How the Gospels Became History

Jesus and Mediterranean Myths (Synkrisis)

By: M. David Litwa

Narrated by: Doug Smith

Did the early Christians believe their myths? Like most ancient—and modern—people, early Christians made efforts to present their myths in the most believable ways.

In this eye-opening work, M. David Litwa explores how and why what later became the four canonical gospels take on a historical cast that remains vitally important for many Christians today. Offering an in-depth comparison with other Greco-Roman stories that have been shaped to seem like history, Litwa shows how the evangelists responded to the pressures of Greco-Roman literary culture by using well-known historiographical tropes such as the mention of famous rulers and kings, geographical notices, the introduction of eyewitnesses, vivid presentation, alternative reports, and so on. In this way, the evangelists deliberately shaped myths about Jesus into historical discourse to maximize their believability for ancient audiences.

This is the most compelling and thorough comparison of the gospels and Greco-Roman mythology to appear in the last 50 years.

©2019 Yale University Press (P)2023 Matthew David Litwa

Fascinating context for the gospels

Dr. Litwa provides in this book an engaging and thought-provoking scholarly look at the historical context of the gospels. By comparing the gospels to pagan works of the time, we can better understand their similarities and their uniqueness in that context. This work is a great mind-opener for seekers curious about the early church.

Fantastic work by Dr. Litwa

This is an amazing scholarly review of the early works of Christianity. Dr. Litwa's work is groundbreaking and advances the field in a unique way. I highly recommend this for any fans of Ancient History!

Fun all 'round

Very entertaining and informative, I love the way Litwa makes observations and brings up points most do not see. I've been reading Philosophy, History, and books on Christianity since the early 70's at GSU in ATL and I always learn new things from his work.

Excellent scholarly discussion

Excited to have Litwa's work in audiobook format. would love to have his other titles here as well.