A Marginal Jew

May 4, 2009
Meier (theology, Univ. of Notre Dame), a Roman Catholic priest and author of this work's previous three volumes, draws careful distinctions between Christology (theology) and the study of the historical Jesus (history) and between Christian ethics and Jesus's teachings about Halacha (Jewish law). Meier defines law both in intertestamental and in rabbinic Judaism while relating it to both Christian Testaments as a preliminary to a nuanced discussion of Jesus's teachings on law. Meier is forthright about the positives and negatives he uncovers that point to Jesus's provincialism and apparent lack of a system of moral values. Verdict Christian, Jewish, and Muslim scholars as well as educated laity may find the book interesting; it is essential reading for those focusing on its specific themes. Well indexed, this will also be useful for reference purposes.-Carolyn M. Craft, Longwood Univ., Farmville, VA .