This is one of the most important books produced in this century by an English scholar Dr Richardson's book is short, but almost every other sentence requires to be underlined. It is sifted knowledge, succinctly expressed, and though closely packed, it is always lucid' (The Guardian). 'Dr Richardson has rendered an important service to the Christian Church by offering us this remarkably fresh, stimulating, and competent survey ... In addition to the working out of its main thesis, Dr Richardson's book contains full and valuable notes on many of the critical problems which have been hotly debated by New Testament scholarship' (Times Literary Supplement). Alan Richardson is now Dean of York and author of a number of distinguished works, among which are: Christian Apologetics, Creeds in the Making, An Introduction to the Theology of the New Testament, The Political Christ, Preface to Bible Study and Religion in Contemporary Debate. He is also the Editor of A Theological Word Book of the Bible and A Dictionary of Christian Theology.