Select Parables of a Jewish Rabbi Named Jesus

Biagio Mazza, Theologian and Scripture Scholar Jesus was a Jew brought up in the rabbinic tradition of storytelling. He used parables from everyday life to convey his message and meaning. Amy-Jill Levine, a Jewish biblical scholar of the New Testament, has done good work in removing the veil of ignorance from the interpretation of Jesus’ parables, situating them in their Jewish roots and in their first century Jewish religious and social contexts. Guided by Levine’s work, these four two-hour sessions explore how Jesus’ original Jewish audience would have heard and understood these stories, and their connection to first century Jewish social, religious and political cultures. By delving into the Jewish context to Jesus’ parables these sessions help us understand how these parables still speak to us today All churches and faith traditions are most welcomed.