The Jewish Roots of Christianity

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I’m looking for some good sources to shed some light on the Jewish roots of Christianity. An overview should be sufficient, I just want to get an idea of the religious, philosophical and social mindset before, during and after Christ’s life and Ressurection. Books are preferable but I’ll take anything. Thanks!
 
I think the Old Testament has something to do with Judaism before Christ.
 
I tend to agree with you. His personal conversion story was a big help to my reversion, and he certainly has a gift for speaking but I do take his work with a grain of salt, as it were. Your recommendation is on the list, and it looks like he’s got some other interesting stuff beyond that volume. Thanks very much!
 
Baukham’s book looks good on it’s own, regardless of what you’re studying. Have you read it?

Jeremias is a name I hear just often enough to forget it; I see it or hear him mentioned and think Oh, that guy! Need to write that down! All good recommendations from an initial look, thanks!
 
Yes, I have read all four, at least once each! That is, I have read each book all the way through once, and some of the particularly interesting chapters I have reread a few times.

Jeremias had a head start on his competitors in the NT Studies field: when he was about 9 years old, I think (I’d have to look up the exact dates) his father, who was a Lutheran pastor, was appointed chaplain or something like that to the German community in Jerusalem, which meant that young Joachim spent his formative years in what must have been at least partly a Hebrew-speaking environment.

Jeremias wrote his books in German, of course. Translations can sometimes sound stiff and artificial, but these two are both very readable.
 
RKS – I’ve just remembered something else. The Council of Jerusalem described in Acts 15 was an attempt to reconcile two conflicting trends in the early Church: for Paul’s flock of Gentile Christians in Antioch the new faith was still too Jewish, while for James’ Jewish Christian community in Jerusalem, the faith was moving too far and too fast in the opposite direction. You might find it interesting to have a look at the appropriate chapters in any commentary on Acts.
 
It’ll be some heavy reading to be sure but that doesn’t bother me. I think Ratzinger cites him often, along with a few other German scholars. I’m re reading JND Kelly’s “Doctrine” right now, once I’m finished with that I’m going to start on this other material. Again, thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut!
 
Salvation is from the Jews is a good book. I believe the author is Roy Schoeman. (Not positive about the spelling of the last name.)
 
There’s “The Jewish Annotated New Testament” (Levine & Brettler).

I’ve not read it but I remember it being mentioned on CAF as being very good at putting the New Testament in the context of Jewish life and thought at the time. If Amazon commentators are anything to go by, it’s almost 5 stars average from over 200 readers.
 
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