Listening to the Jewish Jesus: How a First-Century Rabbi Still Speaks to Us Today

Paul Luckraft's book explores the Hebraic nature of the teaching of Jesus and shows how a first-century rabbi spoke to other Jews of the time and in particular taught his disciples. What can we expect to find from such an exploration, and what can this mean for us today? Jesus used many Hebraic idioms, expressions commonly used in one language but which make less sense in another. Someone outside the culture or who is not a native speaker can easily be confused. A better grasp of such Hebraisms within the gospels will greatly improve our understanding of what Jesus is saying to us. In his teaching Jesus often hinted at the Jewish scriptures, employing the rabbinic technique of remez. These allusions to the Old Testament would be readily picked up by his listeners but we can miss them. We need to find these and unpack the depths of their meaning. Jesus' teaching also reflects aspects of first-century Judaism with which we are largely unfamiliar and need to appreciate more fully. One of these is the relationship between a rabbi and his disciples, a theme which occupies the first part of the book. This book will help those who teach the Bible as well as provide a companion for anyone wanting to read the gospels more accurately and follow Jesus more closely. Come and listen afresh to the Jewish Jesus.