Was Jesus a Violent Rebel?

In this book, E.P. Sanders examines Jesus' position within first century Judaism, arguing that Jesus was a disciple of John the Baptist and later became a prophet of Jewish restoration eschatology. Sanders posits that Jesus did not strongly identify with or oppose any of the major Jewish sects of his time, particularly the Pharisees. He suggests that Jesus and his followers adhered to Mosaic Law but intended to 'fine tune' it according to eschatological beliefs. The book also explores Jesus' actions in the Temple, his appointment of the Apostles, and the reasons for his execution, which Sanders attributes to his attack on the Temple and its implications for Jewish and Roman authorities.

In this book, Reza Aslan presents a historical analysis of Jesus, arguing that he was a zealous revolutionary who challenged the Roman occupation and the Jewish priestly elite. Aslan balances the Jesus of the Gospels against historical sources, describing a man of conviction and passion, yet full of contradictions. He explores why the early Christian church preferred to depict Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary and grapples with the mystery of Jesus' self-understanding and subsequent claims about his divinity.