Jesus, Jewish Theologian

Lesson Two

Atmosphere: 

Jewish Theological Thinking of the First Century

 “But if I cast out demons with the finger of G-d, surely the kingdom of G-d has come upon you.”  Luke 11:20

 “Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of G-d.” Exodus 8:18-19

Introduction

• Jesus (Yeshua) is Jewish. He was a ritual Jew – He followed the Law, the Torah, PRECISELY and COMPLETELY. He was a Jewish Theologian, whose teaching used Jewish theology to point us to G-d. Then He fulfilled G-d’s plan by demonstrating that He was the center of that plan all along.

• We have seen how when Jesus was born, the land of Israel was situated between 2 great empires who were vying for influence in the region: Rome and Partha.

• We have seen that when Jesus was born, there were 3 major divisions in Jewish religious thinking: Pharisee, Sadducee, and Essene.

• To better understand Jesus’ Jewish Theology, we must look more closely at the Jewish Theology of that time.

Religious Setting

• Jewish religious thinking divided into 3 distinct groups around 100 years before the birth of Jesus.

• Pharisee: Supremacy of Scripture; sovereignty of G-d; miracles

• Sadducee: Supremacy of Temple ritual; more secular/political interests; no resurrection

• Essene: Separatists; highly regarded Scripture; prophetic

• 2 primary theologians were influential just before Jesus was born:

  • Hillel: more liberal Pharisee; possibly grandfather of Gamaliel; provided exemption for debt forgiveness in Torah

  • Shammai: more conservative Pharisee; more conservative on divorce than Hillel (Matthew 19)

• During the 2^nd Temple period, it became important for Jews to not only KNOW Scripture, but because they had been sent captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness to G-d, it was also important to know what Scripture MEANT.

• In the years just before Jesus was born, they had developed complex methods for correct interpretation (aka: hermeneutics)

• Although during 2^nd Temple period writing had become highly developed, but it was expensive – hence memorization and repetition were important.

• Children of that time were instructed and committed virtually all of Scripture to memory, as well as commentaries (written and oral Torah).

• Jesus and His contemporaries knew Scripture by memory – sometimes in more than one language.

• Jesus uses statements like, “you have heard it said,” and “it is written,” to a highly educated audience.

• The Gospels are written in koine Greek, but contain significant Hebrew thinking, wording, and terminology.

Hermeneutic Terms

• Tenach: T.N.K. = Torah (Law) , Nebi’im (Prophets), Ketubim (Writings) – in different order, but essentially the same as what some now call the Old Testament (better - Hebrew Scriptures).

• In the Tenach, G-d uses repeated words and phrases that build upon the authority of the Torah (first 5 books). The Prophets and Writings draw upon the authority of Torah, and then Torah is revitalized through repetitive sayings. This is called “hinting” or remez. Remez, permits referencing whole phrases and thoughts with only a word or two.

• Remez is extremely powerful when the audience has memorized Scripture.

• Jesus often used remez. Example: Luke 11:20: “finger of G-d” is a reference back to Exodus 8:16-19 – alluding to something ONLY G-d could do – and reminding the hearers of the authentic prophet, Moses.

• Qal Wahomer (light vs. weighty): Jewish rhetorical principle to illustrate a point e.g.. “How much more?”

• Talmud:  Rabbinical writings (Babylon and Palestine) containing the Mishnah (rules of the oral law) and commentaries etc. It contains both haggadah (non-legal interpretations), and halakah (practical interpretation of Law).

• Haggadic Midrash, or Haggadah: The interpretation of historical and religious passages that are not legal in character (NT examples: Gal 3:19; Acts 7:53; Heb 12:2; 1 Cor 10:4; Jude 9). This includes historical patterning – what happened to the fathers is a sign of what the future holds for the sons – future embedded in the past. Example: Heb 7:10. Historical example: Tish B’Av.

• Midrash (to search, inquire): An interpretation that pays close attention to the meaning of individual words and grammatical forms- elucidates one verse by another. Midrash assumes the text has an inexhaustible fund of meaning relative and adequate for every question. Midrash is common in rabbinical writings.

• Halakah: (to walk, to follow): Interpretation of the Law – with practical solutions to difficulties – especially all 613 commandments in Torah. Halakah is for how to live in light of Torah. Hillel developed 7 rules of interpretation for arriving at halakic decisions. Many of the disputes between Jesus and the Pharisees involve commonly understood halakic interpretations.

Hermeneutics In the First Century

• In the First Century there were 4 major methods of interpretation (although there were overlaps):

• Peshat (to strip off): this is the literalist method

• Midrashic: Interpretation which includes hidden meanings – employs middoth (measures, or rules)

• Pesher: “This is that” interpretation. Something previously hidden, now revealed.

• Allegorical: this was the most theologically liberal – Philo used this. It often was an attempt to fit text into the secular world-view (in this case Greek Hellenist thinking). Often it was a reworking of historical material to bring out a symbolic meaning.

• Virtually all theologians of the day believed in some form of literal interpretation. Peshat was used by the Sadducees to essentially say, “this is what it means and nothing more.”

• Midrash was highly developed by the Pharisees. This is known as “stringing pearls.” Hillel developed 7 rules (middoth):

  • arguing from a lesser case to a greater (qal wahomer)

  • verbal analogy from one verse to another

  • deriving a legal principle from one text and where it is repeated

  • deriving a principle from two texts

  • making a general case more precise using a particular instance or defining a general case on the basis of a particular

  • using similarities between two passages to provide one passage with a more precise definition

  • context

• The Essenes tended toward Pesher

• As we will see, Jesus used many these devices Himself to explain Himself to the people.

Summary

• Jesus gives validity to the Pharisaical hermeneutic practices when in Matthew 23:2-3 He points out that the Pharisees sit in Moses seat – and that the listener should do as they teach – but not what they do. In other words, be not just a hearer only of the Word – but a doer!