ジーザス、つまりイエス・キリスト（紀元前4世紀-紀元後30年頃）が、誰もが知る歴史上最も重要な人物の一人であることは間違いないでしょう。語り継がれるキリストの生涯をたどり、新訳聖書に含まれる四つの福音書を使い、多角的にとらえたキリストの真の姿をあざやかに描き出します。世界に存在する20億人ものキリスト教徒にとっては、神との関係性の中心に存在し、生き方をも左右し、信仰と崇拝の対象でもあるキリストの人物像に迫ります。
   

• Attributes the four Gospels of the New Testament as the source and inspiration of every interpretation of Jesus
• Focusses on his 'humanity' and role within the the Christian faith
• Portrays a diversity of opinions about Jesus for both believers and non-believers
• Explores his identity, from the wise teacher and interpreter of the Law of Moses, to the charismatic miracle worker and the prophet of the coming kingdom of God
• Discusses how Jesus became the object of Christian faith and worship

 
Two billion people today identify as Christians, with the implication that Jesus is the focus of their relationship with God, and their way of living in the world. Such followers of Jesus are now more numerous and make up a greater proportion of the world's population than ever before. Despite its decline in the West, Christianity is rapidly increasing in areas such as Africa and China. 

Richard Bauckham explores the historical figure of Jesus, evaluating the sources and concluding that they provide us with good historical evidence for his life and teaching. In order to place Jesus in his proper historical context, as a Jew from Galilee in the early first century of our era, Bauckham looks at Jewish religion and society in the land of Israel under Roman rule. He explores Jesus' symbolic practices as well as his teachings, looks at his public career and emphasises how his actions, such as healing and his association with notorious sinners, were just as important as his words.

Bauckham shows that Jesus was devoted to the God of Israel, with a special focus on God's fatherly love and compassion, and like every Jewish teacher he expounded the Torah, but did so in his own distinctive way. With a discussion about the way Jesus understood himself and what finally led to his death as a criminal on a Roman cross, he concludes by considering the significance Jesus has come to have for Christian faith worldwide.