Crucifixion: In the Ancient World and the Folly of the Message of the Cross

by Martin Hengel

Book Overview

In a comprehensive and detailed survey on its remarkably widespread employment in the Roman empire, Dr. Hengel examines the way in which "the most vile death of the cross" was regarded in the Greek-speaking world and particularly in Roman-occupied Palestine.

His conclusions bring out more starkly than ever the offensiveness of the Christian message: Jesus not only died an unspeakably cruel death, he underwent the most contemptible abasement...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080061268X
• ISBN13: 9780800612689
• Release Date: September 1977
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

The Folly of the Cross says it all

Who would've known that there was so much information about this ancient method of torture? Before happening upon this scholarly gem, I didn't think that any such work existed. Hengel does a great job of presenting much information about the crucifixion and the difficulties that it presented to the early fathers of the church. Surely it was a difficult thing to present such a gospel about a man who they claimed to be God and died the most humiliating and disgraceful death, but they did so regardless. I would absolutely recommend this work if you are looking for a book that addresses virtually all questions about crucifixion.

Small but very Informative

I had previously written a review of this book but it was quite brief and I want to make this a little longer. In "crucifixion", theologian Martin Hengle presents readers with the history and role of crucifixion in the ancient world. He also examines how this shame of the cross had theological implications for early Christian missionaries and the author looks at what could be considered supposed pagan parallels and how they don't match the Christian beliefs. This book is mainly historical and theological and is not a medical description of the barbaric practice as Dr. Zugibe and others have presented. Overall, I found this book to be quite informative in the areas it aims to be.

Crucifixion in the ancient World and the Folly of the Message of the Cross

Marten Hengel is a superb scholar who has devoted his life to the study of a variety of theological themes in the New Testament. In this volune, Professor Hengel researches the extant ancient literature related to the subject of crucifixion. He then defines the attitudes and reactions of leaders and the populace regarding this form of death. His meticulous and exhaustive research makes this short but powerful volume a standard in the field of crucifixion research. I highly recommend this book to scholars and lay-people alike who desire to have a a scholary, thoroughly researched work on this subject.

Classic Treatise on Crucifixion

Translated from German, this is outstanding look at this practice in the ancient world and the cross of Christ.The great reversal of God's Son crucified and this is good news? is a scandal to the natural mind of humankind.Hengel shows these two aspects well, carefully documented his sources from ancient history and Scripture. The theology of the cross vs. that of glory is reflected in this theologian's writing, e.g. "The heart of the Christian message, which Paul described as the 'word of the cross' (logos tou staurou--transliterating the Greek), ran counter not only to Roman political thinking, but to the whole ethos of religion in ancient times and in particular to the ideas of God held by educated people."Still true today. This is excellent reference for your shelf, also try and obtain Paul Maier's "In Fullness of Time," and Eric Kiehl's "The Passion of Our Lord."

This is not a book for the squeamish

A recurring theme in the book is the temptation, as real today as in the early centuries of the Church, for Christians to deprive the Cross of Christ of its crucial place in Christian preaching and believing by playing down the "scandal", the stumbling-block, "of the Cross". There are many quotations from authors writing in Latin and Greek, and these are translated. The result is a book which is learned, but not incomprehensible. The sheer offensiveness of preaching, to a hearer of the 2nd century as much as to one from the 20th, that a crucified Jewish gallows-bird is the Saviour of the world, becomes very plain. Perhaps it is worth pointing out that the author takes as his starting point not the Gospel accounts of the Crucifixion, but the proclamation of the Crucifixion found in St.Paul - particularly in 1 Corinthians 1:18 and the verses following; and in Philippians 2:5 to 8. This is not a book about crucifixion in general, as practiced in classical antiquity;nor is it about the medical aspects of crucifixion. The theological importance of the Crucifixion for the the preaching of the Christian Gospel holds the centre of the stage, and everything else is considered in relation to that. This is the sort of book which should do much to help those of us who are Christians to appreciate more fully what is meant by faith in Christ Crucified.