This is a useful resource for the pastor or lay reader. While expansive in its breadth, it is suggestive in its depth. Blomberg does not (or better, could not have in a single volume) delve deeply into any of the topics covered in "Jesus and the Gospels", but his bibliographies at the end of each chapter and the excellent footnotes give the curious reader a very firm direction to head in for further study.
The book is divided into five parts. The first two are largely historical in nature covering the world of the first century (political, social, and religious climate), and the historical/critical approach to the Gospels themselves. Part three is an overview of each of the Gospels highlighting their themes and structure. Part four reads like a cross between the notes one would find in a study Bible and popular level commentary, but arranged more or less chronologically across all the Gospels (almost like a commentary on the Diatessaron?). This is an excellent section, to be sure, and he well highlights (or reminds the reader) of the distinct approach of each Gospel writer. The book concludes with two shorter chapters addressing the historical reliability of the Gospels and the Theology of Jesus.
This is really an excellent book, and I'm sure I will be pulling it off of my shelf as a reference tool. Perhaps only the serious student or most voracious of lay leaders will plow through it cover to cover, but it is a great starting place for almost any topic related to the Gospels. Again, the bibliography and foot notes give solid direction for further study from a wide range of scholars in the field. All of the information in the book can be found in other places, but Blomberg has done anyone interested in Jesus, Christian or not, a great service by pulling it all together into a coherent, (relatively) concise (it is a 500 page book), readable volume. For anyone interested in the study of Jesus, I say "tolle lege."
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