Jesus and the Remains of His Day: Studies in Jesus and the Evidence of Material Cultureby Craig A. Evans is a captivating collection of up-to-date essays on a number of archaeological discoveries related to the earthly ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. In this book, Evans helpfully exposes the misuse of archaeology in relation to claims about Jesus and early Christianity, and rightly seeks to demonstrate the usefulness of archaeology within the discipline of biblical studies. Evans is an accomplished scholar and his work here is consistently well-documented and easy to read—the latter being one of the most surprising aspects of the book given the typical flavor of similar works.

Jesus and the Remains of His Day begins with an excellent discussion surrounding some of the most recent archaeological work at Bethsaida and Magdala. The reader will find the discussion both engaging and enlightening, and it sets the stage well…