4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Disconinuity of Christianity and biblical Judaism, August 13, 2001
This review is from: The Christian Problem: A Jewish View (Hardcover)
If you are a Jew being lulled by the Christian-Jewish Dialogue, if you are a Christian raised in the myth of the Judaeo-Christian tradition, wanting an honest analysis of where the two sharply diverge (from the very beginning), read this book.
The first part of the book is a manifesto for Jews, identifying the Christian Problem. It includes these chapters: Jesus was not a Christian; The Jewish Messiah was not Jesus; The synagogue is neither Temple nor church; The Hebrew Bible is not the "old testament"; The Church is not the "New Israel."
Besides elucidating these points, Rosenberg establishes the love-hate relationship has with Jesus and the Judaism of Jesus, and that Christianity is in continuity with neither biblical Judaism or Jesus.
The rest of the book seems to be a message to Jews who may have bought into what Christianity has assigned them as their "place" always in some ball and chain relationship with Christianity. There is no relationship. If Christians want true dialogue with Jews, Christianity must accept the fact that there is no package deal, and both Jews and Christians must realize the separatness. Jews should see that the community of Israel has its own unique place in history as a culture, faith, and people. This is pretty much the gist of the second section of the book.
Finally, the author discusses the platform on which the dialogue should rest, including an epilogue, "If I were a Christian."
My slight problem with the book is the exaggerated importance of rabbinic Judaism. Rabbinic Judaism is understood as the undisputed heir of biblical Yahwism through the Pharisees, at least that is the impression I got. Yet Rosenberg discusses a number of first century sects of Yahwism ("Pharisees," "Sadducees," "Essenes" in relation to the DSS sectarians, and zealot extremists) but when he speaks of early Jewish people with some relationship with Jesus of Nazareth he broadbrushes, and assumes that there was nothing "Christian" about Nazarenes (all Jewish messianists?)but yet when Paul of Tarsus comes along with his mystery cult religion that there was an automatic and complete continuity of it into Paulinism (Christianity).
This brings up the defect in my opinion with the book. He briefly discusses a diversity of "Judaism" of the period, but then ignores a diversity of Judaism in favor of rabbinic Judaism as if it were the only Judaism. He passes over Karaites, who do not accept the Talmudic tradition, and any influence they have within Judaism. And he passes over the fact that there were Jews who followed Jesus on the level of his being a halakic opponent and messianic proponent and competitor with the Pharisees---yet who could be considered "Christian" in any way. For example, they did not accept him as the Messiah, a god, divine, an atonement, etc., but only as the teacher of an approach to Torah.
Although it was not the goal of the book to cover such aberations, a slight mention that the Jewish tradition is more broad than the rabbinic tradition would have a more balanced treatment, and he still would have been able to promote rabbinic Judaism. That gets a four instead of a five.
Still I highly recommend the book. You should read it if you can find a copy.
--Shemayah Phillips is the leader of the Ebionite Movement, an outreach to mostly Christians who are considering Jesus only as a Jewish teacher, and encouraging conversion to Judaism.
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