dots to reveal a broader picture of the historical Jesus – and the times that came before and after him – to contrast the Christological Jesus the church has carved out over the centuries.At times, it was surprising how little of the book was about Jesus directly. However, this was understandable – the average person is not accustomed to the minute aspects of culture in Palestine at the time, or the intricacies of Jewish law. However, this contextual focus is paramount in understanding the life and times – as the title states – of Jesus of Nazareth. It brings to light our misunderstanding of the times that Christians as a whole have shrouded with mythology and legend in the search for Jesus, the divine figure. Aslan makes it clear that there’s not necessarily a ‘right’ Jesus, but that the historical and divine figures are separate and must be looked at as such. He is highly respectful to the Christian faith, but does not hesitate to address issues the Christian community often tends to sweep under the rug.In regards to the ease of reading, Aslan is good at reminding – but not beating you over the head with – the importance of various lesser characters that one accustomed with Christian tradition but not with the historical perspective would likely confuse or forget quickly. His style does not overwhelm, nor does it condescend. His notes, while more technical, are also easily accessible.Overall, it is a perspective-shifting and fascinating read. Aslan does not make claims that he – and other scholars like him from which he draws his information – cannot and does not reason out. His citing of verses and ease with which he writes about the historical perspective makes it clear that he is very familiar with his subject, which is to be expected from his introduction regarding his own history. Zealot is a book that everyone should read, if not to learn about the history of one’s own religion, to learn about the history of one of the largest religions in the world.
    • 3/5
      This is a bit of a difficult book to evaluate. I would say that one's reaction to the book depends upon what one desires from such a book. This is not an objective overview of historical Jesus scholarship, nor does it intend to be. However, if one desires an extremely well written narrative of one particular theory regarding the historical Jesus, then this book would be more than acceptable. Aslan uses scholarly investigations to create an exgaging narrative regarding Jesus as a harbinger of a revolutionary movement. The book is obviously biased towards this view, which the author admits to in his prologue. A missing part that would have made this book helpful, would be to have gone into some reasons why he thinks the theory he thinks is best is actually the best theory. There are some additional problems with this book. I found his discussion on Paul highly unsatisfying. It was as if Paul's writings and life somehow took place both before and after the writing of the Gospels and Acts in Aslan's reconstruction of Paul's mission. Outside of this problem, the rest of this book falls in line with the understanding of Jesus as a revolutionary figure. Part of the problem with this theory and Aslan does nothing to fix it, is that it does not adequately explain why the Jesus movement would have survived, as the author writes, revolutionary movement were quite common in Palestine during this time. This theory does not explain why this particular movement survived after the death of its founder. This is as much a problem for Aslan's book as it is for the theory he is basing it on.
    • 4/5
      Great read! As one can tell from the notes section, extremely well researched, meticulously so! Basically, to me, the author is trying to tell the story of Jesus of Nazareth, not Jesus the Christ. And I think he succeeds! I learned a great deal about Jesus the man, the time and place he lived in, and his legacy as it relates to Christianity and the Bible. Very thought provoking and challenging to someone who has grown up Catholic, had periods of agnostic and even atheistic beliefs, and spent time in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. A must read for anyone who wants to know more about Jesus!
    • 4/5
      I found this to be a very engaging and readable story. As a work of non-fiction it is much more problematic. The author does not cite his assertions. The book is also full logical inconsistencies - for example after a painstakingly explaining the inability of knowing anything about the historical Jesus from biblical texts, the author relies heavily on those text for two thirds of the book. Regardless, I love a good story and found this an exciting read. More scholarly references are found in the back of the book. More in-depth reviews are found throughout the good reads community.
    • 4/5
      One of the more fascinating books about the historical Jesus that I've ever read. Reza Aslan makes an excellent case for his theory that Jesus was just another itinerant preacher, treated the same as all the others, who somehow had the followers with more tenacity than others. Particularly interesting to me was the information on Paul, who comes across as pretty much the con man I always thought he was. My only criticism would be that his notes at the end on each chapter could have almost been classified as additional chapters.
    • 4/5
      Mr. Aslan doesn't reveal anything new or revolutionary about Jesus, but it was an enjoyable read. I would recommend the book for those wishing to learn something about the historical Jesus. Not as good as Crossan or Wright's books, but good.
    • 3/5
      First, a disclosure. I am a Christian. One of my favorite books is "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel. Attorney/journalist Strobel starts out as an atheist and, after examining the evidence for Jesus in a trial like approach, becomes a Christian. Aslan's book is exactly the opposite. He was a Christian as a teenager and leaves Christianity after his own investigation. Aslan is a religious studies professor so, he does have credibility in this arena. I do commend him for having the courage to take a controversial stand although most of his ideas are not new.I had expected to read about the Historical Jesus and get a better understanding of who he was. Even the author admits that the Jesus of history is much more compelling than Jesus the Christ. Yet, I didn't end the book with a greater understanding of who Jesus was. I did get a better sense of the times he and the early apostles lived in. And to be fair, the subtitle is the life and TIMES of Jesus of Nazareth. But, I think structuring this book differently would have made a big difference. There is very little on Jesus and more on the political times.I would recommend reading this book side-by-side with The Case For Christ--you will be able to see both sides of the issues raised to make your own decision.
    • 5/5
      I can see why this book would have many Christians up in arms but Aslan's prolific research and points make a good argument about what the life of Jesus of Nazareth may have really been like. The story he unfolds is much more believable than the stories heard in churches and draws to light many things in the Bible that I'm sure even the most pious Christian would know. A book that is truly eye-opening and fascinating.
    • 5/5
      Way better than that tripe "Killing Jesus".
    • 3/5
      Disclosure: I received a free advance uncorrected proof of Zealot by Reza Aslan courtesy of Random House, via GoodReads First Reads.

      Zealot is not so much as biographical account of "The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth", as it is billed in the subtitle, as it is an in-depth historical exploration of the political and cultural climate during which Jesus' ministry took place. As Aslan admits, there are few sources that reveal much factual certainty about the historical Jesus. Much of the biographical detail, such as whether Jesus' mother was unmarried when he was born, is purely speculative from minute historical or Biblical clues. Nevertheless, Aslan does an admirable job of illuminating the background of Jesus' ministry, his possible sources of inspiration, and why people may have responded to him in the ways that they did in that historical context. Aslan also clears up a number of common misinterpretations of Gospel passages, such as the probable original meaning of references to Jesus as the Son of God that were later reread to establish the basis for Jesus' divinity. The final chapters of Zealot are concerned with the early church in the decades following Jesus' death, and although they are interesting in their own right and shed some further light on how Jesus' mission was either carried on or distorted by his followers, these sections probably belong in a separate work about early Christianity, as they do not adhere strictly to the topic of Jesus or his lifetime.

      Not strictly a layman's text, Zealot requires a basic understanding of academic scripture study, ancient history, and theological terminology, as it might otherwise be a slightly difficult read. Readers who are interested in a more introductory work on the search for the historical Jesus would be best advised to start elsewhere, as this is more a scholarly than a popular work.
    • 4/5
      Due to attention this book received from the now infamous FOX news interview, Reza Aslan's _Zealot_ has received perhaps more than its 15 minutes of fame. This is not to say Zealot is a bad book. It is not. In fact. It is a very good book. However, it is not the bombshell dropping, revelation about the life of Jesus some have made it out to be. Zealot is simply a history of the life, and the context of that life, of Jesus. There are no earth shattering revelations about Jesus's life in this book. There are no highly controversial theories in this book. What you will find in Zealot is a concise history of Jesus, and the history in which that history takes place. You will read about all of the wars, all of the politics, the economic woes, and the religious turmoil and pro- and anti-Temple Jewish sects. You will see Jesus acting as one of any number of would-be messiahs during this time. You will see the later theology separated from the historical events. And if you've read on the life of the historical Jesus, you will see that none of what Aslan says is new. I would suggest that if you've spent any time researching the life of the historical Jesus, you will have little need for this book. Except for one thing: it is immensely readable. This is because Zealot is written as a narrative, not an academic history. There are no difficult words, no academic jargon, there are not footnoted citations. Even the notes are easy to read. And that is what makes Zealot a good book; not some original content, but its readability. So, if you are looking for another book on the life of the historical Jesus, this is not a bad one to pick up. If you are just beginning to look into the life of the historical Jesus, this is a good book with which to begin.
    • 5/5
      A scholarly work that is still easily understood by the layperson, Aslan reveals a more honest Jesus and the times in which he lived, particularly the political climate. He reveals Jesus to be a very dangerous subversive presence and corrects many of the assumptions Christians have had for centuries about the man who they believe to be the Son of God. Fascinating and electrifying.
    • 5/5
      This book is a brilliant scholarly history of first century Palestine, the Roman occupation, and Jesus, the man. It also touches on the mythmaking of the early Christian church in the decades. This is a thought provoking and paradigm shifting look at a very significant slice of history.
    • 4/5
      Aslan lays out the history of first century Palestine, identifies the historical facts about Jesus of Nazareth of which historians can be reasonably sure, traces the differences among the four gospels, and explains what those differences meant for the developing Christian church. Fascinating stuff, quite well told. Aslan makes the history interesting, and his exegesis of biblical stories is always clear. He also manages to sort the history deftly without just dismissing the religious philosophy out of hand. I wish he'd kept going beyond the Council of Nicaea, but that clearly would have been beyond the scope of this book. Recommended as an introduction to theories about the historical Jesus.
    • 3/5
      This book aims to paint a picture of the historical Jesus as a man (one among many at the time who were called messiahs) who tried to change the system and overthrow the Roman stranglehold of Palestine. While I don't necessarily disagree with this take on Jesus' life the book did bother me in a number of ways - it purported to be scholarly without actually being scholarly (no footnotes, just general chapter notes at the end of the book); it was disjointed and difficult to follow timeline wise; it made no suggestion as to why Jesus' movement managed to survive after his death whereas no other Messianic movement took long-term hold anywhere; it dismisses much of the Bible as "unbelievable" and "impossible" and then blithely accepts other parts because they fit with the author's theory. I was entertained by this book and I did learn some things which I hadn't previously known (eg. there almost definitely was never a slaughter of the innocents) but it is a book which must be taken with several grains of salt - particularly, I think, if you are like me and not steeped in studies of the bible and its history.
    • 5/5
      Clears a lot of things up. Puts Jesus in the context of his faith and times. Excellent book and stirring narrative.
    • 4/5
      I picked up this book from the library solely because so many people were outraged by it. I am far from a Biblical scholar (although the author, despite all the protests about him as the author, is), nor am I an expert on ancient history., so I found this take on the historical Jesus to be extremely interesting.Is Aslan right? Or is he wrong? Who knows? But he does have an interesting theory that deserves a non-emotional discussion.