Last page update: 24 June, 2016.
The way Jewish commentaries were written
The Jews had non Biblical writings in which they discussed among other things events that have taken place. It mentions many historical facts including things relating to Jesus’ execution. In Christianity each commentator writes things as he sees them. Sometimes disagreeing with other commentators.
The Jewish commentaries are one big book and the various writers never openly disagreed with was written earlier because it had become authoritative. Their way of editing was adding information and clarifications. Sometimes it was just that, adding examples so the previous teaching could be better understood.
But sometimes a there was disagreement because the previous author was simply wrong or for example because new laws/rules were added to Judaism and they conflicted with the earlier writings. In those cases the later commentator didn’t just say he disagreed with the previous commentator but added examples and explanations that 'explained away’ the original teaching. Not all attempts were equally successful and contradictions crept in. Add to that the fact the Vatican didn't like the writings at all and forced them to be censored or totally destroyed.
On the Eve of Passover they hung Yeshu the Notzarine. And the herald went out before him for 40 days [saying]: “Yeshu the Notzarine will go out to be stoned for sorcery and misleading and enticing Israel [to idolatry]. Any who knows [anything] in his defence must come and declare concerning him.” But no-
A scholar examined the above passage, found on page 679 of the Municch Talmud, and was able to strip away all the later additions. The result was the short original quote below; which was written very close to His death.
“On the eve of Passover they hung Jesus of Nazareth for sorcery and leading Israel astray”.
In the second century sorcery and illusions were a separate thing. Illusions were not punishable by death. So they were forced to claim sorcery because illusions simple was an unlawful ground for execution. And with that they admitted the things Jesus did (healings) were real; not just illusions.
The original text just mentions Jesus was hung. While that was true and there was nothing wrong with it legally speaking, it could be misunderstood. For example Jesus was hung by the neck. Or just hung and left to die from starvation. Or many other misunderstandings. Because in Scripture ‘hung’ is always in combination with stoning they clarified that by adding some text.
On page 679 of the Munich Talmud is passage with many erased words which scholars managed to reconstruct. Its translation reads as follows:
It was taught:
On the Eve of Passover they hung Yeshu the Notzarine. And the herald went out before him for 40 days [saying]: “Yeshu the Notzarine will go out to be stoned for sorcery and misleading and enticing Israel [to idolatry]. Any who knows [anything] in his defence must come and declare concerning him.” But no-
Above a photocopy of the original and below the retyped version.
After removing all the alterations this text remains.
“On the eve of Passover they hung Jesus of Nazareth for sorcery and leading Israel astray”.
b.San.43a
This test was written shortly after His crucifixion.
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