A Rabbi Looks at Jesus' Parables

By (author) Frank Stern

Publication date:

19 January 2006

Length of book:

240 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9780742542709

Intended to appeal to both Christians and Jews,A Rabbi Looks at Jesus' Parables is an introduction to the teachings of Jesus, and compares the similarities and differences in Jesus' thinking to other Jewish sources from first-century Palestine. Each chapter uncovers hidden messages within each of Jesus' parables, and discusses each parable within its first-century religious and historical context. The book attempts to build bridges of understanding between Christians and Jews by exploring the notion that we share a common history.

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 The Search for Paradise
Chapter 3 Jesus Teaches in his Hometown Synagogue
Chapter 4 The Parable of the Sower
Chapter 5 Jesus Teaches of the Wheat and the Weeds
Chapter 6 Other Parables About The Kingdom of God
Chapter 7 More Parables About the Kingdom of God
Chapter 8 Parables About Servants and Workers
Chapter 9 Parables About Lamps, Lights, Salt and Cities
Chapter 10 Parables About Vineyards, Orchards and Fields
Chapter 11 Parables Dealing with Sheep and Money
Chapter 12 The Parable of a Rich Man Who Decided to Enjoy Himself
Chapter 13 Parables About Dinners and Banquets
Chapter 14 Parables About Fathers and Sons
Chapter 15 Special People
Chapter 16 The Parable of the Priest, The Levite, and the Samaritan
Chapter 17 The Rich Man, the Beggar, and the Unclean Spirit
Chapter 18 Two Parables in John
Chapter 19 The Last Parables
Chapter 20 Conclusions
Chapter 21 The Secrets Jesus Taught
Chapter 22 Bibliography
Chapter 23 Index
Chapter 24 About the Author

Finally, a scholar and clergyman willing to view Jesus in his real home. By analyzing Jesus' parables in the light of Jewish sources, Rabbi Stern is able to reveal layers of meaning within meaning, bringing deep wisdom and healing vision to the surface. This is precisely the kind of responsible scholarship that honors cultural and religious convictions and differences, and which can move then enterprise of faith forward. Anyone who seeks to understand Jesus' message, anyone who seeks to understand the Jewish roots of Christian faith, anyone seeking a Jewish perspective on the stories at Christianity's core, will do well to begin right here.