Why Don't Jewish Rabbis Comment on the New Testament on Television?

@mythociate (21432)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
August 13, 2011 5:18pm CST
Comedian Lewis Black says, "Every Sunday morning I turn on the TV and I see Christian ministers interpreting my book (the Old Testament). And I have to tell you that these ministers' interpretations are usually wrong. "It's not their fault ... it's not their book. You never see a Jewish rabbi on television interpreting the New Testament, now DO YOU?" No. There are a few reasons for that. The one I think of right now is because rabbis are 'perfect gentlemen.' And perfect gentlemen don't go out of their way to call other people on the BULL they tell others. (You know the New Testament is based on the Old Testament, written by Lewis Black's people the Jews; and--like Lewis Black says--"Because I know what my people are good at. And what my people are good at, is BULL." (You take a BULL-story and base another story on it, 'you ain't gettin` Evian!') So Jewish rabbis don't comment on the BULL-based BULL because they don't want to disgrace their younger brethren, right? Why do you think Jewish rabbis stay out of the New Testament on television?
2 people like this
8 responses
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
13 Aug 11
Hi mythociate, The Jews don't accept Jesus Christ as the messiah that they had, and still are expecting. To them the new testament is not the word of God and therefore it means nothing to them. For a Jewish Rabbi to comment on the new testament would be like a Christian minister commenting on the Quran. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
16 Aug 11
If I were about fifty or sixty years older, I'd tell the leading pastors of our church (who are in their fifties or sixties) to give a book-report on the Quran. Actually, it would add to what one of our pastors said in a sermon this weekend: 'She said 'Christianity isn't about religion,' (or something that sounded like that 'It's about Christians doing the work of loving God with other Christians.' One of my favorite church-songs from when I was a kid is "They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love." I like to say, 'It's not "They Will Know We Are Christians by OUR STORY"!'
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
17 Aug 11
Christian ministers do comment on the qu'ran all the time Pose. In fact, there are a few that think it is a wonderful, and quote it from the pulpit. Of course there are others who think it was spawned from the devil.
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@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
17 Aug 11
Ahh, the devil: Like Sauron in "Lord of the Rings," would there be any story without him?
15 Aug 11
If Jewish rabbis were preaching about the new testament then they wouldn't be rabbis anymore they would be Christian. Plenty of rabbis respect the Christian religion (and vice versa) they just don't believe in it as their religion that's all.
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@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
16 Aug 11
I disagree with that first statement. Yes, if they commented on the NT with the same reverence they give the OT then they'd be no different from Christian ministers; but if they commented on it 'scientifically' (like "Religious Literature"-professors, or like Buddhists), they would realize that it's simply an early finish to their story (much the way people continue to think they're going straight to Heaven when they die).
16 Aug 11
Is it somebody else's finish to their story though maybe? Who owns the Old Testament? I think there's no problem with different people have a different takes on books of faith. They wouldn't stand and comment on the New Testament if its not part of their life or their view. If they wanted to then fair enough - and if they were discussing Christianity directly I'm sure they would give their view. Religion after all is a choice and not a compulsion.
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@peavey (16936)
• United States
14 Aug 11
Jewish rabbis don't comment on the New Testament on television or anywhere else because it isn't relevant to their religion. Certainly not because they are "perfect gentlemen." I've known too many rabbis to believe that. And because they don't agree with Christians interpretation of "their" book, doesn't mean Christians are wrong. That's arrogance on their part, although I understand how they could feel that way, since they "had it first."
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@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
15 Aug 11
Rabbis do not comment on the christian testament because it is just that...the "christian testament". It is not the Torah or the TANAKH or the Talmud. These are the basis of the Jewish religious teachings. There is no need to look into other religions for the word of the Creator. They do not comment on the Book of Mormon either or any of the other religious texts. That does not mean that they have not read them. They have. They have studied them and understand the teachings of most if not all the major religions of the world. Many even know how to read Latin, Greek, Arabic, Farsi, etc. A Rabbi spends many years in Rabbinical college and a 'Good' Rabbi spends his whole life in continuing education.
@Christoph56 (1504)
• Canada
13 Aug 11
Because the Jewish religion doesn't believe that Jesus was any son of God, they see the new testament as complete fiction... not unlike the Christians see the Koran, or the Book of Mormon. All of those are newer books, based on the original bible that was brought forth by the Jewish people, starting from around 2000 BC.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Aug 11
Rabbis don't comment on the New Testament for the same reason they don't comment on the latest romance novel: Judiasm regards both as completely devoid of religious significance.
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@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Aug 11
Well now, Christians believe in both the old and new testaments, rabbis only believe in the old. I believe that would explain it pretty well...
• United States
16 Aug 11
I've seen that rant from Lewis Black. Everyone responding is correct in focusing on the literal truth that Rabbis need not comment on the New Testament because it is "false prophecy and preaching". If you believe no son of God has walked the Earth, you can't give much love to the NT or the Koran. But perhaps there is another reason. One that Lewis Black might endorse and which you hint at. Perhaps no Rabbi wants to draw more attention to the silly parts of the Old Testament by endorsing anything in the New. This is like the Catholic church's dismissal of The Book Of Mormon. If they allowed this new book and its crazy origin tale to become canon, they would be opening up criticism of the more fantastical stories in the NT. Every religion that is strong enough to be the foundation for another is susceptible to later, crazy interpretation. Judaism was so strong it spawned 2 major religions and thousands of variations thereon. Of course there is going to be a concerted effort to keep the base religion alive and "pure". Bottom line. It doesn't matter one bit. A Rabbi can pull a story from the NT to prove a point and the world would not end. He probably wouldn't even get a headache. It could even be that we all have a Testament to write, of a sort, and one day people will look upon this silly question and wonder how we could ever bother with such a triviality.