The seine was used in the Sea of Galilee until the 1950s, and my experiences in the early days of modern Jewish fishing on the Sea of Galilee have given me some practical insight into its use.
Pilgrimage in the Time of Jesus
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During the Second Temple period pilgrimage was associated with the festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.
By the Finger of God
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Jesus’ ministry of miracles and deliverance occasionally brought him into conflict. One of the most intriguing controversies concerned the accusation by a group of Pharisees called “Jerusalem scribes” that Jesus had accomplished the healing of a dumb man with the aid of the prince of demons.
An Introduction to Synoptic Studies
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The late Dr. Robert Lindsey, pioneer translator of the Gospels into modern Hebrew, synoptic researcher and pastor of Jerusalem’s Narkis Street Congregation, resided in Israel for over forty years. His discoveries challenge many conclusions of New Testament scholarship from the past two hundred years. Lindsey created a new approach to the study of the Synoptic Gospels. Here, Lindsey provides an introduction to the field of synoptic studies and the “Synoptic Problem.”
First-century Discipleship
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Like other sages of his time, Jesus demanded his disciples’ total commitment. They were to put the “kingdom of Heaven” (Jesus’ band of full-time disciples) before all else. They were to “hate,” that is, put second, father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and themselves, as well (Luke 14:26). Following Jesus to learn Torah from him was to take precedence over every other endeavor.
Mary and Martha: The Rest of the Story
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In Robert L. Lindsey’s theory of gospel transmission, the Hebrew version of Jesus’ biography and its Greek translation have both been lost. Although none of the synoptic Gospels preserves the original text in its entirety, together they do preserve all, or nearly all, of the stories in the original work.
Discovering Longer Gospel Stories
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Research by Robert L. Lindsey has helped clarify the process by which gospel texts were preserved and transmitted. Luke desired, he said in his prologue, to present to Theophilus an “orderly” account. Such ordering is to be noted in Matthew and Mark, as well. These attempts at ordering help us understand why so many of the synoptic gospel stories appear in a different chronological order from gospel to gospel.
Was Jesus a Rabbi?
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It was only after 70 A.D. that רַבִּי (rabi) became a formal title for a teacher, and thus cannot correctly be applied to Jesus.
The “How Much More” Rabbinic Principle of Interpretation in the Teaching of Jesus
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The use of simple-to-complex reasoning (kal vahomer in Hebrew) is as frequent in the teaching of Jesus as in the teaching of the sages.
Jesus and the Oral Torah: Did Jesus Wear Phylacteries?
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The Gospels attest to the fact that Jesus had tassels on the four corners of his outer robe (Matt. 9:20; 14:36; Mark 6:56; Luke 8:44). Although there is no explicit evidence in the Gospels, we have reason to suggest that he also may have worn phylacteries.
How Long Was Jesus in the Tomb?
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Jesus said he would remain in the grave until the third day after his death. If Jesus was buried on late Friday afternoon, how long would he have had to remain in the tomb to fulfill his prophecy about his resurrection?
The Queen of Teman
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Why didn’t Jesus say “Queen of Sheba,” which is found in the Bible, instead of “Queen of the South”?
Jesus and the Oral Torah: The Hem of His Garment
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The New Testament makes it clear that Jesus, like all observant Jews of the first century, wore tsitsiyot. These are the tassels that were attached to the four corners of one’s robe as commanded in Numbers 15 and Deuteronomy 22. Jesus’ observance of this commandment is dramatically illustrated by the story of the woman who suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years.
Jesus and the Oral Torah: Tithing
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Did Jesus observe the commandment to tithe as it was interpreted in the Oral Torah?
Matthew 5:17: “Destroy” the Law
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When a sage felt that a colleague had misinterpreted a passage of Scripture, he would say, “You are canceling (or, uprooting) the Torah!” In other words, “You are so misinterpreting Scripture that you are negating or canceling part of it.” Needless to say, in most cases, his colleague strongly disagreed. What was “canceling” the Torah for one teacher was “fulfilling” it for another.
Jesus and the Oral Torah: The Unutterable Name of God
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To avoid the risk of employing the divine name irreverently, the sages ruled that one should not utter it at all.
Jesus and the Oral Torah: Blessing
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There is evidence that Jesus adhered to the rulings of the Oral Torah in his use of various blessings.
Jesus’ Use of “Amen”: Introduction or Response?
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It is not surprising to find the word “amen” attributed to Jesus in the Gospels. “Amen” appears elsewhere in the New Testament, notably in the epistles of Paul, who usually used it to conclude an expression of praise to God. Nor is it odd that “amen” was simply transliterated from Hebrew into Greek. Its use had become so common in Greek-speaking synagogues and churches that the New Testament writers generally felt translation unnecessary. What is unusual is to find “amen” used as the beginning of a statement rather than as a response.