An expert knowledge to present a rich and engaging guide to the historical aspects of Jesus' world. Following the chronology of Jesus' life and ministry and drawing especially on the Gospel of Luke, we move from Bethlehem to Nazareth to the desert, and then follow him on his final journey from Galilee to Jerusalem.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Luke: the man behind the message
• Luke's perspective on Jesus
• Key dates around the time of Jesus
• Josephus on John the Baptist and Jesus
• Key dates in the Holy Land
• Map of Palestine in Jesus’ day
• 1. Bethlehem
• Humble beginnings
• The star of Bethlehem and the date of Jesus’ birth
• Key dates: Bethlehem
• Bethlehem today
• Jerome in Bethlehem
• 2. Nazareth
• Map of Galilee
• Childhood locations
• Ancient Sepphoris
• Locating Cana
• Key dates: Nazareth
• Nazareth today
• The Nazareth Decree
• 3. The River Jordan
• Baptism and renewal
• Qumran, the Essenes and John the Baptist
• Key dates: the River Jordan
• The River Jordan today
• Baptism in the Jordan
• Evidence for the Byzantine site of Jesus’ baptism
• 4. The Judean Desert
• Testing in the wilderness
• Geological features of the desert
• Key dates: the Judean Desert
• The Judean Desert today
• Map of monasteries in the Judean Desert
• The Desert Fathers
• 5. Galilee and its villages
• Scenes of public ministry
• Josephus’ description of Lake Galilee
• The locations of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee
• Map of Lake Galilee in first century
• Galilean imagery in Jesus’ teaching
• Galilee today
• Key dates: Galilee and its villages
• Visiting Galilee today
• 6. Samaria
• The enemy within
• Samaria in the fourth century AD
• Map of Samaria
• The Samaritans according to Josephus
• Key dates: Samaria
• Samaria today
• The Crusades
• 7. Caesarea Philippi
• Time for a decision
• The scene of the transfiguration: Tabor or Hermon?
• Key dates: Caesarea Philippi
• Caesarea Philippi today
• 8. Jericho
• The lowest city in the world
• The Dead Sea
• The siege of Masada
• Key dates: Jericho
• Jericho today
• The Bordeaux pilgrim's visit to Jericho and Jerusalem
• 9. Bethany
• A quiet haven
• Key dates: Bethany
• Bethany today
• Egeria's visit to Bethany
• 10. The Mount of Olives
• Jesus’ favoured location
• Map of the Mount of Olives
• Key dates: The Mount of Olives
• The Mount of Olives today
• Eusebius and the Mount of Olives
• A weekend in modern Jerusalem
• 11. The Temple
• The heart of the nation
• The Herodian Temple
• The destruction of the Temple
• Key dates: The Temple
• The Temple today
• The Temple: Muslim, Jewish and Christian perspectives
• 12. Jerusalem
• The ‘holy city’?
• Celebrating Passover in Jesus’ day
• Map of Jerusalem in Jesus’ day
• Pontius Pilate
• Simon of Cyrene and John Mark
• Key dates: Jerusalem
• Jerusalem today
• Jerusalem's moving walls
• Jerusalem in the book of Acts
• Visitors to Jerusalem in the nineteenth century
• Overview of Jesus’ last hours before the crucifixion
• 13. Golgotha and the tomb
• From death to life
• Crucifixion in the ancient world
• First-century burial practices
• Key dates: Golgotha and the tomb
• Golgotha today
• Eusebius’ description of Christ's tomb and Constantine's buildings
• Christian celebration in Byzantine Jerusalem
• 14. Emmaus
• Travelling along the way
• Key dates: Emmaus
• Emmaus today
• Possible sites of Emmaus
• Emmaus: the continuing journey
• Further Reading