Christianity Today recently donned Jesus the Purifier with its title of book of the year in biblical studies and deservedly so. Blomberg’s approach in this book is unique, as the readers “essentially get two good books,” as Craig Keener notes in his endorsement. Though the subtitle begins with John’s Gospel, the first 222 pages (two-thirds of the book!) deal with an overview and analysis of the research and trends of the quests for the historical Jesus. In the latter part of the book, Blomberg walks through the Gospel of John, analyzing how John’s emphasis on purification rituals gives the reader historical depth that questers have often overlooked.

The first three chapters sketch out the history of the quests of historical Jesus research. Blomberg begins with the “first quest,” which saw the battle between the philosophical rationalist and the Christian traditionalist. In his retelling, Blomberg helpfully adds nuances and corrections to...

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