Rabbi Michael J. Cook, PhD, is professor of intertestamental and early Christian literatures and holds the Sol and Arlene Bronstein Professorship in Judaeo-Christian Studies at Hebrew Union College¿Jewish Institute of Religion. He is author of Modern Jews Engage the New Testament: Enhancing Jewish Well-Being in a Christian Environment (Jewish Lights) and is a leader in the field of Jewish-Christian relations.

Rabbi Michael J. Cook, PhD, is available to speak on the following topics:

• Jews, Jesus and "Gospel Dynamics": Why the Future Is Not What It Used to Be
• From Calvary to Oberammergau 2010: The Impact of Jesus' Death on Jewish Life
• Now That Jesus Hasn't Returned, What Does It Mean for the Jews?
• Jesus Was No Myth, But Who Then Was He?
• "And as They Were at Table Eating" (Mk 14): Could the Last Supper Have Been a Seder?

Before We Proceed: How to Read This Book
Introduction: Reversing "Statuary Blindness" ¿the Goal That Distinguishes This Book
Notes on Terminology¿Keeping Our Referents Straight

Part One: Renouncing Intentional Ignorance
1 When Advice of Sages Ceases to Be Sage Advice
2 Results of Ignorance: Evolving Jewish Views of Jesus
3 Presenting the New Testament: Order and Dis-orders
Part Two: Basics We Should Know
4 Prisms for Viewing Early Christianity
5 Jesus and His Setting in the Land of Israel
6 Paul in His Diaspora Context
Part Three: Reasoning Matters Through
7 Characteristic Jewish Perspectives on the Gospels
8 Mastering ¿Gospel Dynamics¿: Avenues to Ponder
Part Four: Christian Holy Days: Beneficial Applications of Jewish Gospel Study
9 Christmas: Why the Infancy (¿Virgin Birth¿) Stories Arose
10 Maundy (Holy) Thursday: Can We Right What's Wrong with Church ¿Seders¿?
11 Good Friday: Responding to Blame for Jesus¿ Death
12 Good Friday (Extended): Did the Sanhedrin and Barabbas Episodes Actually Occur?
13 Easter: Empty Tomb Enigmas
Part Five: Primary New Testament Writings: A Concern for Jews from Each
14 Romans 9¿11: Why Paul¿s Anxiety for Israel?
15 The Gospel of Mark: Destabilizing a Betrayal by ¿Judas¿ (¿the Jews¿?)
16 The Gospel of Matthew: Why So ¿Pro-Jewish¿ a Flavor to So ¿Anti-Jewish¿ a Gospel?
17 The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts: Did Jews Flock to Christianity? Luke¿s Myth of the ¿Myriads¿
18 The Gospel of John: Why Are Jesus¿ Enemies So Conspicuously Termed ¿the Jews¿?
Part Six: When Wariness Is Warranted: New Testament Knowledge for Self-Defense
19 The Christian Apocalypse: Jews as God¿s Odometer in End-Times Scenarios
20 Neutralizing Missionary Encroachment: Conceptual Frameworks
Part Seven: Integrating Matters
21 My Personal Positions: Where They May Be Distinctive
22 Is the New Testament ¿Antisemitic¿?
23 Never Again! Never Before!

Suitability Index for Using This Multipurpose Book: Matching Contents to Occasion
Listing of Figures
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Modern Author Index
Scripture Index
Gospel Dynamics Index
Subject Index