re: #514 ObserverArt

Also, I know there is a huge debate if Jesus of Nazareth was practicing Judaism or was he leading to a transition of the one-on-one relationship that is at the root of Christianity. I think that debate will always go on.

Good point to make.

I know that the heart of my study & my Christianity is the belief that he was a good orthodox Jewish man for his time. Later followers got the boot from the synagogues for a number of reasons and things only got worse after Paul died and people kept writing in his name but not his beliefs.

I have a great recent New Testament, “The Jewish Annotated New Testament” edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Z. Brettler. It takes the NRSV translation and annotates it with lessons and understandings of the books from the traditions of Judaism.

My copy of Pirkei Avot (which I’m also getting emailed weekly lessons on - just started Chapter 4) has also been very valuable in understanding the basis of my own beliefs.