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  1. Home
  2. Books
  3. The Mystery of the Last Supper
  • Cited by 6
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
May 2011
Print publication year:
2011
Online ISBN:
9780511973871
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511973871
Subjects:
Ancient History, Classical Studies, Biblical Studies - New Testament, Religion
Information

Book description

For hundreds of years, we thought we knew what happened during Jesus' last days. Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday are not only observed by Christians around the world, but are also recognized in calendars and by non-practitioners as commemorating the true timeline of events in the life of Christ. But apparent inconsistencies in the gospel accounts of Jesus' final week have puzzled Bible scholars for centuries. In The Mystery of the Last Supper, Colin Humphreys uses science to reveal the truth about Jesus' final days. Reconciling conflicting Gospel accounts and scientific evidence, Humphreys reveals the exact date of the Last Supper in a definitive new timeline of Holy Week.

Reviews

'Colin Humphreys' Mystery poses an intriguing detective story. … The argument is presented so logically that non-specialists should be able to follow it easily.'

Owen Gingerich - Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and History of Science, Harvard University and author of God's Universe

'By linking scientific knowledge with biblical study, Colin Humphreys gives a welcome demonstration of a way apparent contradictions in the Gospel texts may be reconciled.'

Alan Millard - University of Liverpool

'With clear accessible writing, [Humphreys] carries readers to surprising conclusions that make this a must-read book for anyone concerned about genuinely testing evidence for the truth about Jesus Christ. A benchmark for future scholarship, it reinforces the veracity of the New Testament record.’

Michael Quicke - Northern Seminary

'Professor Colin Humphreys of Cambridge poses a new theory as to the date of the last supper and the crucifixion of Jesus in a way that reconciles the Johannine and Synoptic accounts instead of pitting them against each other. … all serious researchers will appreciate this sustained marshalling of evidence beyond the biblical text in service to its elucidation.’

Paul N. Anderson - George Fox University, Newberg, Oregon

'I would like to commend Colin Humphreys … on this remarkable book reconstructing the final days of Jesus.’

John Sentamu - Archbishop of York

'… there have always been great difficulties in knowing quite how to fit together the precise details of the Last Supper and Jesus's arrest and trial. With the clearest possible presentation of fresh evidence and good historical imagination, Colin Humphreys here tackles this problem in a completely fresh manner. His suggestions are likely to have a significant impact both on scholarly appraisal and on the regular Christian appreciation of these climactic events of the faith.'

Hugh G. M. Williamson - University of Oxford

'The last hours before the Crucifixion are challenging (in more than one sense), and many technical issues - legal, calendrical and other - are involved. In bringing his great technical expertise to bear on these questions, Colin Humphreys contrives to present a reconstruction and a narrative of the last hours that is also a very readable retelling of events.'

Robert P. Gordon - University of Cambridge

'A gripping read that is hard to put down …'

Sir John Houghton - Chairman of the Scientific Assessment Committee of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change

‘It is wonderful to see someone apply a robust, multidisciplinary strategy to an age-old riddle … Humphreys has taken several risks in this book … I don’t mind if he’s wrong. I admire his pluck and I relish his calm, respectful and thoughtful attitude. If professors of Materials Science can manage it, why can’t evolutionary biologists?’

Source: The Herald (Glasgow)

‘It reads like a detective story, and [Humphreys] tells the story superbly … If you want to explore some intriguing historical puzzles at the heart of our faith, you will find this a fascinating read.’

Source: Methodist Recorder

‘Sophisticated … the thoroughness with which the author has explored all available literary, historical, and astronomical evidence, and the clarity with which he leads the reader through a complex argument make him a powerful advocate for this new chronology.’

Source: Church Times

‘Warmly commended … The book reads easily: the inevitable technical terms are clearly explained, there are many tables and illustrations, the chapters are brief and end with summaries.’

Source: Baptist Times

' … a most interesting detective story … We heartily recommend this book to those with a scholarly turn of mind.'

Source: British Church Newspaper

'Colin Humphreys' notion is a surprising idea, but an attractive one, in that it reconciles all the narratives, underlining their basic authenticity.'

Source: The Irish Catholic

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Contents

Contents
References
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