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

Amy-Jill Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies and Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and Department of Jewish Studies. She has also taught at Swarthmore College, Cambridge University, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. She is the author of many books, including The Misunderstood Jew and Short Stories by Jesus, and she is the co-editor of the Jewish Annotated New Testament. Professor Levine, who has done over 300 programs for churches, clergy groups, and seminaries, has been awarded grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council of Learned Societies. Institutions granting her honorary degrees include Christian Theological Seminary and the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest.

Marc Zvi Brettler is the Distinguished Bernice and Morton Lerner Professor of Jewish Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University.  He has also taught at Yale University, Brown University, Wellesley College, Brandeis University, and Middlebury College. 

"In an age where polemics and talking past one another is common, the appeal to respectful interpretation and dialogue is refreshing and helpful. Perhaps it is not too much to expect that we see ourselves as others see us or see our sacred texts as others see them.  Highly recommended."
“This exploration invites both Jews and Christians to look at texts whose meanings we take for granted and see them from the other side. It is a delightful read through a mind-opening adventure that will do more for Jewish-Christian relations than many official documents."
“Tackles the worthy yet weighty task of examining the Jewish scriptures through both Jewish and Christian eyes, seeking to promote further understanding between adherents . . . A thorough, readable addition to the consistently fecund Jewish-Christian conversation.”
“This new project…[looks] at the various reinterpretations of the text in the first centuries BCE and CE, how they diverged according to Christian and Jewish belief, and the subtle and not-so-subtle polemics that were then developed…effectively showing how the separate interpretations may never converge, but the integrity of each can be appreciated.”
“Imbued with the best of modern biblical scholarship, which particularly shines in the moving treatment of the Sermon on the Mount, and written clearly and beautifully, this accessible study is highly recommended for all students of the Bible.”
“A must read for all concerned with peace and well-being in our civil societies in their rich diversity.”
“A book like this has been greatly needed. It should get wide use.”
“A real gem of a book and badly needed. Scholars of the highest caliber, they lay out the logic and consistency of each religious interpretation, thus nurturing mutual, informed respect and dialogue. Highly recommended.”
“Impeccable . . . remarkable, accessible.”
“Jews and Christians read the Bible with different histories, interpretations, contexts, and emphases. How can the two understand each other better? No two persons are better suited to answer this question than Brettler and Levine. It requires expertise in the Bible itself and in the history of interpretation. These two respected scholars bring that dual expertise with style, clarity, wit, and visible honesty. They replace ignorance with mutual respect, and replace polemics with possibilities. Truly a book for everyone.”
"How can Jews and Christians read the Scriptures they share without denigrating each other’s interpretations? This book is an extraordinary effort to guide us through our readings of the Bible while respecting the differences of our traditions. The world has been waiting for two thousand years for this book!"  
“Fascinating . . . The chapter on the original meanings of sections of the Sermon on the Mount is alone worth the price of admission. A rich and important offering.”