Simon Gathercole is professor of New Testament and early Christianity at the University of Cambridge. He is chair of the NIV translation committee and has served as editor of the Journal for the Study of the New Testament and New Testament Studies. His publications include The Apocryphal Gospels and The Gospel and the Gospels: Christian Proclamation and Early Jesus Books.
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Reviews
"In the academy, the parish, and the public square, one of the most persistent and pressing questions revolves around the trustworthiness of the Christian Gospels. Gathercole responds to that concern with The Genuine Jesus and the Counterfeit Christs, an inviting conversation built upon complex scholarship. Readers are not only assured that the four canonical Gospels are trustworthy, but are given the tools to understand why because they come to understand who the evangelists proclaim Jesus to be. I cannot wait to recommend this rich and accessible guide to students, parishioners, and neighbors alike." --Amy Peeler, Wheaton College "Simon Gathercole's The Genuine Jesus and the Counterfeit Christs gets to the heart of why the four Gospels are genuine: they embody the message of Christ and the apostles, a message that fulfills Old Testament expectations. The apocryphal gospels, though, don't reflect this message. This learned yet accessible volume deserves wide readership and belongs on the shelves of lay people, students, pastors, and teachers. Highly recommended!" --Benjamin L. Gladd, The Carson Center for Theological Renewal "In The Genuine Jesus and the Counterfeit Christs, Simon Gathercole debunks popular arguments about how various ancient sources rival the validity of the four New Testament Gospels. Gathercole concisely presents evidence that the four Gospels are early in composition, accurate in telling the story of Jesus, and united on the core truths about his life, teaching, and saving death and resurrection. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John deserve to be in a category of their own, and they belong in the New Testament as a fourfold witness to Jesus Christ. This is an excellent book to assign to students or share with fellow church members." --Nijay K. Gupta, Northern Seminary