The Bible with and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently

The editors of The Jewish Annotated New Testament explore how Jews and Christians can learn from and understand each other better by exploring how they read many of the same Bible stories through different lens.

Esteemed Bible scholars Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Brettler take readers on a guided tour of the most popular Hebrew Bible passages referenced in the New Testament to explore how Christians, Jews, and scholars read these ancient texts differently. Among the passages analyzed are the creation story, the role of Adam and Eve, the suffering servant passages in Isaiah, the sign of Jonah Jesus refers to, and the words Jesus quotes from Psalm 22 as he is dying on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Comparing Jewish, Christian, and academic interpretations of each ancient narrative, Levine and Brettler offer a deeper understanding of these contrasting views, and illuminate the historical and literary significance of the Bible and its place in our culture. Revealing not only what Jews and Christians can learn from each other, The Bible With and Without Jesus also shows how to appreciate the distinctive perspectives of each. By understanding the depth and variety by which these passages have been understood, we not only enhance our knowledge of each other, but also see more clearly the beauty and power of Scripture itself.

--Publishers Weekly (starred review)