Investigating the death of Jesus
Martin Doyle
Jesus: The Cold Case
By Bryan Bruce
Published by Random House
Reviewed by Martin Doyle
Jesus Christ, his teachings, horrific crucifixion and ‘rising from the dead’, have been central elements of the Christian faith for two thousand years. And given the significance of Christianity in today’s world, these events remain very important. So much has been written and claimed about Jesus, by both conventional believers and rebel theologians, that you have to wonder what else can possibly be said. Wellingtonian Bryan Bruce has found a lot to say. As a TV crime investigator (for example, his programme on Mark Lundy) he’s great at shining a new light on old murders and asking some good questions. So he ‘investigates’ the death of Jesus as he might investigate the death of any human being. And it’s due to this ‘crime’ angle and his attempt to ‘put religion to one side and stick to the facts’ that this book is intriguing right from the first page. What sustains it throughout are the cop-type questions re Jesus’ background and haunts, known associates, modus operandi and detailed sifting of the existing evidence. His ‘forensic’ advisors all earn their keep as the hunt goes on. Ultimately, you get a sense not so much of someone messing with the Truth as much as someone uncovering the actual truth for the first time. So does he find the offender? Yes. Is an arrest pending? Bruce’s book will prove arresting for any modern reader. For most people, it will change their world-view. It’s certainly not going to rot on the bookshelves.
By Bryan Bruce
Published by Random House
Reviewed by Martin Doyle
Jesus Christ, his teachings, horrific crucifixion and ‘rising from the dead’, have been central elements of the Christian faith for two thousand years. And given the significance of Christianity in today’s world, these events remain very important. So much has been written and claimed about Jesus, by both conventional believers and rebel theologians, that you have to wonder what else can possibly be said. Wellingtonian Bryan Bruce has found a lot to say. As a TV crime investigator (for example, his programme on Mark Lundy) he’s great at shining a new light on old murders and asking some good questions. So he ‘investigates’ the death of Jesus as he might investigate the death of any human being. And it’s due to this ‘crime’ angle and his attempt to ‘put religion to one side and stick to the facts’ that this book is intriguing right from the first page. What sustains it throughout are the cop-type questions re Jesus’ background and haunts, known associates, modus operandi and detailed sifting of the existing evidence. His ‘forensic’ advisors all earn their keep as the hunt goes on. Ultimately, you get a sense not so much of someone messing with the Truth as much as someone uncovering the actual truth for the first time. So does he find the offender? Yes. Is an arrest pending? Bruce’s book will prove arresting for any modern reader. For most people, it will change their world-view. It’s certainly not going to rot on the bookshelves.
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