Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewish Words of Jesus Can Change Your Life [Hardcover]

Lois Tverberg (Author), Ann Spangler (Afterword), Ray Vander Laan (Foreword)

Book Description

Release date: March 6, 2012

In Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, Lois Tverberg challenges readers to follow their Rabbi more closely by re-examining his words in the light of their Jewish context. Doing so will provide a richer, deeper understanding of his ministry, compelling us to live differently, to become more Christ-like. We'll begin to understand why his first Jewish disciples abandoned everything to follow him, to live out his commands.

What wisdom can we glean from Jesus' Eastern, biblical attitude toward life? How can knowing him within this context shed light on his teachings for us today? In Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus we'll journey back in time to consider how hearing Rabbi Jesus with the ears of a first-century disciple can bring new meaning to our faith.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A must-read for every follower of Jesus. It is filled with great practical wisdom that you can put to work in your life immediately. --David Bivin
 
In this illuminating sequel on Rabbi Jesus, Tverberg has again done the serious student of Scripture a favor. --Marvin Wilson
 
Lois Tverberg is a superb, scholarly guide. --Marva Dawn

From the Inside Flap

In Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, Lois Tverberg brings the Bible to life as she explores the cultural context of Jesus' teachings. With well-researched information and a highly readable style, Tverberg explains

• How understanding Jewish idioms and expressions can help us better grasp what Jesus was saying
• How viewing Jesus within the context of Middle Eastern culture can enliven his parables in surprising new ways
• How the Jewish world of Jesus can teach us many wise insights, like how to pray with chutzpah or think with both hands

By understanding the religious and cultural atmosphere in which Jesus lived and taught, you will begin to understand why his first disciples abandoned everything to follow him. You will also learn the meaning behind key Hebrew words that make Bible reading a richer, more powerful experience. And you will see how Jewish customs, culture, and beliefs can enrich your life as a Christian whose faith first emerged from Jewish roots.
 
Come eavesdrop on the conversations among the rabbis of Jesus' time. Learn how hearing Rabbi Jesus with the ears of a first-century disciple can bring new depth to your spiritual life. Along the way you will discover both practical ways to live as Jesus' disciple and an invigorated faith that will draw you closer to God.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (March 6, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310284201
• ISBN-13: 978-0310284208
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.9 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (78 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,450 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lois Tverberg has been teaching and writing about the Jewish background of Christianity for the past fifteen years. With Ann Spangler she authored the best-seller, "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus will Transform Your Faith." (Zondervan, 2009). The book explores the first-century world of rabbis and disciples, festivals, prayers and the Torah, and how restoring Jesus to his Jewish reality sheds light on his life and ministry.

Recently Lois completed a new book: "Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewish Words of Jesus Can Change Your Life" (Zondervan, 2012). There, she asks the next question: what are the implications of Jesus' Jewish context for how we live as his disciples? She contemplates some Jewish ideas that deepen our understanding of Jesus' words and yield fresh, practical insights for following him today. (Excerpts are available at OurRabbiJesus.com)

Lois has always enjoyed discovering the answers to head-scratching questions and sharing the "ah-hah" moments with others. For years she did this as a professor of Biology at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, USA, after receiving her Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Iowa in 1993. Her career as a professor took a turn, however, when she discovered the importance of the Bible's Jewish setting, and began learning Hebrew and Greek and studying in the land of Israel.

In 2001 she co-founded the En-Gedi Resource Center (www.egrc.net), an educational ministry that seeks to teach Christians about the Bible's ancient cultural and Jewish context. She headed that ministry until 2007, and since has been writing independently. In 2004, En-Gedi published her first book, "Listening to the Language of the Bible: Hearing it Through Jesus' Ears." This is a devotional guide to Hebrew words and cultural ideas that unlock the Scriptures.

Lois currently lives in Holland, Michigan, USA. For more information, visit her website, Our Rabbi Jesus: His Jewish Life and Teaching (http://ourrabbijesus.com).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVE books like this one for bringing much closer understanding of Jesus and His thoughts and ideas February 6, 2012

By Gregory E. Foster VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Lois Tverberg does us a great service here with this book. How wonderful and different to hear what Jesus was saying, teaching, and thinking, when we understand his Jewish nature and how the language in his time worked and what things meant AS they were spoken in His native vocabulary, not how they have been translated, perhaps even transliterated and then translated, substituted for newer interpretations and meanings, etc., down through the ages.

I long have avoided regular attendance at church services, and frankly often look at the Bible and scratch my head. I have always been comfortable when I have attended Synagogue with Jewish friends. Not knowing completely why, I would have to say "that it is because it is closer to the way things were", and to me that is deeply relevant. As an adult I have continually sought out any and all information that I can find that takes me back to the way that things really were and to become more enlightened in all things resulting from Jesus and His direct followers and those who witnessed events directly related to Him and His thoughts and ideas, teachings, sayings, etc.

So, for me, this book is a wonderful and closer look at, and also a welcome breath of truth (fresh air so to speak) Jesus the Man and his teachings. You will find much here that will surely please you to know and come to understand that has seemed "murky" or "unclear" and that enlightens one in ways not seen before.

Once you understand what the words Jesus used really meant (in His time), as spoken by Him, everything makes such common clear sense. Like I said above, it's like "fresh air" and it's truly wonderful to have new insight and knowledge into His expressions and sayings AS He presented them to His friends and acquaintances....

After finishing this text, I ordered Tverberg's previous book (with Ann Spangler) and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus" Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith promises to be another great and enlightening peek at Jesus and His times, something that I greatly wish to know and get closer to things as they were "in person", not "as presented today" after unknown numbers of changed interpretations because of translations, etc. over and over. It is wonderful to be able to more clearly understand through this author's (and others, also) presentation through Jesus' Jewishness and ways.

Books like this do us all a really great favor by teaching us and showing us more accurate and truthful representations of how things were in the days of Jesus and His followers etc.

I urge you to read this book and delight in the understanding you will come to see that you may not have seen before.

~operabruin Read more ›

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Learned so much from Rabbi Jesus. February 14, 2012

By kindred spirit TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

While reading this book I almost feel like Christians get cheated in our Sunday School class as children. I so wish I had grown up with the understanding I am getting as an adult. I have long had a love of the Jewish faith and God's chosen people always wanting to learn more as I know Jesus was in fact Jewish. He didn't just start a new church he was preaching in the temple at 12 years of age and keeping all the Jewish traditions and Holy Days.

In this book Lois Tverberg digs so deep into the Hebrew meanings of the words Jesus spoke and taught us with. Hebrew has only 8,000 words and English 400,000 I never knew that. Thus the words are deep and full of meaning, often mean different things. She teaches us how in the context of the time and whom he was speaking to what the words most likely stood for. It is eye opening and very humbling. I have highlights on most every page and plan to re read it as it is so rich you have to take time and think and pray about what you have learned.

I have often wondered just what the Talmud was it is a huge set of books that are commentary on the Mishnah which simply put is the oral teachings of the time 200 AD and the previous 200 years. The teachers of the time including Jesus taught much more than what is recorded in our Bible. This Mishnah puts into print this oral history. I plan on looking into this soon.

Included in the back are her vast resources and a glossary of terms we may not be familiar with. I found this very helpful event though I have read much about Jewish teachings. I have never read anything like this. This is a life changing book to read. To know the deeper meanings of what Jesus was telling us, how to live and how to treat others what he expects.

Shema- Hear and Obey.... Ouch, we are not just to hear the word but obey the word.It calls us to worship one God alone, the creator of the universe. Ahavah-the Hebrew word for love goes beyond emotions. An example given asks us about when we go to worship and we get the "feeling " of God being present and our emotions are high, we want more. Would we continue if we never had the feeling again? That is Ahavah love that goes on without end. The love God has for us. How He wants us to love him. Going further Hesed- long lasting love that goes on to eternity.

I loved the teaching about having a Good eye or a bad eye. People with a good eye do acts of loving kindness to others. This is above the 10% tithe that God asks to be returned to Him. I thought it also interesting that Jewish teachings states to not give over 20% as a tithe, you need that extra money to help others. To have a good eye is to see a need and take action. I quote from the book this statement. "If we cannot be compassionate to others who have made unwise choices, why should we expect God to help us when we make mistakes ourselves?" Also it speaks of it is better to give a little many times than to give a lot just once, each time we give we become better people.

I really could go on and on the book builds one word upon another and by the time you reach the end you have a desire to live much more in tune with God in what is Most probably the ways he intended. Learning in the context of the time and understanding the language is huge.

I challenge you Christian, unbelievers, Jewish, whatever to give this book a chance. Commit to read the first 20 pages and you will be changed you will not be able to stop because you are learning from Rabbi Jesus. There are books I love that are great entertainment or accounts of history, this is so much more, this is life changing.

Excellent work Lois Tverberg, I thank you for getting this book to us so that we may understand Jesus on a whole new level. Read more ›

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Okay, so I was skeptical January 28, 2012

By M. J. Smith VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

When I read the back of this book, checked the En-Gedi Resource Center website and read the "About Lois Tverberg" on her website, I was skeptical. There are enough religious authors who set up their own foundation to promote their cockamamie ideas I wasn't interested in finding another such author. I didn't. Lois Tverberg clearly knows her stuff. She presents her material in a friendly, conversational style that is welcoming to any Bible study - group or individual. The "lessons" are peppered with her personal experience and retellings of Bible narrative with cultural information gently slid in. It makes reading the book much more of a spiritual companion experience than a spiritual teacher. I mean that as a high compliment.

But the greatest accomplishment of the text is that Tverberg succeeds in making the Gospel story fresh while remaining faithful to the story. Give this book a thumbs up.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A mind expanding look at the Jewish Jesus February 20, 2012

By L. Miller VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

A friend told me once about having to break up a fight in her school room. "Jesus wasn't a Jew!" one girl insisted, "The Jews killed Jesus!"
A few Jews handed Jesus over to the Romans for execution 2000 years back, and all Jews forevermore were judged as undesirables. Tverberg holds that many christians forget or discount Jesus's Jewishness when reading His gospel. A few preachers even teach that Jesus did away with the Jewish scriptures--the New Testament supercedes the Old Covenant. But Jesus Himself said He did not come to do away with the Old Covenant, but to add to it.

Lois Tverberg writes a thoughtful study of the Jewish scriptural basis for the New Covenant gospels. She sheds light on the key parables of Jesus which define 'christianity', adding extra depth and bringing out more of the richness of Jesus's teachings--what He really meant when speaking of Himself as the Living Water, or preaching on loving God and loving each other--all that entails. The trouble with the Bible is, we read it, listen to it, study it, and it never sits still! There's always more in its pages!

Tverberg is careful to document her teachings. She starts with Jesus and His contemporaries to an attempt to better understand the World Trade Center destruction and the conflicts between Jews and others in the middle east, today. Most of this book focusess on the Shema--so central to the identity of the Jew, and such a seminal springboard for the many discussions of its meanings in the parables of the New Testament. She deals mostly in comparisons of the teachings of the Pentatuch and of the 4 gospels.

I chose this book, because I've always wanted to understand more of what the Bible says, what it means. I assumed the Bible can be confusing because I can't read it in the original.... Even those who can have a lot of different opinions on what they understand. Even New Testament Greek seems to be a kind of translation from ancient Hebrew and Aramaic written and oral traditions. As a Christian, I have no way to understand these traditions, unless I go live among Jews.

Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus is the next best thing to learning Hebrew and Greek. The book gets into the 'non-text' of the scriptures, what Jesus's hearers would understand from their own oral traditions. Tverberg tries to give us non-Jews some sense of how very different we are in our christian perspective, yet how very unified we must be if we want to really understand what Christ said and meant, and just how He meant it for each and all of us. Jews can also forget Jesus was a Jew, because He wasn't the Messiah they were looking for at that time.

This book sheds some light on why Jesus and His message was such a shock to so many of His countrymen. Yet it stresses He was also well received by many more people than I'd supposed--Jew and gentile. If you hear a preacher or teacher give elaborate explanations of the meanings of Bible passages, and wonder how on earth he came up with these interpretations, read this book. It'll get you started on learning a bit more than you read at first glance or fifteenth glance in your Sunday School preparations. You might even wake up your Sunday School class with another point of view! Read more ›