The suppression of Romaniote Jews—a community of Koine Greek-speaking Jews—from the mid-4th century onward by the Roman Church exemplifies how early teachings about Jesus were obscured and guarded. These Jewish Gnostics, differing from their broader counterparts often caricatured as “serpent worshippers,” contributed to the phrase: “Those who know don’t say, those who say don’t know.” Their perspective, tied to later framed Jewish mystical thought, preserved a nuanced understanding of Jesus that was distinct from the theologies propagated by early Church Fathers or reactionary Rabbinical traditions.
Despite efforts by the Roman Church to marginalize certain groups, traces of their teachings endured, offering a nuanced view of Jesus—referred to as Yeshua Sar HaPhanim (Jesus, the Prince of the Presence). This figure, briefly mentioned in Jewish texts such as the Mishnah and prayer books like the Machzor, provides a perspective distinct from the anti-Jesus polemics found in the Babylonian Talmud. Unlike the Babylonian tradition, which has often been misinterpreted and used to fuel antisemitism, these groups followed the earlier Jerusalem Talmud, preserving a more balanced view.
Judaism’s response to Christianity and Islam often elicited combative reactions, with prevailing polemics shaping much of the majority tradition. However, the Romaniote Jews maintained a shellshelit (oral and textual genealogy) that preserved an alternative tradition. This shellshelit is well-documented by Rabbi Harvey Oscar Falk in his work, Jesus the Pharisee: A New Look at the Jewishness of Jesus, where he explores the nuanced perspectives that diverged from the more dominant polemics. Falk’s research highlights how these traditions emphasized a more balanced approach, exemplified by interpretive lineages like those of the great Talmud commentator Rashi, as opposed to the more philosophically combative stance of Rambam (Maimonides) born under the shadow of Islam.
Similarly, the later Litvak Perushim—followers of the Vilna Gaon—aligned with the Romaniote tradition in their commitment to textual precision and a measured approach to interfaith dynamics. Like the Romaniotes, the Perushim emphasized preserving the integrity of early Jewish interpretations rather than engaging in polemics or conflating figures such as Yeshu HaNotzri Ben Stada with Jesus.
This shared ethos is significant because much of mainstream Judaism, shaped by the Babylonian tradition and thinkers like Maimonides, often conflated these figures and framed Jesus within the controversies surrounding anti-Jewish polemics. In contrast, the Romaniotes and later Litvak Perushim demonstrate that not all Jewish traditions adopted this combative stance. Instead, they maintained diverse and historically rich perspectives on Jesus, free from the misattributions that came to dominate later interpretations.
Hence, Rebbe Yehoshua Minzaret is not to be confused with his step-nephew Plony Yeshu HaNotzri Ben Stada, who has been written about with respect by various Karaites (textual Torah-only Jews, like the Sadducees) who opposed the disciples and apostles. These elements or character descriptions find a home in the Babylonian Talmud but not in the earlier Jerusalem Talmud. The massive Babylonian Talmud is not a monolithic document; with its variety of opinions, it has often been used to perpetuate confusion. Plus, Jesus of Nazareth is not explicitly found there except under the acronym Yemach-Shmou (YE-SHU), often used as a diminutive.
Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed historically. Jesus was a Galilean Jew who underwent Tevilah (ritual immersion) under the supervision of John the Baptist and began his ministry thereafter. However, this other ‘Jesus’ (Yeshu Ben Stada) shows up as part of his extended family, connected to Mary of Magdala, further contributing to the conflations seen today—conflations that fuel fantasy novels like Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
Jesus’ teachings were initially preserved through oral transmission, and he was frequently referred to as Rabbi, though he explicitly forbade his followers from using this title for themselves. He debated fellow Jews on the best way to follow God, engaged in healing, taught through parables, and gathered a devoted following. His arrest and trial were orchestrated by the Beit Shammai Sanhedrin, after which he was turned over to the Roman government. He was crucified on the orders of Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Jerusalem. After his death, his followers believed he rose from the dead, a conviction that fueled the emergence of early church groups, which gradually evolved into the Christian communities we know today.
