This unique religious dialogue, written by the world's preeminent authority first-century Judaism, spans the ages by looking back on two millennia to the time of Jesus. By taking Jesus seriously and on his own terms, author Jacob Neusner explains that if he had been there to hear Jesus' Sermon on the Mount as reported in the Gospel of Matthew, he would have said: "No. For good and substantive reasons, I will not fol- low you."

He sets out in straightforward terms why, while Christians believe in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven, Jews believe in the Torah of Moses and establish a kingdom on earth of priests and holy people. Where Jesus' teachings contradict the Torah, Neusner asserts, "Jesus is wrong, and Moses is right."

In setting forth the grounds for this debate, Neusner creates an atmos- phere for religious dialogue among believers, Christians and Jews alike. Praised on both sides of the Atlantic by leaders of both faiths, this small book has already redefined Judeo-Christian dialogue.