Exploring the Jewish Roots of Christianity in Daniel Boyarin's 'The Jewish Gospels'

Alan Harbinson: A fascinating read, this book is not so much to be read and stored away but to be read, pondered over then re-read ad infinitum for reference and debate (even and especially with oneself) for those who sincerely seek to understand christian/judeo relationships. If this is your area of interest, then this a book for you.

United Kingdom on Sep 10, 2020

G. Yates: Firstly I felt quite soon that this book had been advertised under False Pretenses. Nowhere did I find described in the book the discovery of any "ancient Hebrew tablet". Sure he uses the Similitudes of Enoch and Fourth Esdra. Hardly the startling new discovery that is used to advertise the book! Beware!

In the arguments given in the book it is rather crucial that one text is 'independent' of another. NOWHERE does he prove this. Indeed I do not think that the author would know how to prove 'Independence'? Dependence is rather easier to prove than 'Independence' which really requires quite a stringent proof!!

There is a totally wishy washy approach to dating of the various documents. Sure he quotes some academic opinions, but nowhere a line of any argument that the opinion is valid. The dates are crucial to the thesis! He gives the impression that he really doesn't care?

There is plenty of argument based on the authority of another person's opinion. (Ad Hominem). This is not rare even in academic circles. Such argument is still not Logic!

There is an awful lot of argument "If I say this often enough then you will believe it". Such arguments make me want...

Spain on Jun 21, 2013

James McDevitt: Great book but the book has very little to do with the gospels themselves. Instead the author looks more at the prophecies in Daniel and Isaiah to show that the divinity of the Messiah is an ancient concept. He then looks at Matthew and Mark and tackles the concept of whether Jesus kept kosher or not. But this is in no way a commentary on all the books of the Bible. I give this book 5 stars for the author's academic and important stance on these sensitive issues. He handles both the divinity of the Messiah and the proof that Jesus kept kosher better than anyone I've read so far. As for the title, often this is selected by the publisher and I cannot penalize the author for a decision he might not have made.

Canada on May 31, 2013

Joe Foy: This small,lucid and very informative book describes many ways in which Jesus of Nazareth revered his Jewish heritage, and many Jewish customs of the day. Of special interest is Boyarin's convincing argument that the typical Christian understanding of the Pharisees is upside down and backwards, and thus also is our conventional grasp of the relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees [i.e. that Jesus was the more flexible and the Pharisees the more inflexible.] A jewel of a book, passing on to us insights from a long teaching career by a very prominant Jewish wise man. Definitely a "read this twice" book!

Canada on Nov 13, 2012

John: Some people feel it's a provocation when somebody challenges well established stereotypes.(e.g. Trinity = idolatry - That's a stupid argument even if you don't believe in Trinity, and an indication that you have other fish to fry than critiquing Boyarin's book.) In our secular world Christianity as well as Judaism are well on their way into irrelevance and obscurity. At least that they have in common. Boyarin suggests that there is even more, - the main Christian doctrines have their roots in Judaism. This upsets Jews and Christians alike. Boyarin makes some compelling arguments that cross well established demarcation lines. Even if you don't follow his reasoning, wrestling with his arguments will help your faith mature. And that is a good thing.

Canada on Jul 03, 2012

eli: I am so puzzled by Daniel Boyarin's apparent attempt to reclaim Christianity for Judaism. He states: "On one hand, the implication of my argument is that Christianity hijacked not only the Old Testament but the New Testament as well... the New Testament is much more deeply embedded with second Temple Jewish life and thought than many have imagined, even....in the very moments that we take to be most characteristically Christian as opposed to Jewish: the notion of a dual godhead with a Father and Son, the notion of a Redeemer who himself will be both God and man, and the notion that this Redeemer would suffer and die as part of the salvation process." (Jewish Gospels, p. 157-158, JG henceforth) If Mr. Boyarin wishes to claim simply that Christians are first century Jews, I do not object. I do object to the implication that Jesus could also be "simply" Jewish. He was actually much much more, and to demonstrate that I will use Mr Boyarin's book Border Lines (BL henceforth) as well as the Jewish Gospels.

Let's begin with the word "hijacked". Mr. Boyarin would be equally accurate in stating that Christianity and Judaism hijacked Hellenism. (BL pp.18,92,112,235) Prior to the...

United States on Apr 26, 2012

Mike Davis Th.D: Daniel Boyarin has done a great service for the Body of Christ and especially for those who are involved in the study of the Jewish Roots of Christianity.

Over the past few decades it has become increasing clear that to understand more fully the New Testament writings we need to have a greater, more in-depth understanding of the conceptual and cultural world in which these texts were written...and this is primarily the world of Judaism.

Understanding the Jewish conceptual and cultural world in which Jesus, the disciples and writers of the New Testament lived and moved in has open up the richness of Scripture and given it greater clarity in innumerable ways.
One area that has now been greatly enriched by understanding the Jewish Background involves the Deity of Jesus.

Boyarin's work deftly demonstrates through the use of various streams of Jewish thought and literary works that the idea of a Divine Messiah was not foreign to Jewish thought and belief....and was even expected. He lays out the various beliefs about the Messiah down through the centuries before and during the time of Jesus using texts such as Daniel 7:13-14, the Similitudes of Enoch, First Ezra...

United States on Apr 17, 2012