Rabbinic Literature & the New Testament: What We Cannot Show, We Do Not Know
Overview
Jacob Neusner begins with a study of the characteristics of rabbinic literature and a demonstration of why this literature cannot be easily used for the kind of history New Testament scholarship proposes to produce. He then critiques the writings of various New Testament scholars and highlights the differences between his own work and that of his critics.
Top Highlights
“That is because many scholars imagine that, while the New Testament has to be subjected to the most astringent and incredulous inspection applied to any book of faith, the rabbinic literature is to be believed at face value as inerrant.” (Page ix)
“Third, he is the first scholar to imagine that all sources produced by Jews anywhere, any time, by any sort of person or group, equally tell us about one and the same Judaism.” (Page 107)
“I could not explain even in theory how to deal with sayings lacking attributions” (Page 31)
- Title: Rabbinic Literature & the New Testament: What We Cannot Show, We Do Not Know
- Author: Jacob Neusner
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Print Publication Date: 2004
- Logos Release Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible. N.T. Gospels › Extra-canonical parallels; Rabbinical literature › History and criticism; Rabbinical literature › Relation to the New Testament
- ISBNs: 9781592445196, 1592445195
- Resource ID: LLS:RBBNCLTNWTSTMNT
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T02:34:29Z
Jacob Neusner (1932–2016) was a preeminent scholar of ancient Judaism and one of the most published authors ever, with more than 900 original volumes to his name. He was educated at Harvard University, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, the University of Oxford, and Yale University. He was research professor of theology and senior fellow of the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College. Neusner’s work has been highly influential, if sometimes controversial. He pioneered applying “form criticism” to Rabbinic texts, and aimed at a humanistic and academic reading of ancient Jewish literature.
Neusner’s works include the Jacob Neusner Jewish Studies Bundle (99 vols.).