Brief Reviews

Paul Barnett – The Trials of Jesus [Review]

The Trials of JesusAn Informed and Economical Monograph

A Review of

The Trials of Jesus: Evidence, Conclusions, and Aftermath
Paul Barnett

Paperback: Eerdmans, 2024
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Reviewed by Joel Wentz

So many of us carry around an on-the-surface familiarity regarding the days and events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. We have seen them portrayed in movies, Easter pageants, illustrated Bibles, and even musical theater. Those with even a passing familiarity what Christian tradition calls “Holy Week” will be able to speak about the roles played by individuals like Judas, Pilate and Peter, and those with a more-than-passing familiarity might be able to recall that someone named Caiaphas, or maybe Annas, showed up somewhere in there as well. Without reading the relevant passages, we can probably recall and recite a loose chronology from memory: the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, the cleansing of the temple, the garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas, a mix of various confrontations with authority figures, the fateful betrayal of Peter before the rooster crowed, and of course, the crucifixion itself along with the cry of “My God, my God….” and the darkened skies. On the one hand, it’s remarkable that Holy Week is so prevalent and formative to our culture (I know that even my very-secular neighbors could explain, in broad strokes, what we remember on Good Friday), but on the other hand, I have frequently wondered if such over-familiarity can obscure the potent and shocking meaning of these events (of course, there’s a shocking cosmic and theological dimension to these events according to believers, but I’m referring to the more mundane historical and political intrigue swirling around Jesus’s crucifixion). 

Has our over-familiarity resulted in what Dallas Willard called the “lullaby effect?” Do we think we understand what was going on in Jerusalem that week, what Pilate’s goals were, why someone like Caiaphas was involved in the proceedings at all, or who the various Herods were? What about the shadowy figure of Annas, or the Idumean background of the Herod dynasty, the long shadow of Hellenism on all the above, or the Herodian contingent that appears (seemingly out of nowhere) in the Gospel accounts and makes specific political demands? If you have ready responses to all these questions, then congratulations, you are much more-informed than this reviewer! If, however, you are like the majority of us, then Paul Barnett’s newest book, The Trials of Jesus, delivers a deeply-informed, economically-written, lightning bolt of clarity into the manifold layers of political maneuvering and dynastic tensions that clashed in dramatic fashion around the most famous even in history: the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth.

I’m going to argue that The Trials of Jesus somehow manages to occupy a unique niche in the over-abundance of publishing related to the history surrounding Holy Week and the crucifixion, and this is primarily because of its combination of remarkable mastery of extra biblical historical study, its wide scope, and its tightly-controlled word and page count. One can, of course, turn to the 1000s of pages written by historians like N.T. Wright, John Meier or John Dominic Crossan to cover much of the same scope of concern, but Barnett constrains his work here to roughly 200 pages (and most of the individual chapters are 5-8 pages). The result is an extremely economical book, and I personally know many pastors who, facing a glut of books and periodicals that could be read on the topic, will certainly appreciate this clarity and focus that does not sacrifice scope.

For example, the first section of the book, titled “The Dynastic Background,” deftly explains the influence of the following topics on the build-up to Holy Week: the Persian Empire, Hellenistic culture, the Jewish concept of “zeal,” the Maccabeans, the Romans, the Idumeans and the relationship between Antony and Herod. This is accomplished in less than 50 pages.

Two potential concerns are worth addressing, given this focus on how concise the book is. First, the fact that so many topics are covered in a short page count does mean that some readers will be left wishing for more depth in a given area of interest. The chapters fly by, and can occasionally feel abrupt. Second, the writing style is efficient, clear and functional, but is not particularly gripping. For me, these tradeoffs are worthwhile, because the result is a fascinating account of how wide a variety of sociopolitical concerns were impacted by the trials and execution of Jesus of Nazareth. 

As both a reading experience, and as a reference tool, Barnett’s book is easy to recommend to those who are either simply interested in the historical setting of Jesus’s crucifixion or those who are responsible for teaching or preaching on the topic. As a preacher myself, I will absolutely be grabbing this book when I want a quick refresh on the Roman governance of Judea, or Pilate’s agenda, or the financial corruption and power-mongering of the Annas/Caiaphas priestly line, or the complicated political posturing of the various Herods (“the Great,” Antipas, Archelaus), but as a singular reading experience, progressing from cover to cover is akin to the experience of stepping back to take in a majestic mosaic. The pieces combine and give a breathtaking view of what many of us may think we understand already: the radical, subversive, and shocking importance of the betrayal, abandonment, and unjust execution of a humble Jewish Rabbi in the 1st century. Barnett’s extremely informed and economical monograph sheds much light on the earthly dimension of the “principalities and powers” that conspired during that fateful week, and I’m thankful he wrote it.

Joel Wentz

Joel Wentz is currently the Executive Pastor at Missio Dei Church in Portland, Maine. He previously served in college campus ministry with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. In addition to reading and writing, his passions include tabletop gaming, music, and coffee. His favorite book genres are epic fantasy and epic theology. He lives in Portland, Maine with his wife and son, and his personal writing and podcast are at: joelwentz.com


 
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