A very short, insightful book! This is an introduction to some of the sociological aspects of biblical scholarship, Comments on the First Edition, . . Those concerned with Christian beginnings will find Malherbe stimulating and incisive on the New Testament, Robert M. Gratn, Journal of Religion The author is a scholar of great learning, I found the footnotes to be extremely useful, and the challenge of the book that a new consesus has emerged is a genuine contribution to continuing debate, Robin Scroggs, Journal of the American Academy of Religion An interesting and informed introduction to an important new development in the study of earliest Christianity, Victor P. Furnish, Perkins Journal The book constitutes a major challenge to the depictions of early Christianity especially of the Pauline Wing in earlier scholarly work, Howard Clark Kee, Reflection.