# Did Jesus Know of the Hebrew Bible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948 "2003-10-17T05:58:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/1 "2003-10-17T05:58:32Z")
I was wondering if Jesus, supposedly a Jew, knew of the Hebrew Bible? If so, did he understand it, or did he have some Latin version? Or, perhaps he spoke Aramehic (sp?) ??? I wonder if theologians have given this some thought… - Jinx P.S. Me thinks me thinks too much! ---
**Author:** ![Lithium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/71c47a/32.png) [@Lithium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lithium)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/2 "2003-10-17T06:06:46Z")
Well it is a misconception that Joseph of Arimethia was poor. Several modern authors have found evidence that he was wealthy. So Jesus may have been well-educated, and not just a carpenter. ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/3 "2003-10-17T06:16:12Z")
**Lithium** I am very interested in seeing this evidence, have a cite? ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/4 "2003-10-17T06:18:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lithium \* > \*\*…So Jesus may have been well-educated, and not just a carpenter. \*\* Aside: Say, what do those bumper-stickers mean “My boss is a Jewish Carpenter”? Does this mean my boss thinks he’s Jesus, or is it implying the Jews nailed Jesus to the cross? I’ve never understood these questionably politically correct (pc) bumpah-shtickerz! - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Lithium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/71c47a/32.png) [@Lithium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lithium)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/5 "2003-10-17T06:30:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alterego \* > \*\ ***Lithium** I am very interested in seeing this evidence, have a cite? \*\* not at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Roches](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc8723/32.png) [@Roches](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roches)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/6 "2003-10-17T06:45:10Z")
Yes, he knew of the Hebrew Bible. Here’s an example (but I’m sure there must be a better one): > [@](#): > > _Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?_ – Matthew 21:42 This is from Psalm 118:22: > [@](#): > > _The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner._ There’s one example of a quotation apparently from the OT which doesn’t occur in it: John 7:38, “_He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water._”. (Some versions make it a bit clearer that “Out of his belly…” is a quotation.) Perhaps it’s an interpretation and not a direct quotation; either that, or something’s missing from the OT which Jesus considered canonical. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/7 "2003-10-17T07:14:27Z")
The best example of Jesus using the Hebrew Scriptures comes in the book of Luke when he visits a synagogue in his home town and is given a scroll of the prophet Isaiah to read from, and he used to “announce” the beginning of his mission - [Luke 4:14-20](http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=LUKE+4:14-20&language=english&version=NIV&showfn=on&showxref=on) > [@](#): > > Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. > He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: > “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, > because he has anointed me > to preach good news to the poor. > He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners > and recovery of sight for the blind, > to release the oppressed, > to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” > Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” The Jewish canon is usually associated with the Council of Jamnia around AD 90, so although there was not an organised canon of Hebrew scripture in JC’s time there were certainly individual scrolls around… Grim ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/8 "2003-10-17T07:46:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jinx \* > \*\*Aside: Say, what do those bumper-stickers mean “My boss is a Jewish Carpenter”? Does this mean my boss thinks he’s Jesus, or is it implying the Jews nailed Jesus to the cross? I’ve never understood these questionably politically correct (pc) bumpah-shtickerz! - Jinx \*\* They mean , “My boss is Jesus”. Since Jesus was Jewish, and a carpenter. Well, that’s how I interpret them. I think you’re reading too much into it. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/9 "2003-10-17T08:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lithium \* > \*\*Well it is a misconception that Joseph of Arimethia was poor. Several modern authors have found evidence that he was wealthy. So Jesus may have been well-educated, and not just a carpenter. \*\* [jedi] Joseph of Arimethia is not the Joseph you’re looking for… [/jedi] He was rich, was a member of the Sanhedrin, and owned the tomb in which Jesus was buried (which is how we know he was rich). He was also no relation to Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/10 "2003-10-17T09:45:42Z")
I suspect that **Lithium** did indeed mean Joseph the father of Jesus, in that there is the well-known theory that it would be more accurate to describe him as a ‘builder’ rather than just a ‘carpenter’. That theory is neither particularly new nor is it based on any new evidence. Rather it is an argument over the precise connotations of the Greek word ‘tekton’. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/11 "2003-10-17T10:48:09Z")
Jesus certainly did know of the Hebrew Bible, as has been shown in this thread. He appears to have been a well-educated Jew, and I’d wager most Jews knew some Scripture, just like they do today. I’m pretty sure he didn’t speak Latin, but Aramaic was his mother tongue, and I have the impression that he spoke Hebrew too. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/12 "2003-10-17T10:52:00Z")
The greater probability is that Jesus (along with most of his contemporaries) was familiar with Hebrew Scripture. As far back as the period of the return from the Babylonian exile, there was a strong tradition that encouraged all Jewish men to study the Law/Torah. The vagaries of time, money, and circumstance, of course, meant that it was more frequently the wealthy who pursued this path. However, following the death of Alexander Jannai, in 76 B.C.E., the Pharisee party was able to gain political power from the Sadducees for a while. During the presidency of the Sanhedrin of Simon ben Shetah, they passed a (series of) law(s) that provided for the establishment of schools and compulsory education throughout Judea. Outlying farmers probably did not get their kids educated as easily, but the boys in most communities were educated in Hebrew and the Law. When the Sadducees regained power, they did not overturn that (those?) law(s) nd the tradition of nearly universal education was begun that has continued right into the 20th century. The Scriptural references in the New Testament are all (to my memory) taken from the Greek Septuagint, but that is most likely due to the fact that the New Testament was, itself, written in Greek and the Septuagint was the most likely copy of Scripture available to the Gentile audience. ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/13 "2003-10-17T11:19:44Z")
On preview, I see that **tomndebb** and **Priceguy** have said most of what I was going to say (and a damn sight better too). One thing though. I quite surprised that no-one has jumped on this. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jinx \* > \*\*I was wondering if Jesus, supposedly a Jew, \ \*\* Jesus was not _supposedly_ a Jew. He _was_ a Jew. If there’s another theory about him, fair enough, but the burden of proof would be on the person advancing that theory. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/14 "2003-10-17T11:55:26Z")
I think according to the ummm… Afro-centrists (?), Jesus was black. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/15 "2003-10-17T12:17:51Z")
> [@](#): > > I think according to the ummm… Afro-centrists (?), Jesus was black. And…? If you are trying to say Jesus couldn’t be both black and a Jew, you’re wrong. Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jew. The chances he had dark skin are very high. So what? ---
**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/16 "2003-10-17T12:19:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smiling bandit \* > \*\*I think according to the ummm… Afro-centrists (?), Jesus was black. \*\* Whether someone is a Jew or not has nothing to do with skin color. There has been a Jewish community in Ethiopia for the last 2500 years or more, and all of its members are black as night. UnuMondo ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/17 "2003-10-17T12:37:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smiling bandit \* > \*\*I think according to the ummm… Afro-centrists (?), Jesus was black. \*\* I think that that is usually said as a shock tactic - i.e. to all the Christians who happen to be racist and firmly of the belief that Jesus was fair skinned, blond (or mousey) haired and blue eyed. I could be wrong though. Maybe there are people who truely believe that he was black skinned. Again, the burden of proof would rest with them as the majority of Jews, especially those that are in Israel and who have ancestors who have continually lived in the area, are not black. As to black Jews in Africa, I saw a program that traced the origins of the Lemba tribe in SA back to Israel. A quick link (I’m sure there are better) is [here](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/israel/parfitt.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/18 "2003-10-17T12:57:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aspidistra \* > \*\*[jedi] > Joseph of Arimethia is not the Joseph you’re looking for… > [/jedi] > > He was rich, was a member of the Sanhedrin, and owned the tomb in which Jesus was buried (which is how we know he was rich). He was also no relation to Jesus. \*\* Indeed he was rich, and has been traditionally identified with the “rich man” whose grave [Isaiah](http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Isa/Isa053.html) prophesized would be given to the Messiah (Isaiah 53:9). In Renaissance paintings, Joe of Arimathea is usually depicted wearing rich clothes with gold, etc., which help visually to differentiate him from Nicodemus. Actually, there was once a tradition that Joseph of Arimathea was [the uncle of Mary](http://www.britannia.com/history/biographies/joseph.html), and therefore Jesus’s great-uncle. He is also said to have owned tin mines in England, and to have once brought the young Jesus on a trip to his English properties (this is why Blake’s “Jerusalem” begins with the lines “And did those feet in ancient time/Walk on England’s mountains green?”–the reference is to Jesus’s feet). Tradition also once held that Joe brought the cup from the Last Supper to England, this cup sometimes being identified with the Holy Grail. These traditions are, needless to say, entirely spurious. Though they make for a good story. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/19 "2003-10-17T13:29:28Z")
Of course he knew of the hebrew bible. The guy was one smart dude. If you are looking at it from a historical context (and not purely from a religious stand point) the guy used the ancient scriptures to his advantage. He and his followers made sure certain things happenned so as to fullfill prophesy and endear more people to his cause (perfect timing when entering jerusalem on palm sunday for example). He was a shrewed man, a natural born leader, someone who knew how to manipulate the people’s beliefs so as to sway them to his cause. And he had a good message to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948/20 "2003-10-17T13:30:36Z")
Of course he knew of the hebrew bible. The guy was one smart dude. If you are looking at it from a historical context (and not purely from a religious stand point) the guy used the ancient scriptures to his advantage. He and his followers made sure certain things happenned so as to fullfill prophesy and endear more people to his cause (perfect timing when entering jerusalem on palm sunday for example). He was a shrewed man, a natural born leader, someone who knew how to manipulate the people’s beliefs so as to sway them to his cause. And he had a good message to boot. Ghady would be a similar historical figure… was ghandi an educated man as well? I think so. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-know-of-the-hebrew-bible/207948.md?page=2)