Jesus Wasn't Killed by the Jews: Reflections for Christians in Lent

by Jon M. Sweeney, Abraham Skorka (Foreword), Amy-Jill Levine (Afterword)

The Passion narratives contain painful anti-Semitic tropes--particularly the Gospel of John, which is read world-wide every Holy Week. These readings have been used over the centuries to brand the Jewish people as "Christ-killers" and to justify discrimination and violence. Here, religious scholars and writers address the historical, theological, and exegetical considerations to be addressed by every Christian in order to move beyond this toxic history. Contributors include Walter Brueggemann, Mary Boys, Richard Lux, Wes Howard-Brook, Massimo Faggioli, Bishop Richard J. Sklba, Greg Garrett, and Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Nonfiction, Judaism

128 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2020

About the author

Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar and writer of popular history. He is married, the father of three, and lives in Montpelier, Vermont. He has worked in book publishing for 25 years: after co-founding SkyLight Paths Publishing, he was the editor in chief and publisher at Paraclete Press, and in August 2015 became editorial director at Franciscan Media Books.

He has written more than 20 books, seven about Francis of Assisi, including "When Saint Francis Saved the Church" and "The Complete Francis of Assisi." HBO has optioned the film rights to "The Pope Who Quit."

Jon's first 20 years were spent as an involved evangelical (a story told in the memoir "Born Again and Again"); he then spent 22 years as an active Episcopalian (see "Almost Catholic," among others); and on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi in 2009 he was received into the Catholic Church. Today, Jon is a practicing Catholic who also prays regularly with his wife, a rabbi. He loves the church, the synagogue, and other aspects of organized religion. He would never say that he's "spiritual but not religious."

In all of his writing, Jon is drawn to the ancient and medieval (see "The Road to Assisi," and "Inventing Hell"). Many of his books have been selections of the History Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, and Quality Paperback Book Club.

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essays are short and easy to digest. It is an important subject, and a good introduction to the issues and problems with the gospel readings, and a variety of ideas for helping us to get past the triggers for anti-semitism and anti-Judaism.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who killed Jesus? According to the Gospels, it was the Romans, with input from Jewish religious leaders, with possibly a mob stirred up by this consortium of Roman and Jewish leaders. Why is the question relevant for Christians to consider during Lent? The reason is that Christians have historically condemned Jews as Christ-killers. At a time when anti-Semitism remains a significant problem, we need to make sure we keep our facts straight.

Jon Sweeney has put together a provocatively titled book: "Jesus Wasn't Killed by the Jews." Being Roman Catholic, Sweeney draws upon the Vatican II document "Nostra Aetate," which set aside earlier teachings on the role of Jews in the death of Jesus, and made changes to liturgies that had tarred Jews as Christ-killers.

The book is a collection of essays, a number of which Sweeney wrote. They are organized around two themes: Foundations and Progress. The book opens with a foreword by Rabbi Abraham SKorka titled "Antisemitism Again." He sets the agenda for why the book is necessary. The book closes Amy-Jill Levine's "Afterword." I have to say her brief essay is the most impactful segment of the book.

Essayists that include Walter Brueggemann, Mary Boys, Nicholas King, Richard Lux, Robert Ellsberg, Wes Howard-Brook, Massimo Faggioli, Bishop Richard J. Skalba, Greg Garrett, and Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, explore such issues as Israel's origins as well as Christianities. There is a n essay suggesting that the New Testament was written entirely by Jews (Nicholas King). I think Amy-Jill Levine is correct in saying we simply don't know for sure about authorship. Especially regarding Luke, it's possible that the author of the Gospel was Jewish, but it's difficult to prove one way or another. Sweeney has brief essays focusing on how we practice Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. Regarding Maundy Thursday, his words of advice concerning Seders needs to be heeded. We need to be careful about Christianizing a Jewish festival. In my mind, unless you have a Rabbi leading it at your church, don't try it.

The book should be helpful to further a conversation about Jewish-Christian relations. It may help some Christians understand why many Jews are hesitant to talk about Jesus, and especially Good Friday. As noted earlier, Amy-Jill Levine's essay helps clarify a number of points, including authorship of New Testament books and the way we refer to Jews. Personally, I didn't find Wes Howard-Brook's suggestion that the Greek word Ioudaioi, most often translated as the Jews (especially in the Gospel of John), as Judeans to be compelling. Levine deals with that suggestion effectively.

All in all this is a book worth reading during Lent.

[Coleen Dailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book the subtitle of which is Reflections for Christians in Lent. The most immediate reason this book was written was the shootings at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue in October 2018 and the shooting at the Poway California Synagogue in April 2019. The conversation is something all of us must have. We can't just sit back and say It shouldn't have happened, thoughts and prayers to the families, etc. Although this book is more to start the conversation, in my opinion, I found many of the essays thought provoking. If you want to help deal with the problem of antisemitism, a word I will use even after reading the book as most people currently use it, this is a book you should read to help understand the origins of some of the problems Christians have with Jewish people and to guide discussions and open dialogues.

[John Mcchesney-young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventeen contributions in 122 pages hints at how brief they are. Many are written at a very introductory level; a few have footnotes pointing elsewhere, but only one - "Why We Need to Translate Ioudaioi as 'Judeans'" by Wes Howard-Brook, one of the stronger essays - includes an explicit section with suggestions for further reading, which for the brevity of the treatments would have very appropriate for many of the others. That said, the content is good and I found the Afterward by Amy-Jill Levine particularly interesting for its counter-arguments to some assertions in the body of the book.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is short and worth the read. This is a collection of essays, and some are truly excellent, heartfelt, and motivational for how we can all work to stop many of the unhelpful, hurtful ways that Christians have been talking about and ultimately acting out against both ethnically and religiously Jewish people.

[Traci Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Many different viewpoints in essay form. It offers historical context, scriptural explanation and application. I'll not refer to the Hebrews in Scripture or a modern-day Jew flippantly again. 

[Francine Apollo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this because of the contributors. This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book and was excellent as a selection to read during Lent 2020.
Highly recommended...you will not be disappointed.

[Marc Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timely and required reading for all Christians during Lent.