The Gospels are the major source for our knowledge of Judaism at the time of Jesus. Modern literary criticism, however, is careful to look at the context in which any piece of literature is written and not only at its content. In the case of the Gospels the context follows the Jewish rebellion of 66 CE and the four-year war by the Romans, leading to the destruction of the temple. All of the Gospels are compiled in their final form after this date. In a study of the first three Gospels, called the synoptic Gospels, Robert Chazan notes that, in fact, the Gospels do present a fairly accurate picture of the complexities of the Jewish world in the time of Jesus.
Mark never uses the term ‘Jew’ except in the mouth of Roman officials or non-Jews. This Gospel highlights the contrast between the leadership and the masses in their reaction to Jesus. The leaders, persons of different groups, are invariably hostile; the general public
generally appreciative. It is only at the Crucifixion that the crowds become hostile. Chazan suggests that this was to ensure that blame for Jesus’ death was not laid on the Roman authorities whose support was to be sought in the days after 70 AD.5 Matthew gives both a more positive image of Judaism and the law than Mark and a more negative picture of the role of Jews in the Crucifixion. Luke, on the other hand, has the crowd of people present at the Crucifixion going home “beating their breasts” as a sign of repentance (Lk 23:48). In the following paragraphs, we will examine the presentation of the Jewish protagonists in the Gospels in more detail.
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註：感謝來源：
Jewish Sketches:
Judaism and Jewish-Catholic Relations
作者 Edmund Ryden 雷敦龢
出版者 Edmund Ryden 雷敦龢
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大小 15.0 cm x 23.0 cm x 2.0 cm
ISBN-13: 978-957-43-8155-5
初版初印 中華民國 109 年 9 月
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Printed with Ecclesiastical Permission
V. Rev. P. Stephen Chow SJ, Provincial Superior,
Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus
16 September 2020
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