Why did the Jews reject Jesus? Was he really the son of God? Were
the Jews culpable in his death? These ancient questions have been
debated for almost two thousand years, most recently with the
release of Mel Gibson's explosive "The Passion of the Christ." The
controversy was never merely academic. The legal status and
security of Jews--often their very lives--depended on the answer.
In WHY THE JEWS REJECTED JESUS, David Klinghoffer reveals that the
Jews since ancient times accepted not only the historical existence
of Jesus but the role of certain Jews in bringing about his
crucifixion and death. But he also argues that they had every
reason to be skeptical of claims for his divinity.
For one thing, Palestine under Roman occupation had numerous
charismatic would-be messiahs, so Jesus would not have been unique,
nor was his following the largest of its kind. For another, the
biblical prophecies about the coming of the Messiah were never
fulfilled by Jesus, including an ingathering of exiles, the rise of
a Davidic king who would defeat Israel's enemies, the building of a
new Temple, and recognition of God by the gentiles. Above all, the
Jews understood their biblically commanded way of life, from which
Jesus's followers sought to "free" them, as precious, immutable,
and eternal.
Jews have long been blamed for Jesus's death and stigmatized for
rejecting him. But Jesus lived and died a relatively obscure figure
at the margins of Jewish society. Indeed, it is difficult to argue
that "the Jews" of his day rejected Jesus at all, since most Jews
had never heard of him. The figure they really rejected, often
violently, was Paul, who convinced the Jerusalem church led by
Jesus's brother to jettison the observance of Jewish law. Paul thus
founded a new religion. If not for him, Christianity would likely
have remained a Jewish movement, and the course of history itself
would have been changed. Had the Jews accepted Jesus, Klinghoffer
speculates, Christianity would not have conquered Europe, and there
would be no Western civilization as we know it.
WHY THE JEWS REJECTED JESUS tells the story of this long,
acrimonious, and occasionally deadly debate between Christians and
Jews. It is thoroughly engaging, lucidly written, and in many ways
highly original. Though written from a Jewish point of view, it is
also profoundly respectful of Christian sensibilities. Coming at a
time when Christians and Jews are in some ways moving closer than
ever before, this thoughtful and provocative book represents a
genuine effort to heal the ancient rift between these two great
faith traditions.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
