The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation [Hardcover]

Brad Young (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1998

Fully one-third of JesusÂ’ words in the Synoptic Gospels occur in parables. It could be said that knowing the parables is essential for understanding the person of Christ. In his newest work on the parables, Brad Young displays his unique perspective as a scholar steeped in both Jewish and Christian studies. While parables have timeless messages, reinterpretations in new contexts throughout the centuries have distorted the original meanings and undermined the essence of what Jesus intended for his initial listeners. Young examines the parables that best illustrate the parallels between the rabbinic and Gospel parables. Young challenges readers to remember that first-century Judaism was not merely the backdrop for JesusÂ’ teachings but the very stage from which Jesus delivered the message of the kingdom. JesusÂ’ ethics and theology can be properly understood only in the light of first-century Jewish teachings. Young focuses on the historical development and theological significance of parables in both traditions, then he examines five theological subjects that are dealt with in parables: prayer, grace, reconciliation, calling, and sovereignty.

"This great new book by Brad H. Young is a decisive step in the right direction. Like his previous books, this innovative work on the parables shows that Jesus is both a foundation of the Christian faith and at the same time an integral part of Second Temple period Judaism. Jewish thought is not—as is often claimed—merely a background for Jesus but is in reality the original context and natural framework of his message. Few people have recognized this basic fact, not only because of inveterate Christian inhibitions but also because it is a very rare case that a New Testament scholar can break the language barrier and move freely in the Hebrew and Aramaic sources of early Judaism proficiently, as Young is able to do. Similarly, Jewish scholars often do not use their advantage in this area of research and sometimes cannot move freely in the Christian material because even they are not always free from their own inherited inhibitions. All who are involved in the study of Judaism, however, as well as everyone seeking a better understanding of Jesus, will be challenged by Young's creative and solid research." (From the foreword)
—David Flusser, Professor Emeritus of Second Temple Period Judaism and Early Christianity, Hebrew University, Jerusalem

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brad H. Young, Ph.D. Hebrew University, studied under David Flusser and is the author of Jesus and His Jewish Parables and The Jewish Background to the Lord's Prayer. He is the president and founder of the Gospel Research Foundation, which is committed to exploring the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, and is on the editorial board of the Compendia Rerum Iudaicarum ad Novum Testamentum.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565632443
• ISBN-13: 978-1565632448
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #695,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Parables of Christ in their proper context., January 2, 1999

By 

A. J. Valasek (Clemmons, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation (Hardcover)

This author is quickly becoming one of my favorites. His study of the Second Temple Period along with his insighful parallels between Judaism and Christianity are worth more than gold in my opinion. In this book, Young examines Christ's parables from both the Jewish and Christian perspective. What I like about this book is that it helps the reader obtain the correct context of the readings, something that I push for with fervor. Just published, this book is a good read and an excellent resource for future study.

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 15 Years of indepth study went into this excellent book!, December 26, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Independence, KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation (Hardcover)

Recently Hendrickson's publisher took this book to a major book fair where it sold 5000 copies AND 5 seminaries picked it up as a textbook! Excellent for pastors and lay persons on teaching the parables of both the Jews and the Christians. A topic that most pastors never studied in seminiary from a Jewish perspective. A thorough examination of the topic and a presentation of new insights is presented in a very readable format. I highly recommend this book to our homeschooling families around the world!

50 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Context Creates Meaning, but Young Uses Context Selectively, November 24, 2000

By 

benjamin (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation (Hardcover)

The main strength of this book is that it is an excellent resource for doing comparative studies between Jesus as presented in the Gospels and the Rabbis as presented in the Rabbinics. Each of Jesus' parables is put against the backdrop of similar parables told by different Rabbis in the Talmud and other Rabbinic writings. It's interesting to see the overlap between the two which is, at points, quite substantial.

Young is quite adamant in his view that Jesus must be dropped back into the world of second temple Judaism. While context does create meaning, the main fault that I have with Young's approach is that by using the Rabbinic writings as the main source of comparison, whole bodies of Jewish literature are overlooked (he does bring the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Pseudepigrapha in at points, but the bulk of the book deals with Jesus and the Rabbis). So, while there are strengths to this approach, there are also weaknesses; Rabbinic Judaism is hardly representative of the Judaisms of Jesus' day. Furthermore, Jesus wasn't a rabbi like Hillel or Akiba, so the usefulness of comparisons primarily between the Gospels and Rabbinics is further diminished.

Dr. Young also seems quite interested in debunking the allegorical interpretations of the parables of Jesus as taught by early church fathers such as Origen. While this may help to clear up the meanings of the prables from a historical perspective, is it really necessary to do so? One can teach accurate history without debunking the views of others. The result ends up being that Young comes across as rather argumentative and standoff-ish and overall it is just plain annoying to read.

I would recommend Young's book to anyone interested in a comparison between Jesus' parables and those of the Rabbis - in this area, Young hits the bull's eye. However, as a book about Jesus' parables where the goal is less to contrast and compare than to enlightend and educate, Young hits a little too left of center.