““Reading the Gospels is written in clear and engaging prose. The preliminary discussion of method, historical background, the historical Jesus, and the formation of the Gospel tradition are clear and concise and open up access to the Gospels. “The overall tone of the work is inviting. It does not talk down to students or make biblical study seem like an arcane province of specialists, but invites readers into the activity of reading and thinking about the Gospels in conversation with others. The text articulates a Christian and Catholic understanding of the Gospels in ways that allow both Christians and non-Christians to participate in the conversation.””

“McMahon’’s explanation of the origins of the historical-critical method and the ways that contemporary scholars use it in their work with the Gospels is clear and concise. Similarly, his treatment of the historical Jesus gives students a connection to the world in which Jesus and the evangelists lived so that they can understand the text as it is written and interpret it for our own times. An abundance of sidebars and summary boxes provide students with essential tools for their study without cluttering the main text. Reading the Gospels is an excellent introduction to the study of the Gospels for undergraduate students.”

“Here is an excellent and thorough introduction to the four Gospels that Catholic professors teaching at the college and seminary level should consider. McMahon, professor of theology at Saint Vincent College, writes from an explicitly Catholic perspective. He begins with an insightful discussion of what the “historical-critical” method is and how it has developed in a Catholic context. Subsequent chapters take up the historical background of the New Testament, the quest for the historical Jesus, and the formation of the gospel tradition. He then turns to a detailed analysis of the context, structure, and theological perspective of each Gospel. This is a first-rate, lucid textbook.”