I grew up believing the exact same thing that you said, that Jesus opposed all Jewish teaching. But I discovered that this is indefensible in light of the evidence of first-century Judaism. Jesus commented on numerous rabbinic debates, sometimes disagreeing, and sometimes agreeing with them. Sometimes he built on them and brought them to a new level. Even in the above article, you see this. The idea of “measure for measure” is well known in Judaism. When we ignore Jesus’ context, we impoverish our understanding of him.
The reason why you don’t hear this in Edersheim’s books is because he wrote them in the mid-1800’s, through the lens of the pervasive anti-Judaism of the time. It was after the Holocaust that scholars started re-examining how much anti-Semitism influenced their reading of the text.
As a Christian, what I’ve found most encouraging is that Jesus’ teachings become far more insightful when they are placed back in their original context. He made powerful Messianic claims in a profoundly Jewish way. All of his disciples, and the passionate early church, were Jewish. It does not minimize him in anyway to see him in his native context – it only makes him greater. I encourage you to learn more.

Yeshua/Jesus’s teaching and metholdology is actually in direct opposition to everything taught by the ‘rabbis’, scribes and pharisees of His time. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimithea came to realize this and did something about it. What they did was to implement John 3:3 and John 3:16 to their live as soon as they possibly could.

Maranatha

Thank you for your insights in these blogs and articles. I publish our monthly church eZine (it’s still in it’s infancy!). I wondered if you would mind if I inserted this article in the next issue (August)? I will of course publish with full credits and links. We have a few in our fellowship who have brought us into a deeper understanding of the ‘Hebrew Mind’, and the importance of understanding the Jewish context of the life of Jesus and the early church. I’m sure they would benefit greatly from your writings. Thanks again.

Blessings

Mick