Challenging the last 100 or more years of biblical scholarship, Dunn suggests the first place from which any quest for the "historical Jesus" should begin is the faith-creating impact he had on those who chose to follow him. While the points of contention introduced by Dunn are few, they are weighty in their allegations, and he answers them with a simplicity and clarity that allows for a strong scholarly discussion while still remaining an accessible read for those less scholarly-inclined and unacquainted with the history of biblical scholarship. Dunn addresses the over-dependence of scholars on a historical-critical approach, advocating instead for a new vision of exegesis that takes as its first premise the legitimacy of historical record in the first century. The argument for the importance of oral tradition is well-made and uses modern experience to illustrate the point. Dunn is particularly smart in his assertion that interpretation must keep in mind the nature of its source, which in this case is a community of faith, thus calling for a hermeneutic of faith.

The greatest flaw in Dunn's work is his overwhelming use of the Q document to prove his thesis. There is no issue in providing his opinions on source hypotheses, but an argument that concerns itself with how the authenticity of sources are determined should make a point of using the documents as we have them or providing more substantial information outside of hypothetical sources. It seems unnecessary to use Q and even endangers his position, should Q become irrelevant or eventually disproven

Ultimately, A New Perspective on Jesus is a not only a good primer for those looking to learn more about Scriptural authenticity, but it poses serious criticisms to methodologies and data that have long been taken for granted. Rather than simply calling these points into question to continue to engage an old argument, Dunn provides a clear and thoughtful solution that offers a new perspective, putting new wine into new wineskins. ( )