Jesus In The Talmud

Introduction

Written by Gil Student

There are many talmudic passages that are alleged to be referring to Jesus.  However, talmudic scholars and historians have long debated whether these passages are actually about Jesus.  The evidence is very unclear.  We will show the passages that are discussed and offer some historical theories to explain them.  Some of the passages we will examine do not even mention a name close to Jesus'.  Others contain stories and names similar to Jesus'.  What we will do is examine these passages, offer different theories to explain them, and point out the problems with these theories.  We hope that we will be able to show to anyone with an open mind that there can be no consensus over whether the Talmud ever mentions Jesus.

One of the reasons that some approach this topic is to prove that the talmudic rabbis were blasphemers of the Christian religion.  In order to avoid this bias, let us stipulate up front that the sages of the talmud were indeed blasphemers of the Christian religion.  None of them believed that Jesus was the messiah or the son of G-d.  In fact, they believed that in claiming so he was a false prophet.  They did not believe that he was born through a virgin birth; he was either the son of his mother and her husband or his mother and someone else.  If they did believe in these concepts then they would be Christians.  But they did not and were not.  If you choose to label all non-Christians as blasphemers that is your prerogative.

We have divided the passages into three categories - those that are alleged to discuss Jesus in general or refer to him in passing, those that give a narrative of Jesus's life, and those that refer to Christianity.

Jesus In The Talmud
Jesus Narrative In The Talmud
Christianity In The Talmud
 

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