Rabbi Talks with Jesus

Jacob Neusner

Feb 2000 · McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP

About this ebook

Placing himself within the context of the Gospel of Matthew, Neusner imagines himself in a dialogue with Jesus of Nazareth and pays him the supreme Judaic gesture of respect: making a connection with him through an honest debate about the nature of God's One Truth. Neusner explains why the Sermon on the Mount would not have convinced him to follow Jesus and why, by the criterion of the Torah of Moses, he would have continued to follow the teachings of Moses. He explores the reasons Christians believe in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven, while Jews continue to believe in the Torah of Moses and a kingdom of priests and holy people on earth. This revised and expanded edition, with a foreword by Donald Akenson, creates a thoughtful and accessible context for discussion of the most fundamental question of why Christians and Jews believe what they believe.

Ratings and reviews

While I appreciate the interactions with the gospel account, the author often slides into discussions of a characterization of Jesus. I also appreciate the warm and friendly approach of the author, but it softens the disagreement to miss the sharp warning that the gospel bears. The impression at the end is that the rabbi and Jesus are equals and are happy to co-exist but disagree, but Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) The author interacts with the torah teachings (which I appreciate), but misses the gospel (which is the point of Jesus's teaching). To such rabbis Jesus says, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. ... For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” (John 5:39-47)

About the author

Jacob Neusner is Distinguished Service Professor of the History and Theology of Judaism and Senior Fellow, Institute of Advanced Theology, Bard College.