(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Moyise, S.
English: This article considers the reasons why modern scholars have felt the need to go behind
the four Gospels and search for the historical Jesus. After a short discussion on
methodology, especially the criteria used to detect the earliest and most reliable traditions
about Jesus, a number of recent proposals are discussed: Jesus as Jewish restoration
prophet; Jesus as Galilean rabbi; Jesus as subversive reformer; Jesus as
Jewish messiah. This diversity might suggest that the whole enterprise is misguided
but there are positive gains for the Church, not least the recovery of the Jewishness
of Jesus.