For centuries, in their attempt to discover the real, historical Jesus, people have wrestled with the contradictory stories in the Gospels. The gospel writers were storytellers, and the stories they told about Jesus and his followers have shaped the beliefs of almost two and a half billion people. This book explains how the gospel writers "honed their pitch" about the life of Jesus and the birth of Christianity for the greatest dramatic effect. The ancient gospel writers, like any circuit preacher or stand-up comedian, saved the material that got the best response, and cut whatever fell flat--essentially retelling Jesus' story to serve their own theological agenda and for greatest effect. Early Christianity scholar L. Michael White uses all the tools of criticism to reveal the agendas of the "handlers" who made a man into a messiah, leading to a better understanding of all four gospels.--From publisher description. Read Less