Everywhere we look these days we find a different Jesus being foisted upon our imaginations: Jesus, the Cynic sage. Jesus, the Eastern swami and international traveller. Jesus, the industrial drycleaning specialist. Everything, it seems, but the most frightening, Jesus the Savior! Ben Witherington does not look at all of these alternative Jesuses, but he does examine some of the major players, notably the Jesus Seminar's "Talking Head" Jesus, Mack and Crossan's cynic Jesus, and - indeed so! - the Jesus who is our Savior. The result is a top-flight introduction to the current "Third Quest" to "recover" the historical Jesus.

Witherington's careful and sober analysis, his clear and often humorous writing style, combine to make Jesus Quest both scholarly and entertaining. So, do ignore those silly fellows who posted reviews on Amazon's page, who gripe about Witherington having an "agenda" and all that rot: This is one of the best general interest items to come out on the subject in recent years, and you won't regret taking the time for it.