I'm sure this is an "expert" book, or rather, a book by an expert. I found it dry. I had to wade through a lot of what I already knew to get to the good stuff. If you know very little about the intertestamental period or haven't reflected much on the Jewish context of the New Testament, this book would certainly get you on your way. It might deliver on its promise to get one "an intermediate understanding" (22), but it seemed more like a basic understanding to me. ( )

NO OF PAGES: 416 SUB CAT I: First Century Judaism SUB CAT II: SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: This book provides the reader with an entry into the complex and varied phenomenon called early Judaism--of which Jesus, Paul, and most of the other New Testament writers were a part. It gives an overview of the data (history, institutions, religious thought) but also engages with the ideas and controversies that emerged with Judaism of this period.NOTES: SUBTITLE: