The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus

by Amy-Jill Levine

Paperback, 2007

Status

Available

Call number

261.26

Collection

Adult Books

Genres

Religion & Spirituality

Publication

HarperOne (2007), Edition: Reprint, 256 pages

Description

In The Misunderstood Jew, scholar Amy-Jill Levine helps Christians and Jews understand the "Jewishness" of Jesus so that their appreciation of him deepens and a greater interfaith dialogue can take place. Levine's humor and informed truth-telling provokes honest conversation and debate about how Christians and Jews should understand Jesus, the New Testament, and each other.

Media reviews

Journal of the Evangelical Theological society

This book could profitably be read by seminary students, pastors, academics, and lay people, for two important reasons: First, in order to understand a representative modern Jewish view of Jesus and the NT (and so to hear what some Jews are saying), and second, in order to take it to heart and so

help diminish anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish attitudes in the church (and so to help educate the church).

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User reviews

LibraryThing member DubiousDisciple

What started out as a light-hearted look at the Jewish Jesus quickly turned somber. This is a serious look at the pain that anti-Semitic interpretations of the Bible have caused and continue to cause. Levine, a Jew, has an excellent grasp of New Testament studies, so this is more than a rant

against Christian prejudice. It's a serious look at the real Jesus, his Jewishness, and Christianity's emergence within first-century Judaism. A provocative quote from the book: "I find Jesus reflects back to me my own tradition, but in a new key. I also have to admit to a bit of pride in thinking about him--he's one of ours."

Over and over, Levine contradicts misunderstandings about Judaism, particularly first-century Judaism, and the stereotypes that have developed as a result of shallow Christian teaching. She does so from both a Jewish and a scholarly perspective. Levine made me think differently about first-century Judaism and how Jesus fit within that context.

Because I've never keenly felt the sting of anti-Semitism, or felt myself anti-Semitic in any way, much of the book was an eye opener. I felt myself often teetering on the edge between thinking Levine oversensitive and thinking her insightful. Example: Paul writes in Galatians 3:28, "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave and free, there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." In this verse, Levine admits, "I hear a desire that my people, the Jews, cease to exist."

While a scholar myself of first-century Christianity, I confess its sometimes hard for me to relate to current day Jewish-Christian tensions. On the other hand, your shrink will tell you that feelings are the ultimate truth; Christians must validate the feelings that their teachings evoke among Jews, and seek to correct the source. Levine's final chapter provides several helpful suggestions to facilitate interfaith understanding.

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9 more

LibraryThing member jlhilljr

This book is exceptionally well written and makes some very persuasive arguments. Among these is that Christians and Jews need to stop misrepresenting their shared heritage and what it means. This book provides stinging critics of both radical right-wing pro-Israeli ideologues and some

pseudo-intellectual left-wing biblical scholarship. The book calls for honesty concerning history, biblical scholarship, and even faith beliefs. There are a few times when Dr. Levine seems to lapse into the role of apologist for first century Judaism, but this is not pervasive. It is the only thing which prevents me from giving this book my highest possible recommendation.

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LibraryThing member TonyMilner

I reckon this is pretty well a must read for nyone engaged in NT exegesis, especially those who will use it as a basis for preaching. While Levine may occasionally overstate her case, she shows the / usually unintentional/ negative stereotyping of judasism which happens as part of New Teastament

studies, often fonded on limited or no eveidence.

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LibraryThing member the_awesome_opossum

Amy-Jill Levine is a Jewish New Testament scholar - living in the Bible Belt, no less - so that must be an interesting position to be in. The Misunderstood Jew argues that modern Christianity often contains anti-Jewish sentiment - whether bred by actual malice, a lack of education regarding "what

Jews believe/think/do," or a caricature of Judaism that emerges out of the New Testament specifically for Jesus to oppose.

The antidote to this casual anti-Judaism is two-fold. First, Christians need to really consider, and study, Jesus as a Jew. Not a proto-Christian, not a good Jew unlike all the "bad" Jews (legalistic and lacking compassion) that they see in the Gospels. Jesus was an insider, not an outsider, among the Jewish community, and we cannot even begin to approach Jesus' historical identity without taking this into consideration. Second, the denial of the Jewish Jesus does a disservice not just to history but to the present day. Therefore, Christians and Jews should be more receptive to interfaith dialogues: not only to dispel misconceptions about one another, but on a greater level to make for more informed faith.

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LibraryThing member TerriBooks

It is unfortunate that, even since the promulgation of Nostra Aetate, we still come across articles, books, hymns and homilies that, without meaning to, continue to present negative images of Judaism in relationship to Christianity. This is an excellent introduction to the hidden anti-Judaism that

can easily find its way into Christian worship, prayer and study. It is simple enough that any interested reader to follow along -- you don't need to be a Bible scholar to understand the arguments and see the connections (although the author does recommend learning to read Hebrew and Greek in her final chapter!) I particularly like Levine's insistence that we listen with each other's ears. Despite almost finishing a master's program in Jewish-Christian Studies, I had not realized that there is a corresponding need for Jews to also dispose of prejudices about Christianity.

The writing is engaging and interesting, not too complex and scholarly. I think it would be an excellent book for the person who wants greater insight into these issues. I would particularly recommend it to preachers and to religion teachers.

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LibraryThing member aevaughn

A worthy read, I do however disagree with her generalizations of Christianity, and her reading of the New Testament. Christianity is a broad movement encompassing a variety of positions, and there are certainly some that would agree. She is also right that we need to take a more serious look at the

Rabbis, when we are interpreting the Old Testament. Similarly, this applies when we are trying to understand Jewish culture during the Biblical period.

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LibraryThing member bness2

Some very good insights in this book and Levine makes some very good points about some of the common errors in NT exegesis concerning Jesus and His relationship to the Jewish people. It is so easy to interpret and teach about NT topics in such a way that it comes across as anti-Jewish. Although I

think at times that Levine over-interprets apparent anti-Jewish material, putting it in worse light than it deserves, but she is also gracious enough to recognize that many Christian theologians to not intend to foster anti-Jewish attitudes. Levine makes a very important and strong case for interfaith dialog between Jews and Christians. She writes from the very unique perspective of being a female, Jewish, NT theologian.

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LibraryThing member tony_sturges

In the The Misunderstood Jew, scholar Amy-Jill Levine helps Christians and Jews understand the "Jewishness" of Jesus so that their appreciation of him deepens and a greater interfaith dialogue can take place. Levine's humor and informed truth-telling provokes honest conversation and debate about

how Christians and Jews should understand Jesus, the New Testament, and each other.

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LibraryThing member b.masonjudy

The Misunderstood Jew is an insightful work of scholarship and a thought-provoking account of how to Christians and Jews can have a genuine and respectful interfaith dialogue. I appreciate Levine's candor and wit throughout the text and her integration of personal experience that demonstrates quite

clearly the negative impact of biblical scholarship that lacks an awareness of Jewish traditions and scripture.

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LibraryThing member nmele

An excellent look at and discussion of anti-Jewish sentiment in the New Testament and in Christianity. Levine does not hesitate to deal with ugly truths. I found this an enlightening book to read.

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