"If This Be from Heaven_"

"If This Be from Heaven_" Synopsis

This is both an introduction to the New Testament and a study of its writings in relation to Judaism. The aim is to explore both the clear Jewish roots of the New Testament and its incipient anti-Judaism. The first two chapters give an overview of Jewish life and religion in the Greco-Roman world with special attention to the various groups and schools, among which the Jesus movement originated. Another chapter focusses on the tradition of the words and deeds of Jesus, the enigmatic teacher from Nazareth. The rest of the book studies the range of New Testament writings in their varied attitude towards Judaism. The concluding chapter is about how Christians might handle anti-Jewish texts in their Bible.