The pinnacle of the Gospel story may be Jesus’ dramatic statement, “You are Petros and on this petra I will build my Church.” The saying seems to contain an obvious Greek wordplay, indicating that Jesus spoke in Greek. However, it is possible that “Petros…petra” is a Hebrew wordplay.
The Right to Reign
Biblical and post-biblical genealogies are more than simple pedigrees, yet the wealth of their content is couched in such plain and uninviting format that many of us simply skim them. In this article you will discover how exciting such genealogies can be.
Remember Shiloh!
Without paying attention to ancient Jewish exegesis one can easily miss the full impact of Jesus’ statement, “den of thieves.” Was Jesus solely addressing the vendors, or was he aiming at bigger game?
Hospitality: Heritage of the Church
Hospitality, charity and visiting the sick were priorities in the teaching of Jesus and other sages of his day. In the following article, Dr. Marvin Wilson highlights for Christians the importance of hospitality.
Is the Sage Worth His Salt?
The Gospels record that questions were sometimes put to the sage Jesus of Nazareth in order to “test” him. According to Joseph Frankovic, the questioner’s intent may not always have been hostile.
King Parables
One of the many results of synoptic research is the discovery of parallels between the sayings of Jesus and those of other Jewish sages. A knowledge of these parallels can provide added insight into what Jesus was teaching.
“Do Not Resist Evil”: Jesus’ Attitude Toward Pacifism
Bivin argues that the idea that Jesus taught pacifism arose primarily due to the misunderstanding of a number of his sayings.
Jesus and the Hasidim
How do we define Jesus within first-century Jewish society? To which of the various Jewish sects does he belong? Was he a Pharisee, an Essene? After years of painstaking research, Shmuel Safrai has identified a new stream within the Judaism of Jesus’ time: the Hasidic movement. This may be a major breakthrough in New Testament studies, as well, because the picture Safrai paints of the Hasidim is amazingly similar to what we know about Jesus. Jesus, who was quite close to the Hasidim and perhaps even involved with some of them, does not reflect Galilean boorishness or ignorance, but rather the dynamism and ongoing creativity of Jewish life in Galilee.
John’s Targumic Allusions
However one translates John 1:17, both clauses should be positively portrayed. After all, it is John himself who states that “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22) and that “the Hebrew Scriptures testify about Jesus” (John 5:39).
Jesus’ Twin Parables
Conducting research on the Gospels, the late Robert L. Lindsey discovered Jesus’ teaching format: incident, teaching discourse and two concluding parables. In this article he discusses Jesus’ double parables.
The Appearance of Jesus: Hairstyles and Beards in Bible Times
No one knows for sure how Jesus looked in the eyes of his contemporaries. However, there is evidence that suggests the hair of Jesus may have been rather short—black or dark in color—and his beard closely trimmed.
Rabbinic Literature: A Spiritual Treasure for Christians
The sayings of the sages are a treasure that should be read first of all for their own sake.
Jesus’ Devout Jewish Parents and Their Child Prodigy
In the infancy narrative found in chapters one and two of Luke’s gospel, Luke has provided excellent character references for Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Jesus’ mother and father show piety far beyond the usual, and the young Jesus is eager to be in the temple studying Torah with the teachers of Israel.
The Place of Women in First-century Synagogues
Today, public worship can take place in a synagogue only if at least ten adult Jewish males are present. Women do not qualify as part of this quorum. Furthermore, women are separated from men within the synagogue: women worship in an ezrat nashim, a balcony, or section with a divider, located beside or behind the men’s section. Things were considerably different in Jesus’ day.
That Small-fry Herod Antipas, or When a Fox Is Not a Fox
We need to start translating “fox” with its proper Hebraic cultural meaning.
Pieces to the Synoptic Puzzle: Papias and Luke 1:1-4
Despite a rather turbulent transmission process, the Synoptic Gospels retain an astonishing amount of authentic and reliable material.
The Rich Young Ruler Story: Personal Application
God will probably test our commitment to him at its weakest, most vulnerable point or points, those areas in our lives that we have made more important than him.