Hello! I posted this on r/books but they suggested you guys. I’m in between reading and I’d like a very historical and scientific account of the life of Jesus. I want something that basically the most widely accepted piece of literature on the subject in the Historical and Scientific community. I’m ok with tough reads in fact I prefer having to investigate references..that’s a sign of diligence and transparency with works of literature like this IMO.
You would probably enjoy Did Jesus Exist? by Bart D. Ehrman.
Ehrman is a well regarded main stream expert in academic Biblical studies. He writes well and alternates between publishing articles in academic journals and publishing popular books. He has written and edited 30 books, including three college textbooks. He also authored six New York Times bestsellers. He is currently the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Bart Ehrman had a Christian religious conversion experience while in high school. He attended a bible college after high school then went on to University to study Christianity academically. Along the way he lost his faith because he could not square the existence of a loving God with the existence of pain in the world. He describes himself as "an agnostic with strong leanings towards atheism" but most of his family, friends and colleagues are Christian.
Modern writing on this subject began with The Quest of the Historical Jesus by Albert Schweiker in 1906. Most books about the historical Jesus usually end up concluding that (surprise!) the historical Jesus matches each author's preconception of who Jesus was.