Besides the four canonical gospels, early Christians wrote a number of accounts of various parts of Jesus' life. These accounts have been available to scholars for some time, but now in this accessible story, built from these accounts, any reader can get a picture of Jesus as depicted in these extracanonical writings.
This book does not aim to provide a translated text of the gospels; there are other references for that purpose. What it does is gather the stories together and provide a readable, connected narrative referenced to these sources so that readers can became acquainted with the nature of these works and get a context for understanding discussions relating to this material. This will provide an opportunity for students of the gospels to compare the value and validity of the four canonical gospels and these additional stories. It can be a good introduction to looking at the four gospels to develop a clear picture of who Jesus is.
The authors are both experts in the languages used and well-acquainted with the historical and narrative elements needed to paint this picture. This book is intended for the serious student of the Bible and of New Testament times but it can benefit those without an advanced background in biblical studies. It is thoroughly referenced to the documents, however, to provide students with the material needed for academic study.
