A Rabbi Talks With Jesus

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A Rabbi Talks With Jesus

Posted Feb 4th 2008 8:38AM by Dinesh D'Souza
Filed under: Religion, Christianity, Controversy, Atheism

Pope Benedict has a favorite rabbi, none other than the distinguished Jewish scholar Jacob Neusner. At first glance this is a puzzle. Many years ago Neusner wrote a book called A Rabbi Talks With Jesus. In it, he noted, "I explain why, if I had been in the land of Israel in the first century, I would not have joined the circle of Jesus' disciples."

Neusner sent his book to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, asking him to write a blurb. Ratzinger agreed, and then even more remarkably, praised the book again when he became Pope Benedict. More than a dozen pages of Benedict's Jesus of Nazareth are devoted to discussing Neusner's argument. Benedict writes that Neusner's work "has opened my eyes to the greatness of Jesus' words and to the choice that the gospel places before us."

To understand what Benedict is getting at, recall atheist Richard Dawkins' famous claim that we are all atheists when it comes to other people's gods. For instance, I am an atheist when it comes to the gods of the ancient Greeks and Romans. By the same token Neusner is an atheist when it comes to the Christian notion of the divinity.

Even so, Neusner's treatment of Christ could not be more different than that of Dawkins. One of the main differences is that Dawkins is a biologist and Neusner is a scholar of ancient texts and history. Consequently Dawkins' historical and literary understanding is at the eighth grade level, while Neusner brings to his work a depth and sophistication worthy of a man regarded as perhaps the greatest living scholar of Judaism.

Neusner discusses Christ as a great and pure man whose teachings, especially at the Sermon on the Mount, embody unforgettable insight and wisdom. Taking up the oldest of Jewish prescriptions, they interpret and transform them in a powerful and surprising way. And yet Neusner notes that Christ violates the old law, as when he says that actions are permitted on the Sabbath that were regarded as forbidden on the Sabbath. This is the basis of Neusner's rejection of Christ as a fulfillment of the old covenant.

What gives Christ the right to change the old law? Neusner notes that Christ is not another liberal rabbi, seeking to bend the rules of the orthodox to make life easier for people. Rather, "Jesus' claim to authority is at issue." In effect, Christ claims to be "Lord of the Sabbath" and this provokes Neusner to ask, as if conversing with one of Christ's disciples, "Is your master God?"

Pope Benedict finds this a penetrating question. "The issue that is really at the heart of the debate," he writes, "is thus finally laid bare. Jesus understands himself as the Torah--as the word of God in person." In other words, Jesus claims to speak with a divine authority. If Jesus is God, then obviously he has the right to say what the old law really means. So ultimately Jesus confronts us with the choice of accepting or rejecting his claim to divinity.

In the January issue of First Things, a Jewish writer Meir Soloveichik takes Rabbi Neusner to task for his admiring words about Jesus. Soloveichik charges that Neusner, despite his denials, seems to accept the divinity of Christ. Why? Here Soloveichik borrows a famous argument from C.S. Lewis. Lewis argued that since Christ claimed to be God, either he was speaking the truth or he was an astounding liar. Lewis insisted that Christ does not give us the option of considering him a great and wise human teacher. Rather, Christ compels us to take him at his word that he is the son of God, or rather reject him as an impostor and a fraud.

Soloveichik goes with the latter option, as indeed he says all Jews must. "If we deny Christ's divinity," he writes, "then we can respond with nothing short of shock and dismay when we read the words of a man who puts himself in the place of God." Yet Soloveichik notes that this is not Neusner's reaction. Neusner treats Christ with deep respect; yet who can have respect for a liar? Neusner writes as a friend of Christ; yet who can befriend an impostor and fraud? Soloveichik concludes that "even as Neusner argues that Jesus is mistaken about his divinity and authority, it follows from much that Neusner has written that Jesus must be God."

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Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 41)

Previous 15 Comments | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

46. Dominus Jesus, a catholic position report issued in 2000, was authored by none other than cardinal Ratzinger. Dominus Jesus states that the catholic church is the only way to recieve salvation, period.

I think this supports dawkins statement that religions are atheist when it comes to other religions, at least the catholics are, or should I say their head is.

mac at 2:32PM on Feb 4th 2008

47. "I said, You are gods," which states we are all "Sons of God."
Who comes up with all these wild interpretations, and why doesn't the guy just say what he means?

Mokele-Mobembe at 2:33PM on Feb 4th 2008

48. "I think this supports dawkins statement that religions are atheist when it comes to other religions, at least the catholics are, or should I say their head is." Mac

Hey Mac, how goes it?

Good point, and Dawkins is right in that regard.

I can't stand the Catholic Church. Anyone with a brain and uses it, can see how corrupt it is. I've been fortunate to see and be a part of some things behind the scenes regarding them. They are unbelievably corrupt.

The Bible clearly says you must be born again. It doesn't say anything about joining a Cult.

Botts at 2:36PM on Feb 4th 2008

49. "I and My Father are one."

I think this is the precursor to evolutionary theory.

a born atheist at 2:38PM on Feb 4th 2008

50. Also in the Lord's prayer stars, Our Father

Jerry Brown at 2:48PM on Feb 4th 2008

51. starts

Jerry Brown at 2:50PM on Feb 4th 2008

52. "I and My Father are one."

Maybe he's saying that he IS his father - meaning he lives in some kind of Novikov time loop where he goes back in time to impregnate his mother (like John Connor sent Kyle Reese to do, or what Marty McFly almost did). Maybe Jesus is like in Family Guy, where he quantum-leaps through time to help people and set things right (like Sam Beckett). The problem with this theory is that it violates the preconditions of a Novikov-consistent time loop.

Mokele-Mobembe at 2:51PM on Feb 4th 2008

53. Worshiping the bible as the word of God is an example of buying into the past, and the antiquated thinking of the past, while ignoring the living God that dwells within man, and is ever ready to lead mankind on a continuing search for spiritual truth.

Jerry Brown at 2:25PM on Feb 4th 2008
-----------------------------

Jerry people do not worship the bible, they worship the God the bible gives witness of.

The living God does not dwell in all men only them who have been born again of his spirit.

The Bible was writen so that man could believe the record that God gave of his son.

When the word of God is preached in the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit it becomes quick,and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews:4-12

This is the reason a person must hear the word of God preached by a man, God has called to preach the gospel. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. How can a person believe in whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without preacher.
So it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Observant at 3:01PM on Feb 4th 2008

54.
And today's hot steaming cup of stupid from D'Idiot.

Of course if one Jewish man says he thinks Jesus might have existed, then ALL Jewish people BELIEVE in Jesus, right? This kind of thinking again makes me doubt DD's critical thinking skills.

As someone who lives with a Jewish man, we can tall you that many Jews do not claim Jesus didn't exist, but at best they view him as a minor prophet as opposed to living son of God. Not that DD did any research other than trying to make nasty statements about non-Xtians and Richard Dawkins. As far as I can tell, the only "imposter and fraud" is D"idiot for attempting to pawn himself off as a scholar when he's just another God Nazi.

Tim at 3:02PM on Feb 4th 2008

55. Ortiz is a huckster. He is selling a book that bridges spiritual and proffessional success through the secrets he has found hidden in the bible. Wealth is yours...buy my book.

JefFlyingV at 3:01PM on Feb 4th 2008

56. Man corrupts and misleads, I'd prefer to hear god preach.

JefFlyingV at 3:07PM on Feb 4th 2008

57. This is the reason a person must hear the word of God preached by a man, God has called to preach the gospel. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. How can a person believe in whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without preacher.
So it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Observant at 3:01PM on Feb 4th 2008
--
A god called preacher again? I thought dani helped you last night?

mac at 3:12PM on Feb 4th 2008

58. 56. Man corrupts and misleads, I'd prefer to hear god preach.

JefFlyingV at 3:07PM on Feb 4th 2008
-------------------------------------

You will on judgement day, when he says depart from me I never knew you, If you continue in unbelief.

Observant at 3:14PM on Feb 4th 2008

59. A god called preacher again? I thought dani helped you last night?

mac at 3:12PM on Feb 4th 2008
-----------------------------------

All dani was trying to do was impress the rest of you.
Such word game foolishness does nothing for me.

Observant at 3:18PM on Feb 4th 2008

60. How come those in attendance at Sinai got to hear the Word of God, but the rest of us just have to go on hearsay?

Mokele-Mobembe at 3:20PM on Feb 4th 2008

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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.