Rabbi Tovia Singer teaches About Christian Misuse of Jewish Scriptures on BYP New Testament Commentary

[Philo Sofee]

Very interesting observations! Thank you so much for sharing them with us.

[huckelberry]

Christianity is one brand of Hellenistic Judaism that evolved to cater to Gentiles. Creative use of scripture is par for the course. I should think well informed Jews in the Rabbinical tradition would recognize that endless discussion and reinterpretation come with the territory in scriptural discourse. To say that Christians just get it wrong is, to my mind, nothing more than saying that Jews in the Rabbinical tradition disapprove of particular Christian readings of scripture. My own view of scripture is that it is, with very few exceptions, mostly oracular in nature. In this I mean not that it is all prophetic, but that it is used as a kind of mirror of spiritual contemplation, where the individual or community seeks the Face of God in the words of past spiritual poets.

Kishkumen, I found your comments here a good reminder and the image mirror of spiritual contemplation worth keeping to help consideration.

I was thinking of Singer's points against Jesus as messiah, the miracle stories are Hellenistic and unJewish and the messiah is not to be divine. Fitting your comment , the gospels were written in Hellenistic time and place and the Torah and prophets were not. I think Singer is rejecting the miracle stories for more reasons than Hellenistic style but that is a start. He admits that Tanak is not exactly free of miracle stories but the gospels concentration is quite different.

Clearly miracles cannot be historically analyzed beyond observing that a story of such and such has been told. Discussion of historical Jesus here has inclined to view gospel miracle stories as gilding added to increase Jesus importance like other Hellenistic figures. I think that is what is in Singers mind. I find myself unable to set aside a thought that Jesus healing is at the center of what we think of as Jesus message. It is the central teaching motif.(care for the ordinary and disadvantaged people)

[Kishkumen]

Yeah, so Judaism is “Singer draws line here.” But that really does not represent Judaism in all its manifestations, and Early Christianity, including the writings of Paul, is arguably representative of a form of Judaism. Hellenistic Judaism.

[huckelberry]

Yeah, so Judaism is “Singer draws line here.” But that really does not represent Judaism in all its manifestations, and Early Christianity, including the writings of Paul, are arguably representative of a form of Judaism. Hellenistic Judaism.

Yes, I think there is significant variety in Jewish thought about miracles messiah and possible semidivine angels. That would be including lines of thought influenced by Kabbalah tradition to variable extents. Singer may not follow such lines of thought. Or he may be taking the simplest counter Jesus talking points. He is polemical in his presentation.

[High Spy]

However, I wouldn't trust Trinity Evangelical Divinity School to give me information on how Jews misuse the Old Testament, because all of the scholars there are about as qualified to do that as Rabbi Singer seems to be in opining how Christians misuse scripture. On top of that, there seems to be something wrong with Jews or Christians telling each other how they misuse stuff. It seems obvious they already disagree and think each other misses something fundamental at the interpretive level.

What about the crossover in shared knowledge base and reasoning? Same with Mormons and Muslims.

The Trinity explosion was a large explosion of the type that may result if the streams are crossed.

Ghostbusters, but not Who you gonna call?