Reading and Writing in the Time of Jesus (Understanding the Bible and Its World)

Jesus never wrote a book. Most scholars assume that information about Jesus was preserved only orally up until the writing of the Gospels, allowing ample time for the stories of Jesus to grow and diversify. Alan Millard here argues that written reports about Jesus could have been made during his lifetime and that some among his audiences and followers may very well have kept notes, first-hand documents that the Evangelists could weave into their narratives.

Allan Millard is Rankin Professor of Hebrew and Ancient Semitic Languages, School of Archaeology, Classics and Oriental Studies, University of Liverpool.