One of the best known and most important references on the life of Christ ever written, Alfred Edersheim's The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah is a storehouse of information on the background of the New Testament. This classic work successfully portrays the streets, the marketplaces, the religious conflicts, the people, and the places of Jesus' earthly ministry.

Edersheim arranges Jesus' life in chronological order. I've slowly progressed through this entire book, and it has opened up the gospels and the life of Christ to me in a way that causes me to love Him even more.

This book is not for bedtime reading, but I would highly recommend it for anyone.