Jewish and Christian scholars collaborating in the land
and language of Jesus; bringing historical, linguistic
and critical expertise to bear on the synoptic gospels.
Jesus' Last Week. Jerusalem Studies in the Synoptic Gospels - Volume 1
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For the past half-century, but for only the first time in history, Christian scholars fluent in Hebrew and living in the land of Israel have collaborated with Jewish scholars to examine Jesus' sayings from a Judaic and Hebraic perspective. The result of this research confirms that Jesus was an organic part of the diverse social and religious landscape of Second Temple-period Judaism. He, like other Jewish sages of histime, used specialized methods to teach foundational Jewish theological concepts such as God's abundant grace. Jesus' teaching was revolutionary in a number of ways, particularly in three areas: his radical interpretation of the biblical commandment of mutual love; his call for a new morality; and his idea of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jerusalem Studies in the Synoptic Gospels, the initial volume, focuses on the Passion Narratives in a search for the Historical Jesus. It also reexamines the synoptic problem in light of recent historical and archaeological research. The volume represents the first attempt by members and associates of the Jerusalem School to apply collectively the methodology pioneered by Robert Lindsey and David Flusser. Included in the volume is the final article written by the late Professor Flusser, The Synagogue and the Church in the Synoptic Gospels.
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R. Steven Notley earned his Ph.D. in the History of Religions at the Hebrew University (1993). He has recently completed (with Ze’ev Safrai) his English translation of Eusebius’ Onomasticon and is currently completing (with Anson Rainey) The Sacred Bridge: An Historical and Geographical Atlas to the Biblical World (Carta Jerusalem, 2005). Currently he is a Professor of Biblical Studies at the New York City campus of Nyack College.
Marc Turnage is completing his Ph.D. from the University of Durham. Along with his article in the present volume, “Jesus and Caiaphas: An Intertextual-Literary Evaluation,” he has a number of other forthcoming publications. Since 2003, Turnage has been lecturing at the Southwest Missouri State University and Evangel University, teaching courses in the fields of Judaism and Early Christianity and ancient languages.
Brian Becker has been director of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research since 2000. His current role as CEO of a successful DotCom company has afforded the opportunity to work with the members of the Jerusalem School. Under his leadership, the organization has doubled in size and shifted the focus of the Jerusalem School from internal research to a concerted effort to engage the academic community of New Testament Studies.
| Preface |
Steven Notley |
| The Synagogue and the Church in
the Synoptic Gospels |
David Flusser |
| Literary Languages in the
Time of Jesus |
Shmuel Safrai |
| Temple Authorities and
Tithe-Evasion: The Parable of the Vineyard, the Tenants and the Son |
Randall Buth & Brian Kvasnica |
| The Double Love Precept in the
New Testament and the Rule of the Community |
Serge Ruzer |
| Learn the Lesson of the Fig
Tree |
Steven Notley |
| Eschatological Thinking of
the Dead Sea Sect and the Order of the Christian Eucharist |
Steven Notley |
| Jesus and Caiaphas: An
Intertextual-Literary Evaluation |
Marc Turnage |
| The Cross and the Jewish People |
Brad Young |
| The Kingdom of God and Study of
Torah |
Chana Safrai |
| Evidence of an Editor's Hand in Two Instances
of Mark's Account of Jesus' Last Week |
David Bivin |
| Early Testimonies in the New
Testament Laws and Practices Relating to Pilgrimage and Pesah |
Shmuel Safrai |
| Use of the Hebrew Language in
Economic Documents from the Judaean Desert |
Hanan Eshel |
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The Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research,
a consortium of Jewish and Christian scholars, was chartered in 1985 as an
Israeli non-profit scientific and educational organization dedicated to
understanding better the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), and to
rethinking the Synoptic Problem. Examining the Synoptic Gospels within the
context of the language, land and culture in which Jesus lived, this
Jewish-Christian collaboration is unique and unprecedented historically. In
2003, the U.S. citizens of the Jerusalem School formed a sister-corporation in
the United States which has been granted the IRS's 501c3 Charitable status for
tax-deductible donations.
Jerusalem School Members<top>
The following is a list of the members of the
Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research:
David Bivin, Jerusalem Perspective,
publisher
Randall Buth, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Esther Eshel, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hanan Eshel, Bar Ilan University
Weston Fields, Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation, co-founder
Joseph Frankovic, Jewish Theological Seminary of
America
Steven Notley, Nyack College
Dwight Pryor, Center for Judaic-Christian Studies
Halvor Ronning, Home for Bible Translators
Mirja Ronning, Home for Bible Translators
Serge Ruzer, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Marc Turnage
Brad Young, Oral Roberts University
Brian Becker, Director
Randall Buth, Chairman of the Board
Deceased Members
Robert Lindsey was the long-time pastor of Jerusalem's
Narkis Street Baptist congregation. His research on the Synoptic
Gospels led to the creation of the Jerusalem School. Lindsey's
publications include his three-volume A Comparative Greek
Concordance of the Synoptic Gospels, A Hebrew Translation of
the Gospel of Mark, Jesus Rabbi and Lord: The Hebrew Story of
Jesus Behind Our Gospels.
David Flusser was Professor of Early Christianity and
Judaism of the Second Temple Period at the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem. Flusser was a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and
Humanities. He was a recipient of the Israel Prize (1980), awarded by
the State of Israel. In 1989 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of
Theology by the Catholic Faculty of Theology of Lucerne, Switzerland.
His books include Jesus and Judaism and the Origins of Christianity.
He published over 1000 articles in Hebrew, German, English and other
languages. He died on his 83rd birthday on September 15th, 2000.
Shmuel Safrai was born in 1919 and at the age of three
immigrated to Palestine with his family. He was ordained as a rabbi at
the age of twenty at the prestigious Mercaz Harav Yeshivah in
Jerusalem. He later received his M.A. and Ph.D. from the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem in the fields of Jewish History, Talmud and
Bible. Safrai was recipient of the Jerusalem Prize (1986) and the
Israel Prize (2002), the State of Israel's most prestigious honor. He
wrote over eighty articles and twelve books including Pilgrimage in
the Period of the Second Temple and Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef: His
Life and Teachings. He died July 16th, 2003, and was buried only a
few feet from the grave of his close friend and research
colleague, David Flusser.
Chana Safrai past away unexpectedly in the spring of 2008. She will be greatly missed.
Jerusalem School Associates
<top>
In order to keep in touch with students who have
studied with one of our members, we have created Associate
Membership. Following is a list of the Associate Members of
the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research:
Gary Alley, Nyack College-NYC
Sharon Alley, Nyack College-NYC
Brad Embry, Durham University
Judith Fain, Durham University
Mila Ginsbursky, Cambridge University
Brian Kvasnica, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Dan Machiela, Notre Dame University
Chad Pierce, Durham Univeristy
David Pileggi, Hebrew University
Hal Revelson, University of Texas
Brian Schultz, Bar Ilan University
Nathan Solomon, Union Theological Seminary
Matthew Suriano, UCLA
Timothy Wardle, Duke University
Todd Vasquez, Loyola University
Archie Wright, Regent University
Jerusalem School Colleagues
<top>
Support for the Jerusalem School's methodological assumptions, the Two Pillars, continues to grow as evidence mounts that affirms the Hebraic influence and Jewish aspects of Jesus' teachings. In order to allow academic peers to align themselves with the Two Pillars of the Jerusalem School, a formal link has
been created called Jerusalem School Colleague(s)
which is available to individuals in the academic community who submit a formal request for
membership.
Jeffrey Mackey, Vicar of Trinity Episcopal Church
Jeffrey Lamp, Oral Roberts University
Anson Rainey, Tel Aviv University
Wink Thompson, Emmaus Educational Services
Donald Vance, Oral Roberts University
Jerusalem School Patrons
<top>
The Jerusalem School recognizes all of the supporters of its
organization with the designation of "Patron." The support of our
patrons have helped us over the years to grow this organization in
ways not possible without their generosity. Our patrons have helped to
support our members by providing monies for research, lecturing at
academic seminars, publishing the Jerusalem Studies Volume, our Annual
Symposion Reception, Annual SBL Breakfast and Annual Meeting. More
information about our Patron program is available at
JS.org/Patron.
Jerusalem School Alliance Partners
<top>
A number of organizations
around the world have taken the information from the Jerusalem School
of Synoptic Research and made the research more palatable for
different segments of the population. Through our unique relationship,
the Jerusalem School's research and methodology have made it outside
the academic setting and into the hands of the lay community of Jewish
and Christian study groups. To read more about our Alliance Partners
or to fill out an application for your organization please
click here.
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