Edersheim reveals the Jewish background and concepts of the Messiah. An excellent source for discovering the true nature of Yeshua and the Jewish concept of a Messiah. Anyone studying the New Testament from a Jewish perspective needs this book.

One of the best known and most important references on the life of Christ ever written, Alfred Edersheim's The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah is a storehouse of information on the background of the New Testament. This classic work successfully portrays the streets, the marketplaces, the religious conflicts, the people, and the places of Jesus' earthly ministry.

Edersheim divides his work into five sections, or books:

Book 1--The Preparation for the Gospel: Introductory historical, religious, political, and cultural material based on the author's extensive knowledge of Jewish lore and customs.

Book 2--From Bethlehem to Jordan: The background of Herod and his reign, St. John the Baptist and his message, and the birth and baptism of Jesus.

Book 3--From Jordan to the Mount of Transfiguration: Thirty-seven chapters explore the miracles and teachings of Jesus' early ministry.

Book 4--The Descent into the Valley of Humiliation: A history of the latter part of Jesus' ministry from the Transfiguration to the journey to Jerusalem.

Book 5--The Cross and the Crown: A chronicle of each day of Passion Week, from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection.

Appendices

Valuable background material on Jewish history, tradition, and law.

Alfred Edersheim (1825-89) was a Vienna-born biblical scholar who converted from Judaism to Christianity. A veteran minister and missionary to the Jews of Romania, Edersheim left an enduring and priceless legacy to followers of Christ. Among his most widely read works are The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, and Bible History Old Testament.

Jonathan Sarfati from Brisbane, Queensland Australia
Hard to beat for Jewish NT insight. This classic work is a goldmine of information about the context of the Gospels. Many of the events and sayings in Jesus's become even clearer when we understand the widespread Rabbinic teachings of His day. Edersheim's insight into the famous "Thou art Peter" is most interesting -- yes, Jesus was speaking Hebrew but he DID mean to distinguish petros and petra, because these names had also been incorporated into Hebrew and Aramaic. It's also very important to see how Jewish writers interpreted Messianic prophecies to see that the NT writers were following accepted procedure.

For something more modern, I recommend Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum's books, especially Messianic Christology.

T. Mark from NH, USA
While somewhat outdated, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah remains a magnificent reference to the historical and cultural setting to the days of Jesus of Nazareth. Although written some 70 years prior to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Edersheim's great work still offers highly valuable information and insight on the Gospels and related events. One of the more striking features of the book is the appendix list of 400+ Old Testament passages which were tagged by the ancient rabbis as being messianically applied. An absolute must for anyone who wish to study the Jewish expectations of the Messiah surrounding the days when the Nazarene Carpentar walked the Earth. Place this vintage masterpiece in your library, and you will find yourself going back to it time and time again.

thaines908 -- aol.com from Lancaster, PA
Excellent background on the life and times of Jesus! In Bible school I had to use this book as a resource in writing several papers. Since then I have added it to my personal library. The book is excellent in exploring the cultural setting of the life of Jesus. Valuable insights have been gained as to what Jesus was referring to when he taught. This book is a definite must for refrence.

Mike and Trina Maher from Notasulga, Alabama, U.S.A.
Alfred Edersheim's heritage as a Messianic Jew gives the description of Jewish culture in "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah" an authenticity that a non-Jew would be hard-pressed to duplicate. The culture of Israel during the Roman occupation comes alive in Edersheim's writing in a way that goes beyond scholastic study by blending his own Jewish heritage, archeological fact, and keen spiritual insight. Any serious student of the Gospels or the Epistles would benefit from the insight of Mr. Edersheim because so much of the imagery in the account of Jesus is steeped in the culture of Israel as it progressed from Abraham to Herod. Used as a reference, "The Life and Times" is indexed according to verses and events and gives Bible studies the context for the illustrations of Jesus. Read as a book, Edersheim is ponderous, however, a contiguous reading would give a person a consistent Hebrew framework which the New Testament fit into 2000 years ago. "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah" has become a fixture in my library which, second to the Bible, is now a standard starting point in my study of Jesus, the Messiah.