This essay probes a number of Matthean and Lukan contributions to the shared Synoptic narrative, in search of possible reflections of contemporaneous Jewish customs and beliefs with broader circulation.
The Desert: Waiting for God
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The desert is about feeling frustrated and helpless, realizing we can do nothing on our own. It’s about total surrender of our will to God.
Herod’s Tomb, Ehud Netzer and a Case of Mistaken Identity
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The Herodium is a great place to bring people who are exploring the Holy Land for the first time. I always felt that the site spoke eloquently to visitors of both the brilliance and madness of Herod the Great.
The Place of Women in First-century Synagogues
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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.
Hebrew Nuggets, Lesson 12: menorah (Part 1)
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Menorah is one of the many Hebrew words that have entered the English language.