He never ran a country, led an army, or wrote a book. He lived and died in a geographic backwater. But today, two billion people around the world claim to follow him. For someone who has had so great an impact on history and human civilization, who Jesus Christ was and what his message entailed is often poorly understood. In this volume of the Instant Expert series, Nick Page cuts to the core of what the historical Jesus said and did: his teachings, stories, and miracles. Above all, he outlines Jesus’s radical message–one both inspiring and challenging–in the context of the time in which it was first received. Focusing on the claims made in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Page presents a brief but engaging introduction to the life and ministry of Jesus and the birth of the early church.

Instant Experts is a series of short, small-format books covering today’s core religious topics. Each book is designed to give the reader all the essential information they need in an hour’s read, offering a solid foundation for further conversation and study.