One
thing Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor and I learned from decades of studying our
Scriptures and the histories of Gentile Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism is
that they share one thing in common:
Jesus models that are
disconnected from the first century Jewish culture.
In
Christianity “the Jews” became the “bad guys,”
while in Rabbinic Judaism “Jesus” became “the bad
guy.” There was no place in Christianity for people that held Jewish
beliefs that didn’t agree with Gentile belief models of “the Christ,”
or in Rabbinic Judaism for people that “believed in Jesus.”
Even in the 1980s when I began writing about the Jewish Jesus, I received
letters from both groups that opposed the “Jewish Jesus” idea.
For
the last 1,500 years the choices have been “accept only Gentile versions of
Jesus” or “completely reject Jesus.” That polarization has not only
created a highly effective barrier that separated both groups – it made it
impossible to see the inclusive message that the Jewish Jesus actually taught.
The message Jesus
taught was inclusive enough
to include all nations,
not just Israel!
I
am going to approach this from the Gentile Christian side of the problem. For
the past thirty years I have dealt with issues related to Christianity, while
Jeffrey dealt with the Jewish side. The loss of Rabbi Leynor has created a
situation in which I will have to wait for someone from to Jewish side to come
forth and help handle that part of the conversation.
For
Christians the major challenge will be understanding that the Jewish Jesus was a
legal genius. He was not a poor unlearned peasant as Christian and Jewish
sources have taught. In my earlier email about “The Two Golden Rules,” I pointed out how
Jesus was actively engaged in legal arguments that were going on in the early
first century CE in Galilee and Judea. In a discussion about the commandment
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), a question
concerning the meaning of “as yourself” arose.
●
Hillel said it means, “What you hate, do not do to him.”
●
Jesus said it means, “Do unto him as you would have him do unto you.”
Be
sure to note that the interpretation Jesus gave did not conflict with Hillel’s
interpretation. Jesus completed it. Hillel told people “what
not to do.” Jesus told people “what to do.” There is no doubt that
situations like this led to the following teaching of Jesus. First, I will give
you the New King James Version’s translation (Matthew 5:17).
Think not that I am
come to destroy the law, or the prophets:
I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil.
That
translation is unrelated to what his Jewish audience heard.
Do not accuse me of
misinterpreting the Jewish Scriptures.
I have come to interpret
them correctly!
Jesus
made it very clear that he had joined the arguments (discussions) taking place
between the leading legal minds of the time. With those words Jesus destroyed a
foundational Gentile Christian belief – “We are not under the law!”
Any
Jewish person making that claim to the Jewish audiences Jesus addressed would
have been viewed as a complete idiot! But, the way Jesus structured his
arguments made it clear that all nations were important to God. I am going to
close with a quick introduction of two Hebrew word that Jesus, his Jewish audience,
and many Jews today are very familiar with – mitzvah
(singular) and mitzvot (plural).
An
act performed in agreement with God’s will is called a mitzvah.
Its definition cannot be accurately conveyed in any other language than Hebrew because
it combines so many different shades of meaning.[i]
●
The commandment.
●
The law.
●
The obligation to fulfill the law.
●
The act of fulfilling it.
I
will show you how the first two bullets above applied to my earlier email about
“The Two Golden Rules.”
●
The commandment was “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
●
The law was based on Hillel’s interpretation -- “What you hate, do
not do to him.”
During
the time of Jesus, the Great Sanhedrin met at a location close to the Temple.
Its members determined which interpretations of commandments become law. The Pharisees
were the majority, while Sadducees were the minority. Hillel was the nasi
(president) until 10 CE and the school of Hillel was a powerful group. Into
that environment, around 25 CE, Jesus became a voice in the discussions. He did
it in a very unique way, which I will discuss in the next email.
Jim Myers
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