Summary
“The Sage from Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus’ Genius” is biographical literature by David Flusser and Steven Notley. The book was first published in the 20th century and edited later in 2007 as a fourth edition. Currently, the book’s price ranges from $ 18.00 to $ 19.66. The volume explores the life of Jesus according to Jewish literature and archeological sources. It contains comprehensive information collected for almost six decades with numerous illustrative images showing Christianity during Jesus’ lifetime on earth. The primary themes in this literary work are the life of Jesus, early Christianity, and Judaism. The book has twelve chapters, each exploring various aspects of the Christian life, such as love, ancestry, death, faith, and ethics. The authors have arranged their work so that the themes in the first three chapters explain the life of Jesus and the rest of the chapters concern issues regarding Jesus’ views on Jewish customs and religious conformities.
About the Authors
David Flusser was an Israelite born and raised in Vienna. He was a professor Early at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in Christianity and Judaism of the Second Temple period. The author died in September 2000 during his 83rd birthday. He was in the Comparative Religions Department and a member of the Israel Academy of Science and Humanities. The Catholic Faculty of Theology of Lucerne awarded Flusser an honorary degree of Doctor of Theology for his outstanding contribution to the Christian life. Other books by the author include “Judaism and the Origins of Christianity,” “Jewish Sources in Early Christianity,” “The Spiritual History of the Dead Sea Sect,” and “Jesus.” Flusser has published more than 100 articles in various languages, such as German, English, and Hebrew. Steven Notley is a professor at Jerusalem University College, Israel. The professor has specialized in the New Testament teachings, Jesus’ life, and historical Jewish customs. The author has written many articles and co-authored with Flusser in writing “Jesus” and “The Sage from Galilee.”
Book Summary
Chapter One
The first chapter is titled “The Sources,” which explains the book’s main ideas and resourceful materials that can assist in examining the life of Jesus, his action, and their impact on human life. In this chapter, the authors argue that writing the history and story of Jesus’ life is possible with credible sources (Flusser & Notley, 1). The authors comment that the volume does not link with the theological views but a historical perspective and exploration of Jesus’ life, early Christian living, and Judaism Flusser & Notley, 4). Credible sources the authors recommend to find the history of Jesus include the four gospels, Mathew, John, Luke, and Mark. The books have significant knowledge and facts on the life of Jesus from birth, crucifixion, and death. Therefore, they are valuable as they have reliable information for research and analysis.
Chapter Two
The second chapter, “Ancestry,” explores the background of Jesus from his miraculous conception and place of birth. The authors try to explain that the ancestry of Jesus from the Old Testament prophecies is questionable. Many people understand that Jesus was born from a spiritual conception to be the people’s savior and His ancestry hails from King David. Furthermore, He is considered the Messiah because the prophecies foretold a great King from Judah and David’s lineage. From Jewish history about Jesus, Flusser and Notley argue that although Jesus may be a descendant of David, his birth might have occurred in Nazareth, making him a Jew (Flusser & Notley, 7). They believe that the gospel author might have inaccurate information about the place of birth because the Messiah was promised to the Jews.
Chapter Three
The third chapter explores “Baptism” as the primary theme. The authors described the journey of Jesus and his faith leading to baptism. At the same time, they focus on John the Baptist’s life, his role in the life of Jesus, and forgiveness of sin, which impacts human life. The discussion emphasizes the relationship between Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth, John’s mother. According to the authors, the relationship significantly influenced Jesus’ life, a path of faith and salvation (Flusser and Notley, 22). The chapter describes the interpersonal relationships and geographical issues linking Jesus and John the Baptist. The two relationships create comparisons for analysis, showing that Jesus and John shared some common beliefs that may influence a better understanding of the life of Jesus and His choices.
Chapter Four
Chapter four is titled “The Law,” where the authors discuss Jesus’ life and ministry in connection with the Mosaic law. The authors use the chapter to analyze various aspects of Mosaic law, which Jesus came to fulfill as the Messiah. According to Flusser and Notley, Jesus favored Mosaic law and obeyed it despite his contradictions and views from the Pharisees and Scribes (43). The authors prove Jesus’ support and fulfillment of Mosaic laws using His teachings about love and how to treat one’s enemies. Ultimately, they conclude that Jesu had less regard for non-Jews making His social background and ancestry known to the public.
Chapter Five
In the fourth chapter, the authors focus on “Love” as a law and an attitude. The chapter contains crucial issues on the origin, evolution, and interpretation of love from the ten commandments, contemporary Christian morality, and the Kingdom of God. According to the authors, many biblical writings do not explain factors that influenced Jesus’ interpretation of Christian love. Jesus’ interpretation of love is not a result of Jewish criticism but people’s attitude about what was established before his time. Jesus insists that love should be demonstrated as an attitude rather than a law. If love is seen as a law, people would not feel and show it from their hearts. On the other hand, love as an attitude shows a person’s characteristics leading to loving one’s neighbor as one would love. Consequently, loving as an attitude encourages people to love their enemies. Therefore, the authors explore and explain the origin of love, how it has evolved, and Jesus’ view of love, which guides the Christian faith today.
Chapter Six
The sixth chapter explores ethics, morality, and sin. The authors show how Jesus addressed laws and customs regarding morality. The authors analyze the contradicting perspectives about ethics in the Jewish community and the views of Jesus (Flusser & Notley, 75). Jesus approached the concept of sin and righteousness from both political and spiritual points of view. He insisted on justice and dignity than following customary laws, which are unethical and full of pride. According to Jesus, the people of Jerusalem would have avoided conflicts and destruction if they had repented and chosen peace. The authors argue that Jesus views the concept of God’s righteousness as reasonable and incommensurable. Therefore, man can evade justice on earth and cannot avoid God’s judgment.
Chapter Seven
The Kingdom of Heaven makes up the seventh chapter of the book. The authors explain the different perspectives of God’s Kingdom according to Jesus and the Jewish religious teachers or Rabbis. Flusser and Notley explain Jesus’ understanding of His Father’s Kingdom and how it can impact the Christian faith (82). While the religious teachers argue that God’s Kingdom will come with observable signs, Jesus insists that the Kingdom of God is already here amidst the people. Jesus views God’s Kingdom as salvation, while the Rabbis expect a final day of judgment for one to obtain everlasting life in heaven. Therefore, Jesus’ geniuses reveal that God’s Kingdom is not determined by eschatological rule but by the divine will to live in Christ on earth.
Chapter Eight
Chapter eight discusses Jesus as the son of God sent to deliver His people from sin. The authors argue that Jesus had a connection with his human family and was the eldest son of Joseph and Mary. The authors suggest that understanding the ancestry and family of Jesus is essential in learning about His life as the Messiah. The children born after Jesus considered Him their brother regardless of immortality and blood relations. Thus, Jesus grew up with a Jewish family and culture, shaping His life and ministry. The information in this chapter is primarily drawn from Lukes’s gospel, as the authors consider his account of Jesus’ life to be more reliable.
Chapter Nine
Chapter nine, “The Son of Man,” explores the relationship between Jesus’ human nature and his Messianic mission. The authors explain why Jesus refused to declare his Messiahship and mission to the people publicly. According to the authors, Jesus could not declare his identity because He had not finished the messianic task of bringing the Kingdom of God (Flusser & Notley, 99). Jesus was not the author of the eschatological timetable and could not reveal His identity because He could not determine when the day of judgment would pass and bring forth God’s Kingdom. Consequently, the chapter offers an understanding of the events that led to Jesus’ betrayal from Historical Jewish views. According to the authors, Jesus’ betrayal by Judas was written and had to pass through the judgment of Pontius Pilate. In this regard, the Jews did not participate in Jesus’ death and crucifixion because the law influenced Pilate. Secondly, the crucifixion was not a direct order from Pilate but people’s opinion between crucifying Jesus and releasing Barnabas.
Chapter Ten
The authors navigate Jesus’ life after baptism to Jerusalem, where He faces persecution as the Messiah. In the chapter, Flusser and Notley argue that Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem was intentional, as he wanted to die in his hometown (Flusser & Notley, 117). At the same time, Jesus had foreseen Jerusalem’s demise and regathering of God’s people in the land after the fall. Contrary to the belief that Jesus went to Jerusalem to visit, the authors suggest Jesus had foreseen His death and deliberately initiated conflicts with the temple leaders leading to his trial and death.
Chapter Eleven
The final chapter is “Death” and reports Jesus’ trial, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to rule by God’s side. The chapter revolves around the last moments of Jesus when he tells the disciples and Jewish leaders of His identity as God’s Son (Flusser & Notley, 144). The chapter follows the futile events of Jesus trying to explain his messianic mission to the scribes and Pharisees, which leads to his trial by Pilate and crucifixion.
Book Review
The Sage from Galilee scrutinizes the life of Jesus from birth, death, to resurrection analytically, bringing out unknown issues about the life of Jesus. From the book’s title, “The Sage from Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus’ Genius,” it is apparent that the authors view Jesus as a genius and aim to explore the extent of his brilliance and self-awareness as a Jewish Messiah. Although the book discusses Jesus as a religious leader, the author’s first foreword explains that the book is not connected to spirituality and the Christian faith. Therefore, it is literature aimed at explaining the life of Jesus on Earth from a philosophical and social perspective.
After the foreword, the first chapter explains the resources the authors consulted in exploring the life of Jesus. According to the authors, the four Gospel books contain all historical information about Jesus and are hence credible for investigating information related to Jesus’ origin, life, and death (Flusser & Notley, 3). However, Luke contains the most reliable and credible information than the other three because the information was preserved while the other book was translated into Greek and English, leading to omissions and manipulated information. Therefore, Lukes’s gospel is the closest to giving an accurate historical account of Jesus’ life.
The observation is divisive historically due to contradictions in their reliability as historical documents. Habermas and Ankerberg argue that the gospels give different information about the life of Jesus and different viewpoints of His identity (57). At the same time, the gospels were written many years after Jesus’ lifetime, which guarantees the credibility of the information because they had ample time to write eyewitness accounts. At the same time, the books have different versions of Jesus because the authors addressed different audiences, each trying to prove God sent him (Habermas and Ankerberg, 54). Where Mark portrays Jesus as the son of God, Mathew’s gospel shows his messianic missions, while John wrote the theological aspect of God, including miraculous events. Nevertheless, Flusser’s reasoning that the gospels, particularly Lukes’s gospel, are resourceful sources in explaining the life of Jesus is inconclusive, requiring further investigation to prove the historical accounts.
The historicity of Jesus has been controversial among scholarly researchers due to the differences in historical accounts and the reliability of the information from the gospel books. Similarly, Flusser and Notley’s biographical version of Jesus’ origins gives doubt for further scrutiny and reasonable evidence leading to their conclusions about the ancestry and birth of Jesus. In the “Ancestry,” the authors place Jesus firmly within his Jewish background. Flusser and Notley primarily draw Jesus’ ancestry from the gospel of Mathew and Luke to show how it influenced His life and ministry. Given the different accounts of Jesus’ ancestry from the two gospels, the authors do not account for picking some aspects of the ancestry and omitting others. For instance, the gospel of Mathes follows the origin of Jesus from King David, while Luke’s gospel shows Jesus’ ancestry from Nathan. Both ancestral origins stem from King Solomon but have different lineages which connect Jesus to his ancestry. Hence, one of the authors had inaccurate information that questions both sources’ reliability.
Consequently, the authors link Jesus’ birth to Nazareth, implying His Jewish ancestry as the expected Messiah. According to Flusser and Notley, the location of Jesus’ birth is a mystery, and the four gospels documented Bethlehem due to religious ideologies. Jesus could have been born in Nazareth, possessing Jewish ancestry by birth and blood. However, the Jews did not consider Jesus their Messiah as He did not fulfill their messianic expectations (Habermas and Ankerberg, 67). Mathew’s account suggests that Joseph, Jesus’ adoptive father was the son of Jacob, while Lukes’s account claim Joseph’s father was Heli. The contradicting genealogies make the credibility of the information untrustworthy as a source for Jesus’ origin and life on earth.
Further, connecting Jesus to Kings David’s descendants makes Him human instead of a heavenly being sent by God. Given that Joseph is Jesus’ adoptive father with a direct lineage from David, it cannot be assumed that Jesus’ ancestry had any influence on his life and ministry due to the indirect bloodline. The Jews could only accept Jesus if He were from the tribe of Judah as King David’s descendant (Habermas and Ankerberg, 67). Thus, the connection seems unreliable according to Jewish eschatological beliefs. The authors would have argued that the direct bloodline of Jesus’ human nature comes from Mary, the biological mother, and investigated his background from her sociological ancestry.
A significant theme that arises in the authors’ exploration is balancing between Jewish foundations in his life and ministry and how Jesus adjusts the ideologies in a different direction. For instance, Flusser and Notley argue that Jesus shared Essenes, which directed His life and ministry, enabling Him to fulfill the messianic mission. According to the author, Jesus had the same views about baptism as John the Baptist. However, Jesus held opposing views about the Kingdom of Heaven with John the Baptist.
Both agreed about the coming of a kingdom and immortality, which conforms with Essenes’ beliefs. However, John the Baptist viewed God’s Kingdom as the day of judgment that will occur with observable signs (Flusser and Notley, 85). On the other hand, Jesus taught that God’s Kingdom is already at hand for those who believe in it (). Jesus proclaimed, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20). Therefore, individuals who accept salvation are already in the Kingdom of Heaven. Aside from John the Baptist, Jesus’ view of the Kingdom is not the same as the Rabbis and Pharisees. The Rabbis’ beliefs about the Kingdom align with their expectation of the Messiah who would conquer their enemies and uphold Jerusalem. Thus, they expect observable signs of a Kingdom and await the Messiah’s second coming.
The authors describe Jesus as a law-abiding and faithful jew who adopted the beliefs of Judaism. According to Fluster and Notley, Jesus’ conflicts with the Pharisees about laws and Jewish customs were part of enhancing Rabbinic discourses. “For Jesus, there was, of course, the peculiar problem of his relationship to the law and its percepts, but this arises for every believing Jew who takes Judaism seriously (Flusser & Notley, 35). The passage shows that Jesus was in accord with the laws of the Pharisees and scribes despite the friction of opposing views.
Although the Jews viewed Jesus’ healing miracles during the Sabbath as inauthentic and non-Judaism, the authors insist that Jesus healed using words that did not violate the Sabbath laws. According to Jewish tradition, people worked for six days and rested on the Sabbath from any activity portraying work. If the Jewish customs influenced Jesus’ life, He would not perform the miracle regardless of His authority. He calls the temple leaders “hypocrites,” showing His despise for their laws (Habermas and Ankerberg, 88). Therefore, this argument shows that Jesus was an independent entity from His social background and came to introduce new perspectives through his ministry.
The authors further suggest that Jesus is not the author of the eschatological timetable but adapted it from the Rabbis, as seen in his early teachings. If the theory is true, then the teaching of Jesus about the Kingdom of Heaven should align with Jesus’ view (Habermas and Ankerberg, 74). On the contrary, the Jews and Jesus had different perspectives of God’s Kingdom, suggesting that the Jewish background did not influence Jesus’ messianic mission. From this viewpoint, the authors claim that Jesus’ beliefs are contradictory and inconclusive on whether Jesus believed and obeyed Jewish ideologies or He came to change their minds by giving a different religion.
Finally, the author’s organization of their work provokes criticism from readers unfamiliar with Jewish literature. Many readers may have challenges connecting the book’s flow as it explores numerous subjects without a clear organization. Apart from questions about authenticity, Flusser and Notley’s book lacks methodology making it difficult to read and frustrating to grasp the main ideas. All chapters contain important information about the life of Jesus, but the thematic areas are scattered and loosely connected, leading to confusion.
Evaluation and Recommendation
Despite the shortcomings, Flusser and Notley’s work gives readers thoughtful ideas from the different portrayals of Jesus’ life, work, and messianic mission. They use an appealing approach to portray Jesus according to His social background rather than a religious viewpoint. The author’s account is refreshing, giving in-depth knowledge that challenges a reader’s mind to delve into the unknown and unravel mysteries that may impact the historical notions of Jesus and the Christian faith. From the beginning of the book, the authors show significant awareness of Jesus’ history by drawing information from the bible, Jewish sources, and literature, which give a different perspective of Jesus’ life and ministry. The literature is unhindered by the historical confines of research about Jesus and reveals certain aspects that influenced the lifestyle of Jesus, His decisions, and views on the Kingdom of God.
The literature supports many Jewish practices and customs and the Judaic expectations of the Messiah. For instance, the authors suggest that Jesus’ ancestry originates from Judah through King David to Jesus’ foster father, Joseph. Jews expected the Messiah’s lineage to follow Davids’s bloodline, and making Jesus the descendant of David was an assurance of his Messiahship. However, the sources of the information have contradicted the data, and the author does not give conclusive reasons to uphold the reliability of the information. Thus, it shows that the authors are aware of their subject, and the exploration comes from years of research to concluding remarks that Jesus was a genius during his life and ministry. I would recommend this book for people seeking information about the history of Jesus and His heroic actions, bringing a different perspective to the established laws and customs of Judaism. As a reader, the most important aspect to note in the book is that Jesus was messianic in every sense, regardless of His religious and social background.
Works Cited
Flusser, David, and Steven, Notley. The Sage from Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus’ Genius. 4th ed., Eerdmans, 2008.
Habermas, Gary R., and Ankerberg, John. Evidence for the Historical Jesus: Is the Jesus of History the Christ of Faith? Christian Publishing House, 2020. 28-110pgs
The Holy Bible: King James Version. Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC, 2020.