Was Jesus of Nazareth a real person? Did all of the events described in the gospels really happen? How was the world Jesus lived in different from our own? In The Historical Jesus For Dummies, you"ll discover the answers to these questions and hundreds more.This accessible, plain-English guide to the life and times of Jesus paints a vibrant picture of his world, examining records in the New Testament and Roman history as well as recent archeological finds that shed new light on his life. You"ll find informative explanations of Jesus"s birth, infancy, and childhood; meet his followers and enemies; learn about his teachings and miracles, and discover how modern scholars and historians have arrived at these conclusions. This fascinating primer to the real-life Jesus explores:The different stories of Jesus in the gospelsThe three quests for the historical JesusThe miracles of JesusJewish society and the influence of Rome in Jesus"s timeThe Roman practice of crucifixionThe politics of Roman-occupied JudeaWhat people though of Jesus when he was aliveThe Gnostic gospels and other non-biblical texts of the timeThe top controversies surrounding JesusPortrayals of Jesus in art and filmComplete with a concise account of the spread of Christianity throughout the world, The Historical Jesus For Dummies puts you in touch with the human Jesus who walked the earth and whose teachings changed the world.