This book traces the historical phenomenon of “the Jew as Legitimation.” Contributors discuss how Jews have been used, through time, to validate non-Jewish beliefs. The volume dissects the dilemmas and challenges this pattern has presented to Jews. Throughout history, Jews and Judaism have served to legitimize the beliefs of Gentiles. Jews functioned as Augustine’s witnesses to the truth of Christianity, as Christian Kabbalist’s source for Protestant truths, as an argument for the enlightened claim for tolerance, as the focus of modern Christian Zionist reverence, and as a weapon of contemporary right wing populism against fears of Islamization. This volume challenges understandings of Jewish-Gentile relations, offering a counter-perspective to discourses of antisemitism and philosemitism.

Alfred Edersheim (1825-1889) was born and reared in a Jewish home in Vienna. He was given a New Testament while studying medicine at the University of Pest (Budapest) and soon afterwards came to believe in Jesus as his Messiah. He held several teaching positions in the United Kingdom before settling at the University of Oxford. From 1882 until his death, he was Grinfeld Lecturer on the Septuagint. He is still considered a leading authority on Jewish life and customs in the time of Jesus. He wrote many books on a variety of topics, most famously The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. The Wisdom of Alfred Edersheim includes hundreds of quotations from his various works, many of which are rare and out of print. Edersheim is remembered and loved for his devotional commentary as much as for his scholarship.

Edited by William Kelly for most of its time, contains a wealth of Bible Teaching. Most of the titles and all of the articles were by Mr. Darby and Mr. Kelly and these writings appeared for the first time in this magazine.