Jesus, the Galilean exorcist
Subtitle: his exorcisms in social and political context
By: Amanda Witmer
Series: Library of New Testament studies -- 459. -- Library of the historical Jesus studies -- v. 10; T & T Clark library of biblical studies; Library of New Testament studies -- 459.; Library of New Testament studies -- v. 10.; T & T Clark library of biblical studies
Publisher: T & T Clark
Published: 2012
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 247
ISBN-13: 9780567575524
Subjects: Exorcism in the Bible
Description: "Amanda Witmer presents an investigation of exorcism in the activities of the historical Jesus, particularly the connection between spirit possession and exorcism on the one hand and the socio-political context of first-century Galilee on the other. Witmer draws on research from the areas of sociology, anthropology, archaeology and biblical studies to illuminate this aspect of Jesus' career, as well as the broader social implications of spirit possession in those he treated and the exorcisms themselves. Evidence found in the strands underlying the Synoptic Gospels is evaluated using the criteria of authenticity and comparative analysis in order to establish early and historical material. Questions posed and answered concern the historical plausibility of Jesus' role as exorcist, the possibility that his own career began with a period of spirit possession, and the meaning that his exorcisms conveyed to his first-century audience. Thus, the methodology includes textual analysis, sociological analysis of general cultural patterns within which first-century Palestine can be fitted, and anthropological analysis of the plausible functions of both spirit possession and exorcism in agrarian societies"--From publisher description.
Notes: Revision of the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--McMaster University, 2009 under title: Jesus, a Jewish Galilean exorcist : a socio-political and anthropological investigation.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [209]-229) and indexes.
Table of contents: title: Introduction --; title: Spirit possession and exorcism in the ancient world --; title: The socio-political context : Galilee in 30 CE --; title: Jesus the exorcist : the indirect evidence --; title: Jesus the exorcist : the direct evidence --; title: Conclusion : reconstructing Jesus, the Jewish Galilean exorcist.