My fifth book was called Crossing Over Sea and Land: Jewish Missionary Activity in the Second Temple Period. Here’s the blurb: What was the extent and nature of Jewish proselytizing activity amongst non-Jews in Palestine and the Greco Roman diaspora leading up to and during the beginnings of the Christian era? Was there a clear missional direction? How did Second Temple Judaism recruit converts and gain sympathizers? This book strives to address these questions, representing an update of the discussion while also breaking new ground. A "source book" of key texts is provided at the end.
I totally agree with your concluding statement: "This was a book that certainly helped me understand that studying early Christianity is not just the study of theological ideas, you need to understand ancient religion, and the sociology of ancient religion." Your works have been particularly helpful to me in understanding New Testament backgrounds which I strongly believe is fundament to a proper interpretation of the biblical text. As a side note, I just read Matthew 23:15 yesterday and wondered about the missional activity of the Pharisees.
I totally agree with your concluding statement: "This was a book that certainly helped me understand that studying early Christianity is not just the study of theological ideas, you need to understand ancient religion, and the sociology of ancient religion." Your works have been particularly helpful to me in understanding New Testament backgrounds which I strongly believe is fundament to a proper interpretation of the biblical text. As a side note, I just read Matthew 23:15 yesterday and wondered about the missional activity of the Pharisees.