Rating: 
Summary: Not for the faint of faith...or the closeminded.
Review: Wilson makes a convincing and careful case for his view of Jesus as man, versus Jesus as divine myth. Historically and logically he makes some grand leaps, but cautiously points out when he does so. He accomplishes two things: first, he separates the contemporary Jesus from the mythology that has been built up around him. This is perhaps his most solid contribution. Secondly, he peels away the Christ of the gospels from the biblical and historical evidence. This effort is less successful and much less likely to be well received by the more polarized believers and non-believers alike. For those of us in the middle--in the "maybe, maybe not" Agnostic camp--the result is more comforting. Wilson reassures us that we will never "know" the truth--as opposed to the Truth.
Engaging, easy to read and follow, I recommend this book to the historical reader first, the religious student last. Wilson's thorough research is not for the faint of faith. Those wavering on the edge are sure to be troubled. Anyone unwilling to explore the scholarly approach to the historical Jesus is wasting time and money. Wilson's book is not for either. Faith must always offer its own promise. Ultimately, I suspect Wilson's work is likely to be a litmus test for one's initial beliefs--which is the unstated theme that suffuses this book
Rating: 
Summary: Readable but Unpersuasive
Review: Wilson starts off by telling us that everything in the four Gospels is mythological and none of it is historically reliable. He then spends the rest of the book constructing his own historical biography of Jesus, using (of course) the four Gospels as his sources. Isn't there a contradiction here? Some of his insights and observations are provocative, while others struck me as just silly -- e.g., that the apostles mistook Jesus' lookalike brother for their resurrected teacher, or that the "angels" in the empty tomb were other family members of Jesus who had simply moved the corpse for reburial! (When they said Jesus was going to Galilee, Wilson says, they only meant that his body was being transported there. If so, this is the most consequential misunderstanding in history.) The book is a quick, provocative read, but I think you'd be better advised to check out the works of Bart Ehrman (a skeptic) or Luke Timothy Johnson (a believer). Either of them offers more serious scholarship than Wilson's book.
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