Reverberations of Good News

What made Jesus' message "good news" in its original context--and why does it still reverberate today? In "Reverberations of Good News", the Gospels are brought vividly to life as cultural, political, and spiritual responses to the world of the first century. Rather than offering a detached or purely historical analysis, this book explores how Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John each articulate Jesus' message in strikingly different ways--through inner renewal, radical justice, peaceful subversion, and a bold claim to truth. With fresh insight into the dating, authorship, and purpose of the Gospels, George van Kooten challenges familiar assumptions and invites readers to see these texts as dynamic responses to real-world tensions. Bridging ancient context and modern meaning, this book is essential reading for preachers, students, and scholars alike--anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Gospels as living texts that continue to shape lives and societies.

George van Kooten is the Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. He was previously Professor of New Testament Studies at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.