In a readable but carefully argued way, Sandmel lays out some keyChristian doctrines and the apparent motivations for variousstatements and stories in the New Testament. This research cancertainly be found elsewhere, but the author presents it in a waythat's particularly understandable and relevant to those with a Jewishbackground. He has an agenda, however: he emphasizes the influences ofGreek philosophy on Christianity to the point of minimizing its Jewishroots.