In this ground-breaking study, Robin Baker investigates the contribution ancient Mesopotamian theology made to the origins of Christianity. Drawing on a formidable range of primary sources, Baker's conclusions challenge the widely held opinion that the theological imprint of Babylonia and Assyria on the New Testament is minimal, and what Mesopotamian legacy it contains was mediated by the Hebrew Bible and ancient Jewish sources. After evaluating and substantially supplementing previous research on this mediation, Baker demonstrates significant direct Mesopotamian influence on the New Testament presentation of Jesus and particularly the character of his kingship. He also identifies likely channels of transmission. Baker documents substantial differences among New Testament authors in borrowing Mesopotamian conceptions to formulate their Christology. This monograph is an essential resource for specialists and students of the New Testament as well as for scholars interested in religious transmission in the ancient Near East and the afterlife of Mesopotamian culture.

‘This book … repays careful reading page after page. It showcases the author’s substantial learning which spans multiple Ancient Near Eastern cultures as well as broad scholarship on both biblical Testaments … Baker has sufficiently demonstrated, with considerable detail and erudition, that significant light may be shed on the New Testament writings through looking eastward from Jerusalem, and not merely to the West.’

Ian Boxall Source: New Directions