Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research

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The Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research describes itself as

a consortium of Jewish and Christian scholars, was chartered in 1985 as an Israeli non-profit scientific and educational organization dedicated to understanding better the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), and to rethinking the Synoptic Problem. Examining the Synoptic Gospels within the context of the language, land and culture in which Jesus lived, this Jewish-Christian collaboration is unique and unprecedented historically. ^[1]

The Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research was founded by a Jewish scholar and a Christian scholar, respectively David Flusser and Robert L. Lindsey.^[2] Among its deceased members are its two founders: David Flusser and Robert L. Lindsey as well as Shmuel Safrai. As of 2006 its members are: David Bivin, Randall Buth, Esther Eshel, Hanan Eshel, Weston Fields, Joseph Frankovic, Steven Notley, Dwight Pryor, Halvor Ronning, Mirja Ronning, Serge Ruzer, Chana Safrai, Marc Turnage, Brad Young and Brian Becker is its director. ^[1]

The Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research claims to hold to two methodological assumptions, namely: "[1.] Language: Hebrew was a living language in Jesus day. [2.] Culture: Jesus' teachings must be interpreted within the context of Second Temple-period Judaism."^[3] A co-authored book Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus^[4] by David Bivin and Roy B. Blizzard Jr. catered towards the lay audience, yet representing the most comprehensive systematic approach of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, was heavily critized by Michael L. Brown. Brown questioned whether certain Christian members of the Jerusalem School regarded the evangelical doctrines of inspiration of the Greek text of the New Testament.^{[5] [6] [7]} He raised this question since this book claimed to be able to uncover some of the Hebrew original text underlying the extant Greek text of the gospels. The ability to restore the original text underlying the Semitisms of the synoptic gospels has often been heavily critized in scholarship, whether one claims the Semitisms to be Aramaic or Hebrew. Hence, the eyebrows raised by Brown about the aggressive assertions made by Bivin and Blizzard. He writes:

In the event that JSSR devotes its primary efforts to: 1) the sober elucidation of texts which New Testament scholarship recognizes as difficult and obscure; 2) providing Jewish background to the Scriptures; 3) and shedding light on Semitic nuances of biblical words and phrases, then all of us can glean from their work. Should the Jerusalem School continue to devote itself primarily to the hypothetical work of retranslation and reconstruction, then their potential contribution to the ongoing ministry of the Word would be relegated to relative unimportance.^[8]

A much more balanced combined effort of several members and associates from the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research resulted in the book, Jesus’ Last Week: Jerusalem Studies in the Synoptic Gospels — Volume One, edited by R. Steven Notley, Marc Turnage, and Brian Becker.^[9] Another outlet of the school's ideas is the Jerusalem Perspective, which states as one of its goals to disseminate "research results ... members of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, both in popular and scholarly formats." ^[10]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research. Retrieved 05 Nov. 2006. [1]
2. ^ "A Tribute to Robert L. Lindsey, Ph. D. (1917-1995) and his work...:Excerpt from November 1996 Tree of Life Quarterly Membership Magazine", HaY'Did. Retrieved 05 Nov. 2006. [2]
3. ^ "Methodology." Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research. Retrieved 05 Nov. 2006. [3]
4. ^ David Bivin and Roy B. Blizzard Jr. Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus, Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 1994.
5. ^ Michael L. Brown "Recovering the 'Inspired Text'? An Assessment of the Work of the Jerusalem School in Light of Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus" in Mishkan, Isso No. 17/18, 39-64.
6. ^ David Bivin "Recovering the 'Inspired Text'?" in Mishkan, Isso No. 17/18, 107-114.
7. ^ Michael L. Brown "The Issue of the Inspired Text: A Rejoinder to David Bivin" in Mishkan, Isso No. 20, 53-63.
8. ^ Michael L. Brown "The Issue of the Inspired Text: A Rejoinder to David Bivin" in Mishkan, Isso No. 20, 63.
9. ^ Jesus' Last Week, edited by R. Steven Notley, Marc Turnage, and Brian Becker. Vol 1. Leiden: Brill, 2006.
10. ^ Jerusalem Perspective Online, "About Us." Jerusalem perspective. Retrieved 05 Nov. 2006. [4]