Customer Reviews

The Jesus the Jews Never Knew

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I found Zindler's comprehensive survey of the Jewish record of alleged references to Jesus to be compelling and enjoyable reading. The interesting style and well-documented text made TJTJNK a fine addition to my library. I give it four stars and a definite thumb up. Some reviewers reveal they did not actually read Zindler's book by mischaracterizing its contents. I do not recall detecting a vitriolic or polemical tone within TJTJNK. (However such tones are justified as Christianity's long bloody history of forced conversions and supression of other sects and religion attests.) One reviewer simply begs the question (something Zindler does not do) by assuming the disciples in the gospel stories actually existed when the reality of the whole story (including the disciples) is in dispute. One cannot assume some part of the Jesus story is true and then use that part to cast a positive light on the remainder of the tale by a sophmoric turn of phrase. To do so is to beg the question and hence invalidate any argument made by the question begger. Zindler shows how and why there is zero support for the idea of a historical Jesus of the gospels in the corpus of Jewish literature. Not only does Zindler demolish the Christian apologetic arguments that Josephus recorded something to give credence to the idea the god man actually lived, but he proves beyond the shadow of a doubt the Rabbis simply reacted to Christianity rather than to have taken note of any alleged historical founder. Zindler's fine book belongs in the freethinkers library.

This is a very important work demonstrating that there is no evidence in Jewish sources of an historical Jesus and is a must read for those interested in the true origins of Christianity.
However the book is spoiled by the authors puerile attitude towards early Christian writers. Instead of serious discussion of the mechanisms of evolution of early Christian writings we are presented with the childish dismissal of the writers as frauds and liars. Similarly the writers of ancient Jewish texts are presented as politically motivated conspirators. This attitude does not help the authors case.
The book also lacks a proper introduction to the mythicist view of Christian origins, a brief introduction only being given towards the end of the book. This is not surprising as the author is an extremist who considers the whole Bible including the Old Testament to be complete myth, a point of view that is not shared by even some of the most extreme critical scholars. Far too much of the book is spent in spiteful arguing against the historicity of Balaam story in the Old Testament and against the accuracy of the anecdotes of the Talmudists sometimes bordering on modern style "anti-zionist" anti-semitism.
The book does however contain many insights into the story of Jesus and the alleged references to Jesus in the Talmud that one does not normally come across in mythicist literature. Yet strangely the author overlooks one of the most important pieces of information in this regard, namely that the name "Yeshu" which Christians allege refers to Jesus is not in fact a real name let alone a Hebrew form of "Jesus" being merely an acronym for the Hebrew expression "may his name and memory be obliterated".

This book is a little hard to follow if you don't have a Phd in biblical studies or ancient history of the middle east. I will admit that it isn't an easy read.

Zindler offers an angry tirade against Christianity. While there is a place for such work in literature, Zindler's attempt to masquerade it as a work of research and scholarship is undone by his own vitriolic nature. It would have been a more effective text if he had either done a work of research or done a work of polemics. Instead, he waffles between the two.

His dating of early sources is questionable, and his focus on isolated and odd stories from both biblical and extra-caononical writings suggests an inability to focus on the main points of argument. I looked for the answer to the question, "So why did the disciples go to their deaths defending the resurrection?" but I could find no answer.

If you really want to hear Zindler at his best (and worst), listen to the audio taped debate between him and Dr. William Lane Craig recorded at Willow Creek Community Church. That is more informative and entertaining than this book.