Jerusalem Perspective (JP) serves a diverse audience united by a common interest in the life and teachings of Jesus.[1] At Jerusalem Perspective you will find articles, lectures, and essays that approach Jesus from the vantage point of ancient Jewish history, literature, languages, and geography because we believe situating Jesus within his own first-century contexts it the best way to reach an accurate understanding of his message concerning love of neighbor and redemption through the Kingdom of Heaven.

David Bivin, JP’s founder and longtime editor, has died. We remember his good deeds, his contributions to a clearer understanding the sayings and actions of Jesus, and the many lives he touched. The fruits of his lifetime endure.

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Fred Rogers (or Mister Rogers as he was known to generations of children) based his television ministry on the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.” In this article JP’s music and arts journalist, Dan Cloutier, explores the many ways in which Mister Rogers said “I love you” to his television neighbors.

Jerusalem Perspective’s approach to Jesus was first developed by a collaboration of Jewish and Christian scholars located in Jerusalem, who believed that just as the Gospel sayings and narratives are best understood within an ancient Jewish context, so the actual wording of the Gospels, written in Greek, often makes better sense when reverted to Hebrew, the language of every-day speech among Jews living in the land of Israel in the first century. By carrying on this tradition Jerusalem Perspective continues to approach Jesus and the Gospels from a Jerusalem-originated point of view.

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At Jerusalem Perspective we strive to be neighborly toward people of every creed, country, and tradition by taking a stand against anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism, standing up for religious pluralism (equality among people of different faiths or of no faith), and speaking out in favor of Jesus’ vision of social justice through encouraging dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect for people of all backgrounds.[2] 

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Originally a print magazine and now an online publication, access to Jerusalem Perspective’s content requires a membership. As a neighborly gesture, much of our older content is available for free with a Basic Membership. Most newer articles, audio, and video content require a paid Premium Membership or Friend of JP Membership, which comes with special perks like free downloads of many items from the JP Bookstore.[3] 

“From a Jerusalem Point of View”: Jerusalem Perspective

Notes
  1. Jerusalem Perspective’s audience is diverse because Jesus is a uniting figure for many different groups of people. Jesus is a uniting figure for Christians because he is what all Christian denominations share in common. But Christians also share Jesus in common with Jews, since they are the people to whom Jesus belonged and theirs is the faith Jesus practiced. Moreover, Jesus also bridges ideological, political, national, and cultural divisions because people from many different backgrounds are attracted to his message and manner of living.
    Jesus healed the sick, clothed the naked, fed the hungry, and spoke words of welcome and forgiveness to people who were excluded from society. Jesus spoke out for peace at a time when political resentments and recriminations threatened to pull society apart and plunge it into war. In the same breath Jesus rebuked militant nationalist aspirations for vengeance and Roman oppression by speaking about the Kingdom of Heaven in which God reigns over his people as they unite together in neighborly love.
    Jesus’ solidarity with those in need, his vision for a better world, and his embrace of outsiders as well as insiders continue to make Jesus’ life and message attractive to people today. ↩
  2. These three neighborly actions are concrete examples of three ancient Jewish theological concepts: תִּיקּוּן עוֹלָם (ti·KŪN ’ō·LĀM, “mending the universe”), דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם (dar·CHĒ shā·LŌM, “the ways of peace”), and מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם (mal·CHŪT shā·MAÄyim, “the Kingdom of Heaven”).
    ti·KŪN ’ō·LĀM, “mending the universe” can also be translated working for “the common good.” It has an aspect of correcting an existing wrong or injustice. Combating anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism falls under the rubric of ti·KŪN ’ō·LĀM because these evils have persisted in Christian teaching for two millennia. Rooting out these evils redresses a wrong, which is for the common good of all humanity for, “injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere.”
    Advocating for religious pluralism falls under the rubric of dar·CHĒ shā·LŌM, “the ways of peace” which were accommodations in ancient Judaism to the fact of living as a minority in a religiously pluralistic society. Ancient Jews realized that their survival depended on good relations with their non-Jewish neighbors, which required a flexible approach to the practice of Judaism. By following the “ways of peace” Jews could remain true to their religion while also respecting the religious traditions of others. This accommodating attitude helped to sanctify the divine name by showing that the God of Israel was not hostile to the non-Jewish peoples of the earth.
    mal·CHŪT shā·MAÄyim (“the Kingdom of Heaven”) was the core of Jesus’ Gospel: the proclamation that God’s reign became manifest wherever the Double Love Command was fulfilled. As opposed to the tyrannical oppression of the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Heaven brought redemption and peace into the world by realizing social justice for the poor, the sick, the ostracized and the sinner. When neighbor loves neighbor inequalities of wealth, of power, and of belonging disappear into a community (κοινωνία [koi·nō·NI·a) of brotherly love. ↩
  3. Without member support Jerusalem Perspective would not be able to continue its mission to educate readers about Jesus and his teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven. Your engagement with the ideas we present and discuss on the site—especially concerning Jesus’ teaching on the command to Love your neighbor as yourself—and your financial support make all the difference. ↩