Midrash and the New Testament: Exploring ConnectionsWITH RABBI MAURICE HARRIS

Lesson 2

Triggers

Gaps in biblical stories

Contradictions within the Bible

Grammatical quirks or oddities in the biblical Hebrew

Unusual word choices

Apparent redundancy or repetition in the Bible

Word plays or literary associations in the biblical Hebrew

Unusual visual features found in certain Hebrew words in the Torah (enlarged

letters, upside-down letters, etc.)

Anything that might raise a question to a careful reader of the Bible in Hebrew

Elements of the Bible that seem to address contemporary issues facing the rabbis

Triggers – Example: Unusual word choices

Why does the Torah use this plural form of the word “I” in “I

am the Eternal your God…”? Why not use the singular?

The trigger: the word “Anokhee”

Triggers

Gaps in biblical stories

Contradictions within the Bible

Grammatical quirks or oddities in the biblical Hebrew

Unusual word choices

Apparent redundancy or repetition in the Bible

Word plays or literary associations in the biblical Hebrew

Unusual visual features found in certain Hebrew words in the Torah (enlarged

letters, upside-down letters, etc.)

Anything that might raise a question to a careful reader of the Bible in Hebrew

Elements of the Bible that seem to address contemporary issues facing the rabbis

Triggers – Example: Elements of the Bible seeming to address contemporary issues

Midrashic Text: Genesis Rabbah 41.9

Biblical passage being drashed: Genesis 13: 14-17

14 The Eternal One said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust (!) of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”

Triggers – Example: Elements of the Bible seeming to address contemporary issues

I will make your offspring like the dust (!) of the earth

[the midrash now adds to what God tells Abram at this moment in Genesis:]

As the dust of the earth extends from one end of the earth to the other, so your children will be scattered from one end of the world to the other. As the dust of the earth can be blessed only through water, so Israel too can be blessed only in virtue of the Torah, which is compared to water… And as dust is made to be trampled on, so your children too will be made for kingdoms to trample on. And as dust wears vessels of metal away, but itself endures forever, so with Israel: all the idolatrous nations shall disappear, but Israel will endure.

Triggers

Gaps in biblical stories

Contradictions within the Bible

Grammatical quirks or oddities in the biblical Hebrew

Unusual word choices

Apparent redundancy or repetition in the Bible

Word plays or literary associations in the biblical Hebrew

Unusual visual features found in certain Hebrew words in the Torah (enlarged

letters, upside-down letters, etc.)

Anything that might raise a question to a careful reader of the Bible in Hebrew

Elements of the Bible that seem to address contemporary issues facing the rabbis

Triggers – Example: Apparent redundancy or repetition in the Hebrew Bible

Exodus 20:13 and Leviticus 19:11 both state, “you shall not steal” usingthe same Hebrew word for “steal”.

Triggers

Gaps in biblical stories

Contradictions within the Bible

Grammatical quirks or oddities in the biblical Hebrew

Unusual word choices

Apparent redundancy or repetition in the Bible

Word plays or literary associations in the biblical Hebrew

Unusual visual features found in certain Hebrew words in the Torah (enlarged

letters, upside-down letters, etc.)

Anything that might raise a question to a careful reader of the Bible in Hebrew

Elements of the Bible that seem to address contemporary issues facing the rabbis

Triggers – Example: Anything that might raise a question to a careful reader of the Bible in Hebrew

Exodus 21:24

Matthew 5 : 38-42“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Talmud: Baba Kamma 83b-84a

It was taught: Rabbi Dosthai b. Judah says: Eye for eye means monetary compensation.

Complex discussion & debate takes place in text.

Key concept: Midrash helps illuminate NT texts & vice versa

Matthew 5 : 38-42“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Talmud: Baba Kamma 83b-84a

It was taught: Rabbi Dosthai b. Judah says: Eye for eye means monetary compensation.

Complex discussion & debate takes place in text.

Triggers – Example: Anything that might raise a question to a careful reader of the Bible in Hebrew

Exodus 21:24

Matthew 5 : 38-42“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

From Lamentations 3

I remember my affliction and my wandering,the bitterness and the gall.

20 I well remember them,and my soul is downcast within me.

21 Yet this I call to mindand therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the ETERNAL’s great love we are not consumed,for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, “The ETERNAL is my portion;therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The ETERNAL is good to those whose hope is in him,to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietlyfor the salvation of the ETERNAL.

27 It is good for a man to bear the yokewhile he is young. 28 Let him sit alone in silence,for the ETERNAL has laid it on him.

29 Let him bury his face in the dust—there may yet be hope.

30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,and let him be filled with disgrace.

31 For men are not cast offby the Eternal forever.

32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,so great is his unfailing love.

33 For he does not willingly bring afflictionor grief to the children of men.

34 To crush underfootall prisoners in the land,

35 to deny a man his rightsbefore the Most High,

36 to deprive a man of justice—would not the Eternal see such things?

37 Who can speak and have it happenif the Eternal has not decreed it?

38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most Highthat both calamities and good things come?

39 Why should any living man complainwhen punished for his sins?

40 Let us examine our ways and test them,and let us return to the ETERNAL.

Next up…

Let’s bring some more New Testament texts into the discussion in

Lesson 3!