Jesus: a first-century Jew from Galilee, a small and remote province of the Roman Empire. No other person has had such a profound and far-reaching influence on world history. But what, historically, can we know about him? And what are we to make of the kaleidoscope of beliefs and images that people have since built up around him? Those are the two essential questions investigated by J. L. Houlden in this absorbing account of the key historical, theological and cultural issues surrounding the enigmatic figure of Jesus. Written primarily for the enquiring lay person, this is a book that will engage the interest of believer and non-believer alike. It will also provide a clear and concise introduction fr anyone studying the origins and evolution of Christianity as a major world religion.