Jesus in the Talmud

Jesus in the Talmud 127install him as their king (6:14f.)—but “the Jews” remain skeptical and ask:“Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?How can he now say: I have come down from heaven?” (6:42). And thenfollows the heated exchange regarding Jesus’ flesh and blood, which ishard to swallow not only for “the Jews” (6:52) but even for his disciples(6:60). Similarly, when he teaches in the Temple and impresses the crowdlistening to him, it is the Pharisees and the High Priests (the “authorities”)who turn out to be his chief enemies and who actively seek to arrest andkill him (7:32ff.).Some of the confrontations are portrayed as direct discussions betweenJesus and “the Jews” or the Pharisees. When Jesus prevents the stoning ofthe adulterous woman, the Pharisees argue that it is only his testimony thatacquits the woman (instead of the halakhically required two witnesses).His answer—“In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses isvalid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies onmy behalf ” (8:17f.)—must have sounded in the ears of the Jews like a parodyof this Halakha. The discussion gains almost unparalleled bitternesswhen they quarrel over the Jews’ claim to be descendants of Abraham. “Iknow that you are descendants of Abraham,” Jesus retorts, “yet you look foran opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. Ideclare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should dowhat you have heard from the Father” (8:37f.). Abraham, this is his daringargument, did not seek to kill someone; hence, in their attempt to kill him,they cannot be the children of Abraham but must be the offspring of a differentfather. Who can this be? His Jewish opponents seem to have a premonitionof what he is after, because when he accuses them: “You are indeeddoing what your father does,” they reply: “We are not illegitimatechildren; we have one father, God himself!” (8:41). But Jesus does not giveup and finally reveals whom he has in mind:(43) Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannotaccept my word. (44) You are from your father the devil, and youchoose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginningand does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth inhim. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is aliar and the father of lies (8:43f.).