I tend to gravitated towards Christian books by Jewish authors for several reasons. Their testimonies of coming to faith are always interesting as they contain their struggle to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah against a background of prejudice against him. Likewise their discussion of apologetic issues is always thought provoking. Often they point out details in the Bible I have overlooked or taken for granted. I also read these books because I hope they will give me more insight into Jewish or even Eastern thinking as I know my understanding of the Bible is coloured by my Western mindset. However I have now read so many of this genre of books that I’m finding less new material. Nevertheless, A Rabbi Looks at Jesus of Nazareth by Jonathan Bernis, was a helpful read and touched on all these points.
Bernis has two groups of people in mind as he writes: Jewish people who are interested in discovering the truth about Jesus and Christians who have Jewish friends and would like to witness to them. I’m neither. However the book contains much helpful apologetic material and insight into the history of Christianity and Judaism.
Possibly the most surprising thing, Bernis wrote was his astonishment in finding out Jesus was Jewish!
Material is clearly presented and easy to read. A good read.
