Who is the “Kosher Jesus”? How the Criteria of Historical Jesus Research Can Tell Us Who Jesus Wasn’t
Recently, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, perhaps the most famous rabbi in America, authored a controversial book by the name of “Kosher Jesus.” Like his “Kosher Sex,” the title was intentionally provocative. “Kosher Jesus?” How could Jesus be Kosher? To be kosher, Jesus would have to have been Jewish, in every sense that the word implies. That means that Jesus was not simply a “Judean,” nor was he simply of Jewish parentage, but – this title asserts – he lived and died a practicing Jew.
To those who are unfamiliar with the field of research termed “The Quest for the Historical Jesus,” and lately simply, “Jesus Research,” or “Historical Jesus Research,” this assertion might sound fairly preposterous. The image of Jesus depicted in traditional Christianity is anything but kosher. A common Orthodox response to Rabbi Boteach’s book has been simply “there’s nothing kosher about treifah.” To be sure, the Traditionalist, Christian literary character of Jesus is treif, and indeed, even anti-Jewish. This literary character of Jesus, in the Gospel narratives, has in fact been responsible for untold amounts of anti-Semitism, and quite a bit that has been told as well. Everyone from Mel Gibson, to Adolf Hitler, to Martin Luther has rooted their Jew-hatred in words attributed to the character of “Jesus Christ.”
Rabbi Boteach too acknowledges that he was raised in an Orthodox community where there was no differentiation between the historical Jesus and the literary character, in whose name so many pogroms and even the Holocaust, were committed. Boteach explains that he was later inspired by the work of Hyam Maccoby (1924–2004) to investigate a more-probable Jesus than the character which appears in the amalgamated image of the Gospel accounts. Because his critics are largely unfamiliar with Maccoby’s research, and also because this research is not always the most exemplary presentation of impartial Historical “Jesus Research,” Rabbi Boteach’s work seems, to his critics, to be nothing more than randomly “picking and choosing” of what one wants to believe from the Gospel narratives, as radio talk-show host Tovia Singer argued, in debating Rabbi Boteach.
The reality is that Historical Jesus Research is based on very clearly articulated historical-critical methodologies that are a far cry from “picking and choosing.” Because neither Rabbi Boteach’s book, nor the works of Hyam Maccoby are the best representation of what Historical Jesus Research is, and how it can lead to the conclusion that the historical Jesus was, in fact, a kosher Jesus, this study presents the methodologies and the research from scratch, for the reader of Rabbi Boteach’s work – fans and critics alike – to gain a better understanding of why this is not simply a matter of “picking and choosing” which attributions of Jesus to believe, but a matter of historiographical methodological process; one which while Boteach does not articulate, he does seem to have an intuitive grasp of.
This work will explain that methodology of Historical Jesus Research. It will outline the history of “Quest” periods in this scholarly endeavor, and how the criteria used in this field evolved over the past few centuries. It will then compare and contrast various Gospel accounts to demonstrate the unique hand of each Gospel author in crafting an unhistorical Jesus, in their own images. It will finally, having demonstrated narrative interpolation, give some examples of historically-probable Jewish-Jesus material, which was so well-known that the Gospel narrators could not disown such accounts, and thus recorded these passages, in spite of their conflict with the over-all image of Jesus, which they wished to present.
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To those who are unfamiliar with the field of research termed “The Quest for the Historical Jesus,” and lately simply, “Jesus Research,” or “Historical Jesus Research,” this assertion might sound fairly preposterous. The image of Jesus depicted in traditional Christianity is anything but kosher. A common Orthodox response to Rabbi Boteach’s book has been simply “there’s nothing kosher about treifah.” To be sure, the Traditionalist, Christian literary character of Jesus is treif, and indeed, even anti-Jewish. This literary character of Jesus, in the Gospel narratives, has in fact been responsible for untold amounts of anti-Semitism, and quite a bit that has been told as well. Everyone from Mel Gibson, to Adolf Hitler, to Martin Luther has rooted their Jew-hatred in words attributed to the character of “Jesus Christ.”
Rabbi Boteach too acknowledges that he was raised in an Orthodox community where there was no differentiation between the historical Jesus and the literary character, in whose name so many pogroms and even the Holocaust, were committed. Boteach explains that he was later inspired by the work of Hyam Maccoby (1924–2004) to investigate a more-probable Jesus than the character which appears in the amalgamated image of the Gospel accounts. Because his critics are largely unfamiliar with Maccoby’s research, and also because this research is not always the most exemplary presentation of impartial Historical “Jesus Research,” Rabbi Boteach’s work seems, to his critics, to be nothing more than randomly “picking and choosing” of what one wants to believe from the Gospel narratives, as radio talk-show host Tovia Singer argued, in debating Rabbi Boteach.
The reality is that Historical Jesus Research is based on very clearly articulated historical-critical methodologies that are a far cry from “picking and choosing.” Because neither Rabbi Boteach’s book, nor the works of Hyam Maccoby are the best representation of what Historical Jesus Research is, and how it can lead to the conclusion that the historical Jesus was, in fact, a kosher Jesus, this study presents the methodologies and the research from scratch, for the reader of Rabbi Boteach’s work – fans and critics alike – to gain a better understanding of why this is not simply a matter of “picking and choosing” which attributions of Jesus to believe, but a matter of historiographical methodological process; one which while Boteach does not articulate, he does seem to have an intuitive grasp of.
This work will explain that methodology of Historical Jesus Research. It will outline the history of “Quest” periods in this scholarly endeavor, and how the criteria used in this field evolved over the past few centuries. It will then compare and contrast various Gospel accounts to demonstrate the unique hand of each Gospel author in crafting an unhistorical Jesus, in their own images. It will finally, having demonstrated narrative interpolation, give some examples of historically-probable Jewish-Jesus material, which was so well-known that the Gospel narrators could not disown such accounts, and thus recorded these passages, in spite of their conflict with the over-all image of Jesus, which they wished to present.
Who is the “Kosher Jesus”? How the Criteria of Historical Jesus Research Can Tell Us Who Jesus Wasn’t
Recently, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, perhaps the most famous rabbi in America, authored a controversial book by the name of “Kosher Jesus.” Like his “Kosher Sex,” the title was intentionally provocative. “Kosher Jesus?” How could Jesus be Kosher? To be kosher, Jesus would have to have been Jewish, in every sense that the word implies. That means that Jesus was not simply a “Judean,” nor was he simply of Jewish parentage, but – this title asserts – he lived and died a practicing Jew.
To those who are unfamiliar with the field of research termed “The Quest for the Historical Jesus,” and lately simply, “Jesus Research,” or “Historical Jesus Research,” this assertion might sound fairly preposterous. The image of Jesus depicted in traditional Christianity is anything but kosher. A common Orthodox response to Rabbi Boteach’s book has been simply “there’s nothing kosher about treifah.” To be sure, the Traditionalist, Christian literary character of Jesus is treif, and indeed, even anti-Jewish. This literary character of Jesus, in the Gospel narratives, has in fact been responsible for untold amounts of anti-Semitism, and quite a bit that has been told as well. Everyone from Mel Gibson, to Adolf Hitler, to Martin Luther has rooted their Jew-hatred in words attributed to the character of “Jesus Christ.”
Rabbi Boteach too acknowledges that he was raised in an Orthodox community where there was no differentiation between the historical Jesus and the literary character, in whose name so many pogroms and even the Holocaust, were committed. Boteach explains that he was later inspired by the work of Hyam Maccoby (1924–2004) to investigate a more-probable Jesus than the character which appears in the amalgamated image of the Gospel accounts. Because his critics are largely unfamiliar with Maccoby’s research, and also because this research is not always the most exemplary presentation of impartial Historical “Jesus Research,” Rabbi Boteach’s work seems, to his critics, to be nothing more than randomly “picking and choosing” of what one wants to believe from the Gospel narratives, as radio talk-show host Tovia Singer argued, in debating Rabbi Boteach.
The reality is that Historical Jesus Research is based on very clearly articulated historical-critical methodologies that are a far cry from “picking and choosing.” Because neither Rabbi Boteach’s book, nor the works of Hyam Maccoby are the best representation of what Historical Jesus Research is, and how it can lead to the conclusion that the historical Jesus was, in fact, a kosher Jesus, this study presents the methodologies and the research from scratch, for the reader of Rabbi Boteach’s work – fans and critics alike – to gain a better understanding of why this is not simply a matter of “picking and choosing” which attributions of Jesus to believe, but a matter of historiographical methodological process; one which while Boteach does not articulate, he does seem to have an intuitive grasp of.
This work will explain that methodology of Historical Jesus Research. It will outline the history of “Quest” periods in this scholarly endeavor, and how the criteria used in this field evolved over the past few centuries. It will then compare and contrast various Gospel accounts to demonstrate the unique hand of each Gospel author in crafting an unhistorical Jesus, in their own images. It will finally, having demonstrated narrative interpolation, give some examples of historically-probable Jewish-Jesus material, which was so well-known that the Gospel narrators could not disown such accounts, and thus recorded these passages, in spite of their conflict with the over-all image of Jesus, which they wished to present.
To those who are unfamiliar with the field of research termed “The Quest for the Historical Jesus,” and lately simply, “Jesus Research,” or “Historical Jesus Research,” this assertion might sound fairly preposterous. The image of Jesus depicted in traditional Christianity is anything but kosher. A common Orthodox response to Rabbi Boteach’s book has been simply “there’s nothing kosher about treifah.” To be sure, the Traditionalist, Christian literary character of Jesus is treif, and indeed, even anti-Jewish. This literary character of Jesus, in the Gospel narratives, has in fact been responsible for untold amounts of anti-Semitism, and quite a bit that has been told as well. Everyone from Mel Gibson, to Adolf Hitler, to Martin Luther has rooted their Jew-hatred in words attributed to the character of “Jesus Christ.”
Rabbi Boteach too acknowledges that he was raised in an Orthodox community where there was no differentiation between the historical Jesus and the literary character, in whose name so many pogroms and even the Holocaust, were committed. Boteach explains that he was later inspired by the work of Hyam Maccoby (1924–2004) to investigate a more-probable Jesus than the character which appears in the amalgamated image of the Gospel accounts. Because his critics are largely unfamiliar with Maccoby’s research, and also because this research is not always the most exemplary presentation of impartial Historical “Jesus Research,” Rabbi Boteach’s work seems, to his critics, to be nothing more than randomly “picking and choosing” of what one wants to believe from the Gospel narratives, as radio talk-show host Tovia Singer argued, in debating Rabbi Boteach.
The reality is that Historical Jesus Research is based on very clearly articulated historical-critical methodologies that are a far cry from “picking and choosing.” Because neither Rabbi Boteach’s book, nor the works of Hyam Maccoby are the best representation of what Historical Jesus Research is, and how it can lead to the conclusion that the historical Jesus was, in fact, a kosher Jesus, this study presents the methodologies and the research from scratch, for the reader of Rabbi Boteach’s work – fans and critics alike – to gain a better understanding of why this is not simply a matter of “picking and choosing” which attributions of Jesus to believe, but a matter of historiographical methodological process; one which while Boteach does not articulate, he does seem to have an intuitive grasp of.
This work will explain that methodology of Historical Jesus Research. It will outline the history of “Quest” periods in this scholarly endeavor, and how the criteria used in this field evolved over the past few centuries. It will then compare and contrast various Gospel accounts to demonstrate the unique hand of each Gospel author in crafting an unhistorical Jesus, in their own images. It will finally, having demonstrated narrative interpolation, give some examples of historically-probable Jewish-Jesus material, which was so well-known that the Gospel narrators could not disown such accounts, and thus recorded these passages, in spite of their conflict with the over-all image of Jesus, which they wished to present.
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Who is the “Kosher Jesus”? How the Criteria of Historical Jesus Research Can Tell Us Who Jesus Wasn’t
Who is the “Kosher Jesus”? How the Criteria of Historical Jesus Research Can Tell Us Who Jesus Wasn’t
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Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940013935914 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | New Dawn Publications |
| Publication date: | 03/06/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 67 KB |
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