JESUS OF NAZARETH

This is sub-titled The Hidden Years but the reader, as he closes the book, puts his own interpretation and expands the hidden years to compass the whole of Jesus' preparation for his brief years of ministry. Born a French Jew, Robert Aron is completely familiar with the Jewish tradition, and in this text examines closely the heritage, the training, the teaching that Jesus can be assumed to have had. He explores the Jewish family and home backgrounds, the religion of Israel in its purest form as it would still have been in Nazareth, the influences brought to bear by the Pharisees, who were probably the ""doctors"" in the Temple of Jerusalem, the sordid commercialism of religious observances which he encountered there when he went up for his Bar Mitzvah, the new paganism of the Roman occupation -- and the resultant conflicts which gave rise to Jesus' departure from his heritage and his challenge to his followers in a new approach to spiritual aspects. This is not an easy book for Jews who have either not known or forgotten the significance of certain features of their faith and its observances; or for Christians, too few of whom know the identity with Judaism of their religious origins. To both of these audiences this book is specifically addressed, rather than to observing Jews and informed Christians -- though they too will find illumination and a new interpretation related to today's conflicts. A book for thoughtful study -- to be brought to the attention of many who would find it stimulating, informative and challenging.