Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith [Hardcover]

Ann Spangler (Author), Lois Tverberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 17, 2009

A rare chance to know Jesus as his first disciples knew him. What would it be like to journey back to the first century and sit at the feet of Rabbi Jesus as one of his Jewish disciples? How would your understanding of the gospel have been shaped by the customs, beliefs, and traditions of the Jewish culture in which you lived? Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus takes you on a fascinating tour of the Jewish world of Jesus, offering inspirational insights that can transform your faith. Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg paint powerful scenes from Jesus' ministry, immersing you in the prayers, feasts, history, culture, and customs that shaped Jesus and those who followed him. You will hear the parables as they must have sounded to first-century Jews, powerful and surprising. You will join the conversations that were already going on among the rabbis of his day. You will watch with new understanding as the events of his life unfold. And you will emerge with new excitement about the roots of your own Christian faith. Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus will change the way you read Scripture and deepen your understanding of the life of Jesus. It will also help you to adapt the rich prayers and customs you learn about to your own life, in ways that both respect and enrich your Christian faith. By looking at the Jewishness of Jesus, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg take you on a captivating journey into the heart of Judaism, one that is both balanced and insightful, helping you to better understand and appreciate your own faith.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Spangler and Tverberg, with the rigor of a scientist, the drama of a story teller, and the passion of a disciple, present a stirring depiction of Jesus as a first century Jewish teacher which will greatly benefit the scholar and the lay person alike. Supported with careful analysis of ancient sources and recent archaeological discovery this study is a profound call to follow the Jesus of Scripture. I plan to use it as a text in the classes I teach and highly recommend it. -- Ray Vander Laan, Author, and Founder of That the World May Know Ministries

About the Author

Ann Spangler is an award-winning writer and the author of many bestselling books, including Praying the Names of God, Praying the Names of Jesus, and Women of the Bible (with Jean Syswerda). Her most recent books are The Tender Words of God and Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus (with Lois Tverberg.) She and her two daughters live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. SPANISH BIO: Ann Spangler, autora con galardones en su haber cuya fascinacion con la Biblia ha producido libros que han introducido esta a una amplia gama de lectores, es la autora de varios libros que han sido exitos de ventas, incluyendo Praying the Names of God, Praying the Names of Jesus y Mujeres de la Biblia (de la que es co-autora Jean Syswerda). En conjunto, se han vendido mas de 2 millones de ejemplares de sus libros. Ha ocupado puestos ejecutivos importantes en dos casas editoras cristianas y en la actualidad reside con sus dos hijas en Grand Rapids, Michigan..

Lois Tverberg, PhD, is the cofounder of the En-Gedi Resource Center, an educational ministry with a goal of deepening Christian understanding of the Bible by teaching about its Jewish context. Co-author of Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus and author of Listening to the Language of the Bible: Hearing It Through Jesus' Ears and a companion Bible study, she's shared her delight in digging deeper into the Scriptures with readers in over fifty countries. She speaks in area churches near her home in Holland, Michigan. www.ourrabbijesus.com SPANISH BIO: Lois Tverberg es doctora en filosofia, cofundadora del En-Gedi Resources Center, un ministerio educacional cuya meta es la profundizacion de la comprension cristiana de la Biblia mediante la ensenanza de su contexto judio. Como autora de Listening to the Language of the Bible: Hearing Through Jesus' Ears y de un estudio biblico companero de dicho libro, se deleita en llevar a sus lectores a la profundizacion de las Escrituras en mas de cincuenta paises. Suele hablar con frecuencia en las iglesias del area cercana a su hogar en Holland, Michigan.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (February 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310284228
• ISBN-13: 978-0310284222
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > History of Religion
  • #77 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Jesus

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book...and our book club May read, April 2, 2009

By 

Debbie (Harrison, AR United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith (Hardcover)

Do you sometimes feel like you don't quite understand the parables on the Kingdom of Heaven? Or like you're missing the full meaning of the Sermon on the Mount? Have you ever wondered how the disciples would have understood Jesus' actions during the Last Supper?

I've read the Gospels numerous times and read many books about what life was like in Biblical times. Frankly, I didn't realize until now how much I was missing by not understanding the rabbinic teaching styles of the time (among other things). Despite all my study, most of this information was new.

This book opened up my understanding of the Gospels by allowing me to see the deeper, richer meaning that would have been understood all along by the Jewish audiences of Jesus' day.

The book consists of general cultural notes alternated with using that new knowledge to examine specific Gospel passages. However, this book isn't just an intellectual exercise--it'll have you digging into your Bible with new enthusiasm and will deepen your walk with God.

While Christians who have a solid foundational knowledge of the Gospels will probably get the most out of this book, I'd highly recommend it to any Christian who wants a deeper understanding of Christ and his teachings.

Obviously, I really enjoyed this book which is why I picked it as ChristFocus Book Club's May book. [...]

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book to learn about the Jewishness of Jesus, May 21, 2009

By 

David Holcomb Jr. "dvd holc" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith (Hardcover)

Since this is currently not available through Amazon, I will provide the table of contexts:

Introduction
1 Joining Mary at the Feet of Jesus
2 Why a Jewish Rabbi
3 Stringing Pearls
4 Following the Rabbi
5 Get Yourself Some Haverim
6 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray
7 For everything a Blessing
8 A Passover Discovery
9 Discovering Jesus in the Jewish Feasts
10 At Table with the Rabbi
11 Touching the Rabbi's Fringe
12 Jesus and the Torah
13 The Mysterious Kingdom of God
14 Becoming True Disciples of Our Jewish Lord

Appendices
A Prayers Jesus Prayed
B The Feasts
C Recommended Resources
D Glossary
Notes
Scripture Index
General Index

In the opening pages, the book features the endorsements by Ray Vander Laan, Marvin R. Wilson, David Bivin, and Dwight A. Pryor. Also, the book is 201 pages from the Introduction to the last page of chapter 14.

The book is an introduction to the historical settings of the Jewish culture in which Jesus was apart of and paints a vivid picture of what it would have been like to have Jesus as your Rabbi. The purpose of this is to expand the knowledge of Jesus and develop ethical practices that reflect His teaching. This book does not set out to prove His Jewishness or Messiahship. The authors believe it and begin to relay a message of what it would have been like to be a disciple of Jesus.

Each chapter begins with a short story or personal experience that sets the tune for the chapter. Further, when the authors are making a point, they speak in illustrations that appeal to the readers' physically senses/experiences so that the reader can relate to it. The authors discuss many cultural settings in which Jesus was apart of and some things that show a parallel to though they might be a little later in development. Each chapter ends with a set of challenges for the reader to do to incorporate the chapter's main points.

My favorite chapters were "Stringing Pearls", "Following the Rabbi", and "Jesus and the Torah". Some main points that the authors bring up in those chapters are: 1) Jesus and other rabbis would quote a phrase or verse and expect the audience to fill in the remaining phrase or verse. 2) the way the rabbi live is the way the disciples are to live 3) discussion on how Jesus interpreted and how He felt about it. These are some of many essential items discussed in the book.

Pros: This book is a good starting point for beginning to understand the Jewishness of Jesus. The simple illustrations and personal experience make the book easy for people to read and connect to. The challenges are reasonable and can transform ethical practices and viewpoints.

Cons: It is a starting point. The authors stayed in the shallow end of the pool and never went too far out. For instance, the authors discuss that most rabbis use parables; however, the authors do not give a comprehensive study of what was taught by Jesus' parables. This sets Jesus in historical cultural settings, but does not go much beyond that. Therefore, my conclusion is that this book is a starting point.

Conclusion: A reader should gain many essential tools to understand Jesus' words and deeds. Likewise, while some things are indirect challenges that is challenges that reader would will have to work out, the direct challenges should help mold a person into being more like Jesus Christ. I loved this book.

53 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GEM of a book..., March 17, 2009

By 

Barbara Di Gilio (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith (Hardcover)

Shalom,

I want to share with you a new exciting book I read this past week, I have been SMILING everyday since I started reading it. It's a very good book. The book is 272 pages, with lots of great footnote (rare meat for me) in truth ever page of this book is a real GEM. As I finished the last chapter of the book last evening, I had a vision in my mind of a light wooden church pew in front of me, and on the backside were a bible, a hymnal, and one of these books for people to read. If only every Christian would read it was my thought to the Lord. I believe it would help them SEE You in Your true Jewish setting.

I'm praying this book will impact many many people for the Lord, Jews and Gentile alike.

Now, to tell you the truth I knew almost everything in this book about Rabbi Jesus; I have been teaching this kind of stuff for over 19 years

It was a delight to me to see how well Spangler and Lois laid out everything in this book; really it moved me to tears. I think the Christian world at large has been waiting for this book, yes, I know it has...! So anyone who wants to KNOW their HEBREW Lord Yeshua (Jesus), should read this book.

Mayim Hayim Ministries will give this book a five stars***** rating, and will carry it and use it in our ministry as a great teaching tool. I promise you, you will gain a much deeper understanding of God by seeing Yeshua in His own world. You will not only look through the eyes of a first century Jew reading this book, but of a first century Jew "living during the Second Temple period to boot." Then you will see Jesus "as a Horse of a different color," if you know what I mean by that Movie idiom?

My friends, the Scriptures you hold so dear to your heart, I tell you the truth, you will know them much better after you read this book. I promise you this will happen for you. Like I said before, this book is a real GEM; I hope you'll order a copy or two today. It would make a wonderful Passover or Easter gift for someone this year.

Shalom - Baruch HaShem Yeshua,


Rev. Barbara Di Gilio Th.D. <><
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Founder and President
Mayim Hayim Ministries