Alfred Edersheim (1825–1889)

Absolutely terrible. I made it to page 8 before I quit: a new record low for me. I gave up after the the author, a Jewish convert to Christianity, said with what I assume was a straight face that first-century CE Jerusalem outdid even Rome in architectural splendor. No it didn’t. It just didn’t. My expectations were further dashed in that Edersheim leaned into his convert’s zeal rather than embracing both his Jewish past and his Christian present for what would surely have been an interesting dual perspective on the significance of the Temple. The first few pages were positively littered with hagiographical pretentiousness and saccharine prose. I didn’t even think it was possible to be hagiographic about a building. So, I rate it a half-star introducing me to this novelty, and another half-star for, I don’t know, effort I guess.… (more)