Von Reimarus zu Wrede was the original title of Albert Schweitzer’s book in 1906. In the translation made by William Montgomery and published in 1910, the title was freely rendered as The Quest of the Historical Jesus, and thus an important phrase in New Testament scholarship arrived. The original title indicated the author’s desire to outline the development of thought on the Gospels since the work of H. S. Reimarus (1694-1768), published in 1778, which he saw as a first attempt to present Jesus as an historical person freed from all dogmatic preoccupations, to the work ofWilhelm Wrede (1859-1906) of 1901, which was concerned with the presentation of Jesus’ ideal, the Messiasgeheimnis as the principal theme of the Gospels, freed this time from all historical preoccupations. For Wrede the preaching of Jesus was far more central to the Gospel than any attempt to portray an historical person, and Schweitzer saw the development of this point of view as the beginning of a new era. This indeed it was, and Schweitzer’s own thought, epitomized in the brilliant title coined by his translator, suggested that the Quest had come to an end: Schweitzer’s quest was leading him to see the whole meaning of the Gospel in the eschatology of Christ’s message, that is, in his preaching to mankind of the coming end of all things, and the consequent need for mankind to prepare for a spiritual renewal. For Schweitzer, the Master’s preaching looked forward to a fulfilment that never came, but nevertheless the significance of his preaching for me and for every one of his followers makes it the greatest teaching ever given to mankind. Schweitzer presented Jesus as the great idealist and it is essential to see Schweitzer’s teaching on the background of his own personality, for his understanding of Christ’s message led his own generous spirit to throw up everything to become a medical missionary in Africa. For Wrede the whole secret of the Gospel lay in Jesus’ messianic ideal; for Schweitzer not only was this so, but the preaching of Jesus emerges as the dominant factor, with an effect on the lives of all Christians.