In accordance with the brief sketch just given, it will be convenient to treat the subject chrono- logically under the three heads of (i. ) the Tal- niudic Literature, (ii. ) the Mediaeval Literature, (iii. ) Modern Literature.
i. Christ in the Talmudic Literature.— The period included under this head extends from the time of Christ Himself to the closing of the Baby- lonian Talmud, i.e. about five centuries. The literature comprises several works besides the Tal- mud, and falls chronologically into two main groups. The first group is that whose chief repre- sentative is the Mishna, the code of the Tradi- tional Law completed by R. Judah the Holy, about A.D. 220. To this gi-oup also belong the Tosefta, a collection of traditions partly coinciding with the Mishna, and the Midrashim known as Siphre, Siphra, and Mechilta. The second group contains tlie Gemdrd.s, i.e. the commentaries on the Mishna made in the schools of Palestine and Babylonia respectively, and forming, together Avith the Mish- na, the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud. The Gemaras contain many traditions not included in the Mishna but contemporaneous with it ; such n, tradition is called a Baraitha. To tiiis same group belong the earlier parts of the iindrnsh Rnbbnh, Pesiktn, and TcinJmma, thougli the date of compilation of these is much later. Tiie Rabbis whose works form tlie first group are called Tannaiin, those of the second Amornim ; and it is usual to distinguisii the two periods before and after the closing of the Mishna, as the Tannaite and the Amoraite periods respectively.
The question has often been raised whether there is any mention at all, in the Talmud, of the histori- cal Jesus of Nazareth, Until recently, Jewish
writers have usually answered this in the negative. Tliey have pointed out that the person supposed to be Jesus is described as a contemporary either of R. Joshiux b. Perahiah or of R. Akiba, thus either a century before or a century after the beginning of the Christian era. This is true, but it only shows the anachronism of the tradition. For the person so indicated is called variously Ben Stada, Ben Pandira, Jeshu, Jeshu ha-Notzri {i.e. the Nazarene), Jeshu b. Pandira ; and what is said of this person makes it impossible to doubt that the reference is to the historical Jesus. The following passages decide the question :
Bab. Sank. 1076, 'Jeshu ha-N6tzri practised magic, and de- ceived and led astray Israel.'
Bab. Sank. 43a, ' Jeshu (ha-N6tzri) had five disciples.'
Tos. Hull. ii. 22, 23, ' There came in Jacob, a man of Chephar Sechanja, to cure him in the name of Jeshii b. Pandira.'
Bab. Sank. 43a, ' On the eve of Passover they hung Jeshii ha-N6tzri.'
It is not likely that there should have been a second Jesus the Nazarene, otherwise wholly unknown, who 'deceived and led astray Israel,' who was executed for doing so, who had disciples, and in whose name those discijiles sought to heal the sick. It is now geneially admitted by Jewish writers that the reference is to the historical Jesus. At the same time it is possible that the name Ben Stada did not originally refer to Jesus, although in the later tradition the two are identified.
The present writer has suggested elsewhere (Christianity in Talmud and Midrash, 345 n.) that Ben Stada denotes ' that Egyptian' who is mentioned in Ac 2138; Jos. Ant. xx. viii. 6, BJ II. xiii. 5. As to the meaning of the two names, Ben Stada and Ben Pandira, various explanations have been proposed ; but none has, in either case, been generally accepted. The Talmud (Bab. Shabb. 1046) explains Stada as equivalent to Stdth do, ' such a one has been unfaithful,' and refers it to the alleged illegitimate birth of Jesus. But this is certainly not the original meaning of the epithet. That Stada is made up of the Latin words 'sta' 'da,' and denotes a Roman soldier, is a mere guess, with nothing in its favour. Pandira has been explained as ^Tivtiipo;, or Tavtirip, or rrxpOivt); ; but beyond some likeness of sound there is nothing to recommend these suggested equiva- lents. The riddle is as yet unsolved.
The following summary contains all that the Tal- mudic literature has to say about Jesus. The pass- ages referred to will be found in full and translated in the present writer's work already mentioned.
Jesus, called ha-Notzri, B. Stada, or B. Pandira, was born out of wedlock (M. Jeb. iv. 13, cf. Bab. Shabb. 1046). His mother was called Miriam, and was a dres.ser of women's hair (Bab. Shab. ib. where ' Miriam megaddelah nasliaia ' is a play on 'Miriam Magdalaah,' i.e. Mary Magdalene). Her husband was Pappus b. Jiidah, and her paramour Pandira. She is said to have been the descendant of princes and rulers, and to have played the harlot with a carpenter (Bab. Sanh. 106a). Jesus had been in Egypt, and had brought magic thence. He was a magician, and deceived and led astray Israel. He sinned and caused the multitude to sin (Bab. Savh. 101b). He mocked at tlie words of the wi.se, and was excommunicated (ib.). He was tainted with heresy {ib. 10.3a). [He] called himself God, al.so the Son of Man, and said that he would go up to heaven ( Jerus. Taan. 656 ; Jesus is not mentioned by name, but there is no doubt that He is meant). He made himself live by the name of God (Bab. Sanh. I06a, also anonymous). He was tried in Lydda (Lud) as a deceiver and as a teacher of apostasy (Tos. Sanh. X. 11 ; Jerus. Sanh. 25c, rf). Witne.s.ses were con- cealed so <as to hear his statements, and ii Lamp was lighted over him that his face might be seen {ib.). He was executed in Lydda, on the eve of Passover, which was also the eve of Sabbath ; he was stoned, and hung, or crucified {ih. and Tos. Sanh. ix. 7). A herald proclaimed, during forty days, that lie was to be stoned, and invited evidence in his favour ; but none was given (B.ab. Sanh. 43a). He (under the name of Balaam) was put to deatli by Pinhas the Robber (Pontius Pilatus), and at the