William Lane Craig Criticizes Reza Aslans New Book Zealot

July 3! "#3
In response to the recent buzz surrounding Reza Aslans new book Zealot: The Life and Times of esus of
!azareth"# popular theologian $illiam Lane %raig dismissed the books claims that esus is historicall&
unknowable'
Aslan has offered nothing new under the sun when it comes to offering a criti(ue of the historical esus"# %raig
said in response to Aslans book' In fact" he is attempting to re)ert scholarship back to the earl& *+,,s b& echoing
Albert -chweitzers book" The .uest for the /istorical esus' Like -chweitzer" Aslan claims that esus is
historicall& unknowable and we can ne)er get back to the real esus'#
%raig" a %hristian apologist" also re0ected Aslans claim that esus was a member of an official Zealot nationalist
part&'
Additionall&" Aslan makes an illicit" anachronistic allusion to esus and the Zealot part& of the ewish people"#
%raig added'
1uring esus lifetime" the designation of zealot merel& referred to a person who was politicall& a nationalist and
2zealous2 for ewish independence' According to man& scholars" it would be stretching it to claim that esus" or an&
of the zealots of esus time" were members of the official Zealot nationalist part&" which wasnt organized until
A'1' 34536'#
%raig also claimed that Aslans book lacked historical accurac&'
The reasons Aslan presents for esus crucifi7ion are lacking in religio8historical accurac&"# %raig said' There
were certainl& political reasons that in)ol)ed Rome and 9ilate' 9ilates action to offer one criminal for another
:accused criminal; was not unprecedented' 9ilates moti)ation seems to ha)e been more political rather than
s&mpathetic to esus' 9ilate was onl& tr&ing to appease the crowds for he had alread& dealt with rebellious ews in
the beginning of his go)ernorship'#
In light of the conte7t of political and social tensions" the historical background information sheds light on wh&
9ilate e)en cared about the situation"# %raig continued'
9ilate could ha)e done radical actions at the wa)e of a hand such as not e)en listen to the ews about esus" or he
could ha)e listened and immediatel& sentenced /im to death' Tr&ing to offer appeasement to the ews :in light of
what seems to be a s&mpathetic approach to esus" but not wholeheartedl&;" he gi)es them an option to release a
prisoner of Rome back to the ews' /oping that this ma& dilute or sol)e the situation" the ews chose <arabbas'
Ignoring the ewish religious conte7t and the -anhedrins 0ustifications for wanting to crucif& esus doesnt fit well
with Aslans claims'#