The Jewish Jesus

For centuries, studies of Jesus’ life and teachings downplayed or ignored his Jewish historical context – and many studies still address his Jewish background only as a stepping-stone to his role as the Christ. But such neglect has had serious consequences – both in the academic arena and society at large. Review the ways in which such studies are, at best, unwieldy – and at worst, have served as a fertile source for sermons through the ages that espoused anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism.