Classic Studies in Jewish Religion and Culture around the Time of Jesus (9 vols.)

by Bernhard Pick; George Stephen Goodspeed; Vincent Henry Stanton

and

5 more

Publishers:

Open Court; John B. Alden; Macmillan Co.; Macmillan and Co.; T&T Clark

and

5 more

, 1883–1919

Overview

Explore the riches of Jewish literature with this classic 9-volume set of Jewish religion and culture before, during, and after the time of Jesus. These books by Jewish scholars provide a vivid exploration of various theological aspects of both the Jewish and Christian faith. Many of the books in this collection provide helpful introductions and notes to guide the reader through the riches of its content, which includes classic works and various theological reflections on a variety of subjects concerning Judaism and its connection to Jesus Christ. With this amazing set, the reader will gain a profound insight into the teachings and beliefs of the early Jewish leaders and scholars and their effect on Christianity. Prepare to strengthen and enhance your faith walk today with this collection, whether for personal use or scholarly study.

Key Features

• Provides a thorough history and theology of the Jews
• Explores Jesus, his messianic claims, and his relationship to the Jewish religion and Christianity
• Examines Jewish literature to show the solid foundation upon which current beliefs rest

Product Details

• Title: Community Pricing: Classic Studies in Jewish Religion and Culture around the Time of Jesus (9 vols.)
• Volumes: 9
• Pages: 2,280
• Topic: Judaica

Historical Sketch of the Jews since the Destruction of Jerusalem

• Author: Bernhard Pick
• Publisher: John B. Alden
• Publication Date: 1887
• Pages: 60

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

This historical sketch of the Jews begins at a time when Jerusalem was in ruins during the time of the European exile and the school of Scribes had taken the place of the temple. When the Roman Emperor, Constantine, converted to Christianity and the entire empire became a Christian state, the Jews began to experience a period of moral and political degradation. The book discusses the fate of the Jews as they fled to various countries, such as Germany, France, Spain, Africa, and the Netherlands. In addition, it covers famous Jewish literaries such as Menahem ben Saruk, the author of a biblical dictionary; Jehudah Ibn Chajug, the chief of Hebrew grammarians; and Ibu Gabirol, philosopher, grammarian, and commentator.

The author also describes how the Reformation was a better era for the Jews. Reformers were more tolerant of them, and the printing press had allowed the Jews to publish beautiful copies of the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, which brought their teachings into prominence. Finally, the book covers how the Jews’ equality was declared in 1847. Dean Milman said, “The destinies of this wonderful people, as of all mankind, are in the hands of the All-wise Ruler of the Universe. His decrees will be accomplished, his truth, his goodness, and his wisdom vindicated.”

Bernhard Pick (1842–1917) studied at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He was a German-American Lutheran pastor and scholar who wrote many articles for various encyclopaedias and indexes. He also wrote several books, including Hymns and Poetry of the Eastern Church and The Cabala: Its Influence on Judaism and Christianity.

Israel’s Messianic Hope to the Time of Jesus

• Author: G. S. Goodspeed
• Publisher: Macmillan Co.
• Publication Date: 1900
• Pages: 340

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Israel’s Messianic Hope to the Time of Jesus, while written primarily for the beginner, is a fine piece of scholarly work. The primary messianic passages are produced in full, with introductions and commentary. Each chapter contains a list of complementary topics, and the book also includes a bibliography of messianic prophecies. The book discusses the messianic hope in various biblical ages, such as before Moses, during the time of the prophets, and during and after the exile. Messianic prophecy in the history of the Jewish and Christian religion is not simply tacked on to serve as proof of the divinity of Christ. Instead, it is the very essence and life of the Old Testament.

Jewish Artisan Life in the Time of Jesus

• Author: Franz Delitzsch and Bernhard Pick
• Publisher: Funk & Wagnalls
• Publication Date: 1883
• Pages: 124

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Beginning with the condition of Palestine under the government of the Herodians, the author evaluates Jesus as an artisan, one who is skilled in working with his hands. He sheds new light on the people with whom Jesus interacted and the country in which he dwelled. The book makes the argument that the life of Jesus must not be romanticized; rather, we must understand him in the context of his time on earth and the artisan environment in which he found himself.

The temple was an example of the great artistry of that time, which explains the shocked reactions when Jesus said he would “destroy this temple.” The author also explores views about labor and craftsmanship during the time of Jesus. Many artisans during this time were also learned men, with many rabbis being shoemakers or sandalmakers, as they were not paid to be teachers. For example, the apostle Paul himself was a tentmaker by trade despite being educated by Gamaliel. In the Gospels, Jesus is repeatedly spoken of as the carpenter or the carpenter’s son. The author concludes, “It was by no accident that he was born not in the house of a smith, who forges the death-dealing weapons of war, but in the house of a carpenter, where he who came to bring peace to the world and to hallow the beginning and end of human life, had to work in fashioning both the rockers of the cradle and planks of the coffin, and the peaceful instruments of husbandry and family life.” Artisanship has honor because the Saviour of the world sprang from an artisan’s house.

Franz Delitzsch (1813–March 4, 1890) was a German Lutheran theologian and Hebraist. Born in Leipzig, he held the professorship of theology at the University of Rostock from 1846 to 1850, at the University of Erlangen until 1867, and after that at the University of Leipzig until his death. He wrote A Commentary on Hebrews and A New Commentary on Genesis.

Bernhard Pick (1842–1917) studied at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He was a German-American Lutheran pastor and scholar who wrote many articles for various encyclopaedias and indexes. He also wrote several books, including Hymns and Poetry of the Eastern Church and The Cabala: Its Influence on Judaism and Christianity.

Jewish Documents of the Time of Ezra

• Author: Arthur Cowley
• Publisher: Macmillan Co.
• Publication Date: 1919
• Pages: 112

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Translated from Aramaic into English, this book takes important but difficult Scripture and makes it more accessible. It explores the reconstructive period of Ezra and Nehemiah and the surrounding religious community. The reconstruction of Judaism (and therefore the modern development of it) was greatly helped and strengthened by the good-will of the Persian kings, which began with King Cyrus’ edict. The work of Ezra and Nehemiah could not have been successful under a hostile government.

The author explores the relationship of the Jews to the surrounding inhabitants, and even other Jews living in different regions. He discusses their relationship to marriage and divorce, inheriting property, and temple contributions. “It was in the shock of Ezra's reforms that modern Judaism was born, and the system of morality in which Christianity was afterward planted. As the rabbis said, ‘the Law was forgotten, and Ezra restored it.’”

Arthur Cowley was a British librarian who was head of the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford and a leading Semitic scholar.

Religious Development between the Old and the New Testaments

• Author: R. H. Charles
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
• Publication Date: 1914
• Pages: 272

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

In this book, the author discusses the time between the Testaments and the literature of the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha. The book discusses both general prophecy and messianic prophesy as it relates to this literature and the rise and development in Israel of the doctrine of forgiveness and of a blessed and future life.

The findings here challenge the supposition that the Old Testament was closed in the fifth century B.C., and that between this period and the New Testament, no divine message was sent to the remnant of Israel. The author points out that both the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha demonstrate that no such period of silence ever existed. He demonstrates how the ethical teachings in these works supersedes that of the Old Testament and form the indispensable link that connects the Old Testament with the New Testament.

Robert Henry Charles (1855–1931) was a biblical scholar and theologian known particularly for English translations of apocryphal and pseudepigraphal works, which have been widely used. He was born in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, on August 6, 1855, and educated at the Belfast Academy, Queen’s College, Belfast and Trinity College, Dublin, with periods in Germany and Switzerland. He gained a DD and became professor of Biblical Greek at Trinity College. He also became archdeacon of Westminster in 1919, serving until his death in 1931. He is also the author of The Teaching of the New Testament on Divorce, The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English, and A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Revelation of St. John, vols. 1 and 2.

Studies in Judaism

• Author: Solomon Schechter
• Publisher: Macmillan Co.
• Publication Date: 1896
• Pages: 408

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The author of Studies in Judaism covers the dogmas of Judah, the history of Jewish tradition, doctrine in Rabbinical literature, and women in the temple and the synagogue. The book contains essays discussing Jewish mysticism in the Middle Ages, Rabbinic theology, and various other aspects of Judaism. It discusses the various books of the Bible as they relate to the Oral Law of the Jews and the attempt to bridge the gap between the Written Word and the Spoken Word. According to the author, Israel continues to consult God through the medium of the Scriptures, and He answers His people by the mouth of the Scribes, the Sages, the Interpreters of the Law.

The Rabbis of antiquity determined the canonicity of Bible books such as Ezekiel, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes by their interpretation of them within the confines of the synagogue. In the same way, their veto of certain books relegated them to the Apocrypha. Therefore, the synagogue is said to be “the only true witness to the past, and forming in all ages the sublimest expression of Israel’s religious life, must also retain its authority as the sole true guide for the present and the future.”

Solomon Schechter was a Moldavian-born American rabbi, academic scholar and educator, most famous for his roles as founder and President of the United Synagogue of America, President of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and architect of American Conservative Judaism.

The Cabala: Its Influence on Judaism and Christianity

• Author: Bernhard Pick
• Publisher: Open Court
• Publication Date: 1913
• Pages: 134

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

In this book, the author brings to life the ancient Jewish tradition, Cabala, a mystical interpretation of the Bible. With an academic and scholarly focus, he traces the practice back to Jewish scholars. The book covers the influence of Cabala on the world’s major religions and helps believers consider the origin of their religious beliefs. The author covers the origin and history of the Cabala; the Cabala before, during, and after the Zohar period; the Cabala’s essential doctrines; and how the Cabala relates to Judaism and Christianity.

Bernhard Pick (1842–1917) studied at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He was a German-American Lutheran pastor and scholar who wrote many articles for various encyclopaedias and indexes. He also wrote several books, including Hymns and Poetry of the Eastern Church and The Cabala: Its Influence on Judaism and Christianity.

The Jewish and Christian Messiah

• Author: V.H. Stanton
• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Publication Date: 1886
• Pages: 442

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

In the words of the author, he wrote this book because he was compelled to make a deeper inquiry into Christian doctrine regarding the Messiah. He determined that the best foundation for a carefully constructed system of the historical evidences of Christianity lay in the claim of Jesus to be the Messiah, a fact conceded by even the most vehement of critics. He lays out his findings in three parts.

In part one, the author tackles modern theories regarding the rise of Christianity, Jewish Rabbinic and apocalyptic literature, the writings of Philo and Josephus, and the New Testament writings, among others. He discusses the expectation of the Jews regarding the Messiah and the Christian idea of the Messiah, and the use of the Old Testament in the early church. In part two, he expounds on Jesus’ reaction to messianic beliefs. He covers Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom of God, his use of the title “Son of Man,” and his claims of being the Christ. Part three covers the beliefs of the early church, a comparison of Jewish and Christian eschatology, and messianic prophecy. This book encourages a reading of the words and work of Christ with newly enlightened eyes.

The Religion of Israel: An Historical Study

• Author: Henry Preserved Smith
• Publisher: Macmillan Co.
• Publication Date: 1914
• Pages: 388

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The author endeavors “to give an intelligible account of the rise and progress of Israel’s religion from its beginnings in the nomadic period down to the tragic event which put an end to the Jewish state.” Israel’s religion is traced in its various stages to the Christian era through discussions of Moses and the early prophets, legalism, and the messianic hope. The author also points out that attempting to limit biblical theology to the canonical books of the Old Testament is a mistake, because Israel did not stop growing when the last of the Hebrew books took shape, and some of the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha are dated earlier than some portions of the Old Testament. Thus, the author considers his work more of a history of religion than a theology.

He makes the point that the Bible is the expression of the religious life of the Hebrew people and is, therefore, a source of religious edification to the reader. He begins with the nomadic stage and ends with the highly developed legalistic character of the Jews, dividing Israel’s religion into the following: nomadic, agricultural, prophetism, and legalism. The author ends by describing how the synagogue, the Law, and the Messianic hope prepared the way for Christianity. He states, “The belief that Jesus was the Messiah would not have sustained the faith of the infant Church had it not adopted the Jewish expectation of a speedy advent of the Son of David, or the Son of Man, coming in the clouds of heaven to judge the world and to introduce the kingdom of God.”

Henry Preserved Smith (1847-1926) was an American biblical scholar. Educated both at Amherst College and Lane Theological Seminary, he eventually became an instructor therewith. He continued his study of theology in Berlin and Leipzig. Later he was tried for heresy in his Presbytery, in Cincinnati, OH. Dr. Smith retired from the denomination, and in 1893, upon becoming a professor at Andover Theological Seminary, entered the ministry of the Congregational Church. From 1897 to 1906 he was a professor in Amherst College, and in 1907 became a professor in the Meadville Theological School (now affiliated with the University of Chicago).