Author: David Klinghoffer

ISBN: 0385510217

The following review was contributed by: NORM GOLDMAN:  Editor of Bookpleasures &CLICK TO VIEW  Norm Goldman's Reviews

Given the sharp differences of opinions pertaining to the interpretations of the Old and New Testaments, there are bound to be strong reactions from some readers of the Jewish and Christian faiths to David Klinghoffer’s Why The Jews Rejected Jesus.

After all, as Klinghoffer states, the disputation has been going on for centuries, and the question is not so much as to the circumstances of Jesus’ death, but rather of his messiahship.

Klinghoffer has decided, due to a variety reasons enumerated in his introduction, to research the causes and effects of the reasons for Jesus’ rejection.

His approach is to decipher the underlying causes for the rejection spotlighting on the following concepts: the scripture is cryptic, that God is One, that religious commandments are the eternal essence of Judaism, and that a Davidic messiah may be expected.

In other words, as the author states, what are the key points that a reasonably informed Jew would have kept in mind in evaluating Jesus, and later, the early church?

In addition and referring to the teachings of the prophet Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, if the messiah did in fact appear, there would have been the following order of events: 1) his emergence, by royal lineage, from David; 2) his birth; 3) “then,” soon after, the return of the exiles of Israel to their land; 4) reign of the Messiah over all the earth; 5) establishment of peace.

The author presents his arguments within different frames: the time of Jesus, post Jesus or immediately after his crucifixion, before Constantine, Medieval era, and modern times.

From the very onset, and as the author states, not all Jews rejected Jesus and furthermore the vast majority of the Jews never even heard of him. As a result, most Jews were unaware of the activities attributed to him. Klinghoffer is of the belief that among those who may have known of him, there may not have been outright denial of his existence, but rather a matter of turning away from him or a questioning of his authenticity and even the importance of the persons he adopted.  

Why The Jews Rejected Jesus contains numerous hot-button themes that are expounded upon from the rejection of Paul or rather Paul’s conception of Jesus Christ that in Klinghoffer’s belief was the turning point of Western history, Christian teachings questioning the authenticity of  the Jewish oral tradition and eventually its rejection, the difference of  interpretation of the term “virgin” that to the Hebrews was to be translated as “maiden,” and carried no intimation of sexual purity; to the blessing  to the world that came about through the Jewish rejection of Jesus. Bear in mind that one of the author’s principal contentions is that Christianity it its present form would not have existed if the Jews did accept Jesus.

In addition, a great deal of ink is devoted to Isaiah 53 and the author probes deeply into its meaning, for, as he asserts, this is central a text for Christians in providing evidence that Jesus is the Messiah.

Although the book presents compelling arguments, Klinghoffer’s analysis occasionally bogs down in polemics. At times, I was not quite sure where the author was taking me, and it would have been nice to have seen a more organized presentation of his arguments with a brief wrap up at the end of each chapter.

No doubt, in the final analysis, readers will judge for themselves as to the validity of the author’s positions on many of the issues raised, however, let us hope that it is all kept within a climate of civility and respect for each others religious beliefs.