An in-depth look at the Christian
scriptures—from a Jewish perspective.
Many Jewish people know the New Testament
only through snippets of verse heard at a Christian wedding or
funeral, or through a chapter read in literature class. Many
are completely unfamiliar with the meaning or messages of
Christian scripture and therefore hold strange or startling
judgments about it.
A Jewish Understanding of the New
Testament introduces the text
to Jewish readers. Samuel Sandmel applies scholarly criticism
and provides historical background to the writings of the New
Testament, revealing how the sacred literature of other
religions can provide fresh perspectives on one’s own
beliefs.
Without compromising his Jewish identity
or encouraging any traditional Jewish stereotypes of the New
Testament, Sandmel offers an enlightened view of Christian
beliefs and encourages readers to acknowledge their common
humanity with people of all religions. (Previously published by
KTAV Publishing House, 1974, ISBN 0-870682-628.)
Rabbi Samuel Sandmel was professor of
Bible and Hellenistic Literature at Hebrew Union
College–Jewish Institute of Religion, and author of many
highly regarded books in the fields of Jewish and Bible
studies.
“Now when it is needed more than ever, at last the definitive classic is back. Samuel Sandmel—beloved teacher of Bible to generations of Reform rabbis—guides Jews through the beauty, subtlety, and difficulty of Christian scripture. Don’t open the desk drawer in a motel room without Sandmel in your other hand.”
—Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, author of Filling Words with Light: Hasidic and Mystical Reflections on Jewish Prayer
“This is a classic in every sense of the term. Sandmel guides us patiently through the early writings of the Christian Church—Paul and the Epistles, the Gospels and the other writings—with scholarly acumen, sound historical judgement, and sympathy. Particularly striking is his treatment of both the genuine controversies within and between the individual books and the overarching unity of the whole.”
—Rabbi Neil Gillman, professor of Jewish philosophy at The Jewish Theological Seminary; author of The Death of Death: Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought and The Jewish Approach to God: A Brief Introduction for Christians
