The Good News Talmud, Part VII. The Growing Internet Awareness of the Talmud

Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.

- Matthew 13:52

Part VII. The Growing Internet Awareness of the Talmud

Because of the internet, along with unprecedented Gentile access to the Talmud, the animosity towards this astonishing volume of ancient literature will grow old, stale, and finally die. The fact remains that what some scholars refer to as the objectionable, or controversial, portions of the Talmud comprise a bare .01% of the entire text and are basically no more than a few sentences anyway. If one were to judge the Bible by the same standard, then it too would probably fall short. Put bluntly, because of the free access to the real Talmud the Age of the Christian Talmud-haters is going, going, gone.

TALMUD: 'The gates of prayer,' replied the Rabbi, 'may sometimes be closed, in contradistinction of the gates of repentance, which are never closed. (Deuteronomy Rabba 2)
GOSPEL: Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out...Therefore Jesus said again, 'Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.' (John 10:1-9)

TALMUD: When God first called Moses, not being then an expert prophet, he was addressed in a voice similar to that of his own father, and he thought that his father had come to him from Egypt. God then told him that it was not his earthly father who called him, but the God of his father. Then, we find, Moses hid his face, which he did not do when first called by his name, not in fact until he heard the words, 'I am the God of thy fathers.' (Exodus Rabba 45)
GOSPEL: 'The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out...his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice'...Therefore Jesus said again, 'Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.' (John 10:3-8)

TALMUD: God knows our thoughts before they are formed. (Genesis Rabba 9)
GOSPEL: But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, 'It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.' Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?' (Matthew 12:24-26)

TALMUD: There is a limit to everything except to the greatness and depth of the Torah. (Genesis Rabba 10)
GOSPEL: For truly I tell you, until Heaven and Earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of Heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)

TALMUD: The present Rome is Edom. (Leviticus Rabba 22)
GOSPEL: Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him...Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! (John 8:43-45)

TALMUD: Michael and Gabriel acted as 'best men' at the nuptials of Adam and Eve. God joined them in wedlock, and pronounced the marriage benediction on them. (Genesis Rabba 8)
GOSPEL: Now Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying?' 'They have taken my Lord away,' she said, 'and I don’t know where they have put him.' (John 20:11-13)

TALMUD: The inhabitants of Canaan had vices similar to those of the Egyptians, as regards witchcraft and immorality. The Israelites, who had seen nothing but evil practices up to now, would be prone to conclude- seeing the same vicious practices amongst the remaining nations of Canaan, that these practices were common to mankind. Wherefore God tells them (Leviticus 18:2), 'After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein you dwelt shall ye not do, and after the doings of the land of Canaan wherein I bring you shall ye not do.' As in Egypt, so will you be in Canaan, a rose amongst thorns. (Leviticus Rabba 24)
GOSPEL: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16)

TALMUD: 'Thy camp shall be holy' (Deut. 23. 15). By this it is meant that we must be choice in speech. (Leviticus Rabba 24)
GOSPEL: And the Gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Ghost. (Mark 13:10-11)

TALMUD: God knows our thoughts before they are formed. (Genesis Rabba 9)
GOSPEL: Jesus knew their thoughts (Matthew 12:25)

TALMUD: The Israelites were commanded to plant trees in Canaan when it came into their possession (Leviticus 19:23). Thus they were to occupy themselves in agriculture, and even imitate their God, who after calling the world into existence planted trees therein. (Leviticus Rabba 25)
GOSPEL: The kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. (Matthew 13:31-32)

TALMUD: King Saul's conduct may well be compared to that of the king who decreed that all the cocks of the town should be destroyed, but the following day, having to undertake a journey and wishing to rise early, gave orders to procure him a cock to wake him at an early hour. Saul ordered all witches and wizards to be destroyed, and yet he was anxious to seek out a witch to learn from her the secrets of Heaven. (Leviticus Rabba 26)
GOSPEL: Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him...Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! (John 8:43-45)

TALMUD: It cannot be doubted that those who instigated the Israelites to make the golden calf were of 'the mixed multitude,' who fastened themselves on to the Israelites at the Exodus, and there is incontestable evidence of this in the words employed at the end of the pernicious work, for it is said (Exodus 32:4) 'These are thy gods.' Had the Israelites been the workers of this iniquity, they would have more appropriately said, 'This is our god that brought us out,' etc. (Leviticus Rabba 27)
GOSPEL: These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’" (Matthew 10:5-7)

TALMUD: If you want to court derision, give your opinion on weighty matters in the presence of your teachers or your superiors. (Leviticus Rabba 20)
GOSPEL: When He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem...Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed...And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:41-52)

TALMUD: God knows our thoughts before they are formed. (Genesis Rabba 9)
GOSPEL: An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.' (Luke 9:46-48)

May the LORD God bless you in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Joseph, the Nazarene.