The Wisdom of Alfred Edersheim. David Mishkin

in this work he cites Edersheim’s book about the Temple, clearly acknowledging Edersheim’s expertise as a scholar of the period. Ironically, he does not use – or at least did not mention – The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah as a source. Unfortunately, most of the other books about Jesus from within the Jewish community have equally neglected to contend with this classic work.

      One Jewish scholar who did take the time to interact with Edersheim’s work was Rabbi Solomon Schecter (1847–1915). Schecter was one of the architects of Conservative Judaism in America and served as the second President of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. One of his famous collections of writings is called Studies in Judaism, which was published in three separate volumes. The third and final series contains an article about Christian scholarship and the Talmud, and there is a section which offers a critique of The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.

Schechter found fault with Edersheim’s use of Talmudic passages. “Dr. Edersheim,” he wrote, “has apparently searched the Talmud diligently, but has done so with a mind preoccupied. He has arduously ransacked it for “contrasts,” and has found them by misunderstanding some parts of it, and by neglecting others.”7 This is an interesting statement coming from someone who famously broke away from traditional (Orthodox) Judaism. Indeed, the history of Rabbinic thought is nothing if not a series of debates and arguments over interpretations. Schechter offers no actual comments about Jesus or the New Testament itself. He was dealing with a very small aspect of Edersheim’s work. He did, however, say the following about The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.

The book is one eminently designed to attract attention. Not only is the subject one of superlative interest to the education and religious world, but the evident conviction and fervent faith of the author give it a persuasiveness difficult to resist.8

Finally, there is also a brand new book which comes from an unlikely perspective. It is written by a Mormon woman who describes herself as a fan, and even uses the word “groupie” of Edersheim. It is the first full volume in print to focus on Alfred Edersheim, and it emphasizes his writings about Jesus.9 Specifically, the author documents the history of Mormon writers who have quoted Edersheim in books and conference papers over the last one hundred plus years. Apparently, he is very popular in these circles as an historian. But, of course, the Mormons do not always agree with him – especially on theological issues which have traditionally kept Mormons distinct from historic Christianity. For example, the author believes that since Edersheim did not have the opportunity to learn of God’s “latter day revelation” (meaning the Mormon teachings), he is now in the afterlife learning such things at the feet of Mormon scholars.10 This affection for Edersheim is ironic. He was an historian as well as a theologian and linguist. He knew the importance of historical documentation to verify theological truths (see quotes below, for example, under the heading “Resurrection of Jesus”). The alleged miracles of Mormonism are said to have occurred during Edersheim’s lifetime. Yet, they remain undocumented and without historical verification. Mormons will usually say these events should be accepted merely on faith. But if this is the case, why be so enamored with such a great historian? If nothing else, this again shows the broad reach of his scholarship.

1. Cited in Mayhhew, 188

2. Schurer, Emil, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Christ (Edinburgh, T. and T. Clark, 1890)

3. Schurer, Emil, Review of The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, in Theologische Literatureitung, February 20, 1886, [Edited by Adolph Harnack and Emil Schurer]

4. Temple, William Henry, The Last Passover Night (London, S.P.C.K., 1921)

5. Mathews, Shailer, The Biblical World, Vol. VI, p. 528, cited in Einspruch, Henry, When Jews Face Christ (Baltimore, The Mediator, 1932)

6. Klausner, Joseph, Jesus of Nazareth (MacMillan, 1925)

7. Schechter, Solomon, Studies in Judaism, third series, (Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society, 1924), p. 191

8. Ibid, p. 164

9. Richardson, Marianna Edwards, Alfred Edersheim: A Jewish Scholar for the Mormon Prophets (Springville, Cedar Fort, 2008)

10. Ibid, p. 33

      His Quotes

      Abraham

      With Abraham an entirely new period may be said to begin. He was to be the ancestor of a new race in whom the Divine promises were to be preserved, and through whom they would finally be realized.1

      Abrahamic Covenant

      For the terms of this promise were not made void by the seventy years which Judah spent in the captivity of Babylon, nor yet are they annulled by the eighteen centuries of Israel’s present unbelief and dispersion. The promise of the land is Abram’s “seed for ever.” 2

      There is nothing narrow or particularistic, but a grand universalism, even about this presentation of the promise in concrete form.3

      The great promise connected first with the patriarchs as God’s anointed, and then with Israel as a royal nation, now attached itself to Israel’s king, and became, so to speak, individualized in David and his seed.4

      For when God bound up the future of all nations in the history of Abraham and his seed (Gen. 12:3), He made that history prophetic; and each event and every rite became, as it were, a bud, destined to open in blossom and ripen into fruit on that tree under the shadow of which all nations were to be gathered.5

      Affliction

      And when troubles are around, and we see no way of escape, when our consciences condemn us for backsliding from the Lord, what comfort to discover that the precious Word of God is still near us, with its message of pity and forgiveness, ever meeting our wants.6

      God’s people are not preserved from the common evils of this world. They are sustained and helped in them.7

      Even a heathen poet speaks of the pleasure of looking back upon past trials. Yet, would we rather look upon a present Saviour than a past affliction.8

      Little do they know, who wonder at the afflictions of God’s people, what precious lessons have been learned, what mighty sermons have been preached in sick rooms and on death-beds. The letting down through the roof of the bed which bore the poor paralytic, laying him at the feet of Jesus, was itself a testimony more powerful than many a long life.9

      Agnostics

      I believe in a personal God; I also believe in a personal Satan. Agnosticism on the latter point seems to me to lay us open to the most serious practical dangers.10

      Alexandrian Judaism

      Separated from their brethren of Palestine, they constituted an almost independent sect, having their rival high-priest and temple. Left to themselves, and set free from those elements which led to the development of Rabbinism in the mother country, the Alexandrian Jews pursued a different direction. They had to defend their faith from the attacks of a philosophical