Our Rabbi Jesus

New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus

by David Bivin

What if we could step back into the first-century world of Jesus, walking on a dusty road with him as one of his first Jewish disciples? What if we heard his teachings in the context of the rabbinic conversations that surrounded him? Here we examine Jesus’ lifestyle as a first-century Jewish rabbi and look at how his words would have been understood within the larger framework of first-century Judaism. His words will grow in clarity and depth when seen in the light of their original setting. David Bivin is the founder and editor of Jerusalem Perspective (JP), a magazine that explores the Jewish context of the Gospels. He has traveled and lectured internationally for more than 25 years. This book contains dozens of his best articles on the Jewishness of Jesus, edited for the general reader. Review by Dr. Marvin Wilson, author of Our Father Abraham:

In Jerusalem, David Bivin has interacted for decades with some of the best Jewish scholarship in the world. This book displays many of the brilliant Hebraic gems the author has mined that help illuminate the pages of the Gospels. Clearly written and very readable, Bivin shows why Christians need rabbinic sources if they intend to know and understand Jesus in his first-century Jewish setting. New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus is a valuable resource for every serious student of Scripture.

New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus is available from the publisher, the En-Gedi Resource Center for $12.95. Go to the En-Gedi Bookstore.