The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son: The Transformation of Child Sacrifice in Judaism and Christianity

by Jon D. Levenson

Book Overview

The near-sacrifice and miraculous restoration of a beloved son is a central but largely overlooked theme in both Judaism and Christianity, celebrated in biblical texts on Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus. In this highly original book, Jon D. Levenson explores how this notion of child sacrifice constitutes an overlooked bond between the two religions. Levenson argues that although the practice of child sacrifice was eradicated during the late...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300065116
• ISBN13: 9780300065114
• Release Date: August 1995
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son

Jon Levenson's Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son offers an extensive exploration and elaboration on the story of Abraham's binding of Isaac and the fate of Ishmael, and its meaning for Jews and Christians. Levenson outlines parallels in other religions and cultures, and explores Paul's astonishing claim on the story for the origin of Christianity.

Biblical watershed

I find that the author helps to make the idea of redemption understandable from the biblical persepctive. Levenson is a master at argument that is both concise and convincing. The reasoning does challenge the reader to stay very close to the details, otherwise you may get lost. If you ar e willing to spend some intensive reading time, Levenson is for you . The author is a top notch scholar who understand Jewish and Christian traditions. The topic of salvation takes on new meaning, when the price for fidelity hinges on the sacrifice of another human being. Both Jewish and Christain readers will find the treatment of salvation taking on a new dynamism.

A Challenging But Rewarding Book

Jon Levenson's 'The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son', on one hand, is definitely not easy reading. On the other, it has a great deal of importance to say to anyone who reads the Bible either as a literary or inspirational text, to anyone interested in the parallel developments of what we now know as Judaism and Christianity, or to anyone who wonders just how we got from offering children and animals as sacrifices, to offering prayers instead. It's a big change! The book is divided into three parts. The first, 'A Father's Gift' sets the issue of child sacrifice into historical contexts around the Mediterranean and examines the practice and literature on the topic in Biblical Israel. The second, 'Beloved Sons in Genesis' examines the fates of beloved sons and their brothers: Abel and Cain, Isaac and Ishmael, Esau and Jacob, and Joseph and his siblings. This is the most difficult section, as Levenson minutely dissects the relevant texts, often going beyond what he really needs for his argument. The writing is dense, but ultimately fascinating and something to keep in mind always as you read the Bible. Being a beloved son is a heavy fate. Part III, 'The Beloved Son Between Zion and Golgotha' deals primarily with the sacrifice of Isaac (or not!) as it was retold and rewritten in Hellenistic, Rabbinic and Christian texts, to enlightening effect. Take your time with this one. It's worth it.

Well-written, accessible, fascinating

This book by a Jewish scholar of the Old Testament at Harvard is wonderful: interesting subject handled well enough for most college-educated and beyond persons to read easily. The legends and midrash surrounding The Binding of Isaac are interesting enough; in the Hellenistic context of early Christianity, they are compelling, diminishing neither Judaism nor Christianity in respectful inquiry and comparison. I loved it. A fine book for anyone past the (by the way, excellent) _101 Answers to Questions About the Bible_ (Raymond Brown) stage.