Jesus as a Jew in the Bible

Gospel Insights for Gentiles


Jesus was a Jewish teacher speaking to first century Jewish people and leaders. To understand him, we need to understand those he was speaking to, and the concerns they had at that time.

Finding historically reliable facts about Jesus in the Bible is complicated because it can be regarded as biased. Historians have a useful tool to combat bias: the criterion of embarrassment. Something negative or embarrassing that is recorded by a friend or ally is likely to be accurate, because they'd rather say something positive. This criterion can be used to establish all the primary facts about the life of Jesus, as well as open our eyes to aspects of his life that we have overlooked.

Some of the strange sayings of Jesus suddenly make sense when we know the language and phrases of first century Judaism. His teaching on things like unforgivable sins, eternal torment and divorce sounded very different to his original hearers.

Chapters:

Wine and Drunkenness

The Gospels portray Jesus drinking and making wine, and he was even accused of being a drunkard. The NT does not warn against drinking alcohol, but condemns drunkenness.
(Not yet available)

Bad Table Manners

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Baptism

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Bitterness Is Poisonous

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Censored Arrest Warrant

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Child Abuse

In  Roman society slaves could be treated as sex-toys – even children. This lifestyle was imported into Palestine, where this portrait was created in about AD 10 near Bethlehem, as part of a homoerotic scene. Jesus threatened the severest punishments for child-abusers.
(Not yet available)

Child-Like Religion

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Conflict Resolution

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Contemplating Suicide

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Disruptive Worship

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Embarrassing Resurrection

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Excommunication from Jesus' Church

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Financial Scams in the Temple

Millions went missing in Jesus' day. We know many of the ingenious schemes for getting money, and some of the places it went. But millions are still unaccounted for.  
(Not yet available)

Fraudulent Miracles

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Hypocrisy

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Jesus' Illegitimate Birth

Jews regarded Jesus as a 'mamzer' (a 'bastard') – a charge which all four Gospels address in different ways. It was a predictable outcome of claiming a virgin birth. Why invent this, if it would create such problems?
(Not yet available)

Ineligible Bachelor

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Marital Abuse

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Personal Devil

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Polygamy

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Prostitutes

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Second-Rate Disciples

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Shameful Execution

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Supplanting Passover

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

The Cursed

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

The Unchosen

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Unfair Loans

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)

Unforgivable Blasphemy

Description of this chapter
(Not yet available)