Before we get to the good stuff, it is necessary to provide some context with regards to this huge body of work known as the Talmud, in order that the reader, be given a chance to fully understand the relevance or irrelevance of any reference to Jesus within these texts.
The Talmud constitutes a library of Jewish texts pertaining to rabbinic discussions regarding the Torah, and its application of the laws of Judaism. The word ‘Talmud’ is translated in English as; “Instruction or Learning.” Thus, it forms the central body of work within the religion of Judaism and records thousands upon thousands of discussions between rabbis and documents their rulings on day to day issues pertaining to the practical interpretation of the laws laid out in the Jewish Torah. For the reader who may know something about our current legal system, the best way to explain the relationship between the Torah and the Talmud, would be to describe the Torah as analogous to Statute Law, or those laws enacted by the government and the Talmud, as the comprising the record of case law, which interprets those statutes, or written laws.
There are two versions, or additions of the Talmud, the earliest being the Jerusalem Talmud written sometime around the 3rd to 4th centuries CE and it’s later counterpart, the Babylonian Talmud, compiled sometime between the 5th to 7th centuries CE. As their names suggest, the Jerusalem Talmud was compiled in Jerusalem, although some scholars argue that it may have originally been composed in Galilee. The Babylonian Talmud, on the other hand, was put together by Rabbis living in Babylon (modern day Iraq), just beyond the reach of the then powerful and ruthless Christian Empire. Ironically, it was in the very land that had once persecuted and held the Jews captive, that gave them refuge from the brutal persecution and harassment they suffered at the hands of the Christian Church, a church which controlled the very powerful Roman Christian Empire. In Babylon, the Jewish rabbis put together this massive library from more ancient texts and other early oral traditions (Mishnah) that appear to date back in time to possibly around the 2nd century CE, as will be seen in the posts to come.
The Earliest Talmudic Reference to Jesus Ben Pandera.
There are a few different references to a Jesus ben (son of) Pandera in the Jerusalem Talmud, the following are two examples:
Jacob ... came in the name of Jesus Pandera to heal him
Book of Shabboth 14:4
Someone ... whispered to him in the name of Jesus son of Pandera
Book of Abodah Zarah 2:2
These are two of the main references to Jesus in the Jerusalem Talmud. There is a fundamental discrepancy between the Christian’s Jesus and the one mentioned above. Jesus, according to the Christians, was the son (foster-son) of Joseph (Yeshua Ben-Yoseph). In the Gospels, the Jews expressly identify Jesus as the son of Joseph (see “Luke” 3:23, 4:22 & “John” 1:45), so why, if the Jews knew the Christian’s messiah to be the son of Joseph, would they refer to him as the son of Pandera? This is obviously not the Jesus of the Gospels! Or is it? If not, then who is this son of Pandera alleged to have been? And what, if anything, does he have to do with Jesus of Christianity? To adequately answer the questions above, we must investigate the earliest references to this son of Pandera, who was called Jesus.
Jesus son of Pandera in the Tosefta
When we examine the possible textual source of the reference to Jesus the son of Pandera, we discover that it seems to have been taken from another rabbinical text known as the Tosefta, which Christian apologists also use as evidence for the historicity of their Jesus. The Tosefta, as its name in Hebrew implies, is a ‘supplement’ to the study of the Mishnah. It was compiled around the 3rd century CE.(1) and contains a little more information regarding our Jesus the son of Pandera.
It once happened that R. Elazar ben Damah was bitten by a snake and Ya'akov of the village Sechania came to heal him in the name of Yeshu ben Pandira, but R. Yishmael did not allow him.
Tosefta: Book of Chullin 2:23
This is all we have with regards to evidence that Jesus Christ was mentioned in both the Jerusalem Talmud (3rd to 4th centuries CE) and the Tosefta (3rd century CE), the two earliest rabbinical sources which many Christians hold up as evidence for the historical nature of their savior. However, the character referred to in these texts does not seem to correspond with the Jesus of the Gospels, for even the Gospels admit that Jesus was known to the Jews as the son of Joseph and not the son of Pandera/Pandira. Perhaps we can learn more about this Jesus ben Pandira, from the later Babylonian Talmud.
Fred Skolnik & Michael Berenbaum. Encyclopedia Judaica 2nd Ed. Vol. 14. Thompson Gale. (2007). Pg. 202.
To be continued…
NOTE*
All work presented in posts by michaelsherlock are his original construction and intellectual property, but if you either, ask nicely or at least reference him as your source, I am sure he will let you use it freely. Information was meant to be shared.
The Talmud constitutes a library of Jewish texts pertaining to rabbinic discussions regarding the Torah, and its application of the laws of Judaism. The word ‘Talmud’ is translated in English as; “Instruction or Learning.” Thus, it forms the central body of work within the religion of Judaism and records thousands upon thousands of discussions between rabbis and documents their rulings on day to day issues pertaining to the practical interpretation of the laws laid out in the Jewish Torah. For the reader who may know something about our current legal system, the best way to explain the relationship between the Torah and the Talmud, would be to describe the Torah as analogous to Statute Law, or those laws enacted by the government and the Talmud, as the comprising the record of case law, which interprets those statutes, or written laws.
There are two versions, or additions of the Talmud, the earliest being the Jerusalem Talmud written sometime around the 3rd to 4th centuries CE and it’s later counterpart, the Babylonian Talmud, compiled sometime between the 5th to 7th centuries CE. As their names suggest, the Jerusalem Talmud was compiled in Jerusalem, although some scholars argue that it may have originally been composed in Galilee. The Babylonian Talmud, on the other hand, was put together by Rabbis living in Babylon (modern day Iraq), just beyond the reach of the then powerful and ruthless Christian Empire. Ironically, it was in the very land that had once persecuted and held the Jews captive, that gave them refuge from the brutal persecution and harassment they suffered at the hands of the Christian Church, a church which controlled the very powerful Roman Christian Empire. In Babylon, the Jewish rabbis put together this massive library from more ancient texts and other early oral traditions (Mishnah) that appear to date back in time to possibly around the 2nd century CE, as will be seen in the posts to come.
The Earliest Talmudic Reference to Jesus Ben Pandera.
There are a few different references to a Jesus ben (son of) Pandera in the Jerusalem Talmud, the following are two examples:
Jacob ... came in the name of Jesus Pandera to heal him
Book of Shabboth 14:4
Someone ... whispered to him in the name of Jesus son of Pandera
Book of Abodah Zarah 2:2
These are two of the main references to Jesus in the Jerusalem Talmud. There is a fundamental discrepancy between the Christian’s Jesus and the one mentioned above. Jesus, according to the Christians, was the son (foster-son) of Joseph (Yeshua Ben-Yoseph). In the Gospels, the Jews expressly identify Jesus as the son of Joseph (see “Luke” 3:23, 4:22 & “John” 1:45), so why, if the Jews knew the Christian’s messiah to be the son of Joseph, would they refer to him as the son of Pandera? This is obviously not the Jesus of the Gospels! Or is it? If not, then who is this son of Pandera alleged to have been? And what, if anything, does he have to do with Jesus of Christianity? To adequately answer the questions above, we must investigate the earliest references to this son of Pandera, who was called Jesus.
Jesus son of Pandera in the Tosefta
When we examine the possible textual source of the reference to Jesus the son of Pandera, we discover that it seems to have been taken from another rabbinical text known as the Tosefta, which Christian apologists also use as evidence for the historicity of their Jesus. The Tosefta, as its name in Hebrew implies, is a ‘supplement’ to the study of the Mishnah. It was compiled around the 3rd century CE.(1) and contains a little more information regarding our Jesus the son of Pandera.
It once happened that R. Elazar ben Damah was bitten by a snake and Ya'akov of the village Sechania came to heal him in the name of Yeshu ben Pandira, but R. Yishmael did not allow him.
Tosefta: Book of Chullin 2:23
This is all we have with regards to evidence that Jesus Christ was mentioned in both the Jerusalem Talmud (3rd to 4th centuries CE) and the Tosefta (3rd century CE), the two earliest rabbinical sources which many Christians hold up as evidence for the historical nature of their savior. However, the character referred to in these texts does not seem to correspond with the Jesus of the Gospels, for even the Gospels admit that Jesus was known to the Jews as the son of Joseph and not the son of Pandera/Pandira. Perhaps we can learn more about this Jesus ben Pandira, from the later Babylonian Talmud.
Fred Skolnik & Michael Berenbaum. Encyclopedia Judaica 2nd Ed. Vol. 14. Thompson Gale. (2007). Pg. 202.
To be continued…
NOTE*
All work presented in posts by michaelsherlock are his original construction and intellectual property, but if you either, ask nicely or at least reference him as your source, I am sure he will let you use it freely. Information was meant to be shared.
You can always trust a person in search of the truth, but never the one who has found it. MANLY P. HALL
http://michaelsherlockauthor.blogspot.jp/
http://michaelsherlockauthor.blogspot.jp/
