---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a Jew reading about Jesus, I thought…"
description: "\"As a Jew reading about Jesus, I thought, 'He's a pretty good guy.' It's the same conclusion Monty Python drew in 'Life of Brian' - if people actually l..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/david-javerbaum-48888_brian_as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-h_1821472.jpg"
---

#  As a Jew reading about Jesus, I thought, 'He's a pretty…

![“As a Jew reading about Jesus, I thought, 'He's a pretty good guy.' It's the same conclusion Monty Python drew in 'Life of Brian' - if people actually live what he did, it would be a pretty good world. But Jesus and Christianity have a tenuous relationship at best.” quote by David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/david-javerbaum-48888_brian_as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-h_1821472.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/david-javerbaum-48888_brian_as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-h_1821472.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/david-javerbaum-48888_brian_as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-h_1821472.jpg)

> “As a Jew reading about Jesus, I thought, 'He's a pretty good guy.' It's the same conclusion Monty Python drew in 'Life of Brian' - if people actually live what he did, it would be a pretty good world. But Jesus and Christianity have a tenuous relationship at best.”

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He compares his view of Jesus to a comedic portrayal, noting that while both see him as good, the relationship between Jesus and Christianity is fragile.

**In simple terms:** Seeing Jesus as a good person doesn’t guarantee a solid faith.

Key Takeaway

Question the assumptions behind religious narratives.

Themes

faith interpretation humor

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- Interfaith dialogue
- media influence
- personal belief
- cultural satire
- religious education

Key Concepts

Theology culture skepticism

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “good” mean in a religious context?
- How does satire affect belief?

A Different Perspective

Humor can oversimplify deep theological complexities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christianity Tenuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-tenuous-386827/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Good guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-guy/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jesus Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-christianity-386829/) [Jesus Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-thought-1648006/) [Jew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jew/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Of Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-of-brian-229130/) [Monty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monty/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pretty good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-good/) [Python](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/python/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-jesus-635806/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/)

## Related quotes

> [But Jesus and Christianity have a tenuous relationship at best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/but-jesus-and-christianity-have-a-tenuous-relationship-at-best/)

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

> [Head coach of the England team demands management skills that Brian does not have. We had a head coach who wanted one thing, other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-dallaglio/head-coach-of-the-england-team-demands-management-skills-that-brian/)

[Lawrence Dallaglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-dallaglio/)

> [The real evidence for Jesus and Christianity is in how Jesus and the Christianity based on him manifest themselves in the lives of practicing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-blue/the-real-evidence-for-jesus-and-christianity-is-in-how-jesus-and-the/)

[Lionel Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-blue/)

> [Seminary also introduced me to the historical study of Jesus and Christian origins. I learned from my professors and the readings they assigned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/seminary-also-introduced-me-to-the-historical-study-of-jesus-and/)

[Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/)

> [As soon as something like Monty Python's 'The Life of Brian' appears with a Muhammad figure as the main lead, directed by an Arabic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/as-soon-as-something-like-monty-python-s-the-life-of-brian-appears/)

[Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/)

> [“This raises the question, was Brian Cohen divine? Let’s take a look at his miracles. In Monty Python’s Life of Brian, each “miracle” Brian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-reisch/this-raises-the-question-was-brian-cohen-divine-let-s-take-a-look-at/)

[George A. Reisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-reisch/)

> [“At the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York in 2012, just a fortnight after the murder of the American ambassador in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-murray/at-the-general-assembly-of-the-united-nations-in-new-york-in-2012/)

[Douglas Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-murray/)

> [The Americans all love 'The Holy Grail', and the English all love 'Life Of Brian', and I'm afraid on this one, I side with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/the-americans-all-love-the-holy-grail-and-the-english-all-love-life/)

[John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/)

> [When a 'Life of Brian' comes out with Muhammad in the lead role, directed by an Arab equivalent of Theo van Gogh, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/when-a-life-of-brian-comes-out-with-muhammad-in-the-lead-role/)

[Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/)

> [When people say, you know, 'Good teacher,' 'Prophet,' 'Really nice guy'... this is not how Jesus thought of Himself. So you're left with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bono/when-people-say-you-know-good-teacher-prophet-really-nice-guy-this-is/)

[Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bono/)

> [“I thought of the parable of the prodigal son. We had made merry for the beloved child's return too - but what happens when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-b-cooney/i-thought-of-the-parable-of-the-prodigal-son-we-had-made-merry-for/)

[Caroline B. Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-b-cooney/)

> [Don't you love Jesus?' Well, I thought an' I thought an' finally I says, 'No, I don't know nobody name' Jesus. I know a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/don-t-you-love-jesus-well-i-thought-an-i-thought-an-finally-i-says-no/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [The titles of Jesus (son of God, messiah, light of the world, etc.) are not found in the earliest layer of tradition and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/the-titles-of-jesus-son-of-god-messiah-light-of-the-world-etc-are-not/)

[Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/)

> [When I was a young kid, my dad, a man of few words, told my brother and me, "Boys, Christmas is about Jesus." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/when-i-was-a-young-kid-my-dad-a-man-of-few-words-told-my-brother-and/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

> [“Two things resulted from this “follow Torah by adding rules” approach. The first one is that Jesus thought this completely misunderstood how to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scot-mcknight/two-things-resulted-from-this-follow-torah-by-adding-rules-approach/)

[Scot McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scot-mcknight/)

## More by David Javerbaum

> [But Jesus and Christianity have a tenuous relationship at best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/but-jesus-and-christianity-have-a-tenuous-relationship-at-best/)

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

> [“…when two people fall in love, it is as if some new physical constant has been added to the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/when-two-people-fall-in-love-it-is-as-if-some-new-physical-constant/)

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

> [You know, people always talk about how Jesus came down to Earth as a human being. He became a human being, But no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/you-know-people-always-talk-about-how-jesus-came-down-to-earth-as-a/)

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

> [I spent 11 years at 'The Daily Show,' and I learned everything there about how to write funny, how to write funny on topic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/i-spent-11-years-at-the-daily-show-and-i-learned-everything-there/)

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

> [“The number of the devil is not 666. That is only his area code, his number is unlisted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/the-number-of-the-devil-is-not-666-that-is-only-his-area-code-his/)

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

> [“he doth, indeed, especially love heavy-metal; into the recording sessions whereof he does, indeed, sneak, that he may insert backward messages into songs; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/he-doth-indeed-especially-love-heavy-metal-into-the-recording/)

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

> [If there's a God, and we have all this evidence that there's evolution, but He created the world only 6,000 years ago - what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/if-there-s-a-god-and-we-have-all-this-evidence-that-there-s-evolution/)

[David Javerbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

[Explore all 8 David Javerbaum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/)

## More Brian quotes

> [Brian Johnson, AC/DC, singing 'The Hokey Pokey' with him - I'll take that over any other moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-breuer/brian-johnson-ac-dc-singing-the-hokey-pokey-with-him-i-ll-take-that/)

[Jim Breuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-breuer/)

> [Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/witness-for-the-defense-albus-percival-wulfric-brian-dumbledore/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [ Brian Mulroney, myself, \[and\] Rajiv Gandhi; I think that was the real core \[of the Commonwealth \]. That was the engine room, I reckon. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/brian-mulroney-myself-and-rajiv-gandhi-i-think-that-was-the-real-core/)

[Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/)

> [It was my first time in prison. I was there to volunteer with Defy Ventures, along with 500 teammates Tara Graham, Brian Wang, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/it-was-my-first-time-in-prison-i-was-there-to-volunteer-with-defy/)

[Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/)

> [What can I say about Brian Williams. Nothing, because I work for NBC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-strong/what-can-i-say-about-brian-williams-nothing-because-i-work-for-nbc/)

[Cecily Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-strong/)

> [Here's Brian Flynn. His official height is five feet five and he doesn't look much taller than that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-green/here-s-brian-flynn-his-official-height-is-five-feet-five-and-he-doesn/)

[Alan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-green/)

> [I don't get the regular AIDS test anymore. I get the roundabout AIDS test. I ask my friend Brian, "Do you know anybody who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-get-the-regular-aids-test-anymore-i-get-the-roundabout-aids/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [I don't care if it's Dr. Dre or Dr. Luke or Brian Eno. When you're in a studio and making music together, it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-don-t-care-if-it-s-dr-dre-or-dr-luke-or-brian-eno-when-you-re-in-a/)

[Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/)

> [When I was in Buffalo, Fred Jackson was you know, I would say he was a big mentor of mine and when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/when-i-was-in-buffalo-fred-jackson-was-you-know-i-would-say-he-was-a/)

[Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/)

> [Brian came back in on the road and Al stayed, but Al's the original member of the group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-johnston/brian-came-back-in-on-the-road-and-al-stayed-but-al-s-the-original/)

[Bruce Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-johnston/)

> [With these Funny or Die videos, I do everything for them. I write them, act in them, and co-direct them with my buddy Brian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/with-these-funny-or-die-videos-i-do-everything-for-them-i-write-them/)

[Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/)

> [ We \[ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi\] went to the meeting in Canada \[the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM\] and I said to them there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi-went-to-the-meeting-in-canada/)

[Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/)

> [I always respected Luke Cage and thought that he was interesting, and I really liked what Brian Michael Bendis did in his update of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/i-always-respected-luke-cage-and-thought-that-he-was-interesting-and/)

[Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/)

> [Just a whole different style, just a whole different way of going about an audience and a way about skating. And they are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-stojko/just-a-whole-different-style-just-a-whole-different-way-of-going/)

[Elvis Stojko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-stojko/)

[Browse all 283 Brian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brian/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "As a Jew reading about Jesus, I thought, 'He's a pretty good guy.' It's the same conclusion Monty Python drew in 'Life of Brian' - if people actually live what he did, it would be a pretty good world. But Jesus and Christianity have a tenuous relationship at best.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Javerbaum"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-he-s-a-pretty-good-guy-it-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Brian"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-he-s-a-pretty-good-guy-it-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/david-javerbaum-48888_brian_as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-h_1821472.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/david-javerbaum-48888_brian_as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-h_1821472.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/david-javerbaum-48888_brian_as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-h_1821472.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“As a Jew reading about Jesus, I thought, 'He's a pretty good guy.' It's the same conclusion Monty Python…” — David Javerbaum",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Javerbaum",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-javerbaum/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "As a Jew reading about Jesus,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-he-s-a-pretty-good-guy-it-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-javerbaum/as-a-jew-reading-about-jesus-i-thought-he-s-a-pretty-good-guy-it-s/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
