Why this Blog?

This blog could only be written by an Orthodox Jew, conversant in the wide array of Talmud and Jewish law, as well as Jewish history of the 1st century.  So many misconceptions abound, and yet, even in the words of the four versions of the "gospel" that survived, some basic facts shine out that cannot be ignored.  The purpose of this blog is not to disprove Christianity, that is first and foremost.  I freely admit from the start that I am not a believer in Christianity.  I am not looking to start a debate with the ethereal legend of Jesus nor to argue the historical value of the New Testament.  That is a fool's game.  Rather, taking the fundamental New Testament, as it is canonized and translated before us, I hope to enlighten the reader on certain facts that cannot be denied, understanding Jewish culture and Jewish history.  Many of these facts will run counter to what you have learned, perhaps all of your life.  However, if you are a believer in Jesus, I hope this will only support your will and resolve to study more about your faith in G-d, and strengthen that faith.

In the course of this journey, I hope to show you as clearly as possible the true meaning of the terms used in the New Testament, demonstrate some nuances of the language in which it was written, and introduce you to the person that the writers of the gospel intended for you to meet, the founder of your faith.

As we cannot prove the existence or non-existence of Jesus directly, there being no corroborating contemporary history, I will rely on the four gospels to tell us their story, presuming its characters and events are true and real, except where we question them against some historical data that we have.  Again, these questions are jsut going to be presented so that you know they exist.  They are not intended as "debunking" nor are they of that strength.. 

You probably know that Jesus was a Jew, living in first century Galilee.  We will discuss the culture of that place and time, and how Jesus fits into it.  Namely, we will learn about the main groups of Jews, the Pharisee yeshivos, the Pharisee zealots, the Saducees and the insular gnostic groups, and their relationship to the "Jews:", as they are labeled in John.  We will discuss where many of the common misconceptions enter and why they are most certainly misconceptions.  In the process we will discover what Jesus was trying to do, and what he really believed.

We'll begin with language.