Who Is Jesus?: History in Perfect Tense

In Who is Jesus?, Leander E. Keck discusses the quest for the Jewish Jesus of history and challenges listeners to think seriously not only about Jesus' historical existence but also about his ongoing moral and theological significance. Keck clarifies the difference between the way Jesus is presented in the gospels and the way critical historians portray him.

Keck looks initially at Jesus as a first-century Jew, conscious of the difficulty and importance of recovering Jesus' particular form of Jewishness. Taking issue with current assertions that Jesus did not expect the imminent arrival of God's kingdom, Keck contends that Jesus clearly expressed a conviction that God's definitive reign was impending and would transform the lives of those who responded affirmatively to his message.

Keck goes on to probe the meaning of the crucifixion of Jesus, in light of the biblical understanding of God's holiness. Keck concludes his discussion by looking at Jesus' role in the moral life of the Christian community. The book is published by University of South Carolina Press.