Scholar Who Made Jesus 'Middle Eastern' for Evangelicals Dies

Kenneth E. Bailey, the scholar who wrote about Jesus in his Middle Eastern cultural context, has died, Christianity Today reports.

Bailey's books included "Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes" and "Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes."

Wheaton College New Testament professor Gary Burge called Bailey the "premier cultural interpreter of the life of Jesus."

Bailey lived in Egypt as child and studied and taught in Egypt, Cyprus, Israel and Lebanon.

"He told the parables of Jesus to peasants from Morocco to Pakistan, and their insight helped him (and so us) gain new understanding that would be available no other way," wrote his InterVarsity Press editor Andy Le Peau. "Being fluent in many ancient languages also gave him a remarkable perspective on the New Testament that few others could match."

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