Joseph Klausner on Why Israel Rejected Jesus

Abstract

<p>This thesis explores Joseph Klausner on a central historical issue: why Israel rejected Jesus. Klausner's views, compiled from Jesus of Nazareth, Messianic Idea in Israel, and From Jesus to Paul, are compared to selected modern scholars, whose works in part or in whole attempt to answer a similar question. It is notable that two of the finest New Testament scholars, C. "H. Dodd and W. D. Davies, have drawn on Klausner in their own formulations of the answer to this difficult question. It is evident, however, from the brief survey of modern scholars' views, that the basic information on Jesus, his aims and rejection, are as yet unsolved issues. Thus Klausner, far from being outdated, still has significant relevance for modern life-of Jesus research.</p> <p>The author shows that Klausner's obvious bias for the Jewish national imperative, aided rather than prevented him from acute insights into the nature of the messianic idea and the possible reasons for Israel's rejection of Jesus. In the final analysis a brief look at Klausner's background illuminates the ideological theme that steered his historical argument.</p>