Greetings in Christ Dr Bock,

"certain teachings in the New Testament cannot be explained as the product of midrash because they represent distinct takes on Jewish teaching. For example, the important idea of a resurrection in the midst of history is not a Jewish idea, but a Christian adaptation of a Jewish idea. No midrash of a text brings us to this fresh idea."

Have you heard of that tablet supposedly from the 1st Century BCE that MAY speak of a messiah-like figure that diesand rises? How would you think this affects what you said here? As far as I know, the tablet cites no scriptures for what it says, and Paul and Jesus both claim the idea of Jesus dying and rising in three days can be found in the scriptures. What do you think? That at least some Jews though about a rising Messiah in history before Jesus?

On the other hand, no body else seems to know about this. Most of the people of Israel and the disciples seemed totally taken by surprise when Jesus died and rose again. It is certainly not what they were expecting. It is still true that the practice of Midrash did not begin for a couple more centuries.

Thanks