One of the things that Fredriksen helps us to understand is that the gospel writers, the evangelists, are composing their gospels long after Jesus’ life and after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Fredriksen suggests that the evangelists may be taking the story in their own direction by retrojecting their post-70 CE viewpoints back into the text about Jesus while he was active and the Temple was standing.
Chat prompt: How does understanding the composition process of the gospels and the general timeline change your understanding about the Jesus movement in the 20s-30s CE? Is your understanding of Jesus and the things written about him challenged? Are things you thought reinforced? Do you think this understanding is important for people who identify within a Christian tradition?
Happy chatting!
-jPK
Hitzonim | Outsiders 
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