Description

In the first third of the First Century, in the bustling commercial crossroads in the region around
Lake Kinneret, a young Teacher-of-the-Torah began to teach others. He did the normal things
that a Torah teacher did in that time: He surrounded himself with followers called talmidim;
discussed Torah; and attracted crowds as He went from town to town preaching the repeated
message, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!” His message was not unlike the
teachings of many teachers of the Second Temple period – but people began to notice
something very different about Him. He did not simply repeat what the Sages said regarding
Torah – He spoke in such a way, and with such authority it was as if the Sages had learned
Torah from Him – and everyone knew – He had not been the student of any Sage Himself.