JEWISH SCHOLARSHIP ON THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS by DAVID MISHKIN Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) Biblical and Religious Studies Faculty of Human Sciences University of Pretoria Supervisor: Prof Ernest van Eck April 2015 1 Table of contents ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 THE RESURRECTION AND THE JEWISH STUDY OF JESUS................... 8 1.2 THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS AS A BOUNDARY MARKER............. 11 1.3 THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IN JEWISH HISTORY......................... 14 1.4 GOAL AND PARAMETERS OF THIS STUDY........................................... 18 CHAPTER 2: PREVIOUS STUDIES 2.1 GENERAL STUDIES 2.1.1 Clyde W. Votaw............................................................................................ 21 2.1.2 Benjamin W. Bacon...................................................................................... 22 2.1.3 Herbert Danby.............................................................................................. 24 2.1.4 Thomas Walker............................................................................................ 25 2.1.5 Gosta Lindeskog.......................................................................................... 25 2.1.6 Jakob Jocz................................................................................................... 26 2.1.7 Walter Jacob................................................................................................ 27 2.1.8 Donald Hagner............................................................................................. 28 2.2 SPECIFIC VANTAGE POINTS 2.2.1 Israelis (Pinchas Lapide).............................................................................. 29 2.2.2 Matthew Hoffman......................................................................................... 31 2.2.3 Neta Stahl.................................................................................................... 32 2.3 SPECIFIC ISSUES 2.3.1 The trial of Jesus (David Catchpole)............................................................ 34 2.3.2 The apostle Paul (Daniel Langton).............................................................. 36 2.4 MISCELLANEOUS 2.4.1 Anthologies.................................................................................................. 37 2.4.2 Studies of individuals................................................................................... 39 2 CHAPTER 3: PRESUPPOSITIONS AND/OR OBSTACLES 3.1 MIRACLES.................................................................................................. 42 3.1.1 Spinoza and Wise........................................................................................ 44 3.1.2 Comparative miracles.................................................................................. 48 3.1.3 The exodus.................................................................................................. 51 3.1.4 Conclusion................................................................................................... 53 3.2 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS................................................................................. 54 3.2.1 The Gospels................................................................................................ 55 3.2.2 Paul’s letters and Acts................................................................................. 59 3.2.3 Further criteria............................................................................................. 61 3.2.4 Conclusion................................................................................................... 66 3.3 THE NEW TESTAMENT’S TREATMENT OF JEWS AND JUDAISM........ 67 3.3.1 Unsympathetic view (Sandmel and Cook)................................................... 68 3.3.2 Intermediate view (Levine and Reinhartz)................................................... 72 3.3.3 Sympathetic view (Feldman and Fredriksen).............................................. 79 3.3.4 Conclusion................................................................................................... 81 3.4 RESURRECTION........................................................................................ 82 3.4.1 Resurrection in the Tanakh.......................................................................... 83 3.4.2 Resurrection versus immortality of the soul................................................. 87 3.4.3 Paul’s view of resurrection........................................................................... 90 3.4.4 Conclusion................................................................................................... 94 3.5 THE MESSIAH............................................................................................ 95 3.5.1 Pagan Messiah............................................................................................ 96 3.5.2 Dying Messiah............................................................................................. 100 3.5.3 Divine Messiah........................................................................................... 103 3.5.4 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 108 3.6 DUAL COVENANT THEOLOGIES............................................................ 109 3.6.1 Modern proposals...................................................................................... 110 3.6.2 Romans 11:26........................................................................................... 115 3.6.3 The role of the Temple…………………………………………..................... 121 3.6.4 Conclusion................................................................................................. 125 3 CHAPTER 4: JEWISH VIEWS OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS 4.1 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES................................................................... 127 4.1.1 Paul Goodman........................................................................................... 127 4.1.2 Claude G. Montefiore................................................................................. 129 4.1.3 Joseph Klausner........................................................................................ 132 4.1.4 Hyman G Enelow....................................................................................... 134 4.1.5 Yehezkel Kaufmann................................................................................... 136 4.1.6 E R Trattner............................................................................................... 138 4.1.7 Schalom Ben-Chorin.................................................................................. 139 4.1.8 Ellis Rivkin................................................................................................. 141 4.1.9 David Flusser............................................................................................. 143 4.1.10 Hyam Maccoby.......................................................................................... 145 4.1.11 Paula Fredriksen........................................................................................ 147 4.2 FOCUS ON THE RESURRECTION.......................................................... 149 4.2.1 Pinchas Lapide.......................................................................................... 149 4.2.2 Dan Cohn-Sherbok.................................................................................... 155 4.2.3 Alan F. Segal.......................................................................................................... 158 4.2.4 Geza Vermes............................................................................................. 163 4.2.5 Michael J. Cook.......................................................................................... 167 4.3 JEWISH HISTORY.................................................................................... 171 4.3.1 Heinrich Graetz.......................................................................................... 171 4.3.2 Kaufman Kohler.......................................................................................... 172 4.3.3 Abram Leon Sachar................................................................................... 174 4.3.4 Salo Wittmayer Baron................................................................................ 175 4.3.5 Solomon Grayzel........................................................................................ 176 4.3.6 Cecil Roth................................................................................................... 176 4.3.7 Martin Goodman......................................................................................... 177 4.4 HONORABLE MENTION........................................................................... 178 4.4.1 Hugh Schonfield......................................................................................... 178 4.4.2 Gaalyahu Cornfeld..................................................................................... 180 4.4.3 Max Dimont................................................................................................ 182 4 CHAPTER 5: SYNTHESIS 5.1 ANALYSIS OF THE INTERACTION......................................................... 183 5.2 ANALYSIS OF THE ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS............................. 185 5.2.1 Crucifixion.................................................................................................