In the Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Influences on Early Christianity

I really enjoyed reading this book and learned quite a bit that was either unknown to me previously or greatly enhanced earlier understanding on some topics. One issue though: in my opinion, he's completely wrong regarding Sunday worship. I'm not going to put forth arguments here - but even his simple misunderstanding of the initial three New Testament references that he gives on page 381 of my copy of the book, lay a foundation that is incorrect. The Sabbath is not Sunday. I believe, in light of Romans 11, that the rising Messianic community will set this straight in the future - along with other things the traditionally gentile church needs to reform.

This is about the 4th copy of this book I've purchased (plus about 12 more for a class) for other people to read. I found Skarsaune's work to be mind expanding, horizon widening, and well written. As a scholar myself, I find it somewhat irritating that he writes English better than I. No student of church history should be without this book under his/her belt. With the exception of the Scriptures, no book has changed my view of Christianity more--it is good to see the foundation for Paul's declaration said Galatians 3:28-29 "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." It is good to know intellectually and experientially, my roots lie not in post 70AD, but way back, way back. The division between pre-Christ believers and post-Christ believers has begun to fade for me; may the unification of all those who believe in the Lord God Yahweh commence forthwith.

Brief look at the time of Jesus and how and what the Jewish people believed.

This has been my favorite books for the last several years. It is a historical book of the early Judeo/Christian church, but sets the scene by giving the history of Israel between the testaments, the Maccabean Revolt, the formation of the political groups and so on. It describes the relationship between Judaism and the early church and their eventual separation. It was fascinating to hear about James the half brother of Jesus who was the acting bishop of the Jerusalem church and interesting information about Christ's relatives. Mary and Joseph were from that part of the world and had many relatives, some of whom came to believe in him. This is not a novel idea, but he brings it out well and in such a way that the layperson can understand it. Fascinating!

A good introduction and reference to various socio-historical situations in Judaism from the first century to Rabbinic times and its influence upon or relation with the nascent Jewish and Gentile believers in Yeshua. A primary focus is how Temple thinking and understanding shaped and/or defined both religious milieus. Instead of forging its own academic arguments, this surveys many of the various scholastic views, choosing to substitute bibliographic lists of important books on the subject for argument-bearing footnotes. As befits a broad-reaching survey, many conclusions are not thoroughly examined and tested, leaving this to the reader. I did feel, however, that at some points, arguments or conclusions were so insubstantial that the author was chasing shadows. Unfortunately, the book teeters off at the end into quite a few disappointing chapters. Overall, however, this is an easy-to-understand, well-organized foundation with many jump-off points to delve into more serious academic study about first century Judaism, Rabbinic Judaism, and the Jewish makeup of Christianity.

Kudo for the author.Simply excellent. A real gem. One book one should be without if you are a Bible reader and if you are of thinking mind. Just click and get one copy to enjoy. I've read once; I'm planning to read again (possible again.)His easy prose style of English is so smooth; one feels like reading an exciting fiction. I'm glad it is not a small book; it gives so much to fill your heart's desire.You are not interested in early Christianity? Well, if you don't know your own root (biblically speaking), then you cannot be a Christ-believer and are not really reading the New Testament to hear ITS message but getting someone's messages and being happy to be their copycat. (It doesn't matter whether you do attend a church regularly and enjoy all its programs and get involved in lots of its activities).

Haven't read the entire book yet, but what I have read has been gratifying. What the Bible only hints at how the first believers lived, Oskar puts meat on those theological bones. Reading the scriptures you just know the first congregations were practicing Jews, but the scriptures are not explicit because it was accepted that they were still Jews even after accepting the Jewish Messiah known in the English Bibles as Jesus. Unfortunately modern Christians looking back through the formal Gentile state church glasses see only the later Gentile church and a Gentile Jesus which is a distortion. In the Shadow lets the reader see the mother church in it's Jewish setting.

The volume definitely will whet your appetite for learning more about first and second century Judaism, Jewish Christianity, and Gentile Christianity. I found the section comparing Jewish baptism and Christian baptism to be particularly interesting with a level of detail that will satisfy a discriminating reader. The prose is extremely sensitive, and I was amazed throughout that a Norwegian wrote this in English (no indication that it is a translation).

Tema difícil, el libro simplemente se aleja de lo que esperaba. Es un libro novelado, la teatralidad de las recreaciones históricas influyen en el criterio. Yo buscaba un libro con evidencias de análisis, este es un tema que como cristiano quisiera abordar sin influencia de prototipos históricos. El prólogo promete ser un libro informativo y sin fantasía, pero las recreaciones de los momentos hist'oricos son simplemente imaginación del autor. Nimodos otro libro mas.Es un libo no referenciado, tiene su introducción de bibliografía pero muy fuera de un academismo historico.

Interesting but in places a hard read.