Endnote 34 – Did Jesus Oppose the Purity Laws?
Other strains of Jewish apocalyptic thought entertained less wholesome fantasies: Some speak of the destruction or subjugation of Gentile nations. But the inclusive strain is the one that matters most both for later rabbinic tradition and, obviously, for those Jews who shaped the beliefs of the first generation of the Church. For the full argument, and the ways in which this interpretation ties Jesus’ mission in with subsequent Christianity, see Paula Fredriksen, From Jesus to Christ, pp. 133–176.