In Judaism: Practice and Belief 63 BCE - 66 CE (2016, 922 pages), E. P. Sanders dares to challenge prevailing views on Second Temple Period Judaism, and readers to get familiar with the ins and outs of the religion during this specific era. Jewish readers may be surprised how the Mishnah which is of a later origin has a large part of theory in it, while the period until the destruction of the Second Temple showed a living faith amidst the Roman rulers and local kings like Herod.

Christian readers will benefit from the detailed description of the temple, the Jewish festivals, and practices like fasting, tithing, prayer, sacrifices, and purification. The religious habitat of Jesus Christ and His apostles is reconstructed from the many available sources. A series of chapters is devoted to the common Judaism. What did the ordinary Jew believe? How was it practiced in private life and community with fellow believers? Was it widespread, common, so to say? The next part of the book is on the various groups and parties in this era: Aristocrats, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and other pietists. Sanders is blessed with the gift to write accessible. The 7+ hours I spent reading in the book's first half is inviting me to continue, however, I need to read other review copies as well. Judaism will stay in my Kindle app to unearth the second half as well. ( )

One of the great books on Jewish religion and life around the time of Jesus. Sanders begins his preface by saying "This is the book I always wanted to write, or close to it," and the result is a work full of his heart's passion. Looking at both the common religion of the day and at certain groups (the Essenes, etc.) Sander's is one of the key names in this field. The great Jacob Neusner has commented that reconstructions of 1st Century Judaism often rely too heavily on later Rabbinic sources, and that critique can perhaps be made of Sander's work. And yet, given the appropriate caution, Sanders' picture of the first century is informative and revealing. This is simply a mandatory text. ( )

NO OF PAGES: 595 SUB CAT I: First Century Judaism SUB CAT II: SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: This book is a comprehensive presentation of Judaism as a functioning religion: the temple and its routine and festivals, questions of purity, sacrifices, tithes and taxes, common theology and hopes for the future, and descriptions of the various parties.NOTES: SUBTITLE:

This is the book I turn to, to better understand the details of Jewish religious life in the time of Jesus. Extremely detailed and helpful. ( )

This is an excellent sourcebook for first century Judaism (ie the time of Jesus.) Sanders punches through the mythology of the times, and gives us hard data about the culture and people. ( )