Product Description

What if we could step back into the first-century world of Jesus and walk on a dusty road with him as one of his first Jewish disciples? Here we examine Jesus’ lifestyle as a first-century Jewish rabbi and look at how his words would have been understood within the larger framework of first-century Judaism. His words will grow in clarity and depth when seen in the light of their original setting.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31198 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Review
... book displays many of the brilliant Hebraic gems the author has mined that help illuminate the pages of the Gospels. -- Dr. Marvin Wilson, Author, Our Father Abraham

... book displays many of the brilliant Hebraic gems the author has mined that help illuminate the pages of the Gospels. --Dr. Marvin Wilson, Author, Our Father Abraham

... will increase your love and respect for Jesus, and summon your heart to walk after him in paths of discipleship. -- Dwight A. Pryor, President, JC Studies Center

... will increase your love and respect for Jesus, and summon your heart to walk after him in paths of discipleship. --Dwight A. Pryor, President, JC Studies Center

From the Publisher
Many readers of Bivin's popular first book, "Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus" have waited expectantly for years for more from this author. They will not be disappointed - this carefully researched book gives readers a many insights on Jesus' Jewishness that cast light on his career and ministry. While very readable for the layperson, the book includes scholarly discussion and sources in chapter endnotes for higher level study.

Though the title sounds similar to Bivin's book from twenty years ago, it is actually very different in content, focusing on Jesus as a Jewish Rabbi rather than on language issues. Readers will also find that years of scholarship have matured Bivin's research and refined his conclusions.

From the Inside Flap
What if we could step back into the first-century world of Jesus and walk on a dusty road with him as one of his first Jewish disciples? What if we heard his teachings in the context of the rabbinic conversations that surrounded him?

Here we examine Jesus’ lifestyle as a first-century Jewish rabbi and look at how his words would have been understood within the larger framework of first-century Judaism. His words will grow in clarity and depth when seen in the light of their original setting.

Customer Reviews

Solid sruvey that illuminates some of Jesus's more "confusing" comments
This is one of those books you wish you had read a long time ago. David Bivin does an excellent job of "taking you there," back to the time of what it would be like to hear the words of Yeshua (Jesus) back in the second temple period. Bivin makes frequent use of rabbinical sources to help explain some of the more challenging aspects of the life of Yeshua. Although the text is nothing new per se, it draws from a vast pool of knowledge of great scholars such as David Flusser and Brad Young who make extensive use of ancient Jewish writings to shed light and provide context to the New Testament. For anyone not familiar with Jewish sources, Bivin is not suggesting that the Talmud is inspired as the Scripture, but that it contains important clues and commentary that shows that Yeshua was vary familiar with these texts. Many of Yeshua's words parallel those in the Talmud, as Bivin shows.

Bivin does a good job of explaining Jewish customs that affect our understanding of Yeshua. The opening chapters on discipleship, the life of a rabbi, and taking on a teacher's "yoke" are required reading for anyone who seeks a solid historical analysis of the background to the gospels. The section on the prayers of Yeshua is also very critical, but too short; you will definitely want to research this further after reading it. And the analysis on the famous Acts 15 passage is also quite insightful (although again not necessarily new, but quite clear and concise).

In all each section is pretty brief, easy to read, and answers a basic question such as "Why didn't Yeshua marry," or addresses a confusing point such as "Miracle on the Sea of Galilee." In fact, each chapter is basically a summary of articles that you can find on his website, entitled "Jerusalem Perspective."

David Bivin previously wrote a book, "Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus." Although I kind of liked that book, I was very disappointed with it because Bivin didn't make the case for the Hebrew gospels (i.e., written in Hebrew) that well and the use of Jewish idioms didn't really help explain some of Jesus's difficult words. The selected verses weren't that impressive. This time around however, Bivin's choice of difficult words was impressive. This time he really picked some tough ones (such as divorce, pacifism, the rich young ruler) that often frustrate Christian commentators. Although he doesn't advance the case for the Hebrew gospels per se, you will feel that at the very least the gospel writers thought in Hebrew because so many things fit well when viewed Hebraically.

In all, this is a very useful book that I think Messianic believers will find fruitful. It would be helpful for those new to the Jewish background of the gospels. For those who have been around, I think you might find some of the references and the arguments pretty helpful, even if you already agree with the positions. Assuredly a great read for anyone who seeks better background knowledge to the gospels, and ultimately to get to know their Messiah a little better.

Jewish Background Helps Open Up the Gospels
The volume is subtitled, "Insights from His [Jesus] Jewish Context," and it lives up to its subtitle. Plenty of stimulating insights here.
David Bevin has collected and revised 22 articles he wrote for a "Jewish Roots" journal, The Jerusalem Perspective, and compiled them into a most interesting book.

The book is subdivided into four main heading, the first of which is "A Jewish Rabbi Name Jesus." This section includes articles about Jesus' formal education, the common practice of discipleship in first century Judaism, and the accuracy of Oral Tradition.

The second section is titled, "Jesus' First Century Jewish Context" and includes information about hems, tassels, Jewish prayers, and examples of rabbis who remained single until later in life.

The third section is titled, "New Light on Jesus' Teachings" and address Jesus' view of riches, pacifism, and divorce.

The fourth section is titled, "The Kingdom is Here" and addresses Jesus as the Messiah-Prophet, the requirements for gentile believers (Acts 15), and Paul's Olive Tree Analogy.

The positives of this book far outweigh the negatives. Just reading relevant portions from the Talmud, for example, amplifies many Biblical passages. The information about discipleship was especially enlightening. I never realized that there were several hundred other rabbis roaming throughout Israel with bands of disciples during the time of Christ. The Talmudic ruling that a man who was going to follow a rabbi for more than 30 days needed permission from his wife evidences how common discipleship was during that era.

The author frequently suggests that while many of Jesus' practices were main stream for that time, others - such as claiming to be Messiah and working miracle after miracle - were not!

The chapter about why Jesus did not get married is particularly relevant in the light of the popularity of the fictional "Da Vinci Code." The examples of famous rabbis who married later in life are helpful (even if a footnote suggests some assume Jesus was married because of the Bible's silence; such a viewpoint ignores the issue of offspring fathered by a man without a sin nature).

I do have some reservations with this material, however. Whereas many Christians have divorced Jesus from His Jewish context and present all of Jesus' teachings as original, this book (and some others) present too many of Jesus' teaching as not original at all. If one is determined to align all but a few of Jesus' teachings with those of the rabbis, an artificial template inhibits the true interpretation of Jesus' words. You make it fit because you think it is supposed to fit -- whether it really fits or not. The author also does not seem to give much creedance to the Gospel of John (as though it has no bearing on the synoptics).

Another example of where I disagree includes the author's belief that Jesus viewed the "heavy" and "light" commandments as bearing equal weight. Then what about Jesus' criticism toward those who strained at gnats and swallowed camels? If camels and gnats are the same thing, how is this possible? Or specks and logs?

The same might be said for Jesus' view toward the Oral Torah (rabbinic traditions). Although He did frequently follow much of the Oral Torah, He spoke against being obsessed with the traditions of men in contrast to the Word of God (and by the "Word of God" He meant the written Word, which He often quoted as such).

Although I do admit it is hermeneutically helpful to try to back-translate Jesus' words from Greek to Hebrew, those of us who believe in both inspiration and inerrancy might have trouble with some of the author's views regarding the composition of the Gospels. The author does not hold a low view of Scripture, just not as high a view as we who espouse verbal, plenary inspiration and inerrancy.

This is a short but worthwhile read. Most of the chapters run only 4 or 5 pages of text plus heavy (but sometimes interesting)footnotes. Because the information is so illuminating, 4 or 5 pages a chapter is satisfying.

This book contains a wealth of gems, despite a few stones among the jewels. With those cautions, I highly recommend this work to anyone who wants to seriously and diligently study the words and works of Jesus Christ. Great for pastors, professors, Bible teachers, but only selected laymen (at least for we who are conservative evangelicals or fundamentalists). The source materials here are especially helpful even if readers draw different conclusions than Bivin does. This is the sort of material I LOVE!

genuinely helpful
I would like to affirm the other review here, and add just a couple thoughts of my own. Many writers take scripture as it speaks to them and offer very compelling and helpful applications for Christian thought and life. But often those insights are drawn from the writers own experience and personality as they engage and apply the straightforward teaching of scripture. David Bivin offers more than speculation/interpretation about the familiar text (our preferred translation) in his writing. He opens the reader to the world of the translation itself. His teaching about the person of Jesus Christ, his mode of teaching, the meaning of his words, are drawn from a great depth of understanding of Jesus' time, culture, place, language, and audience. A number of passages that might have been meaningless or seemingly opaque are illuminated.