Jessica Parks has posted her thoughts on Chapter 2, “From Kingdom of God to the Church of Christ” over on the blog Cataclysmic. In summary:
I found Evans’ to be informative and challenging, and I think the evidence is certainly compelling. The juxtaposition of the Hebrew texts alongside the Aramaic texts is especially telling. There is also a short excursion on Israel in Exile (page 50) which is helpful in understanding the theology of Jesus and his own understanding of his role and mission. This chapter served as a good reminder of just how large an influence Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah–in the Aramaic!–had on Jesus.
Overall, the book is readable, while remaining an engaging and scholarly work. I would certainly recommend From Jesus to the Church to anyone interested in learning more about the earliest days of the church and the backdrop against which this new community came to be.
You can read the full thing here.
the archives near Emmaus 