Jesus and the Forces of Death: The Gospels' Portrayal of Ritual Impurity Within First-Century Judaism

“Demonstrating his knowledge of and regard for Jesus's Jewish context, Thiessen convincingly discards the problematic claim that Jesus rejected or opposed the Jewish ritual purity system. What emerges from his study is a Jesus whose superior holiness purifies and removes the sources of ritual and moral impurity. Jesus introduces the powerful holiness of God into the world, thereby overcoming every source of impurity and death. Thiessen's argument is clear, elegant, and profound. A wonderful contribution to the recovery of Jesus's Jewish heritage!”

“Thiessen's masterful study puts to rest the pervasive and false view that Jesus--as portrayed in the canonical Gospels--opposed the ancient Jewish purity laws. Thiessen argues convincingly that the Gospels depict Jesus not as dismantling the Jewish purity system but as destroying the forces of death that result in ritual impurity. The book is compelling and wonderfully written--a must-read for anyone interested in Jesus, the Gospels, and the ins and outs of ancient Jewish law and practice. It also makes a powerful case for the ongoing relevance of the Hebrew Bible for a historical understanding of Christianity and for Christians today.”

“Matthew Thiessen's Jesus and the Forces of Death is a much-needed historical and theological intervention. For far too long, constricted ideas and damaging misinterpretations of first-century Judaism and Jesus's ministry have severely limited interpretation of the Gospels. From scholars to students, preachers to everyday Christians, readers will encounter a Jesus here who is far more faithful to his context and thus far more life-giving in his teaching and healing alike.”

“A quick and compelling read about how we should interpret Jesus' attitude toward ritual impurity when we read the Gospels. . . . Thiessen offers clear and thoroughly researched arguments that Jesus is not portrayed as flippant or antagonistic towards Jewish impurity concerns. On the contrary, he desired to remove the sources of the impurity and restore them to purity. . . . I found this a very refreshing read and I highly recommend it to all students, and scholars will find it insightful as well. This is one of those books where I am shocked no one has written this before, but I am glad Thiessen has filled that need. . . . Thiessen and Baker Academic have produced a splendid contribution to scholarship, one that I will certainly commend to students as we engage with discussions about what Jesus was up to in his earthly ministry according to the Evangelists.”