In Paul and Jesus, religious historian James D. Tabor (The Jesus Dynasty) focuses on the two decades following Jesus's crucifixion and the early spread of his message. He seeks to shed light on how early Christianity originated not from Jesus or the original apostles who accompanied him during his lifetime, but from the experiences and ideas of one man--Saul of Tarsus, better known as the apostle Paul, who never met Jesus but who spent his life, after his conversion, skillfully fashioning, as Tabor says, "a version of Jesus' message for the wider non-Jewish world."
Tabor devotes chapters to the development of Christianity before Paul, including early views of the resurrection, and the role Paul played in redefining his peers' understanding of the Messiah, the kingdom of God, the people of Israel and the Torah's revelations. Paul's mystical encounters with Jesus changed his life, but he ultimately chose to break away from the original apostles by preaching and promoting views that some found reprehensible, especially James and Paul's arch-rival, Peter.
The thoughtfully researched examination is driven by a careful, critical analysis of the narrative voice of Paul's authentic letters from the New Testament. Tabor's insights make this book intellectually accessible to non-believers as well as those of any faith, whether they seek to expand their view of Christianity or simply want to better understand Paul's life, mission and message as he "completed the work of Christ" this side of heaven. --Kathleen Gerard, blogger at Reading Between the Lines