NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BOSTON, MA PERMIT NO. 54493 The Newsletter of 661 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 40 Arlington, MA 02476 The Society for Biblical Studies For information, call The Society for Biblical Studies 781.641.4453 VOLUME 10, ISSSUE 1 September 2010 OR email us: [email protected] Was Jesus Really Jewish? Peter J. Miano full well that there are multiple the most popular subject in New meanings of the term Ioudaios that are Testament studies, reveals the That Jesus and his contemporaries, thus lost in the misleading translation. frequency with which the terms such as Paul, were Jewish is almost In scholarship, the religion of Jesus Judaism, Jewish and Jew appear in the uncontested in popular conversation. and Paul is routinely referred to as scholarly discussion about 1st Century Preaching, Sunday school curricula Judaism. Jesus, Paul, their respective issues. Geza Vermes’ Jesus the Jew: A and hymnody all reinforce this notion. disciples and many of their enemies are Historian’s Reading of the Gospels and Most scholars label Jesus Jewish as routinely identified as Jews, as well. It E.P. Sanders’ Jesus and Judaism are well, although it is a label that is has become axiomatic to say that Jesus illustrative examples of landmark attracting more and more critical was a Jew. Most scholars mechanically scholarship that define the terms of scholarly attention, as it well should. and uncritically repeat some variation discourse. Yet in neither of these or English translations of the Bible of the theme that “The first Christians any other works is there any attempt at The Newsletter of The Society For Biblical Studies carelessly and misleadingly employ the were Jews.” (Owen Chadwick) Even a definition. It is rare to find any term Jew to translate the Greek word cursory examination of the literature (Continued on page 3) Ioudaios, even though scholars know on the subject of the historical Jesus, Was Jesus Really The Essence of Evil, cont’d. Jewish? cont’d. (Continued from page 6) people. To me, never again means never Negotiations Under False Pretenses America. again against anybody or any religion. Gershon Baskin it is quite clear where the gaps are, or learned from the Oslo process is that (Continued from page 5) Some critics of the so-called Before there were gas chambers there more correctly, where they were each there is no such thing – there is no such The routine translation of the ground zero mosque project recall the were racial, religious and ethnic stereo- Direct Israeli-Palestinian negotia- time the negotiations reached their thing as constructive ambiguity in the Greek words Ioudaios/Ioudaioi Holocaust when Jews were lured into typing that dehumanized and demonized tions are likely to begin in the near fu- breaking point. The only way, accord- Israeli-Palestinian process; it often has into Jew/Jews in biblical concentration camps under the pretense the Jews. I am afraid this is happening in ture. The international community un- ing to Abbas, to ensure that there had deadly consequences. translation is not only unnecessary that these were actually holiday camps. America today. This time, Muslims and der the conductor’s wand of the Obama would be a chance of progress is to The main point of concern of the by any principle of translation, it is The implicit warning is that evil is usu- Islam are the targets. Administration has applied consider- make sure that the talks begin from the Palestinians remains the continued also historically inaccurate and ally disguised and the mosque project is I too am concerned about relig- able pressure to Palestinian President point they arrived to in the last round. building of settlements and their ex- misleading in a way that actually a cover for a more sinister ambi- iously motivated violence. But my ex- Mahmoud Abbas to withdraw from all Why should the talks have to begin pansion. During the Oslo process the encourages modern ethnic tion. The essence of evil is indeed its perience has taught me that Islam is far of his demands for setting the condi- from the zero point, as if nothing has number of settlers more than doubled stereotypes. The ethics of the Bible disguise, which is why I object so strenu- too complicated a religion and Muslim tions for his participation in the nego- happened in the past 20 years? in the same territory that the Palestini- are susceptible to modern moral ously to the pretentions of so many of the people far too diverse, just as much as tiations. In times gone by this would have ans believe must be part of their state, critique, e.g., when it endorses critics of the development of the commu- Christians are, to characterize them in Abbas’s demands were not without been called “constructive ambiguity,” a so how can Israel be negotiating in colonialism, genocide, slavery and nity center. I also think it is absolutely one rather negative way. Western suspi- logic. His main concern is that negotia- diplomatic term devised by Henry good faith if the settlement drive con- the subjugation of women. In the right to recall the memory of the Holo- cion and mistrust of peoples of the East tions are not the problem – decision Kissinger which enabled previous Is- tinues? This point is shared by the in- case of modern translations, it is caust, because the stereotyping of Mus- is deeply rooted. It sees the peoples of making is. After so many years of Is- raeli-Arab talks and understandings. ternational community. However, no not the Bible that does damage to lims and Islam that is going on today in the East as inimical to our way of life Since that time, much water has flowed raeli-Palestinian bilateral negotiations (Continued on page 7) Jews, it is the translators, who America and elsewhere strikes me as and determined to destroy us. It is ironic in the Jordan and one of the lessons incorrectly and insensitively equate being eerily reminiscent of the stereotyp- that this mistrust is mirrored by notorious modern Jews and Judaism with an ing of Jews in the early 1930's in Nazi expositors of violent jihad. Too many Visit us on Facebook. ancient past. Modern Jews Germany, not only as "the other" but critics of the so-called ground zero certainly trace their spiritual "other" in a seditious, sinister way. mosque have too much in common with Search for ancestry to the time of Jesus and I am writing this comment from the likes of Osama bin Laden. The dis- The Society for biblical Studies earlier, but it is not correct to call a place where the words "Never again" tance from Jihad to Crusade is not so Jesus a Jew any more than it is to have deep, personal meaning for a lot of great after all. PAGE 2 THENEWSLETTEROFTHESOCIETYFORBIBLICALSTUDIES VOLUME 9, ISSUE 1 PAGE 7 THENEWSLETTEROFTHESOCIETYFORBIBLICALSTUDIES VOLUME 9, ISSUE 1 The Essence of Bless the Baby Smashers? Negotiations Under False Pretenses, cont’d Evil David Foreman and Bert Gary reverently cautious to read Scrip- (Continued from page 1) created the position of mediator which permanent status agreement in this tures in context, we can read the one has been able to apply significant has not existed until now in the process. round is dangerous for both peoples. Do you want to claim all the Bible saying a lot of things that the pressure on the Israeli government to The process could have empowered the Leading us to another dead-end in this Peter J. Miano blessings of the Bible? I’ve heard Bible “plainly” doesn't say. continue the full settlement building mediator to conduct the talks on the process is no less than criminal negli- pastors telling their congregants to Here are two ten-dollar words freeze beyond the initial 10 months. It basis of “single text negotiations” gence and an abuse of power and re- Nothing so illustrates the dete- claim this very thing. But I have that all students of the Bible should appears that it is much easier to apply where the mediator is the author of the sponsibility by both leaders. rioration of public discourse in Amer- reservations. And I raise my reser- learn: exegesis [pronounced ek-si- pressure on the Palestinian side. text and the point of reference in the Netanyahu and Abbas are the ob- ica than the current flap about the so- vations in order to question common JEE-sis] and eisegesis [pronounced The apparent compromise or negotiations is that text. The proximity stacle and the key to an agreement at called ground zero mosque. The cheap- assumptions about what the Bible is ahy-si-JEE-sis]. “fudging” that the international com- talks could have been used to advance the same time. Senator Mitchell and the ening of public debate by itself is cause and how to interpret it. Exegesis means “a reading out.” munity has connived is the issuing of agreement on issues of substance and Obama Administration will be there to enough for alarm, because there is no Now I like this blessing: It’s the faithful attempt to interpret a statement by the Quartet which will not on process. help, but the agreement must be democracy without public information. Blessed is he who has regard for the the message of Scriptures in context. indicate the basic parameters of the From the outset of the proximity reached between the Israeli and Pales- Popular pundits such as Glen Beck, weak; the LORD delivers him in Eisegesis means “a reading into.” negotiations without Israel having to talks, “success” was defined as getting tinian leaders.