J E S U S I N T H E

T A L M U D

L LE HIS PERSO NA IT Y , HI S DISC I P S AND HI S SAY ING S

B Y

BERNHARD P Ph D IC K, . D . D . .

CHI C AG O LONDON

T HE OP E N COURT P UBLI S HI NG C OM P ANY 191 3 /N

C O N T E N T S

’ P ubli s h e r s Pre f a ce ; I ntro d uctio n

I - N Y F S - PART . PERSO ALIT O JE U S 13 44

P e r s o n ality o f J e s u s ; J esu s All e ge d to b e Bo rn Out o f We dl o ck ; J e s us an d Hi s T each e r ; J es u s a M agi ci an ; J e s u s an Id o l ate r ; Cla ims o f J e s us D en i e d ; B al aam - J e su s ; Th e Ag e o f B al aam (J e s us ) Th e Tri a l o fJ e s u s ; Th e Exe cu o n o f in ti J es u s ; J e s u s H e ll .

—TH E DI S C I P LE S AND F OLLOW PART I I .

47- 69

Th e F 1 ve s ci e s o f e sfi s aco th e Di pl J f J b , P e r fo r i ( r cles aco th e m i i 2131 Mi a ; J b , Te ach er ; An o th e r ) Mi racl e P e r f o rmer ; ’ ’ A Ch ris tian Ju dge ; Ch igis tian s Stu dy th e f) i rn r n r n S c riptuTes k s h aet eh s Ag ai s t Ch i s ti a Writi ngs ; Pro te s ts Agai n s t Ch ri s ti an s ; n m n E ac t e ts .

Y N G S OF S U S 73 - 101 PART I I I . SA I JE

n Ta lmudi c P arall e l s ; I d e x .

BL E ’ E E P U I S H RS PR FAC .

The importanc e of th e utterances in the Tal mud conc erning Je su s mu s t not be mi sunderstood

- and s till le s s mu s t they be over e s timated . We ’ th erefore c all th e reader s attention to the fac t th at th ey are not ba s ed on c ontemporary evi h denc e and thu s po s se s s no hi stori c al value . T ey are the expre s s ion of a non - Ch ri s tian spirit mo s tly ho stile and s ometime s po s itively offen

s ive .

u u u s sa In exten ation of the Talm d we m t y,

th e s w e w first , that animo ity bet een J and Gen i h e tile s deep and mu tu al . W en the Gentil

s th e e w w th e ew blame J for rong thinking, J may u w eq ally blame the Gentile for rong doing, for the Je w h a s h ad to suffer pers ecution of the c ruele s t kind . Fu rth er w e mu st bear in mind th at the Tal mu d is c s s c not one book with a on i tent tenden y , but c u s s s a ollection of inn merable writing , e ays ,

s w . s w anecdote , and hat not Side by ide ith noble

h u h s w e w s s s and deep t o g t find orthle go sip . On account of th e latter we mu s t not forget the for

w c mer and there ith depre iate the entire Talmud . For th e s e reasons we wi sh the reader to u s e th e present pamph let w ith di s cretion and to bear in mind the c ondition s exi sting in the age in wh ich the s e u tteran c e s con c erning Je su s were w Th e u h h a s c c ritten . a t or colle ted and ollated

h s s t em for eriou s tudy of the facts in the case . They are material for the s cholar and mu st not

s s s a s u in any en e be con idered pop lar reading . TH E B H P U LI S ERS .

NOTE B Y TH E A U TH OR — Th e greate r p art o f thi s wo rk was a re a in r n wh n h n n l dy p i t e t e i te re sti g bo o k o f P ro f .

' arc w s u h u i r i i St k a p bli s e d . J e s s D e Ha s t k e r u n d d e h r s e n e 19 10 C i t , L ipzig , . PART I .

E L F E P RSONA ITY O J SUS .

THE TALMUD .

I n r i n — s u s s t o duct o . Je as repre ented in the Talmu d is a subj e c t whi c h mu s t intere s t the

h s F o r c an o f C ri stian tu dent . what be pro founder intere st than to learn wh at the Jew s h have s aid c onc erning Je su s and C ri s tianity . We

th e w sh h s s s naturally look to Je i i torian Jo ephu , who de sc ribed and witne s s ed the downfall o f th e

B ut w . Jewi s h c ommonwealth . e are disappointed “ ” h h is s ! V 3 3 True t at in Antiquitie ( I I I , , )

s h as s Jo ephus reference to Christ , but scholar 1 are no w generally agreed that this pa s s age is a

L s s s later interpolation . eaving then a ide Jo ephu , “ we mu s t tu rn to that enc yc lopedia o f Jewish ” wi s dom and u nwisdom whic h is known a s the

u c h f h Talm d . We annot speak ere o t e origin

o f u s o f h and contents this volumino work , w ich a complete tran s lation into any modern langu age

u th e does not yet exi st . We m st refer reader to

1 S ee h o weve r among o th e r de f en de rs o f th e p as s age 1 n o s e h u s e hris tus -Z eu is s e aus d em k las J p , S itz , C g n is c h Al u n 1 e s en ter t m o o e 906 t . 9 e . s , C l g , , q J ESUS I N T H E TA L M UD

” 2 our article Talmud . But even this work does

ou r not add anything to knowledge , yea , it is no w rather di s appointing . For the Talmud as we have it c ontain s not tho s e Christian or rather an

- s s s c . ti Chri tian pa ages , whi h it originally had Modern J u dai s m c omplains o f the intolerance 3 h c o f of the Churc , whi h from the time Justinian

B ut for per s ec uted and bu rned the Talmu d . it get s that the Talmu d only reaped what it has

s u c R owed , and that the Ch r h of ome only acted in accordance with the Talmud itself . For it was th e very Talmu d which taught that in c ase

out of a fire breaking on the Sabbath , the Gos

w s min m i e . pels and other ork of the (i . , Chris “ s u tian ) sho ld not be re sc ued . By the life o f

s on th e R Tar h on my , said abbi p , should they

e . (i . , these writings ) come into my hand I would bu rn them together with the names o f

c c God whi h they ontained . Were I pursued , I would rather take refuge in a temple o f idols ’

. h e . u s F o r than in their (i , the C ristians ) ho es . u the latter are wil f l traitors , while the heathen sinned in ignoranc e of the right way ; and con

‘ cerning them th e Scripture says : Behind the

s s s et u doors , al o, and the post , hast thou p thy

z ’ S e e McClinto ck ron s Th ol E n v l ! e . a o St g , . 188 1 “ ” v . a mu . ( ) s . T l d

‘ On e ruar 13 553 h e s s ue n o e o n F b y , , i d a v ll a c ce rn ” i n th e e w s g J . I N TRO DUCTI O N

I remembrance ( S . lvii . This fact should

not be forgotten . Th e anti - Chri stian chara c ter of Jewi sh writ h o f s ings early attra cted t e attention Christian ,

A oba rd sh o f L s 82 0- 830 h is and g , bi op yon ( ) in

D e Ju da icis S u ers titi onibus H rab anu s p , and

M u s c sh o f c C on tra a ru , ar hbi op Mayen e , in his

D . . udae os 847 . ac J , written about A , betray

at qu aintance with Jewi s h literatu re . The first tac k upon the Talmu d wa s made in th e thirteenth

12 40 c c u w . . ent ry , hen A D a onference was held at Pari s between Ni c ola s Donin and some Jew

i h h u s c t o s rabbis . W en the q e tion ame up as

u s u echiel Jes in the Talm d , rabbi J , the most prominent o f the Jewi s h rabbi s at th at c onfer

th e su s s ence , would not admit that Je poken of in th e s o f z Talmud was Jesu Na areth , but another

s s h h was s 1a Je u , a discovery w ic copied by ome

But w s c ter w riters . modern Je a knowledge the L o f s u s s . failure thi arg ment , for ay Dr evin in “ h is pri z e essay : We m u s t rega rd the attempt o f rabbi Jechiel to asc ertain th at there were two

s a s u a s by the name of Jesu unfort nate , original ” 5 b As th e u o f the idea may e . a thor this es s ay

‘ mu h h f 116 o ni a S a bb o l. i a t c l . 1 h s h s a T l d , , , . T i mos ity agai n s t Ch ri s ti an ity i n d u ce d s o me s ch o l ar s to m ai n tai n th at th i s R abbi Tarph o n i s th e s ame Tryph o ’ wh o i s th e n er o cu o r in u n r r lo u i t l t J s ti M a ty s Dia g e . 5 “ Die Relig io ns dis put atio n d e s R abbi Je chie l VOI1 ” ’ ar s u s h e in Graetz s M ona ts s c hri t re s au P i , p bli d f, B l , 1 869 . 1 93 . , p J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

wa s a p upil of th e rabbini c al s eminary at Bre s

h e s s o f h is lau , certainly expre ed the opinion

su th e c c teachers . The re lt of onferen e was that the Talmu d in wagon - load s was bu rned at Pari s

in 12 42 .

o u r su c cu s s In days , ch a ation against the Tal

mud w s c s h s f ere impo sible , be au e all t e e o fensive pa s s age s h ave been removed— not s o mu ch by

th h s h a s e and of the C ristian censor , by the Jew s them s elve s— a fac t very often overlooked

s 5 9 1 by controvers iali st s . In the Jewi h year 3

163 1 w sh s . e . . . (i , A D ) a Je i ynod held at Petri 6 k au s su c c e f , in Poland , i ed a ir ular letter to the fe ct th at all such pa s s age s in the Talmud which f su s etc . s u u refer to Je , ho ld be omitted in the h tu re . T i s letter explain s the absence of those offen s ive pa s sage s from the editions o f the Tal mu d p ubli sh ed s in c e th e p ubli c ation of the Am

t e rd am 1 B s edition in 644 . ut happily o r u nhap pily th e Jew s th em selve s have taken c are that ” th e exp u rgated pa s sage s in th e Talmud did not be come lo s t to th eir c oreligioni st s by p ublishing

h u s h s c t em anonymo ly in pamp let , of whi h Pro fe s so r Strack of Berlin mentions no le s s than h 7 s u s . c s s four c edition These ollection , publi hed

Th e re ad e r can find th i s ci rcul a r l e tte r in my a rti cl e ” ’ Talm m M Clin to ck c ro n s Th e ol. E na vo l St g , .

. lgg x , p

” h e re s e n w r e r h as a so o n e o f h e o ec on s T p t it l t s e c ll ti , u i s h e m raco w 1 89 3 . p bl d C , 6 I NT R O D U CTKNJ

s c for the mo t part in Germany , are of a re ent date , and are probably intended for more than a mere literary intere s t . In order to give ba ck to th e Jew s what the c en s or h as taken from th em and to Sh ow them that Ch ri s tianity h a s noth ing to fear from th e s e

u s s s s s L exp rgated pa age , Profe or Dalman of eip

fe w h s s ch s wh o e n Sic , one of the C ri tian olar are

h Ta lmu dicis h as ub titled to be eard even in , p lish e d in a c onvenient form all the s e pa s sage s c ontained in th e olde s t edition s of th e Talmu d

h h s c c th e c su and Midra s . To t i olle tion of en red

L u c pas s age s H . aible appended an introd tory e s sa th e wh w a s u s h u th e y, and ole p bli ed nder title

es us Clu ' is tus im Talmu d 189 1 J , Berl in , , by the “ ” s s I n sti m i m mi ionary tutu Jud a cu . Before w e enter into th e debating club of th e

s s fe w rabbi , we hall make a preliminary remarks wh i ch c an prepare u s for th e Talmu dic state ments . Du ring the life - time of Je su s h is mirac le s were

but w c c z not denied ere tra ed ba k to Beel ebub , th e c s prin e of the devil (Mark iii . The s c ribe s would not re c ogni z e one wh o s ought not

h c b ut o f u s s s t eir ompany , that p blican and inner with whom he ate ; wh o broke the Sabbath and aboli shed the differenc e between clean and un

c . th e h s h ad lean That grave of C ri t been empty ,

w b ut h u the Je s did not deny , t ey tho ght that th e J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

‘

di s ciple s had stolen the body (Matt . xxviii . They freely made u s e of the invective Beel z ebub (“ master o f the house ” ) for the “ master ” Of the h i M Christians a s well as for s servants ( att . x .

th e u c s After his death , cr ified Mes iah , as

u c Pa l tells us , be ame unto them a stumbling

1 . l block ( Cor , The destruction Of Jeru “ salem had made no impre s sion upon these vil ” “ o lains and upon that ungodly generation , as J

c s h is Wa r 13 Bii t sephus all countrymen ( , v , ,

o f u s wa s c if the sword J dai m perfor e sheathed ,

its tongue s and pens were ac tive . The apologetic

s u s writing of the earliest cent rie , show that the Jews were busy through out this whole era in

circulating cal umnies against the Chri s tians . Jus

1 o f tin Martyr (died 63 A . D . ) complains the Jewi sh bla sphemie s again s t Chri s t and the Chris “ Th tian s . e high priests o fyour nation and your “ c s s c tea her , he say , have aused that the name o f Jesus s hould be profaned and reviled through

Dialo ue with Tr h o the whole world ( g yp , “ h Nay , ye have added thereto , that C rist taught

s u w u tho e impious , nla f l , horrible actions , which ye di s seminate a s charges above all against those wh o acknowledge Christ as Teacher and as the ” ibid “ Son of God ( , Your teachers ex hort you to permit you rselves no conversation ” “ w s whatever ith u (ibid . The Jews re

u s a s s -e gard foes and Opponent , and kill , and tor

8 I NTRO DU CTI O N

dragged to terrible tortures , whenever they would ” s A olo not deny and revile Jesu Christ ( p gy, I , “ Th e w u s c u Je s hate , be a se we s ay that

s is c Chri t already come, and be au s e we point out

a s s wa s that He, had been prophe ied , c ru c ified by ” “ Dial them ( . Ye have killed th e Ju st and

s His prophet before Him . And now ye despi s e

Go d those who hope in Him and in , the King

s over all and Creator Of all things , who has ent

s s s u c Jesu ; ye de pise and di honor them , as m h

s s as in you lie , in that in your ynagogues ye

h o c urse tho s e w believe in Christ . Ye only lack

o n c c h wh o the power, a ount of t ose hold the

s o f c . rein government , to treat us with violen e

a s s But Often as ye have had thi power, ye have ” i 16 u also done this ( bid . ) In yo r synagogues

s ye curse all who have become Chri tians , and the wh o same is done by the other nations , give a

u practical t rn to the curse , in that when any one

c w s a kno ledges himself a Chri tian , they put him ” 6 to death (ibid . 9 ) “ o f s h a s From the True Word Celsu , which

been answered by Origen , we already learn some o f the mean things which the Jews c irculated

about Je s us . The Jew whom Celsus introduc es

9 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM U D ch arges Jesus with having falsely proclaimed himsel f to be born o f a virgin ; afterwards he s ays that Jesu s was born in a poor Jewish vil

h is h o f lage , and that mot er was a poor woman h wh o s t e country , supported hersel f with pin ning and needlework ; that sh e was cast offby her

c wa s betrothed , a arpenter ; and that after she

s h e rej ected by her husband , wandered about in disgrace and misery till sh e secretly gave birth to

s Jesus . Jesus him el f was obliged from poverty

to o as E and necessity g down servant into gypt , where he learnt some o fthe s ecret sciences which are in high honor among the E gyptians ; and he placed such confidence in these sciences that on h is return to h is native land he gave himsel f o ut to o d o f s be a g (I , The Jew Celsu also declares that the carpenter wh o wa s betrothed to b e Mary , put the mother O f Jesus from him , c sh e in o f ause had broken faith with him , favor a soldier named Panthera (I , Tertullian writing somewhere about 19 7-19 8

. . De e c ta uli S c s . 30 A D in his p , chap , in which he depicts the glorious spectacle Of the s econd coming says that he will turn to the Jews wh o raged against the Lord and say unto them ° “ ’ ’ son o n This is your carpenter s , your harlot s s ;

- r your sabbath breaker, you . Samaritan , your de me n-possessed ! Thi s is He whom ye bought from Judas ; this is He who was struck with

10

J ESUS I N T H E TALM UD

e s h u wa s a s J written , are here explained being

s w s : — imma ch the fir t letters of the three ord j j ,

‘ ’ “ z z m h r o . s li s h o o v e ie . e , , i , may be blotted ” out h is name and h is memory ! Th e To ldo th Je s h u is nothing b ut th e Offs pring of lo w fa nati c ism c u s h u , mali io delig t in defamation , and v lgar imagination whi ch re s pectable Jews have always despised . After the s e preliminaries we now take up the

s u a s pa sages of the Talm d given by Dalman , and w c hi h are claimed to refer to Jesus .

12 THE E F E P RSONALITY O J SUS .

— B irth a n d P a re nta ge o f Je s u s I n t h e Tal " “ mu d Shabbath 104 we read : He wh o cut s ” u h is s is R Eli pon fle h . It a tradition that abbi

z s S tad a e er said to the wi e , Has not Ben brought magi c spells from Egypt in a c ut which w as upon

his ? h body T ey answered him , He was a fool ,

and s we do not take proof from fools . [ Ben

i Rab His a s S tad a s . d Ben Pandira aid , The

u s wa s S tad a u w a s . h band , the paramo r Pandira Th e hu sband wa s Paph o s ben Jehu dah; the moth er

s wa s S tad a . The mother was Miriam the dre s er ’ o f w s as we P umbedith a c omen hair , say in , Su h 8 a one h a s been fal s e to her hu sband ] The above pa s s age oc cu r s in a di scu s s ion upon th e word s in th e Mi sh nah which forbid all kind s

n h o f writing to be done o the Sabbat . Several

!‘ Th e p assa ge in wh i ch al s o o c cu rs in Sa nh e d ri n n o n n i u e 67a is not o un i m e r e o s . s s , f d d diti It ppli d ro m Rabbino wi cz Di du é o h e r m o n th e a u h o r f q q S p i , t ity o f th e un ch an d o r ma nus c r s a n d th e e r M i Oxf d ipt , Old n e diti o s . J ESUS I N T H E TALM U D

th e kinds are specified , and among them making

b e of marks upon the flesh . The words at the

o f s wh o ginning the tran lation , he cuts upon ” h is so o f flesh, are the text , to Speak , the Mish nah which is discu s sed in what follows . To illus

c o f o n trate the practi e making marks the skin , the compilers Of the Gemara introduce a tradi

w R E z e tion , according to hich abbi lie er ask d the “ u s S tada q e tion , Did not Ben bring magical spells from E gypt in a c ut which w a s upon his body His argument was th at a s Ben S tad a had done h s c c . thi , the pra ti e mig t be allowable The an

w a s h S tad a wa s swer t at Ben a fool , and his h h ow case proved not ing . Upon the mention

o f S tad a ever Ben , a note is added to explain

h wa s who t at person , and it is for the sake Of

h s h th s t i note t at e pas age is quoted . Th e two names Ben S tad a and Ben Pandera

th e s evidently refer to ame person , and that that person is Je su s is shown clearly by the fact that “ w e s ometime s meet with the f ull name Je sh u ” ” s on e sh u s on S tad a O f Pandera , also J Of It s eem s th at the qu estion wa s argued in the schools wh i ch o f th e two familiar designation s (so n o f

S tada s o n wa s c o ne , Of Pandera ) the orrect . One Of the two appellation s appeared to be necessarily

wa ? false . s c orrec t Th e subj e c t treated wa s that the s on Of S tad a had brought ch arms with him o ut o f Egypt in an

14 P ERS O NALI TY O F J ESUS

n oh incision in his flesh . Thereupon s ome o e ject s ; the de s ignation Ben S tad a is false ; he wa s f son o . NO Rab Hisd a the Pandera , says (a

2 17 S a a s c . . t da w Babylonian tea her , A D

o f s the name the hu band (of his mother), Pan

o f To c d ira the name her paramou r . all him

h o n o r h c eit er the e the ot er is therefore corre t . To thi s however is obj ec ted that th i s c annot be

u c u s u s i s w to tr e , be a e the h band kno n have been

S tad a c alled Papho s ben Jehudah . mu s t have h h been no t the father but t e mot er . But how

c an h c s w a s t at be , be au e the mother called Mir ’ iam th e dre s s er o f women s hair ? As rej oinder to thi s follow s the c onc lu s ion : Of what we are

but sh e 18 s S tada c aware , al o called , by her ni k n s u ame . In om ch as she had a paramour , she was “ ” s S tad a c c s s s o f g iven the obriquet , whi h on i t h h t h d . t e s a t a . e S e words , i , has gone aside , from

u s is her hu s band . Th at least the word explained

h e P umb edi h in t e Babylonian Acad my at t a . Variou s attempts h ave been made to explain the two name s Ben S tad a and Ben Pandira (al s o

o r P n ir B ut o f h e written Pandera a t a ). none t

s s s s su gge ted explanation olve the problem . We leave the two name s as reli c s o f ancient Jewi sh

c s su s th e c u to w s mo kery again t Je , l e ho e mean

i no w s ing s lo t . Mention h a s al so been made o f Miriam (Of

h is c which Mary is t e equ ivalent ). She alled

15 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

’ ’ h ’ h w s . m aa dla mas a ia . e . g , i , a omen airdresser Ho w c ame th e Talmu d to be s tow thi s epith et u th e su wh s w pon mother of Je s , for om el e here ? it h as the charac teri sti c de s ignation of adulteress ’ e su s s w a s That J mother named Mary , was known to the Jew s ; that sh e had born Je su s out

c w as . of wedlo k , maintained by them Then they ’ heard a noted Chri s tian woman of Je su s s time

s wh o w a s M often poken of , named ary of Mag

h w a s u w h o dala . W at more nat ral for those had already long cea s ed to a scertain more particu larly

u h s s s su s at the mo t of Chri tian the hi tory of Je , than by thi s Mary (of ) Magdala Simply to un ’ d e rstand e su s s s c s c J mother , e pe ially in e their knowledge w a s c onfined to one Mary ? S h e w a s

h z reported to be a great s inner . T is harmoni ed

w wa w h s s h in a t ofold y it their a umption , for , t at ’ e su s s w as w a s J mother a sinner , maintained by

w th e u s c n o w h ob them ith tmo t ertainty , and t ey t ained as su u O f , they pposed , act al confirmation

h s th h M o f t i from e C ri s tian s . iriam ( ) Magdala w a s c su ac ordingly the mother of Je s , and by a

’ name - play the Magdala wa s tu rned into m g ad ’ dla u a h a ia s . . w e s . , i , omen s hairdre ser In th e Talmu di c pa s s age quoted above we are

’ ’ h ta a S d s . M l . e s w u u told t at (i , ary ) a f l h sband was h s h u h N h h . o w s Pap o ben Je da of t i Pap os , wh o c u su u lived a ent ry after Je s , the Talm d Git “ tin 9 0 narrate s th e following

16 PERS O NALI TY O F JESU S

is R M u s s a There a tradition , abbi eir ed to y

‘ J u s t a s th ere are variou s kind s of ta s te a s re

s s o s u s s s gard eating, there are al o vario di po itions

h is i wh s a s regard s women . T ere a man nto o e

‘ c s c s s but th e up a fly fall and he a t it out , all

c h a s s ame he doe s not drink it [ the cup ] . Su w th e s h u wh o u s manner of Papho ben Je dah , ed to ’

c th e u h is w o ut . lo k door pon ife , and go All w e learn from th i s pa s s age dire c tly with

s h u c regard to Papho ben Je dah , a ontemporary

R is h h e c u h is w of abbi Akiba , t at lo ked p i fe ; w e w c c u c h are , ho ever , led to on l de , indire tly , t at sh e u ltimately proved u nfaithfu l to h e r tyranni c al

h h w a s s s u s . po e W at, t en , more imple than for a s tory - teller to c onne c t th i s W i th th e detail s of ? u nfaith fulne s s fou nd in h is Je sh u repertoire Th e erring wife w a s j u s t like Miriam ; before

sh e c u c M long a t ally be ame iriam , and finally Paph o s ben Jeh u dah wa s confidently given a s

’ Mi i s h u s ! h h ad s r am band So t ey it in later time , and the great Talmu di c c ommentator Ra sh i (died

1 105 c s h u s u o u r s s : A . D . ) omment t pon pa age “ s u h wa s th e u s o f M Papho ben Jeh da h band ary , ’ w s h h e w o ut the omen airdre s s er . Whenever ent

h is u s th e s h e c th e of ho e into treet , lo ked door u h s pon her , t at no one might be able to peak

h h is c h c h with e r . And t at a ou r s e w i bec ame him not ; for on th i s ac c ou nt th ere aro s e enmity

h sh e w s s h e r between t em , and in antonne broke

17 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

faith with her hu sband . — A Ma ry L e g e nd I n the Tal mud Hagigah 5 “ 4 we read the following : When Rab Joseph ‘

. e came to this verse (Prov . xiii But ther is ’

is e w . that destroy d ithout j udgment , he wept

‘ He said : I s there really some o ne wh o is going ’ ? b ut [ away] , when it is not his time None this o f [ told] O fRab Bibi bar Abbai . The Angel Death

s h is s was with him . The Angel aid to mes enger ,

‘ ’ Go bring me Miriam the dresser o f women s ’ u M o f hair . He bro ght him iriam the teacher

‘ s children . He [ the Angel ] aid , I told thee Mir h ’ ’ ‘ t e s w s . iam dre ser of omen hair He said , I f ’ ‘ h s c so , I will take t i one ba k . He said , Since

h u u th e t o has bro ght this one , let her be among number [ o f th e In thi s narrative we h ave a mon s trous anach

ni m R h o ro s . ab w Joseph , is mentioned here , 2 wa s . . 59 born at Shiti , in Babylonia , A D and

2 5 R ab u died in 3 . Bibi flourished in the fo rth century . The latter can neither have seen Mary h nor ave been her contemporary . The Talmudic c ommentary Tosaph oth remarks : The Angel Of Death was with him : he related what had al

fo r s ready happened , thi about Miriam the dresser of women ’ s h air took place in [ the time o f sh e wa s th e h ] the second temple , for mot er o f o s i i s o . e . u s that and [ , Jes s] , as it said in b ” l04 B ut Shabbath . the wording Of the Tal

18

JESUS ALLEGE D To B E BORN OUT OF K \VE DLOC .

Th e P retended R ecord — I t i s said in M ish 9 “ mo h 13 nah Jeba t iv . (Gemara Simeon

‘ s h u u s en Azai aid , I ave fo nd in Jer alem a book

s h is w : s o of genealogie , and t erein ritten That 1 0 “ a nd s o is ma ms c’ r a of a married woman , to h h ’ c onfirm t e word s of Rabbi Jeho s ua .

i s s s is th e M s Th pa age from i hnah , and there fore belong s to the Older s tratum of the Talmud . Be n A z ai flou ri sh ed at the end of the first and th e th e s c c w a s beginning of e ond entury , and a friend and c ontemporary of Rabbi Akiba wh o w a s a parti cularly z ealou s Opponent of the Ch ri s

9 I t i s i n te re s ti ng th at th e Engli s h t ran s l a to r s o f th e h e e n re a s e s o f th e s h n a ra s De o a an d Eig t T ti Mi , bbi S l Ra h all o n o n 1845 h a e no t ra n s a e h s ar p (L d , ) v t l t d t i p t h r h ? o f th e f ou rth c apt e . W y

Th e o r n a rea s e lon i an d i s o ne o f th e wen igi l d p , t ty e h er h ra s c e s o f e s u s ro m ew s h w r n s ig t p ip ti titl J f J i iti g , a dd uce d by Eis e n men ge r in th e s e co n d ch apter Of th e r s ar o f h i s E n td e c k tes Ju d e n th u m fi t p t . “

. e . a as ar a re c a e a r u e th e e ws i , b t d , p di t tt ib t d by J o t J e s us . B I RT H O F J ESUS

z h a d tians . When Ben A ai reported that he

s w c wa s s found a book of pedigree , in hi h it tated

s o a n d s o w a s s u s that (peloni ) of purio birth , it

i s i s c ertainly p robable that referenc e s to Je su .

s s s w - w w Unle ome ell kno n man ere intended , there would no point in referri ng to him ; and u nle s s there had been s ome s trong rea s on fo r

h is w u h avoiding name, the name o ld ave been given in order to s trengthen th e argument

i s s h fou nded upon the c a s e . For it aid t at Ben “ Azai made h is s tatement in order to confirm th e ” word s of Rabbi Jo shu a . The matter in qu e stion c onc erned the definition of th e notion o f ma m

er c c th e w s w , a predi ate whi h Je only too illingly

th e s s as c ribed to Je s u s . That pa age refers to i h Je su s s admitted by t e Jew i sh s cholar J . Deren R u E tu ui u ev e d es d es v es 2 9 3 . bo rg (in J , III , , n

A e s s n b h M h s ll ged C o nfe io y t e ot e r o f Jes u . b In the treati s e Kallah 18 we read the following A shameles s pers on i s ac c ording to Rabbi Eliez er

s c R s son o f a ba tard , a cording to abbi Jo hua a

h e r c R Ak woman in separation , ac ording to abbi iba a bastard and so n of a woman in her s epara

c a tion . On e there s t elder s at the gate when two

s s s o ne h ad h is h c th e boy pa ed by ; ead overed ,

h h o h i ot er bare . O f him w had s head unc overed ‘ ’ R E z s ! R u abbi lie er said , a ba tard abbi Josh a ‘ s o n w s R said , A of a oman in her eparation ab

2 1 J ESUS I N T H E TAL M UD

‘ a n d so n w bi Akiba said , A bastard of a oman in ’ ! h s R her separation T ey aid to abbi Akiba , ‘ How has thine heart impelled thee to the auda ’ city o fcontradic ting the word s of thy colleague s ? ‘ He said to them , I am about to prove it . There ’ upon he went to the boy s mother , and found her

sitting in the market and s elling pulse . He said ‘ to her , My daughter , if thou tellest me the thing ’ to which I ask thee , I will bring thee eternal life . ‘ to to ! e She said him , Swear it me Ther upon

e Rabbi Akiba took the oath with his lips , whil

c . to he can eled it in his heart Then said he her ,

‘ ’ is s son ? to O f what sort thi thy She said him ,

‘ When I betook mysel f to the bridal chamber , I

was in my separation , and my husband stayed i e . away from me . But my paranymph [ . , the ’ s bridegroom s be t man ] came to me , and by him ’ o bo sc I have this s n . So the y was di overed to be both a bastard and the son o f a woman in her ‘ separation . Thereupon said they , Great is Rab to bi Akiba , in that he has put shame his teach ’ ‘

. s ers In the same hour they said , Ble sed be th e Lord God of Israel wh o has revealed this se R ’ cret to abbi Akiba ben Joseph .

s o n a This famous discus ion bast rdy , even when

is taken by itsel f , remarkable from the ethical point Of view . Considering the strange as crip tion o f an act o f heartless perj ury to Akiba as the means whereby he extorted the confession

2 2 B I RTH O F J ESUS

’ from the boy s mother , and the far more curious addition at the end o f the pas s age which blesses “ the God o f I s rael fo r revealing this secret after

f s : the u s e o suc h que tionable means , we ask Can modern Jews still uphold the reputation o f the

o f its ? Talmud or great authority , Akiba

s w e Con s idering the passage by it elf, see that neither the name o f the s o n no r that o f the

But u se mother is here mentioned . the fact that h a s been made Of the s tory in the Told oth Jes h u il 12 h 2 2 VVa ens e . . H lreic . . u (ed , p ; ed g , p ; M S

. 39 . s . s s Stras burg , ed Krau , p ; M S Vindobona ,

id . 69 ib . , p ) shows that it was regarded as hav ing reference to Je s us . That Akiba lived about

is o f no c a century after Jesus , a count , since the

Talmud abounds in anachroni sms . Hi h e — t h Je s u s a nd s Teac r . Whereas e New Te s tament knows nothing o f Jesu s having e u S au j oyed the tuition Of a rabbi , the Talmud h e driu l07b , (and almost exactly in the same “ S oto 47a s : words , ) narrate the following Our

c E Rabbis tea h , ver let the left hand repel and the

not E s wh o right hand invite , like li ha repulsed z not Geha i with both hands , and like Rabbi Jo shua ben P e rachjah wh o repulsed Jesh u (the z i Na arene) with both hands . What Of Rabb Jo s hua ben P erachjah ? When Jannai the king

1 2 Das Leben es u naeh udis c he n uelle n er n J j Q , B li , 1 902 .

2 3 J ESUS I N T H E TA L M UD

R sh u P e rach ah killed our abbis , Jo a ben j [ and h E h Je s u ] fled to Alexandria in gypt . When t ere wa s c Sh et ach w pea e , Simon ben rote to him

‘ From me [ Jeru s alem ] the c ity of holi

s E nes , to thee Alexandria of gypt [ my s s s th s i s ter] . My hu band tays in y mid t i ’ and I s t forsaken . He came and found h im s el f at a c ertain inn ; they sh owed him

‘ s H ow u u is h great honor . He aid , bea tif l t is 1 3 ‘ c ! su s R sh e h as As ania [ Je ] said to him , abbi , ’ ‘ h s . c s narrow eye He said , Wret h , do t t ou em

’ ploy thy s elf thu s ? He s ent o ut 400 trumpets and

su s c exc omm uni c ated him . He [ Je ] ame before ‘ ’

s R c . him many times and aid to him , e eive me i w u c . . e . But he o ld not noti e him One day he [ ,

s wa s . e . Jo hua] reciting the Shema (i , the words

‘ ’ 4 e i s u . . t . e . Hear , O I rael , De t vi he [ ,

w a s r Je su s ] c ame before him . He minded to e i i c e v e . . e . him , and made a Sign to him He [ ,

Je su s ] thought that he repelled him . He went h w and ung up a tile and orshiped it . Joshua said

‘ ’ ‘

R u . re to him , et rn He replied , Thus I have c eive d o ne from thee , that every who sins and c s s th e u u s in au e m ltit de to , they give him not the ’ i h c c . . e . w o han e to repent And the teacher [ , he ‘ s has handed down this tradition ] has aid , Jesus

1 3 n inn n nnk e er o sh ua Th e wo r d mea s b o th a d i ep . J u s e s in th e rs s ens e th e ans wer n re mar m e s it fi t , i g k i pli “ ” h s s th e s e co n d me ani ng os te .

2 4 J ESUS A MAGI CIAN

th e Na z arene pra cticed magic and led a stray and ’ ” 1 “ deceived Israel .

H a i ah 77d In the Jerusalem Talmud g g , , the s ame s tory is related only th at in place o f Jo s hu a ben P erachjah h is contemporary Judah ben Tab bai is placed and th at the name o f Je sus is n ot “ e fo r w c w e o ne o f h is m ntioned , hi h read (Tab ’ ” But bai s ) di s ciples . whether the reading is Joshua ben P e rachjah o r Judah ben Tabbai we h ave here again o ne o f tho s e s triking an ach ro

nisms fo r which the Talmud is famous . The

. e . event under King Jannai (i , Alexander Jan

i th e u naeus ) s hi s torical . After capt re Of the

th om 104 - 7 stronghold Be e King Jannai ( 8 B . C . )

h is h ad 800 Pharisees crucified . T crucifixion wa s the oc ca s ion o f th e fligh t into Syria and Egypt o n the part o f the Phari s ee s generally in

s P e the country , and among them Jo hua ben

rach ah j and Judah ben Tabbai . The question 1 5 h ow o f s s may be asked , did the name Je u come to be introduc ed into a story referring to a time s o long before h is o wn ? Bearing in mind th at the rabbi s had extremely vague idea s o f the o f chronology past times , we may perhaps find

h s o rma ch ar e is a so o un in S an h edrin 43a T i f l g l f d , “ ” wh r wo r h e h er r o n e e th e ds Of t e t ac a e f u d . “ I n th e e o n o f ase 1578-81 an d in all a er diti B l , , l t ones the censor t he re s s h as e un e th name f , Of p xp g d e o esus wh c h is oun in all th e er e on s o f th e J , i f d Old diti

Talmud .

2 5 J ESU S I N T H E TA LM UD the origin o f the s tory in its Babylonian form in a de s ire to explain the connection o f Jesus with E . c s gypt The conne ting link may , perhap , be found in the fact O f a flight into Egypt to e sc ape

s the anger Of a king . Thi was known in regard h h s u P e rac a s t . to Jo h a ben j , and the Go pel (Mat

1 s c 3 et e . ii . q ) re ords a similar event in regard to

s s Jesu s . There may be ome other detail in the life o f Jesu s which the rabbi s h ad in view when they remodeled the story to suit their purpose .

is not Hence , in rej ecting the date , it absolutely nec e s s ary to rej ec t the whole Of the Babylonian vers ion a s entirely devoi d O f every element o f

s . a s o s o f genuinene s Again , t the latene s the

s is h Babylonian ver ion , it to be observed that t e

Gemara quote s from . an earlier sou rce o r tradi

o f t s tion the s ory, as can be een from the clo s ing words o f the Talmud passage (S a uh ed rin 107b) given above .

e s s a Ma a - J u gici n . . Whereas the To ld o th Je sh u attributes the miraculou s power O f Jesu s

. e . e to the Shem (i , the Tetragrammaton or I ne f fable Name) which he s tole from the Temple at n Jerusalem by a stra ge device , the Talmud knows nothing o f this robbing o f the Shem from the

r e su s b r Temple , but reco ds that J ough t magic 1 6 ‘ o h e ut Of Egypt . T passages referring to it are

wa s re ar th e s ec a h ome o f ma i c Egypt g de d as p i l g , a n o p i ni o n e xpre s s e d in th e Ta lmu d Ki d dush i n 49b : Te n me as ure s o f s o rce ry d e s ce n de d i n to th e world; ” re ce e ni ne th e re s th e wo r o ne . Eg ypt iv d , t Of ld 2 6

J ESUS I N T H E TA LM U D

TO s a su s c E th e y that Je learned magi in gypt , s pec ial home of magi c according to the Talmu d

s 49 b is s a h Kiddu hin already referred to , to y t at

wa s w u he a great magician , more po erf l than

h s E t others . T at he had omething to do with gyp we have al s o seen above in the pa s sage whic h h h make s him a di sc iple of Joshua ben P e rac ja . As to the manner in which he is alleged to have

E c s brought with him gyptian magic , a uriou ex

is R s co m planation given by a hi , the Talmud “ mentato r o n Shabbath 1041) to the effect th at the Egyptian magician s searc hed every o ne wh o qu it

E w wa s ted the land Of gypt , hether he taking any

s o f w book magic ith him , in order that the ma

ical E g art (namely , the gyptian ) might not ” c s ome into other countrie s . Now since Je us could not take them away in writing,he concealed

s c o r s them in the manner de ribed , perhap tatooed

c s s magi al ign on his flesh . e s s An I — J u d o l a t e r . Je s u s is not only a fool bu t also an idolator . In the Talmud Sanhedrin “ 103a we P x i 1 s s . c . 0 read on the pas age , There ” s hall no evil befall thee , that it means that evil dream s and bad fanta s ies s hall not vex thee ; o n ” c Neither shall any plague ome nigh thy tent , that it mean s that thou s halt not have a s on o r disciple wh o burns his food publicly like Je sh u 1 8

. e . s z . (i , Je us )the Na arene

S in al h er o ns n h ma nu r o l t e Old e diti a d t e s c ipt s . 2 8 CLA I M S O F J ESUS

The la s t clau s e is al s o found in Talmud Be rach o th l 7b u h wh o u s h s . The a t ority q ote t i

s s is R Hisd a wh o pa age abbi , a Babylonian lived 2 17 - . . u A D 309 . He q otes it in the name Of

R wh o wa s c abbi Jeremiah bar Abba , his ontem h o rar o f u t e s . p y, and apparently abo t ame age “ ” to the to u h is u c As term b rn food p bli ly , lex h f ff icog rap e r s are o di erent opinions . Dalman “ s ay s that th i s mean s to renou nc e publicly what ” o n h L s is e as learned . aible think that the term “ a c ontemptu ou s exp re s s ion fo r the p ublic offer i h h s s ng of s ac rifi c e to idol s . T at the C ri tian in th eir a s s emblie s offered sacrifi c e to idols w a s a s firmly the opinion of the Jews Of olden time a s

i s h o f . u it t at of many the present day Nat rally ,

h wa s c u u h t erefore , it oncl ded that Jes s must ave ” s to c t c ommenc ed it . May be it refer the fa t tha Je sus wen t and taught th e people publicly - the

th e u c s th e s s s th e poor , o t a t , oppre ed , the inners ,

u c s w r th e un u rified w p bli an , in a o d p people , ith h h w om a di s c iple of a rabbi oug t not to a s s o c iate .

B u t wh th e n c is h atever meani g , ertain it t at in th e s o fth e s su s w a s wh o eye rabbi Je a heterodox , acc ording to Talmu d Sanhedrin 43a and l07b “ ” c orrupted and s educed Israel . — Cl aim o f Jes us De n ied I n the Jeru s alem Talmu d Ta anith 651) we read with referen c e to “ 19 : R s Num . xxiii . abbi Ababu aid , If a man

‘ ’ sh a s a God s s ll y to thee , I am , he lie ; if he say ,

2 9 JESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

‘ ’ " th e s on s it I o I am Of man , he hall rue ; will g

’ 19 h e up to heaven (to this applies Num . xxiii . )

but not . saith , shall perform it That the pa s sage refers to Je sus there can b e f R b wh o no s o . pos ibility doubt This abbi Aba u , lived in Caesarea ' at the end o f the third and the be o f to ginning the fourth century , seems have largely engaged in controvers y with Jewish Chris

Acc o rdin t o o ne wh o tians . g Ababu any says that he is God and at th e s ame time designate s him s elf a s Son of Man— and thi s no man save h — i Jesu s a s ever done s a liar . The import of the testimony o f Jesus to Him self is mentioned al s o in the Midrash P e sik ta

R abb h i F r i m nn fo l 1) at . e d a . 100 (ed , “ D R 2 16 . s abbi Hia bar Abba [ abou t A . ] aid ‘ h s s a t o ' th e e e I f the son of the arlot hall y , Ther be s w two God , ans er him , I am He Of the sea , ’ R I am He of Sinai . abbi Hia bar Abba said , ‘ th e s on O f th e s s a e I f harlot hall y to thee , Ther

s w s u . . 4 be two God , an er him , It is here (De t v ) written not G ods but th e L o rd hath spoken with ’ ou c y fa e to face .

h a s on T at God has , and that for this reason

two s s s c there are God , pa es here for the tea hing

’ o f s s o n wh th e c c the harlot , erein referen e is lear , namely to Je sus .

’ c Ab ah u s An amplifi ation of work , given above is fou nd in the Midra s h Jalqut Shimoni (al s o

30 CLAI M S OF JESUS

l M mm o m . 7 e a ed enu n Nu . idrash J ) xxiii , where we read that Rabbi Elea z ar h a—Q appar said that “ ’ to h is B alaam s s o God gave strength ( ) voice , that it went from o ne end o f the world to the

c u s other , be a e he looked forth and beheld the peoples that bow down to the s un and moon and

s s to w h tar , and ood and stone , and he looked fort

wa s so n o f and beheld that there a man , a woman , who s hould ri s e up and seek to make himself

Go d to s s . , and cau e the whole world to go a tray Th erefore Go d gave power to his voice that all

o f the peoples the world might hear , and thus he

‘ s d s pake , Give hee that ye go not a tray after that ‘ fo i m 111 d is r s Nu . . Go man , it written ( xx ’ no t h u h e s a man that he s o ld lie, and i f say that

is Go d w c he he is a liar , and he ill de eive and say that he departeth and c ometh again in the

n d s e . w , he aith and he shall not perform See hat ‘ is written (Num . xxvi . And he took up h is parable and said , Alas , who shall live when ’ he makes (him s elf ) God ! Balaam intended to s a s wh o o f y, Ala , shall live that nation which ” h h who eareth t at man hath made himself God .

E z h a - a ar wh o is to Now lea ar Q pp , reported

s s wa s Ab ah u have aid all thi , earlier than , for he 2 died about 60 A . D . Whether all is to be taken ’ w [k a ar s e . s as Q pp work , now not At all event we c have here a naive prophe y after the event ,

c s u s m whi h make Balaam q ote his own word (Nu .

31 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM U D

19 a h h . s u xxiii ) script re . One t ing owever is c ertain : Jesu s is h ere referred to more fully th an th f h in e s horter saying o Ab a u .

B l a m - s s — 2 a a e u . I n J Mishna Sanhedrin x , , “ we read : Three kings and fou r private men h Th e ave no part in the world to come . three

M s s s . king are Jeroboam , Ahab and ana eh th e u Ah ito fo r private men are B alaam , Doeg , ” h z p el and Geha i . Th i s pa s s age belongs to th e famou s c hapter o f

M sh Ch ele k c u s the i na , entitled , be a e it com “ menee s by s aying th at all I s rael h ave part

ch ele k th e w c u ( ) in orld to ome , and then en m

th Th h s c e s . e rates exception t ree king , Jero

h M s in boam , A ab and ana seh are all mentioned th e a s h uc Old Testament aving introd ed idolatry ,

th c o n perverted e tru e religion . The immediate n e ctio n of th e fou r private persons arou ses th e c onj ectu re th at they were c ondemned for th e

s ff h s c ame O en s e . T i oncl u s ion is strengthened by the fac t th at th e prec eding paragraph o f th e

M 1 c c th e ishna (x , ) in thi s hapter ex epts from privilege of th e world to c ome ac c ording to Rab “ bi Akiba al so such a pers on wh o read s in ex

s wh o s u ternal book and whi pers over a wo nd ,

s s th e s s h c and ay , None of disea e w i h I sent in

E w u h th e L gypt ill I lay pon t ee , I ord am thy ” h th e s c c ealer . Now external book , a ording to

h s s s 1 th e Gemara upon t i pa age (fol . 0012 ) are

32 BA LAA M - J ESUS

S i /i re M nim f h i . e o the p , i . , the books the Jewis

o r w Christians Christians generally , hich books

o f i - by way cari c ature Rabbi Me r (130 160 A . D . ) c s awen illa ou all g y (literally , margin Of evil ) ’ and Rabbi Jo ch anan (Mei r s c ontemporary)call s

ll ou o f s in — s awou i a . e . g y (i , blank paper ) thu

c . in Talmu d Shabbath 1 16a (M S . Muni h) “ w e u re The ords who whisp rs over a wo nd ,

o s o f s fer t the mira culou s cure the Chri tian s .

c o f Ah i The ombination Balaam with Doeg,

h z c tophel and Ge a i is ertainly extraordinary .

w a s no t e c u Balaam an Israelite , and there for o ld no t logi c ally be inc luded in a list o f exception s to

ff c a ru le whi c h only a e ted Israelites . It is evi dent that Balaam h ere doe s not mean th e an f m o t s e . on Nu . e e e cient prophet xxii q , but som el se fo r whom that anc ient prophet c ould s erve

w sh a s a type . From the Je i point Of view there wa s con s iderable likene s s between Balaam and

’ s h ad th e s Je u s . Both led people a tray ; and i f th e former had tempted them to gro s s immoral

th e c c d to th e R s ity , latter , a or ing abbi , had

to s w a s tempted them gross apo tasy . This the “ h s u h great c arge again t Jes s , t at he practised ” c s s magic and de eived and led a tray I rael . If it

u s s u h be tr e that Balaam tand for Jes s , t en it is

s s s rea onable to uppo e that Doeg , Ahitophel and Gehaz i s tand fo r the name s o f some other per son s wh o had fallen under s evere Rabbinical dis

33 J ESUS I N TH E TA LM UD

‘ ' Who h now pleasure . t ey were precisely we have

no o f i means discovering , and the suppos tion that e o r they ref r to Peter , James and John , Peter, 1 9 Judas Isc ariot and Paul may be possible .

s co However thi may be , the rabbis were nvinced that the di s c iples O f Balaam en bloc would in

‘ Ab o h 1 t . 9 : herit Gehenna , as we read in v The di sc iple s o f o u r father Abraham enj oy this world

a s and inherit the world to come , it is written 2 1 ‘ (Prov . viii . ) That I may cause those that love

h s c me to in erit ubstan e , and that I may fill their ’ s o f trea su ries . The di ciples Balaam the impious inherit Gehenna and go down into the pit Of i P ‘ s a s s s . . de truction , it written ( lv But

h u s t o , O God , halt bring them down into the pit of de s truc tion ; bloodthirs ty and dec eitful men shall not live o ut half their days : And i f there shou ld by any chance b e still the sligh te s t he s itation in the mind o f the reader that Balaam in these pa s sages is identical with

s s s Je u , the following pas age should forever set his mind at re s t .

Th e A e f B a aa m s — I n g o l (Je u s ). the B aby Ionian Talmud Sanhedrin 106b we read thus “ c min R A certain hereti ( ) said to abbi Hanina , ‘ ’ Have you ever heard how Old Balaam was ? He ‘ is B u . ut replied , There nothing written abo t it

u as s car o wo u an swer t o oe th e o m e J d I i t ld D g Ed it , ’ wh r m o e a 1 S a . b et ay d D vid ( . xxii

34

J ESUS I N T H E TALM UD

As to P h inch a s the robber o r Pinchas Lis ” aa wh o is s is t h aid to have killed Balaam , it dif

ficult s s is to under tand why thi worthy , who

2 3 t s e . a s . e mentioned in Num . xxv q having led an army again s t the Midianite s and slain their

s B w s king together with alaam ith the word , and ’ “ s M s e c u th e thi at o s s ommand , sho ld be called

s s ee c robber . Some Jewi h writers in Pin has

c o r Listaah a corruption of Pontiu s Pilate . The

u we is s w o ne b ut r ption , admit a ome hat violent ;

h e w s h u c e s t at a J o ld all Phin ha a robber , being , a s h e wa s h h h o f , a ig ly onored hero tradition ,

s s s is u m u t certainly be urpri ing . There no do bt th at u nder thi s mention o f Pinch as Listaah there

s c c lie on ealed a referen c e to Pont iu s Pilate . — Th e Tri a l of Je s u s 1 I n the Mi s h na San h ed rin ! 1 1 : wh o , , we read In regard to all

w h th e are ort y of death according to Torah , they d o u s e c c s not on ealment again t them , except in th e s Ho w h ca e of the deceiver . do they deal wit ? h im They put two di s ciple s of th e wise in the

c s u c inner hamber , and he its in the o ter hamber , and they light the lamp so that they sh all see him

h is c h u and hear voi e . And t s they did to Ben S ta da in Lu d ; two di sc iple s o f the wise were c h e h h im to th e os n for him , and they (broug t ” c u s s ourt of j tice ) and toned him . 2 h . t e u s R s 16 In Jer alem ecen ion VII , (fol . “ d ) we read : The dec eiver ; thi s denote s a

36 T RI AL O F J ESUS

? O . private man . Not a s age N From the time

he dec eive s he is no longer a s age . And from

i is the time he s dec eived he no longer a s age . How d o they deal w ith him to work c raftily again s t him ? They c onc eal (in h is c as e ) two witne s s e s in the inner ch amber and make him s it

u h in the o ter c amber , and they light a lamp over him that they may s ee h im and may hear his

to S tada Lu d c . s voi e Thu did they Ben in , and they conc ealed in h is c a s e two di sc iples Of the w s u h im c u o f s i e , and bro ght to the o rt j u tice and s toned him . 67 3 . The Babylonian Gemara Sanhedrin a has the following vers ion o f thi s inc ident : For it is a tradition that in regard to th e re s t o f all wh o

h law are wort y of death according to the , they

o s c c c d not u e on ealment ex ept in this ca s e (i . e

do h Of the dec eiver). How they deal with im They light a lamp for him in th e inner ch amber

s et w s s u c h s o and itnes e in the o ter amber , that

s e e h is c but s they may him and hear voi e , he doe h im ‘ s e e . s s me not them And one ay to , Say to ’ wh s at thou saidst to me in private , and he ays h ‘ . s s to im s it to him And another ay , How hall we o u r Go d is forsake who in heaven , and prae

s s ? n ts tice fal e wor hip I f he repe , it is well . I f ‘ ch is o ur u h us s he says , Su d ty and t it become us ’ t o d o s wh o f s , the witnesse hear him rom out ide

n h 1m to u s c h i bri g the co rt of j u ti e and stone m .

3 7 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM U D

And thus they did to Ben S ta d a in Lud and they

u o n s s h ng him the eve of the Pa over . That the ca s e des c ribed in the s e pa s s age s re

S t ada wh o s fers to Jesus (called Ben ), was al o

c c charged with de eiving the people , is lear . It is also clear that at an early period there w a s a tra dition that the c ondemnation O f Jesus had been obtained by the frau dulent means described

above . There can be no doubt that in these pass ages we have here only scanty remnants o f a tra

dition about that trial , combined perhaps with

s hearsay information derived from Chri tians . Li u 2 Renan in his fe of J es s (chap . 4) believe s that the New Testament ac count of the Trial o f Jesus mu s t be supplemented by the s e Talmudic

. u au notices But an eq ally good , i f not better th o rit s u o Naz ara 47n s e s . y, Keim (J f VI , ) say that there is no ground for corre cting the GOS R pel a c count by the help of the Talmu d . ather it i s the Gospel account whi ch throw s light upon the Talmudic tradition . From the Gospel story

o s . 60 . are derived the tw witne ses (Matt xxvi .

56 57 w s s In Mark xiv . , , several itne es are men “ ” i s t oned . ) The Gospel peaks Of false witnesses , and thi s is perhaps the origin o f the Talmudic assertion that the witnes s es were concealed in o r

c s der to entrap the a cu ed . The mention of the 69 outer and inner chamber recalls Matt . xxvi . , “ where it i s said that Peter was sitting without

38 EX E CUTI O N O F J ESUS = in the court while the trial w as . going o n within

f Th e the hou s e O the High Priest . lighted lamp may have been sugge s ted by the mention o f the 5 5 fire kindled in the outer c ourt (Luke xx ii . ) And finally th e statement that the ac cu s ed was c th e c u o f u s c its arried to o rt j ti e , may have

' wa s a to origin in the fact that there , ccording the s s a ' s econ d O f u c Go pel , sitting the co n il after th e on e at : which the witne s se s had b een p re sent

c f s (Mark xv . The Talmudi tradition di fer from the Gos pel in saying that the trial too k place

Lu d L s s u o n at ( ydda), and that Je u was h ng

h a s the eve o f the Pa s sover . Of this we. s ll peak further on . But all tends to Show that the Tal mud has rp re s erved only a very vague and con

c O f w wa s fused re ollection Jesus , hose name doubtles s held in abhorrenc e a s that o f a danger ou s heretic and deceiver . — Th e E xecut ion Of J e s u s W e . read San “ h edrin 43a : And it is tradition : On the eve

' f h h z o the P a ss ove r t ey hung Jes u [ the Na arene] .

And the . crier went forth before him forty days ‘ s e shu z ( aying), [J the Na arene] goeth forth to 2 0 c c be stoned , be ause he hath practiced magi and

” It I S c ertai nly s trange tha t J esus was charge d with h a n rac ce ma i c wh ereas ma ca s was on e vi g p ti d g , gi l kill o f th e qualifi cati ons n ece s s ary fo r a member o f th e n h u w r a in r anh e r n 17a S a h e dri n . T s e e d t e ati s e S d i a o ch anan sa s no n e w ere a ow e to s it in th e R bbi J y , ll d anh e r n wh were n ot men o f s a ure me n o f w s t S d i , o t t , i d m me f o r n e k i n a o n . o o a ea a c a e s e m i , g d pp , g d , ill d g c, 39 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

deceived and led a s tray I s rael . Any one who

u h is knoweth a ght in favor , let him come and

c de lare concerning him . And they found naught

u o f in his favor . And they h ng him on the eve

‘ \Vo l s s . u d u the Pa over Ulla said , it be s pposed

e sh u z that [J the Na arene ] a revolutionary , had ’ u his ? w as c a ght in favor He a de eiver , and the

. e . s u . . Merciful (i , God ) hath aid (De t xiii ‘ u Thou shalt not spare , neither shalt tho conceal ’ But wa s ff w e sh z him . it di erent ith [J u the Na a ’ ” 2 1 rene] , for he was near to the kingdom .

s we s s wa s In thi passage are told that Je u hung .

' With thi s mu st be c ombined the evidenc e of the

a n d ac ua n e w h s e e n an ua e s s o h a th e q i t d it v ty l g g , t t S a nh e d ri n migh t no t b e o blige d t o h e ar th ro ugh a n n e r r e r — ha h s s a e m en is in o s o n t o i t p e t . T t t i t t t Opp iti - D u xviii 10 12 ma e s n o fe ren ce w h th e ra s . e t . . k di f it bbi Th e co mmen ar n e e e s u s h a h s m a ca s t y i d d t ll , t t t i gi l kill “ w a s ac qui re d in s el f -d e f en ce in o r d e r t o kill th e ma gi ci an s wh o tru s te d in th ei r magi cal arts to d e liv er ” n r But h e x th e m o ut o f th e h a d s o f th e t ibu nal . t i s h r a c is h n pl anati o n d o es no t me n d t e matte . M g i a t i g a bs o l ute ly un l aw f ul an d e xp re s s ly f orbidden by Go d . B ut it m ay w e ll b e d o ubte d wh e th er th e me mb e rs Of th i s gr eat coun cil c o n fi ne d th e i r magi c al e xerc itati o ns t o h n o f ma c n fin d e s ewh ere h a th e t e a s . W e killi g gi i l , t t r a s a t e as ma e o h er ma ca e er men s an d bbi l t d t gi l xp i t , h a e e e n re co r e th e me an s w h ch h e e m o e v v d d i t y pl y d , n o re e r o a mu B e fo r th e b e e fit Of p s te rity. We f t T l d rach oth 60 wh ere th e eo e an d all s rae are in , p pl I l r in h m n m ns The a s sa e b e s t uct e d t e ea s to s e e d e o . p g in w r r r m n too s e e a n o . g illy , f i f givi g it ” Th e w ho l e o f th i s p a ssage i s e xpun ge d f ro m th e i n h r n th e au h o r o f l at e r e diti on s . It s giv e e e o t ity t h r R inowicz . e M SS . an d e a ly e diti o n s s et f o rth by abb Th e wo r in r ro m d s a e f M SS . 40 EXECUTION OF JESUS

passage s given in the former s ec tion that he was two s stoned . The c onnec tion between the tate

su was s h is ments is that Je s toned , and dead body

c then hung upon a cro s s . This is lear from the

s 4 : wh o s Mi hna Sanhedrin vi . All are toned are

Th e s s s a u c R E . h ng, a cording to abbi liezer age y, None is hung except the bla sphemer and he wh o

Th e c s w a s u practi c es a fal s e wor ship . orp e h ng

c s s s w c to a ro or el e to a single beam , of hi h one

s th e u th e s end re ted on gro nd , other again t a

h h s s c u s w s M s . all ( ame i na ) The Go pel , of o r e ,

s a u s su s y nothing abo t a toning of Je , and the Talmu dic tradition is probably an inference from h the fac t that he w as known to have been ung . The inference would be fu rther strengthened by 2 . 3 c u . the appli ation of the text , De t xxi , He

c cu s c that is hanged is a r ed of God , a text whi h

Paul had to di s arm in referenc e to Jesus (Gal .

iii . The Talmud knows nothing Of an exe

c ution o f R s a s w Jesus by the oman , modern Je s

s a ct w s . claim , but make it wholly the of the Je What is meant by the herald going forth dur

s s s is ing forty day before the death of Je u , hard f to . o c s tell The herald is , our e , fictitious ; the number forty days may have its origin in th e “ wa s Gospel . The phrase that Jesus near to the

L s kingdom , aible interpret as referring to the ” R u w c oman a thorities , hi h would explain the he s itation o f Pontius Pilate to put Je s us to death .

41 J ESUS I N T H E TA LMU D

W e rather prefer the suggestion that the refer

is u c ence to the s pposed Davidic des ent of Jesus , a sugge s tion made by the late Profes so r Delitz sch in h i u 1879 w s s es s and H illel 3d e d . J ( , ) here he say o n 12 o : M is so : c page , n te ary al alled in the

s Eli su s c Talmud a daughter of , and Je is alled ‘ (Sanh edrin 43a ) related to the royal house (o f David )

H - I n J e s u s in e 11. the Talmud Gitti n “ 5 1 a : O nk elo s Kalonik o s , we read bar ,

w o f u s . nephe Tit s , de ired to become a Jew He

c u s c . alled p Titu by ne romancy He said to him ,

‘ ’ ‘ is ho o h ? I s Who n red in t is world He replied , ’ ‘ ’ a ? rael . Wh t about j oining them He replied , ‘ Their words are many and thou cans t not fulfill

m GO s w the . , j oin thyself to them in thi orld and m w La . thou shalt become a leader , for it is ritten ( “ ”

a c . i . Her adversaries h ve be ome the head ’ l is ‘ Every Oppressor of Israe made a head . He ‘ ’ s to is un s m ? re aid him , What thy p i h ent He ‘ plied That whi ch I have determined for my

E s c sel f . very day my ashe are colle ted and I am j udged ; then I am burnt and the ashes scat ’ te re d over seven sea s . “ u H e called p Balaam by necromancy . He ‘ ’ to him is i s o ? said , Who honored in th w rld He ‘ ’ ‘ ? ’ . e replied , Israel What about j oining . th m He ‘

. t replied (Deut xxiii , Thou shal not seek ’

. h their pea c e o r their pro s perity all t y da ys . He

42

J ESU S I N T H E TA LM UD

c s dent , and indeed hostile eviden e that Jesu Of

c w c s Nazareth really existed , a fa t hi h has by ome

u But been called in q estion . if , beyond this , the Talmudi c Je su s - tradition h as no val u e for the

s o f s s s u o f hi tory Chri tianity , it how the attit de

s a s its w Judai m represented by leaders , to ards

s i . s s Je us He the deceiver , the orcerer , the apos “ ” h is con tate , the Sinner Of Israel ; birth , Jewish tempt blackened into a disgrace , and his death is di s missed a s the mere execution o f a perni c iou s

To criminal . And thus it is to this day . under s tand Je s us and his religion Judai s m must dive s t

o f R t s . No t u b u itself abbini m the Talm d , the New Testament is the real source for the history o f Jesus . R PA T II .

THE DISCIPLE S AND FOLLOWERS OF E J SUS .

THE DISCIPLE S AND FOLLOWERS OF E J SUS .

s — I n Th e F ive Dis c ipl es o f Je s u . the Tal “ mud Sanhedrin 43a we read : Our Rabbis have

u s sc s— M h ta ght , Jesu had five di iple att ai , Nak h h h z T o da . kai , Net er , Buni and They broug t ‘ s u s Matthai (before the j udges ). He aid , M t h ? Matt ai be killed F o r it is written (P s . xlii . Ma tth ai ( “ when ) s hall (I ) come and ap ’ ‘ to Go d . s pear before They aid him , Yes , Mat

u for is P s . . 5 thai m st be killed , it written ( xli ) Ma tth ai - when ) shall (he) die and his name ’ s u h peri h . They bro g t Nakkai He said to ‘ s ? F o r i s them , Mu t Nakkai be killed it written E k — . Na i ( xod . xxiii The innocent) and ’ s not s to the righteou thou shalt slay . They aid ‘ u fo r him , Yes , Nakkai m st be killed , it is writ

P 8 s c s ak i ten ( s . x . ) In ecret pla e doth he slay N — z r the They brought N et e . He ‘ s u s z ? F o r is aid , M t Net er be killed it written

I s 1 Ne lz er = a h s ( a . xi . ) ( branc ) hall spring ’ ‘ his s s . Y e s up from root They aid to him , , J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

z u s is w I sa . Net er m t be killed . For it ritten (

h h ou t th xiv . T ou art c a s t fort of y grave like an abominable Ne te er They ‘ M s u u u . s bro ght B ni He aid to them , u t B ni be ’ ? 2 2 B u i killed For it is w ritten (E x . iv . ) ’

s on s . my ), my fir t born Israel They said to ‘ i Y e s u u s . s him , , B ni m t be killed For it written

E x 2 h s B iu eh a son . . 3 ( iv ) Be old , I lay thy ) ’

h u h Th o d ah . s thy fir st born . T ey bro g t He aid

‘ h u s Th o d ah ? is to t em , M t be killed For it writ

P Th o d h = ~ s . c 1 s a ten ( , ) A P alm for thanks

h s h im Y e s Th o d ah u T ey aid to , , m st i 1 h s w P S . . be killed , for it ritten ( W oso — s ac rific eth Th oda h thank s giving) h on o reth , 7 ’ me . No Ch ri stian tradition exi st s wh i ch spec ifie s any five o ut of th e Twelve a s h aving met with

c B h e h th su h a fate . ut t fac t t at e five were called di s c iple s O f Je su s implie s that th ey were

h s s h h w c s C ri tian , not t at t ey ere ontemporarie of i h Je su s . It s pos s ible th at t e s tory refer s to the

s cu h s s u Co ch eb a per e tion of C ri tian nder Bar , and pre s ent s a fanta sti c a cc ou nt of s ome in c ident o f h Th e c h th t at per s ec u tion . fa t t at e martyr dom of th e s e di s c iple s is desc ribed on the s ame page of th e Talmu d on wh i ch th e execution O f

s u s Lu d L is s h ws Je at ( ydda ) narrated , o that it w a s a Jewi s h and not a h eath eni sh c ou rt wh ich s h s th s enten c ed t e di c iple s . On e other hand thi

48 FO LLO W ERS O F JESUS

Talmudi c pas s age is one of th e many cu rious ex ample s of th e w ay in wh i ch the S c riptu res are

is o n e o f th e s s applied by the rabbi s . It trange t

s c s o f c pe imen transparent fi tion , and Of silly h h trifling wit t e word s of S c ripture .

a a S e h an — J c o b of Keph a r S a m ( c ja). B esides the five names given above the Talmu d al s o

s sc o f u s c o f know of another di iple Jes , Ja ob

Ke h ar wh o wa s w fo r h is th auma p Sama , kno n tu r ic w c u g po er , whi h no do bt led him to be placed

w u s s in immediate relation ith Jes , the ma ter of s c wh c h is u s s s or ery , and i h in time ca ed a en ation h w t at wa s never after ard s to be forgotten . In the Talmu d th i s Jac ob c ome s before u s a s a per

f c s c co nven former o mira le and a tea her . For ’ c s we ien e ake divide the matter , and treat h P f i a o t e e r o M a e s . a J c b , rforme r cl .

th e u 2 2 2 3 d : In Tosephta H llin II , , we rea “ ’ Th e R E Case of abbi l azar ben Damah , Whom

— c o f a Serpent Bit . There ame in Jacob , a man

Ke h ar c u h im th e o f s u p Sama , to re in name Je h a b R ut s w . ben Pandira , abbi I hmael did not allo it ‘ h ’ u . He said , T o art not permitted , Ben Damah

‘ s w h e He aid , I ill bring thee a proof that may h ’ B h h eal me . ut e ad not fini shed bringing a h R h ‘ w . s s proof en he died abbi I mael aid , Happy

h u h h u s art t o , Ben Dama , for t o ha t departed in

c h s h th e pea e , and a t not broken t rough ordin ance s O fth e wi s e ; for upon every one wh o breaks

49 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

u c s s c thro gh the fen e of the wi e , puni hment omes

E . s s a s is w . at la t , it ritten ( ccles x Who o breaketh a fen c e a s erpent s hall bite him .

b I u 14d w e . n Jer salem Shabbath read the s ame almo s t word for word with the addition at “ the end : Th e serpent only bit him in order that a s erpent might not bite him in the f uture . And ? what could he (Ben Damah ) have s aid (Lev .

‘ ch s xviii . Whi , if a man do he hall live in ’ h e . . them (i . , not die in t em ) 40d 4 1a 0 . In J erusalem Aboda Zara , , , we find

s a s a c t the ame in above , ex ept hat after the “ ” “ s c word ame in to cure him , is added , He said , ‘ we will s peak to thee in the name o f Je sh u ben ’ Pandira .

d th e 2 7b . In Babylonian Talmud Aboda Zara

: we read thus It happened that Ben Dama , son ’

R s s wa s . of abbi I hmael s ister , bitten by a serpent

’ There came Jacob of Keph ar S k h anja to heal

b ut R s w u w him , abbi I hmael o ld not allo him .

‘ R sh al Ben Dama said , abbi I mael , my brother , lo w me to be healed by him , and I will bring thee

’ s i s a ver e from the Torah that this permitted . B ut he had not fini s hed his disc our s e when h is h s u e . s o l departed , and died Then Rabbi I hmael ‘ c h im : u ex laimed over Happy art tho , Ben Da

i s s u h s s ma , for thy body pure and thy o l ath pa ed a way in pu rity and th ou hast not transgre s s ed the

s c s wh o s E c s word of thy ompanion , have aid ( cle .

50

J ESU S I N T H E TA LM UD

c but u came in to onsole him , he wo ld not be com

R c s forted . abbi Akiba ame in and aid to him ,

‘ R sh s a h wh h u abbi , all I y to t ee y t o art perhaps ? ’ ‘ ’ s h im . s grieving He aid to , Say on He aid

‘ h inim h im h s t e M . e . to , Per ap one of (i , Jewish Ch ri stian s ) h a s s aid to thee a w ord of Miu uth h ’ ‘ a s s . and it plea ed thee He said , By Heaven , th ou h a s t reminded me ! On c e I wa s w alking

th e S e h o r is c along street of pp , and I met Ja ob

Ke h ar S ich nin o f of p , and he said to me a word

Minu th e sh u P antiri in the name of J ben , and it

wa s s s plea s ed me . And I arre ted for word of Minu th be c au s e I tran sgre s s ed th e words of To

h th w a ra . . (Prov v Keep y y far from her ,

c th e h u and ome not nigh door of her o se (vii . h h ’ for s e hat c a s t down many wou nded .

2 16h 1 a . u 7 w e In the Talm d Aboda Zara , , read th e following ' Rabbi Elie z er w a s sei z ed on th h Th e c arge of being a Chri s tian . e j u dge s aid

‘ h im h u u h s w to , T o , an aged man , to b sy t y elf ith

’ ‘ s u ch s ! th e h idle matter He replied , I admit fait ’ fu l h Th t e u . e reproof of j dge latter , thinking

h h e h im w s h e t at referred to , herea really meant

‘ s : c o u u s ou d is God , aid Sin e y tr t me y are h ’ h c . w s s s arged He ent ome deeply di tre ed , and w u c s h i o ld re eive no con olation from s disciples .

‘ ’ ‘ R ! c A u ib a w s abbi ried q , Allo me to say ome

’ ‘ ’ h h ch h t ing w i I ave learned from thee . Say it ,

a s h h w t e reply . Ha st t ou not had a di spute with

5 2 FO LLO W ERS OF J ESUS

s s a Chri tian , and by approving what he aid , got ’ ‘ ’ ‘ h ? A uib a ! s t yself into trouble q aid he , thou

c j u s t remin de st me of a c ertain inc ident . On e upon a time I wa s walking in the upper s treet of

S e h o rie s wh o f s c s o f pp , en I met one [ the di iple

s o f - z s w a s c Je us Na areth ] , who e name Ja ob , a “ o f S ek an a wh o : is man Kefr j , said to me It written in your law : Thou s halt not bring the hire of a whore into the hou s e o f the Lord thy

18 s w h Go d (Deut . xxiii . ) May a ink be made it ” it for the high prie s t ? Th i s qu estion I could ‘ h u s s not an s wer . W ere pon he aid to me Jesu

h n o f Na z areth taug t me thu s o the subj e ct . It is h o f written , He gathered it of the ire an har i M . 7 s c lot ( icah i ) that , it ame from an impure ” s u c u u s e . o r e , and it may be applied to an imp re When I heard thi s explanation I w a s plea s ed w s cc u w a s c c s ith it, and on thi a o nt I a u ed of

s u s s s s th e w : here y , beca e I tre pa ed against ord “ R wa h r 8 emove thy y far from e (Prov . v . ; from ”

. e . her , i , from

Th e s s i h 3 . ame tory s al s o found in t e Midra sh “ o E h h n c c s i . 8 w is : u s as le , , here the reading T

su so n u w s Je s of Pandera ta ght , herea the Tal mud s : su z a read Je s the Na rene . The E liezer here mentioned is Rabbi E liez er 2 3 H rc ano s h -in - law ben y , brot er of Gamaliel II , 2 3 S e e th e n eres n re a s e o f To etterman n Ra bbi i t ti g t ti , E liez er be n H yrca nos ive d e vi qua d o c triua Ch e is tia na primis s e cu lis illus tris s imos qu os dam Juda éorum a t traxit e s c 1877 , L ip i , . 53 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

s c . the grand on Of Gamaliel I , the tea her Of Paul That Eliez er was a famous teacher c an be learned from the fac t that he is mentioned 32 4 time s in

No w s u s c ac the Mishna . thi famo tea her knowledge s that he wa s plea s ed with an explana

z tion given by Jesus of Na areth . This teaching

E z c o ne o f lie er received from a ertain Jacob , the

s s o f w s s n di ciple Jesus , and hom the Jewi h hi toria

Graetz identifies with the apostle Jame s . The genu ineness Of this inc ident is defended by the late Jewish scholar De renbourg in E s s ai ’ r hi d la P ale tin e s ue l his torie e t la eo a e e s . g g p , pp

3 57- 360 E d e rsh e im Li e an d Times , although in f o es us th e Mes s iah 537 s f J I , , declare it to be

is o p lainly apocryphal . But there no ground t rej ect the evidenc e o f a man so well known as

R E z a s abbi lie er , especially it tells against him

s . s c elf The story seem to be well authenti ated .

A h e r s an W h o P M s n o t C hri ti e rform s ira cl e . “ —I n Jeru s alem Shabbath 14d we read : Th e grandson [ o f Rabbi Joshu a ben Levi ] had s ome h t hing stuck in his throat . T ere came a man and

s e sh u whi pered to him in the name of J Pandera , h and he recovered . When he (the C ristian ) ‘ w s ent out , Jo hua said to him , What didst thou ’ ‘ s ? whi per to him He said to him , A certain ’ ‘ fo r word . He said , It had been better him that

’ h e had died rather than this had happened . And

G n o tiei mu u nd Jud e n th u m 2 no 2 2 s s s 5 e . , p . , t 54 F O LLOW E RS O F J E SUS

‘ ‘ it h a s w e - an ro » t us befell him , it er error that p h h ’ c eedet from t e ruler (Ecc le s . x .

n m E s . The meaning Of the quotatio fro c cl e , x 5 s eem s to be that the fa c t O f the child having been c ured by a Chri s tian was a deplorable evil

ch u not n m n o f whi co ld be u done , as the com a d ‘ u r m ma a r le given in error , and i plicity obeyed , y re sult in mi schief whi c h cannot be afterward s

r c c put right . The saying is cha a teristi Of the feeling o f Jew s towards Chri stians in the third i C entury n Pales tine . — A Ch ri s tia n Judge Applied To I n the treat

s b 1 16a b we ea ° m m ti e Sha bath , , r d Im a Shalo was o fR E z s Rab the wife abbi lie er , and si ter of e ban Gamaliel . Ther was in her neighborhood a philos oph er o f whom report said that he would no is h l t take a bribe . They w hed to ave a augh h h m . s e at him So broug t him a golden la p , and ‘ h they went before him . She said : I wi sh t em to appo rt ion unto me o f the property o f t h e fam ’ H m ‘ i ’ l . e H a t . e G ily said to the , Divide ( am iel ) s : : r is so n aid We have it written Whe e there a , u ’ . g ) a da ghter does not inherit He (the , jud e

‘ ‘ an s wered From the day t hat ye were exiled

om u h a s e k fr yo r land , the law Of Moses be n ta en awa th e o f E e n y , and law the vangelion has b e “ ve and it is A son t g i n , in written , and a daugh er s h e m e hall inherit alike Next day , (Ga ali l ) b o h im Li t r ught a byan as s . He h e j u dge ) s a id

55 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM U D

‘ u h th e to them , I have looked f rt er to end of the “ is w : th e s book , and in it ritten I , Go pel , am not come to take away from the law of Mo s e s but ” law M s s to add to the of o e , and in it (the law “ o f M s is w \Vh ere h is s o n ose ) ritten , t ere a , a ” S h e s s . daughter doe not inherit aid to him ,

‘ ’ Let your light s hine a s a lamp ! Rabban Gama ‘ a s s h as c liel said to her , The ome and trodden out ’ the lamp . Whether the s tory is intended to represent

h s w th e u is more t an to ho venality of this j dge ,

f s a is s u s h di ficult to y. It al o q e tionable whet er th e philo s opher po s s e s sed a text of the Go spel at

u w s all . It is more likely that he q oted hat eems “ ” to be a s aying of Je su s from a defective mem o r s c y, and in thi perverted form the senten e pas s ed into the Talmu d . With th i s last s tory w e h ave exhau sted all the B t Talmu d passage s collec ted by Dalman . u we c c u s we annot stop here , be a e believe that still more c an be derived from an examination of the

s Talm u d . We mean e pecially the numerou s s enten c e s whi ch in the Talmu d are placed spec ifi c u h w sh u ally in the mo t of Je i a thorities , but whi c h might with greater corre c tne s s be ascribed

to su . s s on F o r Je s O f thi we shall peak further . the present we continue ou r notices on the fol lowers of Jesus .

h a s S t h S - C ri sti n tudy e cripture s . I n the

56 FO LLOW ERS O F J ESUS

Talmud Aboda Zarah 4a we read th e following “ Rabbi Ab ah u recommended Rabbi Saphra to th e

Chri s tians a s a good s cholar . Thereupon the

Chri stians remitted h is taxe s for thirteen years . But it happened that o ne day Rabbi Saphra w a s ‘ 3 Y ou to o f s . asked give an explanation Amo iii , only have I known o f all th e families o f the earth ; therefore I will pu ni sh you for all your

’ ‘ H o w o u su God iniquities , adding, can y ppose to vent his wrath on on e whom he addres s e s as ’ ? o h is friend Rabbi Saphra w as unable t reply .

s The Chri tians then took him , tied a rope round R his head , and tormented him . When abbi

A h c b a u ame and found him in this plight , he de ‘ mande d Of the Chri s tians : Why do you torment ’ ‘ c ? ou this rabbi so ruelly They replied , Did y ? ’ n ot tell us that he was a very learned man TO the first que stion we asked Of him he was unable ’ ‘ ’ to . make any answer I did , indeed , answered ‘ R Ab ah u s c abbi , say that he was a good holar in ’ h ow no t c u s . the Talmud , but in the S ript re But is it that you understand the Scriptures and he ’ ‘ does not ? To this Rabbi Ab ah u answered : We wh o come in contact with you Christ1ans are

fo r our - to s obliged , self preservation , tudy the Scriptures ; because you dispute so often with us from the Scriptures , and because we know that ou wh o y study them ; but the other Jews , live

no o f among Gentiles , have need that, as they

57 J ESUS I N TH E TA LM UD do not dispute with them concerning the Scrip ’ ture s . What a gloomy picture ! The Jews read the

Scriptures , not because they were concerned “ one about the thing needful , but only for the s ake o f controversy ! Another illustration Of the acquaintance Of th e Christians with the Scriptures is contained in “ Talmud Yoma 40b : The disciples asked Rabbi

Akiba , whether, in case that the lot appointed the goat which stood o n the left o f the prie s t fo r a

I n o f sacrifice the Temple , the position the goats ? ‘ should be changed He replied , Give the Chris ’ tians (minim) no occ asion fo r assailing us ; o r ‘ : TO as Rashi , the commentator , explains it the disciples o fJesus o fNaz areth who discourse c on ou cerning the Scriptures , that they do not say y ’ ” 2 5 (Jews ) act arbitrarily .

E n ac t en t s A ain s t h s t an W n s m g C ri i riti g . That the Go spels and other writings o fthe Mih im

e . (i . , Christians) were in circulation at an early time , we see from the many enactments Of the

Jewish rabbis against them . At th e time that the rules for keeping the Sabbath were under con sideration , it was asked in the schools whether, i f the Gospels and other books o f the Christians e to fire should happ n fall into the , it would be

” S o in th e V en ce e o n uo e b G ldfahn in i diti , q t d y o , ’ Graetz s Mon t c h 1 a s s rift, 873, p . 109 .

58

J ESUS I N T H E TA LM U D

loathe them that rise up again s t thee . I hate

b e them with a perfect hatred , and they have

do no t come to me as enemies . And even as men

s u s o save them (the book ) from b rning, do they not save them from falling (from a building), w nor from ater , nor from anything which de

’ s troys them . Almost the same thing we read in Jerusalem

Shabbath 15 6 and Babylonian Shabbath 1 160 . There w e s e e that not even the stri c t Observance o f the Sabbath was to stand in the w ay o f the in s tant de s truction o f the book s o f the Minim ;

s nay , the terrible profanity Of de troying the names o f God which were thought to give the material on wh ich they were inscribed a special

c s et and inviolable san tity, was aside , and this

o n o ut not only the Sabbath , when the cutting Of “ ” them might be held to entail work , but accord

R Tar h on ing to abbi p , even on week days . R That, according to abbi Akiba , those have no portion in the world to come wh o read in

d c f e . o books outsi e the anon (i . , books the

c Minim ) we have already noti ed above . Never th ele s s s Go s the Go pels circulated , at least the o f pel Matthew . For whatever may be the date s t as igned to it by modern critics , certain it is tha e in som form it circulated at a very early date . In the Talmud Sanhedrin 90b we read that Ga maliel 11 1 1 (who died about the year 0 A . D . )

60 FOLLOWERS OF JESUS was asked : H o w do you know that the dead will ” ri s e again ? He adduced passages in proof o f

s . the re urrection from the law (Deut . xxxi 1 I s . 9 the Prophets ( xxvi . )and the Hagiographa

o f s s s s re (Song Songs ix . ) The e pa age were

ec ffi j ted a s in s u cient . He finally quoted the “ word s the land which the Lord sware unto you r ” fathers to give them (Deut . xi . Since the

s father were dead , the passages must have prom

s i ed a resurrection , when alone the land could be

s s o f given to these fathers . Thi show the force th e interpretation given by Jesus in Matt . xxii . “ 32 Go d o f God o f ( I am the Abraham , and the

God o f ! God n ot God Isaac , and the Jacob is the o f the dead , but of the living and the inference he deduced therefrom .

61 PROTE STS AGAIN ST CHRI STIAN S

R s i n — O n apid Gro w th o f C hri t a ity . s everal occasion s we have referred already to the inter 2 6 c u s s o rse between the rabbi and Jewish Chri tians , h i h w s M nut . e . hic hows that (i , Christianity)had

As anoth er illu strati o n we quo te th e f o llowi ng f ro m “ M h Ko h n 8 : a H a id ras ele th o c c e s as e s . E l i t , i R bbi n n a n e h e w o f a o sh ua w en to a e rnaum i , p R bbi J , t C p , an d th e Ch ri s ti ans b e wit ch e d him an d m ad e him rid e n o h o wn n n on h h h en h e i t t e t o a as s up t e S abb at . W r e urne to h is un c e a os h ua a e him an un t d l , R bbi J g v n h h i h hm n But gue t w i c h e al e d h m f ro m t e b ewitc e t . ‘ J o sh ua s a id to h im : Si n ce you h ave h e ar d th e b rayi n g o f th e as s o f h a w c e o n e o u can n o o n e r re t t i k d , y l g ’ m n n h r n w n w n a ai o t e s o il Of I s a e l . H a i na e t d o to B b lo n an h e r in e ce — rr r wh o uo e s d e e a . a a y t di d p F , q t h s r i x o s E o Vo l V I . 1 7 . 42 s a s o n s i t r . 8 7 3 t i t y p , , p , y “ ‘ ’ Th e e xp re s s i o n th e a s s o f th e wi ck e d o n e is o n ly t o o pl ai n ly a n d s a dly a n ill us i o n to th e a s s r idd e n by ou r Lo r d in his t ri umph al en try i n to J e rus al e m ; an d th e s up p re s s i o n o f th e n ame J e s u s i s in a c co rd an ce w ith th e p racti ce o f o n ly men ti o ni ng Him in an o blique an d — w F o h Ta l c rypto graph i c m anne r . Lo e ( rag me n t f t e ” u m r 1 r n a e fo r a s s m d B a bli a e 1879 . 7 a s , C b idg , , p ) t l t d wi ne— in th e Ta lmu d bo th w o r d s are e xp re s s e d th e s ame — an d thi nk s th a t th e Ch ri s ti an s i n to xi c at e d him with t h e w n e o f th e a a a i wh ch h e s ee m to h a e c e e i g p , i t y v l h i s b rat e d o n r a n h . o re ro a e e r a s F i d y ig t M p b bl , p p , t h e me an n o f e s ch E in l a i n a er na um i g D litz ( g C p , e s c 1873 2 5 wh o s a s h a th e a s s o f h a L ip i , , p . ) y t t t t ” wi ck e d r e f e r s t o th e f o o li s h p re a ch i ng Of th e c rucifi e d . PROTESTS AGAI N ST CH RI STI ANS

to influ an attractive power . In order break its

c to en e and check its growth , shortly before the de s truction Of Jerusalem th e firs t formal ana thema was hurled by the entire Rabbinic assem

anmia o r h u bly , which had met at J Jabne , nder the au spi c es o fGamaliel II . Thus the great Rabbi 2 7 12 0 s 4 . S Moses Maimonide (died A D . ) ays “ In the days o f Rabbi Gamaliel the minim in

in s f c creased I rael , and a flicted Israel , and sedu ed men to turn away from God . Then when he saw

h was s es s u t at it indi pensably nec sary , he in tit ted that imprec ation in which Go d is be s ought that

u s the minim sho ld be de troyed , and added it to

s o u the eighteen prayers, that the whole n mber i ” now found in the Prayer Book s nineteen . Thus

M Hil o h Te hill s c t a a . . far aimonide in p , ch p I I From the Talmu d we learn the history o f the “ prayer which is as follows ' Simon Pakuli ar ranged the eighteen benedi c tions before Rabbi

s Gamaliel in the pre ent order at Jabneh . Said ‘ Rabban Gamaliel to th e sages : I s there none wh o know s h o w to prepa re a benedi ction again s t the ’ minim ? Then aro s e Samuel the Little and pre

i B e rach o h 2 8b t t . s pared (Talmud ) Thi prayer , wh i c h no w form s th e twelfth o f th e s o - c alled 2 8 E igh teen Benedictions or Shemoneh E s reh

2 ‘ him h s eco n d Mo s e s wh e re a s Th e J ew s c a ll t e , “ . ” M o s e s M en d e l s s o h n is s tyl e d th e th 1rd M o se s . “ ” 2 8 in o ck S e e my arti c l e Sh emo neh E s reh in Mc Cl t ’ ro n lo an d St g s Cyc p. 63 J ESUS I N T H E TALM UD reads now : O let the s landerers have no hope ; all the wicked be annihilated speedily and all the tyrants be cut Off qu ickly ; humble thou them

s L ! qu ickly in our days . Ble sed art thou , O ord ” s wh o destroye s t enemies and hu mble t tyrants . That this w a s not the orig inal form is clear from the different re c ension s of this prayer which

R C exist . Thus eichardt opied from an Old man “ u sc ript th e following form : Be thou not a hope h me h u m dim . s b t e s a . e ut to (i , apo tates ), may

minim u - infid els the , the do ble tongued , the , the traitors , perish together in a moment ; may the enemie s of thy people I s rael be speedily annihi lated maye s t thou speedily de s troy the kingdom O f pride and rend it in piec es ; mayest thou hum

h s h s o s ble t em peedily in t e e u r day s . Ble sed art

h h u s s t ou , O God , for t o halt break into fragment h h 2 9 t e c u t e u . wi ked , and h mble pro d Another “ is Let h form given by Dalman , t ere be no hope

th e th e for apostates , and kingdom of pride may e st u s u c o r tho de troy q i kly in u day s . And let the Naz are nes and th e Ch ri s tian s su ddenly per

h Le t h h h is . t em be extingu i s ed from t e book o f

‘ w h li fe and not be written ith the rig teou s .

s h u u s Bles ed art t o , O Jahve , who h mble t the ” 3 0 wi cked .

Th e R ela ti o n of th e J ewis h Ch ris tia ns to th e J ews h F d o u n n r a n S e c nd n t ries o o 1884 . i n t e i s t e . C L d , , p

46 .

64 PROTEST AGAI N ST CHRI STIAN

Whatever th e form Of the s o -called Bir k ath h a - minim— a s th e prayer is called— may have

E i h an iu s wh o been , its existence is attested by p p , s ays that the Jew s c urse and excommuni c ate the 1 z s u 3 Na arene three times d ring the day . The same we al s o learn from Jerome and Justin 3 3 o f Martyr . In spite all stringent measures the

u o f A n mbers believer s increa s ed . s many c her ish ed c the Christian faith in se ret , it was enacted that in cas e a reader erred in o ne of the benedic

to tions , he was not be removed from the read

- s benedi 1o n ing de k , but in case he erred in the ct again s t the minim he was to be removed bec au s e 3 4 su o f min he was then spected being a himself .

3° q Di o es u . 2 99 e S o ewi h uar e W r te e t s . ee a s s J , p l J Q t R w B o Di erl evie 654 e t s e . us se t e y , X q , R e lig ion d es J u d en tu ms im n eu tes tamen tlic h en Zeit l 1 1 5 e t e . e D e Mi t a ter 903 . 5 s r s eh na trae a t , , p q ; Fi big, h B e ra o h 2 8 . c t p .

31 A v u H d d ers s aeres . 9 e . e a . , XXIX , ( . P t v , p

- A a 1 19 LI I e d . d Jes a m V 8 7 t se . e j , ; XLIX , ; , 4 q ( V ll r I V 1 6 a a si , 8 , 5 5 , ” Dia lo u u o h 16 s c nt Tr h ne c a . . g yp , p “ Str an ge to s ay th e Ta lmu d B e rach o th 2 9 a reco r d s th a t o n e ye ar a fter th e co mp o s iti o n o f th i s p ray er a a n s t h e minim its er au h o r wh e e o re th e g i t , v y t il b f r e adi ng- d e s k co u ld n o t re me mbe r it an d s p en t f ro m th re e t o f o ur h o urs in tryi n g to r e call it to h i s mi n d w w o w r mo H d h ou H h n o e . a a a . e as e e t re it t v il , v , v d th e a u th o r ch ange d h is mi n d with re gar d t o th o s e fo r wh o m his p ray e r w a s i n te n d e d ? o r did h e h im se lf b e ? l o ng to th e ch urch o r w as h e al re a dy a me mber Of th e ch u rch wh en h e co mp o s e d th i s p raye r e xte mpo re an d c o mp o s e d it o n ly in o r d e r t o av e rt s u spi ci on o f b ei n g a mi n h im s elf ? 65 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

E n a m — f ct e nt s . The influence o Christianity

s being felt more and more , the rabbi changed some “ o f their ancient custom s . Thus the standing ” 3 5 s on s o f men u ed to fast everal days the week , on but not Sunday . And why did they not fast on the day after the Sabbath ? Rabbi Jo ch anan “ s o f z says , Becau e the Na arenes (Talmud Taa

7 wh o s nith 2 b ). The idea is that those fa ted had on not to work , and a cessation from work Sun day might have the appearance O f ob s erving the

u . e . Christian S nday (i , when the Temple was still in existence). We al s o read that it wa s propo s ed that the Ten

s c w c Commandment , whi h ere re ited every morn

u ing in the Temple , sho ld be recited in the syna g og ue s throughou t the land ; but this was not car “ ried into effe ct bec ause O f the carping Of the ” Minim u B e rach oth 12 a o r e (Talm d ), as the J ru s alem c s B e rach o th 3a b e re en ion ( ) explains , ca u se of the misrepresentation O f the Mih im that

‘ s a h s they might not y, T e e alone were given to

’ Moses on Sinai .

But h s wa s s t i probably not the rea on . The real grou nd s eems to me to h ave been to avoid c onforming a part of the Jewi sh s ervice to the

” “ Stan di n g men h as r e f e ren ce to th o se I s ra e lite s wh o w e re co mm s s o ne to a ct a s e e at es re re sen i i d d l g , p t in th e n a o n at th e e m e in eru s a e m an d e caus e g ti T pl J l , b th e y h a d to s ta n d n ea r th e p ri e s t d uri n g th e o ffe ri ng o f “ h r e h w r th n n m n t e a s ac c e e e c a e e s a e . d ily ifi , t y ll d t di g

66

J ESUS I N T H E TAL M UD

Great care was taken that the prayers contained n ot s the least ign Of a Christian phraseology . “ we : Thus read A person who , in his prayer ‘ ’ 1 s 0 3. says the good hall bless thee , , this is Chris tian manner (the way o f Minuth ); but i f one ‘ ’ ’ s to s says , thy mercie extend even the birds nest , ‘ ’ ‘ fo r s let thy name be remembered good , we prai e , ’ s M s M we praise , he shall be ilenced ( i hna egilla B h h 3 9 erac ot . IV , ; V ) The Mi shna is th e oldest stratum Of the Tal

o u r s s is o f mud , and pa age one the few in the Mishna whi c h refer directly to minu th o r Chri s

i i but o s t an t . y The meaning is Obscure , it is p s ible that the referen c e is here to some ancient

s Chri s tian litu rgical form s . May not the word “ ’ ” th y mercie s extend even to the birds nest s 2 9 ? have had reference to Matt . x . Whatever

th e s wa s s c . rea on , the reader ilen ed Even th e dre s s Of the per s on who acted a s

s reader of the synagogue wa s made a te st . Thu “ M 8 : we read in Mi shna egilla IV , If a person s h u s a o ld y, I will not go before the Ark in col

s h e sh wh s . ored garment , all not do so in ite one

h s h is I f h e refu s e s to mini s ter wit sandal on feet , ” M sh h e s hall not do so even barefoot . To this i

h s h th e nai c inj un ction t e Gemara remark , t at rea s o n for th i s is be c au s e su ch a one migh t belong to

R sh h is th e Ch ri s tian s . a i , in commentary on that

68 ENACTMENTS AGAI N ST CHRI STIAN S pa s sage remarks that the Chri s tians used to pay

to s attention uch things . Because the Christians u s ed to pray towards

u to the east , do bts were expressed as the feas ibility Of having the face turned eas tw ard during to prayer , and in order protest most emphatically

s c s . e . again t the in rea ing heresy (i , Christianity), it was recommended to turn the fac e we s tward

B ath ra 2 5 a during prayer, and the Talmud Baba

s Rav S h e sh eth wh o state Of , was totally blind , that he ordered his servant to place him in any other but the eastward direction when he wished to c direc pray , be ause the Minim turned in that

. c o n s R s tion The ommentator this pas age , a hi , “ ” refers it to the disciples o fJesu s . From all this is evident that the growth o f the

s Chri tian Church must have been very rapid , otherwise the synagogue would not have required to these measures , intended check the advance h ment o ft e Gospel .

PART I I I .

SAYINGS OF JE SUS

E SAYINGS OF J SUS .

— Ta lmu dic P a ra ll e l s W e have noti c ed t w o sentences whi ch are handed down in the Talmud as s o f i s s saying Je s us . One at least expres ly

to th e quoted a s a saying Of Je su s . We refer “ ”

c c c . se tion , headed Ja ob the Tea her It must be su rpri s ing that in such a bulky work a s th e

u s . Talm d , no more hould be found Thus it may

s . B i s eem ut it s not s o . There are numerous ent ence s in the Talmu d which are asc ribed to Jewi s h

s to su . authoritie , but which belong Je s This , nd s not . a Jewish writer will admit They claim , R o r with them writers like enan , that the Talmud R the rabbi s were copied by Jesu s . Said enan

Li o e u is s su e s s . ( f f J , p It ometimes p posed that the compilation o f the Talmud being

to o f s s posterior that the Go pel , appropriations might have been made by the Jewi sh compilers

But from the Christian morality . that is inad ”

s . missible . That Renan is mistaken , we hall see A better authority than the French writer is th e

fo r s s late Dunlap Moore , many year a mi sionary “ ” th among the Jews . In his article Talmud in e J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

f S eh a - H erz o E n c clo s : is fi g y p, he say It admitted that the Talmud has borrowed from the neigh bor s of the Babylonian Jew s super s titiou s views and prac ti c e s notoriou sly c ontrary to the s pirit of h u s . W J dai m y, then , may it not have appropri ? ” ated Chri s tian s entiment s too

Li e o Ch ris t 485 s : Canon Farrar in f f , II , say Some ex c ellent maxim s— even s ome c lo s e par allel s to th e u tterance s o f Chri s t— may be

u u s q oted , of co r e from the Talmud , where they lie embedded like pearls in a s ea of Ob s curity and

s mu d . It eems to me indi sp utable that the s e are

z s s u o f ama ing few , con idering the va t b lk na l tion a literatu re from which they are drawn .

wh o s u s s And , after all , hall prove to that the e sayings were always uttered by the rabbi s to whom they are attribu ted ? Who will s upply us with the faintest approac h Of a proof that (when not founded on the Old Te s tament) they were not dire c tly o r indirectly due to Chri s tian influ ” ence o r Christian thought ? W ellh au s en (I s rae liti h un d iidis eh G s chich te 18 4 7 s c e e e 9 . 3 j , , p “ note ) remarks : The Jewi sh s cholars th ink that

h u s s everyt ing that Jes said is al o in the Talmud . t s ill more . Yea , everything and How was he able to find out the true and eternal from this rubbi sh o f s c ribi s m ? Why did no on e else do it ? And is it certain when a saying is ascribed in the

R u is Talmud to abbi Hillel , that the Talm d

74

J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD books Of the Christians should happen to fall

s s into the fire , it would be permi ible to rescue

a s o f them from the fire , inasmuch the name God w a s written in them and they contained numer “ o u s quotations from the Old Te s tament . The Gospels and the other book s Of the Christians are not to be rescued from the fire ; such is the ver

1 ol. 1 R c . 1 6 c di t (Shabbath , fol , ) and abbi

B arcoehba Akiba , who hailed as the Messiah , laid it down as an inj u nc tion that whosoever read f . e . s o in outside books , i , book the Christians , h a s no portion in the world to come (Sanhedrin , 1 . 00 . fol , col All thi s proves that the Go spel s were in ciren lation ; otherwi s e we can not under s tand the pre

c s . u c aution against them S ch being the ase , we can also unders tand the origin Of the sayings in the Talmu d which are generally adduced a s proof that the New Testament borrowed from the

Talmu d . That the Gospels were read by the s ages o f I s rael is also c orroborated by the fa c t that Hillel

o f II , a descendant the famous Hillel , was se c retl z y bapti ed on his deathbed by a bi shop . This

E i h i r an u H a . statement is made by p p s ( e es C .

! ! ! on ), himself a convert from Judaism , the ’ u a thority Of Joseph , Hillel s physician , who was a witness to the scene by which he was strongly

f o s e . O r El impres d The house Hillel , lel as

76 SAY I NGS O F J ESUS

E i h an ius was p p writes , kept closely shut after h is death by his su spicious cou ntrymen at Ti h erias . Joseph obtained entrance and found the

o f s o f Gospel St . John , the Go pel St . Matthew , and th s s e . Act in a Hebrew tran lation He read ,

z : s believed , and was publicly bapti ed he ro e high

o f in the favor Constantine , attaining the dignity

f E z o u . Co nt Of the mpire Burning with eal , he turned all his thoughts to the e stabli sh ment o f

Christian c hurc he s in the great Jewi s h c itie s .

s h wh o u c s Jo ep , end red mu h from the Jew and th e R oman Ma r Arians , is commemorated in the tyr ology as a confes sor on July 2 2 . ’ Renan s notion found a supp orter in the Jew

h E o f h M i s . u s t e s u s u writer De t ch B riti h e m , wh o make s th e following statement in his article “ ” o n The Talmu d publi s hed in Th e Quar terly R eview (O c tober 186 7 ) We need not urge the

f h to h priority o t e Talmu d t e New Testament . To a s su me that the Talmud borrowed from the New Te s tament would be like as suming that

c L o r wa s Sans rit sprang from atin , that French developed fro m the Norman word s found in ” E ngli s h .

h u so All t is so nds very nice , and do many o th er th ings wh ic h Deutsch tell s his readers in “ ” 3 8 h B u h th at artic le on T e Talmu d . t o w it is

” ’ r re u a o n o f eu s ch s as s er o n s e e m ar F o a f t ti D t ti , y “ ” ’ m in Mc Ch nto ck an d ron s C c lo ti el e Ta l u d St g y p.

77 J E SUS I N T H E TALM U D p o s sible that s ayings attributed in the Talmud to rabbi s who lived a long time after Je s us should h w th e h ave been borro ed by latter , t ese Jewish

s s at writers do not explain . The e writer pay no tention to the name of the author to whom a say~

w . ing is attributed , or the time in hich he lived Th ey are s atisfi e d with the mere fact that it is

w s in the Talmud . We shall not follo thi bad ’ e example . From the date add d to each rabbi s

th e w to name , impartial reader ill be enabled

u e wh su s j dg ether Je borrowed from the Talmud ,

o r vice v e rs a . “ A s the Sermon on the Mount is regarded a s the mo s t eth i c al part of the New Te s tament we

- will quote it with the s o c all e d Talmudi c parallel s . “ 1 u . es s : s s J Ble ed are the poor in spirit , for ” h i th t eir s s e kingdom of heaven (Matt . v . “ R a bbi Levitas of Jabneh (2 d cent ): Ever

w s c be more and more lo ly in pirit , sin e the ex ” p ec tan cy of man is to be c ome the food o f worms

Ab oth 4 ( ,

s s E d e rsh e im Li e and Times o Thi aying , ( f f

u 5 2 i es s . 3 s s s s s J , I , p ) ay , exactly Oppo ite in pirit ,

th e s bu t s s marking not optimi m , the pes imi m o f life .

R o h u e L 2 1 - 2 7 a bbi J s a b n evi (A . D . 9 9 ) B e hold h o w ac c eptabl e before the Lord are th e h \Vh ile th - ff u . e mble temple stood , meat o ering and sac rifi c e s were Offered in expiation fo r sin s

78 SAY I NGS O F J ESUS

comm e s s c o ne itt d ; but a humble pirit , u h a as immolates the de s ires of the fle s h and the ineli nation o f the heart o n the altar o f his duty to h is Go d is cc c o f c s , a eptable in pla e sacrifi e , as f P . o the Psalmi s t s ays ( s . li The sacrifices 43 God are a broken heart . (Sanhedrin , fol . , l c o .

But nothing is said o f the kingd om o f ” wh c s s ! Th e heaven , i h Chri t promi ed to all men c ontrast is too great to believe that the teach ing

o f s s wa s s u . Je u derived from Jewi h so rces And , “ s ay s E de r sh e im : It is the same sa d sel f - right e ou sne ss and u tter carnalness o f V iew which un d erlie s the o ther Rabbin ic parallels to the Beati

u s to c n s s . t de , pointing o tra t rather than likenes Thu s the Rabbinic bl es s edness o f mou rn ing con

s s s h c se si t in thi , t at mu h mi ry here makes up for

E in 1 1 u rub . 4 . p nishment hereafter ( , fol , col ) We s carc ely wonder that n o Rabbinic parallels c an be o u f nd to the third Beatitude , nor to the

u h t o se wh o e and h s fo rt , tho hung r t ir t after ” righteou s ne s s . “ h 2 . Jes us : s t e u Bles ed are mercif l , for they ” M 7 s hall obtain mercy ( att . v . ) “ B e ribbi (3d cent ): He wh o is merc iful to ward his fellow c reature s s hall re c eive mercy from heaven above ; but h e wh o is unmerciful toward his fellow creatu re s shall find n o mercy ” h 1 1 l 5 c o . i n . heaven (S abbath , fol ,

79 J ESUS I N T H E TALM U D

e us i r e e 3 . J s : Blessed are they wh ch a e p rs ’ c ute d fo r s s s righteousne ake , for theirs is the ” o f 10 kingdom heaven (Matt . v . )

R a bbi Aba h u 2 79 - 3 10 o ne (A . D . ) B e rather o f the persecuted than o fth e persecutors (Bab a

93 . Kamma , fol , col

4 es us one o f e . J : Whosoever shall break thes ”

s s s c . . lea t commandment , and hall tea h , etc (Matt v .

R a b o bi . t (A D . Be equally attentive the light and to the weigh ty commandments ”

Ab o th 2 ( ,

B e n A - z ai (about 100 130 A . D . ) Be prompt d in the performan c e even o f a light precept (ibi . 4 , The rabbi s were in the habit of making a dis

c th e c w s c a s tin tion in ommandments , bet een u h th ey c alled lig h t and others which they c haracter iz e s h d a s w eig h ty . Je u s viewing t e law of Mose s

its w z s c in hole extent , recogni ed this di tin tion , though differing entirely from the rabbi s as to wh at con stituted the lighter and what th e weight “ ier c s : u ou ommandment Woe nto y , scribes and

h s s c s ! P ari ee , hypo rite for ye pay tithe of mint

s u and ani e , and c mmin ; and have omitted the

th e la w u weightier matters of , j dgment , mercy ,

h u and fait . These o ght ye to have done , and not h h ” to leave t e ot er undone (Matt . xxiii . “ 5 es us : B ut s a u w r . J I y nto you , that hosoeve

80 SAY I N GS O F JESUS is angry with h is brother with out a c ause s hall be

. M . . in danger of the Judgment , etc ( att v

R e h La k h 2 12 s es (A . D . Whosoever

h is s h is h e lifts up hand again t neighbor , though

n o t is c f s in do strike him , alled an o fender and ” 8 . 9 . ner (Sanhedrin , fol , col “ 6 es us : L . J eave thy gifts before the altar , and ”

s c c etc . v. go thy way ; fir t be re on iled , (Matt .

R a bbi E lea ar u A ariah 1 z be z (about 00 A . D . ) Th e tran sgre s s ion wh ich a man commit s again s t th e God , the Day of Atonement expiates ; but tran sgres s ion whi ch he c ommit s against his

h s not u s ~ neig bor , it doe expiate , nles he has satis ” fied his neighbor (Yoma , VI II , “ 7 es us : B ut s a u w s . J I y nto you , that ho oever

u s h e r h looketh on a woman to l t after , committet ”

u e tc . . . ad ltery , (Matt v 2 85 Rabbi S h es h e th (A . D . ) Whosoever looketh on th e little finger of a woman with a lustful eye i s c onsidered a s having c ommitted ” B h h 2 4 c ol u era c o t . . ad ltery ( , fol , B 8 . es us : ut u J let yo r communication be Yea , ” M yea ; Nay , nay ( att . v .

R a o er u h 100- 170 bbi J s é b a bbi J eh da (A . D . ) “ 6 i f L . 3 explains : What s the meaning o ev . xix

‘ u s c s u s w h u s h j t balan e , j t eig ts , a j t ep ah , and a

’ s h in c w a s h ? j u t , sin e a hin included in the epha

ch h u To tea t at yo r yea be yea , and your nay be

8 1 J ESU S I N TH E TA LM UD

”

. s : s just Abbaye (died 338 A . D ) ays Thi means that one should not s ay one thing with th e ” m h Me z ia outh and anot er with the heart (Baba ,

49 . fol . , col Every righ t - minded per s on will subscribe to ’ is one Abbaye s dictum , but theory thing and

c h m L pra tice anot er . At a eeting held at ydda

an d Ta r h on presided over by Aqiba and p , decrees were enacted that a man migh t break the law in all s s c s point save tho e of idolatry , in e t and mur h i h s . s der , in order to save life But even on t e e

h s w as R t ree points ome latitude given , and abbi I shmael de clared it lawful in c a s e s of extreme nec e s s ity even to s imulate complian c e with

h h w a s s heat en pra cti c es . In t is way ystematized th e c s w c prin iple of mental re ervation , hi h enabled a man to tak e an oath wh i ch h e never meant to A th f l s s e u o . keep . an in tance Talm d (Yoma ,

o l 1 2 ] 84 c s . 8 1 , ; al o Aboda Zara , fol , co . ) tells u s w ith great compla c en c y th e following s tory of Rabbi Jo ch anan : He went to a woman to be

a h c u red of toothache . He s w her on T ursday h h ‘ h . e s and Friday T en said , What all I do to

’ ‘ w c morro (for he had to prea h ) She said , You ’ ’ h ‘ w w . e t e . : su on t ant it (i , remedy ) He But p ‘ po se I do want it S h e : I will tell you th e s e ’ o u w h s . cret if y ear not to reveal T en he swore ,

‘ ’ Lalalza of I s rael I will not reveal it (this sh e

‘ c ould only under stand to mean : By the God of

82

J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

before men , to be seen of them (Matt . vi . wh e R a nai . 12 0 o a bbi Y (A D . ) to a man gav “ alm s in su ch a public manner : Y ou had better not give him anything ; in the way you gave it to ” ou s h is s Ch a i a him y mu t have hurt feeling ( g g ,

S . 1 fol . , col )

1 s us : 2 . J e Our Father which art in heaven

(Matt . vi . 3 9 Thi s expre s sion which is found twice in the

s 8 9 9 1 5 is Mi hna (Yoma , and Sotah , ) certainly

th e Ne w s s two taken from Te tament , ince the rabbi s who u s e this phra s e lived after the d e st ru c tion of the Temple . ’ As L to the ord s Prayer in general , Geikie

L n ords o h ris t 6 19 i e a d W C . ( f f , I I , p ) states

who c that Gfroerer , took spe ial pains to search ’ L s for the ord Prayer in the Talmud , found that it could not be tra c ed in any measure to older

Jewish s ourc e s .

h im a it . 6 E de rs e l c . c 53 : ( , I , p )says It would ’ th e L it s be folly to deny that ord s Prayer , in su s su c blime pirit , tendency , combination and ce s sion o f petition s is u niqu e ; and that s u ch ex ‘ ’ ‘ ’ s s a s h pre sion in it Our Fat er , the kingdom , ‘ ’ ‘ ’ s forgivene s , temptation , and others , represent in rabbinism someth ing entirely different from w h L that hi c our ord had in view .

n e h 9 1 fo r in th o h e Or ra h e r o c . o a 5 e t , viz , S t , , , t r ” s s w r e o ur a h e r wh h i m h e e n p a ag e e ad : Y f t i c s av .

84 SAYI NGS O F J ESUS

The Jewi s h writer Hambu rger in his R eal- E u

’ lo adie iir B i l uu d Talmu d e e be 3d . y p f ( suppl , E ” L 1892 . e . s s eipsic, , article vangelien , i , Go pel , “ s : E s o f p . ays ach (l) entence thi s prayer ’ h L cc th . e . t e e (i , ord s Prayer) o urs in prayers and teachings o f the Jewi s h teachers in the Tal

s o h a s mud , that the entire prayer its home o n the soil of Judaism . Hamburger overlooks the fact that prayers whic h are mentioned in the Talmud are not only

o f s later than the time Jesus , but even a ide from

s s ff c thi , are va tly di erent from the petitions whi h f s s u . o Je u ta ght The Mishna , the oldest part the

u s s o - c S h ema Talm d , it is true , mention the alled , which every Israelite was to repeat morning and m “ h e a . s . S . e evening This , i , Hear O I rael ,

o ff c on fe s s ion o f con which is made a kind faith , s s o f 4 - 9 i ts the Pentateuch passages Deut . vi . ;

1 - 2 1 7 - 4 1 . 3 . . 3 . s a xi ; Num xv Strange to y, u tho gh this prayer is taken from the Bible , yet

s women , slave and children were not obliged to

M B erach oth 3 recite it ( ishna , , As to the

th e ra er o r th e S h emoneh other prayer, p y , the 0 E r E s eh . E o c e . s r s } i , ighteen ulogie Benedi tion , it belongs acc ording to its pre s ent form to the

w 70- 1 D 00 . . time bet een A , though it contains elements much older .

” S ee my arti cl e Sh e moneh E s t eb in Mc Clinto ck ’ an d ro n s C clo St g y p.

85 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

We are aware that there is an entire Talmudic treati s e especially devoted to the subj ect o f

s o f prayer , namely , the fir t the Talmud , entitled ” B h h s erac o t . In this the exact po ition , the de

c re gree of in lination , and other trivialities , not

to s ferred by Chri t , are dwelt upon at length as

o f primary importance . In the same treatise we

s o f s ff have al o a number prayer by di erent rabbis .

Let o ne h s s any take up t i treati e , either in the

o r s o r German translation of Pinner Gold chmidt ,

s in the French tran lation of Schwab , and he will

’ find none which can c ompare w ith the Lord s

s : Prayer . Take as an illu tration the following “ Rab S h e sh eth [ toward the end of the third cen D ‘L f . s : o tury A . ] when he had fa ted , prayed ord the world , it is evident before thee , that at the

h c time t at the san tuary stood , a man sinned and brought an offering ; nor did they offer o f it any

but its thing fat and its blood , and he was for

now given . And I have continued fasting , and my fat and my blood have been diminished . May

c it please Thee , that my fat and my blood whi h have been diminished be as if I had offered them ’ c upon the altar , and be mer iful to me (Bera c h oth 16 c ol , fol . , .

M c s ore interesting, be au e of its similarity to ’ the Pharisee s prayer mentioned in the Gospel o f

L - 14 . 9 R Ne uke xviii , is the following of abbi ch un ah so n H a - j the of Kanah , which he uttered

86 SAYI N GS O F J ESUS upon leaving the s chool o f learning : I thank

s thee my God , that thou ha t given me my portion among tho s e who s it in the hou s e o flearning and not among those wh o s it at the c orners o f the

s . s s treet For I ri e up early , and they ri e up e a rl I s u c c y ; _ ri e p early to o upy myself in things c c law s u c on erning the , they ri e p early to oc upy h h w t em s elve s in things whic are u s ele s s . I ork

c and they work . I work and re eive a reward ,

o run they work and rec eive n reward . I and

run . run to s run they I everla ting life , and they ” f B h o h f l o erac t o . 2 8 to the pit destruction ( , ,

col .

1 es us : F o r s 3 . J if ye forgive men their tre

s s s u pa e , yo r heavenly Father will also forgive ” o y u (Matt . vi .

R a b a 1 . b (died after 33 A . D ) Whoever for

s gives the wrong done unto him , God will al o

Mas sech eth Derech e z forgive his sins ( re sutta , 8 ,

1 s us L n 4 . J e : ay o t up fo r you r s elve s trea s ures upon earth where moth and rust doth co r ” M 1 . 9 2 0 rupt etc ( att . vi . , ) In the Talmu d (Jerusalem Peah l Se ; Baba u B ath ra 1 1a ) we read o f Mo nob az u s ; king o f

Adiab en e o n s wh o the Tigri , with his mother Helena and h is brother I z ate s bec ame converts to

u . o f J daism After wild exaggerations his wealth ,

He was k i ng in th e y e ar 61 A . D . 87 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD the narrative goe s on to s ay that h is brothers and “ s Th h s friend came to him and said , y fat er gath ered trea s ures and added to the trea su re s of their h ” s u s catte re st . father , but tho t em He answered ,

s w My fathers had their trea ures belo , and I lay them up above ; my fathers had their treasures

o f where the hands [ of men] may lay hold them , ’

so . s I , where no hand can do My fathers trea ures yield no fruit , but I collect what gives fruit .

o f My fathers stored away mammon , I , treasures m the soul ; my fathers did it for others , I for y

s fo r sel f . My father gathered them the world , I , ” fo r the world to come . A Jewish writer quoting what is s aid o f Mo

b az s s c 1 no u . . 9 remark with referen e to Matt vi , “ 2 0 : The Talmud enj oin s this moral more strik ingly and practically by attributing it to the ben evolent Mu nb az Mo no z proselyte ba u s ). But who will vouch that the word s put into the

o f s s mouth this pro elyte from heatheni m , were

- ? not the after thought o f some rabbi I s it po s s ible to imagine that Je s u s should have heard of his supposed words and peru s ed them at the b e ginning o fhis ministry ? Cr eda t J u da eus Ap ella ! “ 15 e u f fo r . s s : w o J Behold the fo ls the air ,

s o w n ot M they , neither do they reap , etc . ( att . vi . R a bbi S imon ben E leaz ar (3d c ent ): Hast thou ever s een a beast or a bird that followed a

88 SAYI NGS O F J ESUS

w . trade , and yet they are fed ithout toil But

s c to to the e were only reated minister me , while

to W as I wa s c reated to mini s ter my Maker . it not h h u u right , then , t at I s o ld be s pported with o ut toil ? But I have marred my work and for ” h Ki in 82 ol. feited u du s . c my s pport ( , fol ,

z z h is iidis eh es The late Prof . Fran Delit sch , in J 4 2 H ah dwerk erle beu z ur Z eit Jes u , quotes this pas s age in th e following c onnection : “ o f th e s M s Em A learned Jew Briti h u eum ,

u c 1867 Th e uar manuel De ts h, published in , in Q terl R evi ew c o n u y , an arti le the Talm d , in which he endeavored to show that between Judai s m and Christianity no s uch wide differenc e exi s ts a s is

o f s a generally believed , since most the pithy y ings and parables o f the New Testament are not to be regarded as the original property o f Chris ia i t n ty. The impression produced by this essay w as s s o f all the deeper, the le s able mo t the read ers were to compare the New Testament with this its glorification It would be very easy to demonstrate that the author has n o idea o f o f s th e the essence Chri tianity , . . that records o f Chri s tianity are much older than their ” Talmudic parallels . After quoting the above pas s age from the Tal

2 z c . . 6 mud , together with Matt vi , Delit s h goes

n wi h Ar t Li e n s h ra s a o n b . c e s is an E gli t l ti y B Pi k , J f ,

l 3 . New ork unk W a nal s 1882 . 2 Y ; F g , , p

89 J ESUS I N T H E TAL M UD

: s uc on Herr Deutsch draw s many h parallels , avoiding with a proud air the qu e s tion of prior w a s c u . ity , i f it o ld not be raised at all For hen did thi s Simon live ? He lived in the time of Em

e ro r u c u p Hadrian , f ll nigh a ent ry later than

su s ! w c u s s ac Je We ill not , of o r e , insi t on that c ou nt that he had drawn his maxim eith er direct

w ch w a s cu r s . M from the Go pel of St atthew , hi

w u c rent in the Hebre lang age , or indire tly from Chri s tian lip s ; but if there is s u ch a real c olme i

is a s s dence , it evident here , in almo t every other c s s s s is a e , that the aying of Je u the original , and

h o a almo t at of Simon the c py . we s y in s t every

w e s as w s a all other case , but might j u t ell y in c s ase ; for with the exception of Hillel , all Tal mudic teachers who s e maxim s corre spond to the word s of the Ne w Te s tament are of a far later 4 3 u s c s h date than Jes and the re ord of C ri s tianity . “ 1 u h 6 . es s : u J T erefore take no tho ght saying, ” Wh we ? w w ? at shall eat or hat shall e drink etc . 1 (Matt . vi . 3

R a bbi E liez e r s (died A . D . ays : He

Th e s e wo rd s are t h e mo re i mp o rtan t b e c aus e th e y co me f ro m a s c h o l a r wh o u n d ers too d th e T almu d be t ew h h o r e r wh er t e r th an did D e u t s ch . J i s s c l a s ev y e ac know l e dge d th e r abbi ni c l ea rn i n g o f th e l at e P ro f e s s o r e s ch th e w e - n own e rew ran s a or o f th e D litz , ll k H b t l t w m n Ne Te s t a e t . “ h s e e r s urname th e re a h a d n ercours e T i Eli z , d G t , i t w h h r s an s e s e c a w h th e o s e am e s an d it C i ti , p i lly it Ap tl J , o f hi n r r w re i n th e a mu o a Z ara s i te cou s e e ad T l d (Ab d ,

90

J ESUS I N T H E TA LM U D

’

h ra 15 . B at . of thine own eye (Baba , fol , col Since th i s s aying is found in the mouth of dif fe re n t s s h ow rabbi , may not thi indicate very widely the sayings of Jesus had spread among the people ? “ es us : u s s J Tho hypocrite , fir t ca t out the beam

o ut o f e s etc . thine eye , and th n halt thou see

(Matt . vii .

2 75 is R es h Lak es h (A . D . ) What the mean

o f E s c ing the passage , xamine thy elf and sear h

2 1 1 wh o s . w (Zeph , ) He ill reprove other must ” i s u s Mez a . him elf be p re and spotles (Baba , fol l h f l 2 B at r ol. 0 c o . 107 co . a 6 , ; Baba , , “ 1 e u ° s 2 . J s s Therefore all thing what s oever

s d o ye would that men hould do to you , ye even

o c . s to them et . (Matt vii . ill ? 1 “ H . 5 o r 0 . el (died B . C A What is

u s not hatef l to thyself , thou halt do to thy neigh

bo r . This is the whole law , and the rest is com ” f l 1 . o . 3 mentary (Shabbath , , col Thi s is the famous answer which Hillel is re corded to have given to a Gentile who c ame to him to be converted to J udaism whilst s tanding on w one foot, an ans er which modern Jewish writers

u o f - q ote with a show sel f complacency , and upon which rests the assertion o f Jewish writers and

s o f men like Renan , who make Je us an imitator

Hillel . “ S a fe r P l h h t a e tine in t Tim o C i . p ( s e e f r s t, 3d c d , w Ne o r . 2 89 s a s : He e h as o en been Y k , p ) y (Hill l ) ft 92 SAYI NGS O F JESUS

As to the famou s answer which Hillel is said to c have given , he cannot be laimed as the original

u w s u a thor , and the Je i h historian Jost tells s that the s enten c e whi ch Hillel uttered was on e which at that time was familiar to everybody (Ge h h t 2 5 s e ie e . 9 u u , I , p ) and any s perstruct re based u s c u s pon the as umption that he invented it , be a e

u to th e u he in partic lar used it , falls gro nd . But w e mu s t bear in mind that there is a w ide interval between the merely negative rule o f Hillel and f the po s itive precept o Chri s t . The latter said : “ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that

s h do ou so to fo r men ould to y , do ye even them ; i h ” s s s . 1 thi the law and the prop et (Matt vii . 2 ; “ : o Luke vi . Hillel said What is hateful t h i l to . s s a w t ee , do not another Thi the whole , i ” all else s only its explanation . The Jewi sh

h is R e l—E n a c c . writer Hamburger (in y , I I , p . re ar e as a o re runn er o f h r s an fo r wh ch h e g d d f C i ti ity, i i u o to h r re th w W e h a e o u r s s pp s e d ave p ep a d e ay. v s e e s s o e n o f him un e r h s a s e c b ut as w e n ow lv p k d t i p t , ”

rr n Our e ws h e co me mo e . e e m e o eou s . a e d , ly vi v b difi d “ ‘ ’ 2 97 S t fer remar s : h e h n e h o r On . a t e p p k Wit Hill l , ig b h h n w n r n re th e c ould b e no o t e r t a a Je . It ev e e te d mi n d o f an I s ra elite o f th e fi rs t cen tu ry th at a Gen til e s o r Sama ritan c ou ld be in any s e n se a n e igh b o r . J esu w as th e fi rs t wh o d are d t o call th e h ate d S amarit an ‘ ’ n e h o r an d th e s ec ac e wh ch th e ch urch e s o rme ig b , p t l i f d au re s en e we n e ars a er wh en e w by St . P l p t d t ty y l t , J n en s at o e h e r at th e a e o f th e o r w as a d G tile t g t t bl L d , ‘ w h en u s a e a re h n a s o u e n e . e s s a t i g b l t ly W J id , All y ’ re h ren He o un e a un e r s a ro h e rh oo o f wh ch b t , f d d iv l b t d i ” m — h S t a fe r t h re nc h e h a n e e r rea e . u s e Hill l d v d d T p , F n Prote s tan t un iver s ity te ach e r and co unt ryman o f Ren a . 93 J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD

4 1 1 ) make s th e remarkable admis s ion that the negative form wa s ch o s en to make th e c ommand ! “ ” “ ” B ut ment pos s ible and pra cti c al . thi s is only

E d e rsh eim c c re a subterfuge . For as orre tly t “ i . 5 5 s s lo e . c 3 mark ( I , ) The mere t beginner in logi c mu st perc eive that there is a vast difference between th i s negative inj u n c tion proh ibiting u s

s wh is h u u from doing to other at atef l to o rselves , and th e po s itive di rec tion to do u nto others a s s w e wou ld h ave th em do u nto u s . The one doe

s th e s law not ri e above tandpoint of the , being a s yet far from th at love wh ich would lavi sh on oth er s th e good w e ou r s elves de s ire ; wh ile th e Ch ri s tian s aying embodie s th e nearest approac h to ab s ol ute love of wh i c h human nature is c apa

h th e s o u r c c o h s ble , making t at te t of ondu t to t er i whi ch w e ou r s elve s de s ire to pos s e s s . And be t

s th e L s ut s - a s th e ob erved , ord doe not p el f love

c o u r c u c b u t it s prin iple of ond t , only as ready

’ t e s t f

Anoth er point is th at s imilar s ayings are found

h u s Lae rti re -r long before Hillel . T s Diogene u s

2 2 n late s th at Ari stotle (died after 3 B . whe a sked h o w w e ough t to conduc t ou r s elve s toward “ o u r s s w : As w e w u w sh friend , an ered o ld i they ” I s o wo uld c arry th em s elve s tow ard u s . And

c s wh o u h u s th e rate , lived fo r ndred year before

th e s s : publi c ation of Go pel , aid

4

J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD it they would not move it from the place (F irke

Abo th 3 , , “7 E lis h a ben Abuyah (about A . D . A

s s c s man who tudie the law , and a t in accordance h wit its commandments , is likened unto a man wh o bu ild s a hou s e th e foundation o f which is made o f freestone and the superstructure o f bricks . Storm and flood cannot inj ure the house . B ut he wh o studie s th e law but is des titute o f

s i s good action , like unto the man who builds the

u his u o f fo ndation of ho se brick and mortar , and h rai s e s t e upper s tories with solid s tone . The flood will s oon u ndermine and overturn the h h u Ab o t . o se ( de Rabba Nathan , ch Be s ide s th e s e pa s s age s from the Sermon on th e u w e few h w h Mo nt , will quote a ot ers ith t eir

c re spe tive parallel s . “ u : Th th e 2 3 . es s e s u b ut J harve t is plenteo s , f ” 7 s w . e etc M . . 3 laborer are , ( att ix )

R a i T r h n bb a o . p (abou t A . D The day i s sh th e s th e ort and ta k is great , and workmen

u sh w i s th e are sl ggi , and the re ard great , and ” M s th e s is u Ab oth 2 a ter of hou e rgent ( , , “ u h 2 4 . es s : J Freely ye ave received , freely ” give (Matt . x .

S a mu e 2 5 7 h l (died A . Behold I ave

u o u s u s u s a s th e ta ght y tat te and j dgment , even

L Go d ord my commandeth me (Deu t . iv . As

S e e my arti cl e o n thi s i nte re s ti n g rabbi in Me ’ m n n lo 2 s u e e n . o c an d ro s c . d Cli t k St g Cy p , ppl t 96 SAYI N GS O F J ESUS

ou ou e I have taught y freely , so teach y fr ely

N d arim fol ol e 47 c . ( , . ,

2 u 5 . J es s relate s the parable o f the marriage ’ feast o f the king s son and the wedding garment 1 (Matt . xxii . This parable s eem s almost transferred into

s s Jewi h tradition . Thu we read (Shabbath , fol .

' 15 l 1 o h n n i 3 c o . R c a a , ) that abbi J ben Zacca (flou ri shed after the destru ction o f the Temple) “ s aid : It is like a king wh o invited his s ervants

u but not . to a banq et , did appoint the time The wi s e among them adorned them s elve s and waited ’ c o f s : at the entran e the king palace , saying Can ’ there be anything wanting at the king s house (which may delay the banquet)? But th e fool ish w among them ent after their work , saying Can there be a banqu et without preparation ? h Suddenly the king asked for his servants , w en th e s but th e wi e among them entered adorned , h i fooli s h came into s pre s enc e s oiled . The king rej oi c ed to meet th e wise s ervant s but was angry w h s L s h e t e s s . et ith fooli h ervant those , aid , wh o have adorned them s elves for the banquet

but s wh o sit down to eat and drink , let tho e have not adorned them s elve s for the banquet stand and look on . May not th i s rabbi have h ad in mind the Para ble of the Ten Virgin s ? “ 2 6 es us : th e su . J For in re rrection they neither

7 J E SUS I N TH E TA LMUD

ma but the rry nor are given in marriage , are as ” a s o f i ngel God in heaven (Matt . xx i . “ R a b 2 47 th e (died A . D . ) In world to come

is e there neither ating nor drinking, neither fruit

u s s s s s f lne nor increa e , neither trade nor busine ,

th e neither envy , hatred , nor stri fe ; but right eo u s s it c w s with their ro n on their heads , and feast themselve s on the s plendor of th e Shechi 1 1 as E . . s aw nah , it is written ( xod xxiv ) They

B r h o h 17 did e a c t . God , and eat and drink ( , fol , c o L

Thi s read s like a rabbinic adaptation of the

Saying of Chri s t . “ 2 s us : w s a h 7 . J e And ho oever shall ex lt im s elf sh all be abased ; and he that shall humble h im s el f ” shall b e exalted (Matt . xxiii . h 2 50 R a bbi Je re mia (died A . D . ) Whosoever make s him s elf little in thi s world for the s ake of th e word of th e law will be mad e great in the

W s es orld to come , and who oever mak himself a slave in this world for the s ake of the word of the law will be made free in the world to come i h 8 l z 5 c o . Me a . (Baba , fol , “ 2 e us : a s fo 8 . s w r J The Sabbath made man , ” th M and not man for e Sabbath ( ark ii . R a bbi J ona th an be n J os eph (flouri shed after “ s uc th e m : is w the de tr tion of Te ple) It ritten ,

is Ye shall keep the Sabbath , therefore , for it Ex i holy unto you ( od . xxxi . It s handed

98

J ESUS I N T H E TA LM UD practices notoriou sly contradictory to the spirit of h t u s . W no J dai m y, then , may it have appro ” p riated Christian s enten c e s also ? And say s Farrar concerning the s e so - called parallels : Wh o will supply u s with the faintest approach to a w proof that , hen not founded in the Old Testa

w o r to ment , they ere not directly indirectly due ” Christian influence o r Christian thought ? (Life o Ch ris t f , II , E ven i f w e a s sume that Je su s and His apostles borrowed from the rabbi s all the expressions that o c cu r both in the New Testament and in the Tal i f t s . o mud , doe not prove anything The Gospel Je s u s remains an altogether new thing, and the spiritu al life that He awakened is still diametric

s u ally opposed , in many re pects , to the religio s h life that t e Talmud fosters .

100 I N D E !

A o b a rd . S . G k 84 9 9 . g , p ei ie , ,

k . 2 2 . G o o o k o f 2 0. A iba , p sq eneal gies , b ,

r o f 9 5 . G o ld fah n 5 8 A isteas , epistle , , . G r z 4 5 . aet ,

B ro c o f 35 . alaam, ch ni le , B e n r 1 3 1 4 1 5 Pandi a , , , . H r r 8 5 9 3 . ambu g e , ,

B e n S t a d a , 1 3, 14 , 1 5 . H 3S . anina ,

B o u s s e t , 65 . H rab a nu s r S . Mau us ,

H 9 2 . illel , sq C 9 1 0. elsus , ,

r wr 5 8 . Ch istian iting s , I o cra 9 4 . s tes, r S r Ch istians , study the c ip

r 5 6 . ro tu es , sq p test against , a c o r o r r o f r J b , pe f me mi acles ,

62 s . a q ; ac me s a s , r 1 en t nt g in t 5 . 49 s . q ; the teache , 6 6 4 33 5 2 ; called minim , , , , Ja lq u t , 30 . 5 8 . h Je c ie l, 5 . ’ o o b C ss , a eg ed , y Jesus nfe i n ll ro 65 . Je me , o r 2 1 m the , . e s h u r ar~ Jesus (J ), bi th and p o o f c c o k Cycl paedia M lint c 1 s o n o f S t a d a e n t a g e , 3 ; , S ro 4 6 6 3 7 7 85 and t ng , , , , , , 1 4 o r o f H a 1 9 ; ancest am n , ; 9 1 , 9 6 . r o u t o f w o k 2 0 s . b o n edl c , q ; a o f 1 8 2 0 n mes , , ; his teach a 7 1 2 2 9 6 4 . Dalm n, , , , e r 2 3 2 6 , ; a magician , ; an 8 0 13 a n d R a h all 2 0 De p , . o r 2 8 o f id late , ; claims , de z 4 2 62 89 Delit sch , , , . 2 9 fi w nied , ; identi ed ith D e re n b o u rg , 2 1 , S4 . 4 B 32 s . ; , 3 ; 7 alaam , q his age 7 89 . Deutsch , , r 36 x o 39 his t ial , ; e ecuti n , ; o L ae rtius 9 4. Di genes , 42 47 in hell , ; his disciples , ,

4 9 o f 73 . E r 2 0. ; y , isenmeng e , sa ings sq

o 3 8 . E d e rs h im J p , , e 5 4 78 79 84 9 4 . se hus , , , , ,

o c r o f 2 3 . z r r a 5 1 J shua , tea he Jesus , sq Elie e and the Ch isti n ,

o , 9 3 . sq . J st r t o J d , C , ppl d , E i h an ius 65 76 . u ge a h istian a ie p p , ,

5 5 . T art a r 62 74 100. r r 5 8 9 65 . , , . Justin Ma t y , , , , F 6 5 4 . iebig , Justinian , I N D E !

5 9 2 3 . 3 1 . ; XXVI , , p

. 5 . 9 6 4 Deut IV , , p ; VI , , 2 4 6 7 2 1 6 1 p . , ; , , p . ; 7 2 9 4 1 XI ib , , , . La le 8 4 0 , , p . ; , 1 XI II XVI II v 9 . Le y , - 1 0 12 . . 4 0 2 3 . , p ; XXI , , p v i , 5 . Le n 2 4 1 6 . 4 18 ; , , p ; , 6 XXIII o w 2 . L e , 5 3 1 6 . 6 1 . p . ; XXXI , , p

9 . 34 . o d 6 1 S a m . , , p 3 . Maim ni es, XXII I x 8 . 4 7 ! I 5 . r 1 8 P s . , , p ; . . p Ma y legend , a , , 2 4 7 2 3 r f 4 7 ; , , p . ; , , o 1 6 . XLII L Ma y Magdala ,

8 1 9 . 7 9 d r K p . 4 ; , , p ; . o 5 3 62 . Mi ash heleth , , LI LV

2 3 . 35 2 4 . 34 r o f , p ; , p ; XCI , Mi acles , in the name Jesus ,

8 1 . 4 8 1 0 . 2 , p ; C , , p ; 5 4 .

C 2 1 . 5 9 . o f r 4 XXXIX , , p Minim , name Ch istians , , 2 V I I 8 . 5 3 5 3 3 5 2 5 8 ro v . , , p , ; , . P V , ,

2 1 . 34 - 2 6 . 5 2 r r r r 1 3 , p ; VIII , , p ; Mi iam , the hai d esse , ,

1 2 3 . 1 8 . 5 . , , p , sq XI II 2 5 . 8 . 6 ; , , P o o r 7 3 9 9 . , , p M e , , Eccles I X 1 5 8 . 5 0 5 . 5 ; , p , N o o 5 ic las D nin , . 1 4 7 ! I V 1 9 Isa . XI , , p . ; , ,

4 8 1 9 . 6 1 . p . ; XXVI , , p O r 9 . ig en, 2 5 . 4 . Lam . I , , p

a r , 1 0 . 8 7 . 5 3 P nthe a Micah I , , p ; LVII , , r C o r i , 5 . Pa s nfe ence . 5 5 9 . p , 1 3 1 1 p o , , 5 , 6 . Pa h s sq 1 3 . 2 6 3 . Matt . II , , p ; V , , p P s ik e t a , 3 0. 1 0 . 8 0 7 8 ; 7 , p . 79 ; , p ; k r S o 6 . i y d , 8 a 1 8 0 2 4 . 8 1 2 Pet u n 9 . , p ; , p ; , k , 89 . Pic 1 8 1 4 0 . 8 7 . p . ; 3 , p ; , p 6 i y , 7 . Pl n 1 . 8 3 4 4 . 8 3 ; , p ; VI , , p

o 36 . , 7 1 9 us a e 84 1 4 . 8 P nti Pil t . 84 ; 6, p ; , p ; , 8 8 8 2 6 . 8 2 . 8 7 0, p , ; , p ; R n w ab b i o ic z , 1 3 , 4 0. - 1 2 . 9 . 3 1 34 . 9 0 , p ; VII , , p 1 7 2 8 . Rashi , , 1 5 . 4 . 9 Matt . VII , , p ; , p r 64 . Reicha dt , - 1 2 9 2 2 4 2 7 . 9 2 ; , p . ; , p 38 7 3 . Renan , , 8 7 . 9 6 9 5 ; , 3 , p ; , , rv o 82 IX X Rese ati n , mental , . 6 2 5 8 2 9 . p . 9 ; , p . ; , p

- 68 1 1 4 . 9 7 30 S c r ipture refer ences ; XXII , , p ; , 1 x 2 2 2 . 9 8 32 , . 6 ; , o 3 . 48 p ; p E dus , IV , , , p ; XXIII

1 2 . 9 8 2 3 . 8 0 7 . 4 7 , p ; , p ; XXII I , , p ; XXIV ,

1 1 6 0 . 38 6 9 . . 9 8 14 . , , p ; , p , p ; XXXI , , p XXVI

38 1 5 . 8 . 9 8 . ; XXVII I , , p 2 rk 2 7 . 9 8 2 v . 5 . 5 0 Le it XVIII , , p ; Ma II , , p ; III , ,

3 . 7 S6 5 7 . 38 6 . 8 1 . XIX , , p p ; XIV , , , p ; 1 N . 39 . . 7 . 3 1 1 9 umb XXI II , , p ; , XV , , p

. 2 9 3 1 2 3 . 36 u k 3 1 . 9 3 p , ; XXV , , p , L e VI , , p ; XVIII ,