This is one of the most important books produced in this century by an English scholar Dr Richardson's book is short, but almost every other sentence requires to be underlined. It is sifted knowledge, succinctly expressed, and though closely packed, it is always lucid' (The Guardian). 'Dr Richardson has rendered an important service to the Christian Church by offering us this remarkably fresh, stimulating, and competent survey ... In addition to the working out of its main thesis, Dr Richardson's book contains full and valuable notes on many of the critical problems which have been hotly debated by New Testament scholarship' (Times Literary Supplement).