"Son of an Israelite Woman and an Egyptian Man" - Jesus as the Blasphemer (Lev 24:10-23): An Anti-Gospel Polemic in the Zohar

Jonatan M. Benarroch*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

The short biblical story of the blasphemer (Lev 24:10-23) received a unique mystical and mythical interpretation in the Zohar. When carefully examined, the zoharic homilies of the story reveal the hidden influences of Jewish polemic anti-gospel traditions. This essay exposes the strong link between the biblical blasphemer and Jesus, as well as between the blasphemer's mother and the Virgin Mary. In fact, the zoharic commentary on the blasphemer's biblical story provides a significant understanding of the Zohar's ambivalent attitude towards Jesus as Son of God - and of the Virgin Mary as linked to the Shekhinah.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)100-124
Number of pages25
JournalHarvard Theological Review
Volume110
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © President and Fellows of Harvard College 2016.

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