Christianity in Talmud and Midrash: The Presence of Jesus and Christian Influences in the Jewish Literature

by R. Travers Herford

This study of early Christianity investigates how the Gospel of Christ and Christian ideas influenced Jewish rabbinical texts, particularly the Talmud and Midrash. How and to what extent the emergence of Christian beliefs in the 1 st century AD influenced the existing Jewish lore is a lively topic long debated between religious historians and theologians. This investigation ranges from the time following the death of Christ to the early 4 th century AD; the time at which the Roman Empire formally converted to Christianity under the Emperor Constantine. The author makes the case that the establishment of churches and growing numbers of Christians in Europe and the Middle East affected the texts of Judaism considerably. The author's objective is to meticulously chart the various mentions and allusions to Christ and Christian doctrine in the Jewish Rabbinical lore. He does so by analyzing the language and expressions in the texts, noting how these correspond to events in the life of Jesus, and to various passages in the Bible. The composition of Jewish writings between the 1 st and 4 th centuries is intensely examined, with the presence of Jesus and Christian ideas - both explicit and implied - discussed at length. The attitudes of rabbis of the era are likewise examined, whether negative, neutral or sympathetic to Christian believers.

214 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1975