Reading between the Lines to Find Talmudic Evaluations of Christianity

In the language of the Talmud, the word gilayon can mean either “marginalia” or “revelation.” In tractate Shabbat¸ the rabbis use this homonymity to play with various ways of referring to “sectarian writings,” an apparent euphemism for Christian scripture: “Rabbi Meir would call it aven gilayon (false revelation), and Rabbi Yoḥanan would call it avon gilayon (sin revelation).” Other editions of the text read even gilayon, meaning stone revelation. Shlomo Zuckier notes that each of these phrases resembles the Greek word evangelion, literally good tidings—the term used by Christians to refer to Jesus’ life and teachings (hence the word evangelical). Zuckier adds: