What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Jewishness of Jesus: A New Way of Seeing the Most Influential Rabbi in History

by Evan Moffic

What would happen if you were to stop on the street and ask ten people, "Who started Christianity?" You probably hear people give you the same quick Jesus.  But those ten people would be wrong.

Jesus wasn't a Christian. Jesus lived and died as a Jew. Understanding the Jewishness of Jesus is the secret to knowing him better and understanding his message in the twenty-first century.

Walking through Jesus' life from birth to death, Rabbi Evan Moffic serves as a tour guide to give Christians a new way to look at familiar teachings and practices that are rooted in the Jewish faith and can illuminate our lives today. Among the critically acclaimed highlights of this book, Rabbi Moffic

* Gives fresh insight on how Jesus' contemporaries understood him

* Explores how Jesus' Jewishness shaped him

* Offers a compelling new perspective on the Lord's Prayer that will forever change the way you experience these powerful words

* Provides renewed appreciation for Jesus' miracles.

In encountering Rabbi Jesus and understanding his Jewish heritage, you will see Jesus differently, gain a better understanding of his message, and enrich your own faith. Victor Hugo once said "All the forces in the world are not as powerful as an idea whose time has come." Seeing Jesus as a Jew is an idea whose time has come. Get your copy now, and see how Rabbi Moffic weaves together theology, history, Jewish practices and customs to bring us closer to our God.  

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Religion, Christianity, Faith, Theology, Jewish

224 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2016

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looks at Rabbinic Judaism and Jewish legends to better understand Jesus' teachings in their Jewish context. The author compared and contrasted Jesus' teachings and teaching methods to other rabbis of that time period. He also covered topics like rabbis, discipleship, circumcision, Jewish ritual immersion, bat kol (divine voice), fasting, the Shema, the Lord's Prayer, and how 1st century Jews viewed miracles, resurrection, and the messiah. He also drew parallels between Jesus' life and Old Testament events involving Joseph, Moses, and others.

The author is a Reform Judaism rabbi who has clearly spent a lot of time talking with Christians. I appreciate his efforts to educate Christians (and Jews), and he was respectful about Christian beliefs. While he brought insights into things of Jewish significance, he understandably (due to the variation in beliefs among Christians) didn't always understand my Christian viewpoint on things.

I've read some excellent books by Christian authors that cover the same topics and provide deeper insights for Christian faith, so I'd probably recommend them before this one. But this book did provide some good information and was interesting.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Teri-K · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Christian I'm very interested in learning more about Jesus' life and the times He lived in, so I was very excited to read this book. However, I'm finding it very difficult to review and I'm unsure about how I feel about it now that I've finished it.

Let me start with what I feel was the weakness. The author has to be thanked for attempting to write this, and he clearly has a mind and heart open to teaching and sharing with people of all types. However he seems unwilling to draw conclusions. The writing is so filled with examples and exceptions that I ended up many times asking myself what the point of a particular section was. I read this book expecting to come away with some new information or deeper insights. Instead I felt I'd been given a very general walk through of Jesus' life and times.

This book could be informally drawn into two halves, with the first covering Jesus' birth through His calling the disciples. I thought it got better once it left His direct life and began looking at topics like the sweetness of God's Word, the Shema and Lord's Prayers, and Jesus' last words. The final chapter, where he looks at five different Jewish attitudes toward Jesus, was also quite good.

This book would be best for those who are new to looking at the life of Jesus, though there is some good information, especially in the latter part, that might be of interest to any Christian.

I received a copy of this book free in return for an honest review.

[Kara Mayfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually abandoned it halfway thru because how can someone “know” so much about Jesus but not believe in him? Plus it was just all over the place in the writing style.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and learned so very much from Rabbi Moffic. I paid special attention to Chapters 8 and 9 in which he breaks down the Shema and the Lord’s Prayer. Rabbi Moffic taught me the roots of the Shema and opened my eyes to aspects of the Lord’s Prayer I had never thought of, in particular the Jewish roots of just about every praise and petition in this beautiful prayer. So many times, I pray “Our Father” but had not really examined what each phrase and sentence meant, why Jesus taught us to pray this way.

I had never noticed the repetition present in the line “Give us this day our daily bread”, but Rabbi Moffic pointed out several good reasons for this repetition. Like the fact that it echoes a double portion of manna God provided on the sixth day for the Israelites because none was provided or to be gathered on the Sabbath. Like the echoes of Exodus 16 in which God provides enough manna for everyone so there is no need to worry or to hoard. I loved how the rabbi sums up The Lord’s Prayer: Gratitude is its lesson; faith if what it engenders and, ‘what began in the Sinai wildnerness finds its way into the Lord’s Prayer.’

Regarding the Shema: this is a most beautiful prayer prayed three times a day.

Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your strength.

This prayer is from Deuteronomy 6:5. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy more than any other books of Moses.

Rabbi Moffic breaks down each part of the Shema and shows how and why each part is not only the essential essence and description of Judaism but also how it shaped the Jewish people and Jesus in the first century.

I was particularly moved by his exposition on the “with all your soul” portion. He offers the example of a rabbi who lived in the 1st and 2nd century, Akiba, who probably knew the Apostle Paul. Rabbi Akiba was renowned for his love of God and was martyred for refusing to follow a Roman edict and give up teach the Torah.

“In a public assembly, he recited and taught the Shema. He was immediately arrested and later sentenced to be executed. As he was being tortured, he kept reciting the Shema. The executioner tried to stop him, asking him “Do you need to suffer so much for the sake of Torah?” Akiba answered:

‘All my life I have wondered the meaning of the verse “You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul.” I have loved God wil all my heart. I have loved God with all my possessions (might). But I have never known what it meant to love God with all my soul. Now that I have come to this point - where God is about to take my soul - I know what it means.’

Akiba recited the Shema once more and he died as he said the word ‘echad.” (P. 124)

In closing, I will be forever grateful to Rabbi Moffic for opening my eyes to so many things I have taken for granted. I think I will forever remember his explanation of ‘tikkum olam’ or repair of the world. Rabbi Moffic relates that this idea is based on the world being a fragmented place, and how our actions restore the world to wholeness and as it is restored we perceive the oneness and unity of God.

According to a Jewish mystical story, the world was originally filled with God’s presence. In order to make room for humans, God withdrew part of Himself willingly from the universe. This withdrawal, tzimtzum, succeeded. However, sparks of God spread throughout the world; some sparks are hidden , some are visible. When we pray, when we act according to God’s will, we gather a spark into God. The more sparks we gather, the closer the world returns to its original perfection as symbolized by the Garden of Eden.

Saying the Shema (or maybe praying The Lord’s Prayer?) helps us to aid the return of that state of perfection, to remind us what God desires from us, and we begin to see our lives from God’s perspective.

This was a very rich and rewarding book I’ll keep and reread many many times. Thank you Rabbi Moffic.

[Shannan Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource full of well thought out information for anyone, especially Christians that would like to know more Jewish history and lifestyle. As I was reading, I imagined how Jesus grew up. It was a very well written and educational read.

[Joshua Blanchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know what I was hoping for with this book, and while it wasn’t a bad book, I somehow wanted more from it. Probably some sort of hidden ancient Jewish wisdom was what I had in mind. I enjoyed it, but didn’t feel like I learned anything new about Judaism, or about the life of Jesus.

[Margaret Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wrestled with this book. I like its tone. It is aimed at lay Christians to help them understand the Jewish roots of Christianity, the Jewishness of Jesus. And it is highly spiritual--it enriched my own thinking about Jesus. From time to time, however, he seems to be a Christian apologetic. At some point, Christianity as it developed split from the Judaism of Jesus's day and became a separate religion. We can learn from Christianity but it is no longer the same as Judaism. I loved the last section where he reviews what five rabbis teach about Jesus.It fits in a long history of books (since the 60s? after the Second Vatican Council), scholars like Samuel Sandmel and Amy Jill Levine. There is another book, Rabbi Jesus, written by an Episcopal priest which is similar but more scholarly. The scholarship in this book is not as deep. Yet, I am recommending that our clergy council read it because it is important. Precisely, because it is written by a rabbi.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved how Rabbi Evan Moffic embeds Jesus in his original Jewish context, but I struggled with his assertion that Jesus could be analyzed through the lens of Rabbinical Judaism, which even he concedes did not emerge until after the sack of Jerusalem in 70 C.E..

At the same time, I loved everything he shared about the Jewish history and understanding of: baptism, parables, the intersection of the Shema and the Lord's Prayer, the word "covenant," and internal Jewish debate around eschatological theology.

His conclusion about understanding Jesus as a Jew who worked WITHIN the context of his religion was especially beautiful. It provides a bridge between Judaism and Christianity. This necessary bridge is, in Moffic's words, "an idea whose time has come."

[John Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it! So many insights into the life of Jesus and the context in which his messages were heard by first century Jews.

[Carôle Ceres · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m ambivalent about this book. It’s certainly different from the other Jewish/Christian books that I’ve read. I’ve walked away more confused.

If this more accurately portrays the Jewish perspective, it certainly doesn’t accurately portray the Christian perspective to the same text.

I wonder if this is a level of ambiguity that I don’t understand (in the same way I look at his opening suggestion that, even though Jesus was indeed a Jew, Christianity started with His teachings and was initially known as ‘The Way’). I also wonder if this is because the author does not see Jesus as The Christ (The Messiah), as he is still, after all, a Rabbi.

So I think that this is not necessarily a book geared towards teaching Christians what Jesus would have accepted and bought into as a Jew, but perhaps what He was surrounded with, culturally and traditionally. (This is brought out by the puzzlement of the understanding of the Abraham and Isaac test in chapter 4. If you cannot link this father and son with the Divine Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, then of course the story IS perplexing).

I also get the impression that I’m reading this account as written by a Scribe, Pharisee or Sadducee. It may well be an accurate insight into 1st century Israel, but I struggle to accept how Jesus merges into it. His life (from the Christian perspective), seemed to be one of pushing back against the various traditional assumptions of the Jews. There appeared to be a good deal of insinuation that, whilst not denigrating one side or the other, sets an assumed hierarchical standard between the two.

On the whole, I wouldn’t recommend it to my regular circle of friends, but I dare say, the Theological students will look more favourably as the case study that it is meant to be. Unfortunately, as a layperson, this didn���t help my understanding of Jesus’ Jewishness, but I think that I could understand His frustrations.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book while looking for more information about how the Jewish faith viewed the books of the Old Testament. Luckily my Sunday School class agreed to read it with me, and it provoked a lot of thoughtful discussion.

It's not an in depth view of Judaism, it's sort of an overview of Jewish life and Jesus as a Rabbi in 1st century Judea, a "level 101 course" type of book. Rabbi Moffic isn't trying to convert anyone or change any minds here, he's just sharing background information from the times Jesus lived and what it was like as a Jew in that place and time. He also helps with background on some oi the things Jesus teaches and says and the way he says them.

What this book does do well, is give me a direction to go forward in. Which makes me want to read this again with my Bible handy so that I can go look up and read the books Jesus was quoting.

It was perfect for our class, and I'm thinking of giving it to some of my friends as Christmas presents. If you go in open-minded, and looking for high-level general background you'll truly appreciate reading this book.

[James Frederick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty dense material. There were a lot of good ideas and questions raised. I learned a fair bit about Jewish beliefs. These would have also been the beliefs of Jesus, which is something that I think Christians need to remember and reflect on. The differences in beliefs among the different Jewish teachings was also interesting.

It was also interesting to hear about how much the Jewish faith and traditions have changed, over the centuries, partly as a result of Jesus' life and teachings.

Different controversies and disagreements are mentioned, but this book does not delve deeply into which side(s) is/are right or wrong.

The idea of seeing Jesus as a "bridge" between these two faith traditions was a very interesting one that I have not heard or considered before.

[Elysa · Rating 2 out of 5]

My favorite thing about this book is that it represents a great conversation: people of Jewish faith and Christian faith in dialogue, appreciating the richness of faith and history that we share, some by lineage of blood and some by lineage of faith. I appreciate Evan Moffic's gentle, open, and friendly tone, and I found a few "nuggets" of insight into some of the ways Jesus's Jewish upbringing shines through his teaching. It just didn't have the depth of insight I was looking for, but that doesn't mean it won't be exactly what someone else needs.

[Six_of_Hearts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from a friend, so seeing as she hasn't read it yet, here is a review for her:
I feel like Rabbi Moffic is trying to write a book that is non-academic enough in nature to be a good read for anyone but the book also has a lot of references to scholars. It's a relatively thin book but I found it a little academic and not as easy of a read as I expected. I am glad I committed to finishing it as I feel it was a useful read and that I did manage to synthasize the material enough to consider many of his points about Jesus.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, accessible, and very respectful. Rabbi Moffic shows the general (but knowledgeable) audience how the "rebel rabbi" participated and taught in 1st century Palestine. Jesus' use of the Torah, his gentleness and kindness, and the discussion of conflicts in the Jewish world of the time were significant and have re shaped my understanding of both the period and meaning of "the letter of the Law vs the spirit of the Law." I will do more reading in this area, and look forward to it!

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of interesting tidbits about the Jewish religion. As a child I was confused as to why there were people who disliked Jews. Actually, I still am. If you want to understand some of the ways Jesus may have experienced his life as a Jew, you will want to read this. The final chapter regarding the views of 5 different rabbis and their explanations of Jesus was not anything I could accept, since I do view Jesus as Lord.

[Angela Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as a Goodreads Book Giveaway and thank them for the opportunity to read it.

I enjoyed reading about Rabbi Moffic’s telling of the Story of Jesus. He brings us to the time of Jesus and I imagined Jesus and his disciples walking in their time and Rabbi Moffic brings alive the background and the actions of the people of that time. It gave me a whole new perspective of the time of the bible and when Jesus walked the earth.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book gives good insight into Jewish life in the first century. It was written by a rabbi, who understands Christianity quite well. He pointed out that Jesus was not a Christian, he was a Jew. Born a Jew, lived a Jew, and died a Jew. It wasn’t a difficult read, but I occasionally found my mind wandering. Overall, I’m glad I read it, 3.5 ⭐️

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I ordered and read this book. It's a good look at a figure who has a place in two world religions and brings some clarity as to how the role of Jesus overlaps in the Jewish and Christian traditions. Well worth your time and would be a good book for a study group.

[Therese Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. I’m already wanting to read it again. There is a theme in this book of finding God and finding each other in the questions as opposed to in definite, specific answers. It seems to be very in line with the Catholic church’s current movement into synodality.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting started, but once I did, I found it full of fascinating information. I recommend it to everyone!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and well written

[Sarah Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound book that every Christian, active or not, should read to understand Jesus’s life and the ideas we share with our Jewish friends.

[John Verreault · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book for Christian study.

[John Haydon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much knew a lot about this topic. Worth the read.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! This book has expanded my view and understanding, and I highly recommend it.

[Dr. Jason Frazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very worthwhile read for any Christian wanting to learn more about the context of Jesus’s life and culture.

[Jon Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an engaging and delightful read that, at the very least, will introduce Christians who know little about Judaism (and specifically 1st-century Judaism and the origins of Rabbinic traditions) to the many ways that the Gospels reflect this background and context. Jesus and all of his earliest followers were Jews, after all, and all but a few books of the Bible were written by Jews, most of them for Jewish audiences. What's a modern Gentile Christian to make of all that? Pretend we get it all?

Moffic does a fantastic job of both understanding and respecting the Christian religion, tradition, and dogma, though he comes from another point of view. There are times when his takes on Christianity's interpretations clearly reflect a Jewish filter, but the same is true of the thousands of (non-Jewish) Christian scholars who try to interpret the Torah and the Old Testament for their audiences. Moffic is not trying to re-explain Christianity to Christians; he's trying to start a conversation that will be spiritually illuminating both Jews and Christians. He is pastoral in nature, not apologetic.

Arranged along the life of Christ (rather than belief points of similarity or contention), Moffic reveals a number of ways Christ and his story reflect and agree with Rabbinic Judaism, as well as a few where they differ. Many of these spiritual themes jive well with Christian authors, and it's clear Moffic is well-read in Christian theology. Where Moffic adds value is when he applies Rabbinic interpretations and reflections on our familiar texts, sometimes noting a clear reference we may have missed, or showing parallel stories in Judaism that illuminate similar spiritual themes.

Good Christian scholars of the Bible often do succeed in digging up some of the nuggets that Moffic includes, so not everything in this book will be new to Christian readers. However, I appreciate his inclusion of various stories from the Talmud (with which most Christians are unfamiliar), which reveal spiritually deep interpretations and layers of truth not found in the traditional Christian expository. None of it is polemical - he never purports that Christians have "missed the point" or made great errors in their own textual analyses - instead, he adds his point of view to the conversation, and we can choose to take it or leave it.

Christians expecting a fight rather than a conversation will be pleasantly surprised by this book. Christians who want to learn from other points of view, or learn about Judaism to better understand their own faith, will absolutely find what they're looking for. Christians seeking other voices of truth from other traditions will be very pleased by Moffic's faith and his grace for all. But Christians who are "on guard" against viewpoints that differ from their own should probably steer clear. (Or better yet, let your guard down a bit and learn something.)

I share Rabbi Moffic's optimism that greater brotherhood and conversation between Jews and Christians will ultimately result in a joyous reunion and reinvigoration of our faiths. Even if we remain in our separate traditions, we cannot help but learn from one another as we break bread and discuss how God has revealed himself and works to care for His children's hearts.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Jewishness of Jesus
A New Way of Seeing the Most Influential Rabbi in History
by Rabbi Evan Moffic

Abingdon Press

Christian, Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date Feb 2, 2016

I was given a copy of What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Jewishness of Jesus through the Publisher and there partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

In this book Rabi Evan Moffic reminds us of the Jewish roots of Christianity. This book points out the fact that Jesus was both born and died a Jewish and that early Christianity started as an offshoot of Judaism not as an entirely separate religion.

In one section of this book Rabi Evan Moffic explain how in a Traditional Jewish family a Child is giving a Bible at the age of three the Rabbi then asks the child to open it to the first page then he or she begins walking around the room giving each child a dab of honey, as they begin reading the Bible they taste the honey letting the sweetness linger in their mouths, this ritual is to remind them that the word of the Lord is sweet.

This book shows us too that one of the trademarks of Rabbinic Judaism is using questions to teach.

I found this book to be both insightful and interesting and would recommend it to anyone interested in learning about Jesus’es Jewish Roots.

Five out of five stars

Happy Reading