Jesus in the Talmud

Jesus’ Disciples 77disciples. What is important is only the message that the author/editor ofour text wants to convey.First of all, the Bavli takes it for granted that Jesus’ disciples were executedlike their master. There was, however, no meticulous trial, nocharge, no conviction, and no formal death sentence—the five were simplyput to death, and we aren’t even told what kind of execution awaitedthem. We may just presume that they were charged with the same crimewith which Jesus was charged: blasphemy and idolatry. And it may be safeto add that they were put to trial and executed immediately after Jesus’ execution.These strange circumstances already suggest the suspicion that ourauthor/editor somehow has deliberately blurred the boundaries betweenJesus and his disciples: it seems as if they/their fate were/was just the same.Except for Mattai, whose name may or may not allude to the apostleMatthew 12 (the alleged author of the Gospel bearing his name), the namesof the remaining four disciples are not reminiscent of any of the twelveapostles. But this again should not be taken as historical information becauseit becomes immediately clear that all five names (including Mattai)are designed according to the Bible verses used for the disciples’ defenseand sentencing. Mattai is a play on words with the Hebrew word matai(“when”) in the two verses, interpreting Psalm 42:3 (the defense) as “Mattaiwill come and appear 13 before the Lord” and Psalm 41:6 (the condemnation)as “Mattai will die and his name perish.” The same is true for theother four disciples: For Naqqai, the defense verse Exodus 23:7 is interpretedas “You shall not execute Naqqai 14 and the righteous” and the condemnationverse Psalm 10:8 as “From a cover/in secret/in a mysterious wayis Naqqai executed.” 15 For Netzer, the defense verse Isaiah 11:1 is understoodas “Netzer shall grow forth out of his roots,” that is, he shall continueto flourish, and the condemnation verse Isaiah 14:19 as: “The abhorredNetzer will be cast forth from his grave.” The name Buni is derived fromthe Hebrew word beni (“my son”), and whereas Buni applies Exodus 4:22to himself (Buni is the firstborn of Israel and therefore cannot be executed),the judges quote the following verse Exodus 4:23, which refers to the firstbornof Egypt (Buni, Egypt’s firstborn, must be executed). The defenseverse Psalm 100:1 for Todah is understood as “A psalm for Todah” (henceTodah is going to be praised and not executed) and the condemnation versePsalm 50:23 as “He who sacrifices = executes Todah honors me.”