Geschichte des Urchristenthums

A keen student of theology, August Friedrich Gfrrer (1803-61) became professor of history at the University of Freiburg and also sat as a representative in the Frankfurt parliament, agitating for the reunification of Protestantism and Catholicism. This three-volume work, published in 1838, may be regarded as marking the modern period in the Christian study of Judaism. Gfrrer was the first scholar who attempted to recount the history of Palestinian Judaism at the time of Jesus by using primary source material and without pursuing an obvious apologetic or polemic agenda. More than 2,000 pages in length, the work is a formidable scholarly achievement of lasting value in the field of religious studies. Volume 2 discusses the authenticity and literary character of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. According to Gfrrer, the Gospel of John has a distinct character which sets it apart from the other Gospels.