Was first-century Jerusalem really crawling with prostitutes, as Jesus’ saying about tax collectors and harlots entering the Kingdom of God seems to suggest?
Coordinating Ritual and Moral Purity in the New Testament
Taking another look at how John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul related to issues of ritual and moral purity.
Two Kinds of Love in the Story of the Paralyzed Man
Two kinds of love operate in the story of the paralyzed man. One kind of love is inclusive and redemptive, the other is exclusive and destructive. Which kind of love will prove victorious?
New Audio JP: “What’s Wrong with Contagious Purity? Debunking the Myth that Jesus Never Became Ritually Impure”
Listen to a recent article on Jesus and ritual purity.
What’s Wrong with Contagious Purity? Debunking the Myth that Jesus Never Became Ritually Impure
The view that Jesus could not be affected by impurity and that Jesus was able to spread his purity to others is based on faulty assumptions and invalid inferences.
New Audio JP: “He Could No Longer Openly Enter a Town: A Synoptic Study in Light of an Early Luke”
Listen to a new article by Lois Tverberg.
He Could No Longer Openly Enter a Town: A Synoptic Study in Light of an Early Luke
According to Mark, after one of Jesus’ very first miracles, Jesus would no longer openly approach a town in public, but instead avoided the crowds who continually sought him out.
Why Do You Call Me ‘Lord’?: On the Origins of Jesus’ Dominical Title
The confession “Jesus is Lord” is the simplest and earliest Christian creed. But how did referring to Jesus as “Lord” begin?
Evidence of Pro-Roman Leanings in the Gospel of Matthew
Hindsight and political expedience shaped the author of Matthew’s view of the Roman Empire.
The Social Jesus: Beyond an Individualist Reading of the Capernaum Synagogue Incident
In the social reading of the Capernaum Synagogue incident Jesus restores the tattered fabric of the community, exchanging the way things were for a newer and better way.
Tangled up in Techēlet: Tzitzit (Ritual Tassels) in the Time of Jesus
Although the wearing of tzitzit is enjoined in Scripture, we do not find records of its actual observance until the Second Temple period.
What Is the Leaven of the Pharisees?
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke give three different answers. Which, if any, is original?
Audio JP: Chickens and the Cultural Context of the Gospels
Listen to “Chickens and the Cultural Context of the Gospels.”
Audio JP: Like Lightning from Heaven (Luke 10:18): Jesus’ Apocalyptic Vision of the Fall of Satan
Listen to Joshua Tilton’s JP article “Like Lightning from Heaven (Luke 10:18): Jesus’ Apocalyptic Vision of the Fall of Satan.”
Audio JP: “Shake the Dust from Your Feet”: What Did the Apostles’ Action Signify?
Listen to Joshua Tilton’s JP article, “‘Shake the Dust from Your Feet’: What Did the Apostles’ Action Signify?”
Audio JP: Gergesa, Gerasa, or Gadara? Where Did Jesus’ Miracle Occur?
Listen to Ze’ev Safrai’s JP article “Gergesa, Gerasa, or Gadara? Where Did Jesus’ Miracle Occur?”