David W. Chapman

The purpose of this comprehensive sourcebook by David W. Chapman and Eckhard J. Schnabel is to publish the extra-biblical primary texts that have been cited as relevant for understanding Jesus' trial and crucifixion. The texts in the first part deal with Jesus' trial and interrogation before the Sanhedrin, and the texts in the second part concern Jesus' trial before Pilate. The texts in part three represent crucifixion as a method of execution in antiquity. For each document the authors provide the original text (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, etc.), a translation, and commentary. The commentary describes the literary context and the purpose of each document in context before details are clarified, along with observations on the contribution of these texts to understanding Jesus' trial and crucifixion.

The purpose of this comprehensive sourcebook by David W. Chapman and Eckhard J. Schnabel is to publish the extra-biblical primary texts that have been cited as relevant for understanding Jesus' trial and crucifixion. The texts in the first part deal with Jesus' trial and interrogation before the Sanhedrin, and the texts in the second part concern Jesus' trial before Pilate. The texts in part three represent crucifixion as a method of execution in antiquity. For each document the authors provide the original text (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, etc.), a translation, and commentary. The commentary describes the literary context and the purpose of each document in context before details are clarified, along with observations on the contribution of these texts to understanding Jesus' trial and crucifixion.

David W. Chapman examines Second Temple and early rabbinic literature and material remains in order to demonstrate the range of ancient Jewish perceptions about crucifixion. Early Christian literature is then shown to reflect awareness of, and interaction with, these Jewish perceptions. Ancient Jewish historical accounts of crucifixion are examined, magical literature is analyzed, and the proverbial use of crucifixion imagery is studied. He pays special attention to Jewish interpretations of key Old Testament texts that mention human bodily suspension in association with execution. Previous studies have demonstrated how pervasive in antiquity was the view of the cross as a terrible and shameful death. In this volume, the author provides further evidence of such views in ancient Jewish communities. More positive perceptions could also be attached to crucifixion insofar as the death could be associated with the innocent sufferer or martyr as well as with latent sacrificial images. Christian literature, proclaiming a crucified Messiah, betrays awareness of these various perceptions by seeking to reject or transform negative stereotypes, or by embracing some of these more positive associations. Thus early Christian literature on the cross exhibits, to a greater degree than is commonly recognized, a reflection upon the various Jewish perceptions of the cross in antiquity.

The challenge facing the education system in many countries of meeting demands for higher quality public education within increasingly severe national economic and fiscal constraints is the subject of this collection of essays by eleven outstanding educational practitioners. The book examines national level strategy for improving the quality of education. It identifies and analyzes key interventions to improve educational quality. Strategies for selecting among these interventions are discussed and the major issues encountered in implementing the interventions are analyzed. A major argument of the book is that a systems approach offers the most effective and efficient intervention for improving education quality but only when sufficient attention is paid to the motivation, knowledge, and behavior of the individuals within those systems on whose actions success of any intervention ultimately depends. Part I, Improving Educational Quality, contains five chapters and provides a general framework for formulating interventions to improve educational quality. Included here are discussions of investments that lead to student achievement, the use of efficiency as a criterion to judge the effects of education investments, ways instructional systems models enhance efficiency and educational quality, and the role played by donors. The nine chapters that compose Part II, Issues in Implementing Quality Improvement Programs, discuss a series of issues more specifically concerned with program implementation. These are organized in three categories: (1) the teacher's role in quality improvement; (2) monitoring, evaluation, and data management; and (3) instructional delivery. While the volume is written to assist instructional designers, program planners, administrators, evaluators, and supervisory personnel, it has wide application as a text for graduate students preparing for these types of positions.