“The Jewishness of Jesus in the ‘Third Quest’”, Jesus, Mark and Q: The Teaching of Jesus and its Earliest Records (eds. Michael Labahn & Andrea Schmidt; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001), pp. 143–162.
– Researches the characterization of Jesus as a Jew and Jewish in current scholarship. Concludes that “Jewishness” can mean almost anything and has ceased to be a constructive concept in this respect. To amend the situation, one should put effort into analysis of different ways to define “Judaism”.
“A Theologically Disinterested Quest? On the Origins of the ‘Third Quest’ for the Historical Jesus”, Studia Theologica 55 (2001), pp. 1–23.
– Resent research claims to approach Jesus out of historical interest alone and, in particular, to put aside theological motivations. The article shows that the claim is not new at all and that it is not more true now than it was earlier. As a matter of fact, part of the current enthusiasm for the historical Jesus may be due to theological interests. The article argues for a constructive understanding of “theology”.
“Historian Jeesus ja meidän maailmamme”, Tiede ja maailmantulkinta: Kaksitoista selvitettyä tapausta (eds. Tom Holmén & Iiro Vilja; Helsinki: Art House, 2006), pp. 60–102. [in Finnish; lit. “The Historial Jesus and Our World”.]
– Analyses how changes in worldview and in the philosophy of science have affected the study of the historical Jesus.
“Johdanto”, Juutalainen Jeesus (eds. T. Holmén & V. Ollilainen; Åbo: Åbo Akademi Press, 2011), pp. 9–28. [in Finnish; lit. “Introduction”; Together with V. Ollilainen.]
– Discusses different perspectives to Jesus, including a postmodern angle, and how they relate to the historical perspective. Exemplifies even differences between historical approaches.
“Kuinka juutalainen Jeesus oli? Pohdinnan ongelmia”, (eds. T. Holmén & V. Ollilainen; Åbo: Åbo Akademi Press, 2011), pp. 93–111. [in Finnish; lit. “How Jewish Was Jesus? Problems of Reasoning”.]
– Updates the article “The Jewishness of Jesus in the ‘Third Quest’”. Advances some further viewpoints about how to define Judaism, including the use of Galilee in defining, in particular, Jesus’ Judaism.
“Ratzingerin Jeesus I–II Jeesus-tutkimuksen kontekstissa”, Euangelium benedictum – Siunattu evankeliumi: Luterilaisuus ja katolisuus Jeesuksen sanoman jäljillä (Ed. Timo Junkkaala; Kauniainen: Perussanoma, 2013), pp. 22–59. [in Finnish; lit. “Ratzinger’s Jesus I–II in the Context of Jesus Research”.]
– Ponders the question of how to combine scholarly analysis with spiritual and religiously theological insights.
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