This one-of-a-kind presentation of the New Testament world and its archaeological treasures provides a new, more complete understanding of the world in which Christianity was born. Through lavish photographs, architectural plans, extensive maps, and detailed charts, you can explore the landscape of Nazareth where Jesus grew up; sit at the shores of Galilee where he preached; and enter the streets and temple of Jerusalem where his ministry was fulfilled. An experienced archaeologist and biblical expert will guide you throughout your journey around Israel and beyond--on the Mediterranean voyages of Paul to the homes and synagogues of the Roman Empire, where he planted the seeds of Christianity. Visit Emperor Nero's "Golden House," witness the desperation of the Jewish revolutionaries at Masada, and explore the magnificent basilicas of Constantine the Great.

The HarperCollins Visual Guide to the New Testament features:

Rich descriptions of the worlds of Jesus, Paul, and the first Christians

Full-color photographs of excavations, artifacts, coins, and pottery from New Testament sites

Extensive maps

Architectural floor plans of temples, palaces, and synagogues

Commentary on how archaeology relates to the Bible

Examination of modern excavation techniques and methods

A beginners' guide to understanding pottery, coins, temples, and inscriptions

Follow the premier historical Jesus authority and a brilliant archaeologist as they search the texts and stones of antiquity for the real Jesus.

This book reconstructs first-century Galilee from archaeological surveys, excavations, and artifacts, and provides descriptions of the material remains relevant to historical Jesus research and New Testament studies. Drawing on his years of field experience in Galilee, Reed illustrates how the archaeological record has been misused by New Testament scholars, and how synthesis of the material culture is foundational for understanding Christian origins in Galilee and the Jewish culture out of which they arose.

Part One shows how settlement patterns and artifacts from Galilee point to close ties between Judean and Galilean Jews at the time of Jesus, and how Herod Antipas' urbanization projects at Sepphoris and Tiberias commercialized and aggravated peasant life in agrarian Galilean society. Part Two focuses on the archaeology of two Galilean sites and their import for historical Jesus research: Sepphoris, Antipas' capital and the largest city in Galilee just north of Nazareth, and Capernaum, Jesus' base of operations on the periphery of Antipas' power. Part Three concludes with studies illustrating the necessity of considering the specifically Galilean local conditions when interpreting New Testament texts.