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{en} Shmuley Boteach. Kosher Jesus. New York: Gefen Publishing House, 2012.

Abstract

Kosher Jesus (2012) is a book by the Orthodox Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, focusing on the relationship between Christianity and Judaism. The book examines the rabbinic origins of the teachings of Jesus within the context of Second Temple Judaism in the 1st century and the New Testament, and compares scholarly views on the historical figure of Jesus with the theological ideals expressed by the Jewish writers of early rabbinic literature. The book argues that Jesus was a wise and learned Torah-observant Jewish rabbi. It says he was a beloved member of the Jewish community. At the same time, Jesus is said to have despised the Romans for their cruelty, and fought them courageously. The book states that the Jews had nothing whatsoever to do with the murder of Jesus, but rather that blame for his trial and killing lies with the Romans and Pontius Pilate. Boteach states clearly that he does not believe in Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. At the same time, Boteach argues that "Jews have much to learn from Jesus - and from Christianity as a whole - without accepting Jesus' divinity. There are many reasons for accepting Jesus as a man of great wisdom, beautiful ethical teachings, and profound Jewish patriotism."[1] He concludes by writing, as to Judeo-Christian values, that "the hyphen between Jewish and Christian values is Jesus himself.

"Jesus of Nazareth is the most famous Jew who ever lived, yet remains profoundly alienated from his own people. At best he is viewed as the founder of a new religion which for millennia was hostile to Judaism. At worst he is seen as the source of world anti-Semitism, with the charge that the Jews were responsible for his death being the impetus for the murder of countless Jews throughout the ages. But the historical Jesus is also foreign to most Christians who are oblivious to the life he lived as a Jew, his real mission in ancient Judea, the source of most of his celebrated teachings, and his firm attachment to his people. Shmuley Boteach offers us a view of Jesus, based on Jewish and Christian sources, that will serve as a bridge between two faith communities."--

Contents

Introduction -- Part I. The Rabbi: The rabbi and the stranger; Romans and Jews; The Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the zealots; Jesus the Rabbi; Jewish law; Miracles; Jesus the healer; Jesus never claimed to be divine; The fantasy of the evil Jews -- Part II. The Death of Jesus: The crucifixion; Did Judas really exist?; Brutal Pilate; Barabbas; A political death and the trial of Jesus; Jesus' crimes; Paul the Pharisee?; Paul and the original apostles; Placating Rome -- Part III. What Christians Have to Learn from the Jewish Jesus: Jesus, lover of Israel; Jesus against evil; Tinkering with the divine -- Part IV. Why the Jews Cannot Accept Jesus: The world's most successful idea; Why Jews cannot believe in the divinity and Messiahship of Jesus; Divinity; Judaism and paganism; Virgin birth; Splitting up divinity; Original sin; Salvation and repentance; A Davidic Messiah?; Jesus and the Messianic prophecies; An eternal covenant; Evangelist methods; This world and the next; Diversity and uniformity; Embracing Jesus as a Jew -- Part V. Restoring Judeo-Christian Values: What we can all learn from Jesus; Jesus as a bridge between religions; Jesus and American values; The hyphen that unites us -- Appendix: Jewish sources on the death of Jesus.

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