Paid-members only >Audio Plans and Wishes In 1 Kings 1, we read the story of David in his final days as Adoniya, one of his sons, tries to take over the throne of Israel. David intended for Solomon to succeed him, but Adoniya decided to make himself king instead of waiting for Solomon to assume the
Members only Articles Apostle Paul's Christian and Jewish Identity It is quite common for people to think of Paul as a Christian. After all, so much of what is called Christian is based on his teachings, which are a part of the Scriptures all Christians recognize. But surprisingly, though he had many opportunities to do so, Paul did not
>Audio A Prayer to Master of My Life This musical creation was inspired by the words of Psalm 42. You might have to read the entire psalm to see which parts of it made it into the video. What came of it is a prayerful reflection of praise that I wanted to share with others. Here are the
Members only Articles The Synagogue of Freedmen in First Century Jerusalem The Synagogue of Freedmen (sunagogeh ton libertinon; συναγωγή των Λιβερτίνων) is mentioned in Acts 6:9. The Greek term "Freedmen" (Libertinos; Λιβερτῖνος) is unfamiliar to many modern people. But it is a loanword from Latin libertini, and designates those who were "freed slaves." In the Roman
Paid-members only >Audio Being Near to God I came across some amazing words in this week’s reading. In Deuteronomy 4:7, Moshe exclaims, “What nation is there that has God as near to them, as ADONAI our God, when we call on him?” Immediately, in my heart, I heard, “See, Hashem is near. He will answer.
Video The One God who is Two This is a lecture by Shaye J. D. Cohen, who is a Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is a well-known historian who also holds a rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. His lectures often probe
Paid-members only >Books The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls by James Charlesworth James H. Charlesworth's "The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls" is a gateway to one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century: the Dead Sea Scrolls. The book explores how these scrolls, containing biblical manuscripts, sectarian writings, and apocalyptic literature, provide invaluable insights
Members only Articles Facing the Holy and Each Other in Prayer For some, prayer is free-flowing, meandering from one topic to another, like a summer breeze, a living dialogue, or a musical improvisation. For others, prayer is something more formal, organized, and structured with care. It's not that one approach is superior to another, but there is room for
Articles Second Temple Era Stone Inscription Mentions Jerusalem During the winter of 2017, archaeologists working in a Jerusalem suburb, discovered the foundations of a Roman structure dating to the 1st century B.C.E. What they found was building remnants and a part of a common round column. The exciting part is that the column had writing on
Paid-members only >Seminars Experiencing Worship at Herod's Temple (~3h) Have you ever imagined what a worship experience was like at the Jerusalem Temple in the days of Jesus? In these lectures, we will delve briefly into the layout and setting of Herod's Temple, but more importantly, we will imagine the daily lives and experiences of an average
Video A Morning Prayer: May Your Will Always Be... I wanted to share with you a Morning Prayer and, more specifically, a musical piece I created based on it. The words of this song are inspired by the words of the traditional morning blessings found in the Siddur (Jewish Prayer Book). The person who is praying in the early
Members only Articles Simon and the Jews of Cyrene During the Second Temple Period, many Jews lived outside of Israel. And the city of Cyrene in Northern Africa was one of the major Jewish Diaspora centers. You may not have heard much about this city because its glory has disappeared from the pages of history, and it stands in
Paid-members only >Audio Seeking God I would venture to say that, depending on your unique interests, each one sometimes struggles with things that pull us in and captivate us completely. These interests could be good things, even very positive and honorable things. I am simply wondering if those are the things we need to focus
Members only Articles The Riddle of The Broken Matzah There is no Passover without Matzah. If you're not familiar with it, it's what Jews call the unleavened bread, a tradition dating back to the days of Moses. Every year, Passover is commemorated by eating this simple bread - Matzah (מַצָּה) and also by
Articles Why Would Christians Say That Christ Has Not Risen? A few years back, the Gospel Herald reported that according to a BBC poll, 25 % of Christians in Great Britain said, “Jesus’ resurrection was not real.” It turns out that according to the survey results, one in four of those who considered themselves Christians in Great Britain do not truly
Members only Articles Does Torah Teach Resurrection? The resurrection of the dead techiyat hametim (תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים) has always been a belief that some embraced and some rejected. Historically, while some Jews were very optimistic about such prospects, others were doubtful of them. Pagans for the most part have not seen resurrection
Articles Fifth Century Samaritan Inscription A new Tzur Natan neighborhood construction in central Israel was preceded by a dig. The excavation unearthed a rare written record. It points to a Samaritan business from 1600 years ago. The Greek inscription mentions a wealthy landowner, ‘Master Adios’. In the 5th century, the heartland of Israel was populated
Members only >Seminars The Jews of Cyrene (~45 min) The New Testament records that some Jewish followers of Jesus from Cyrene were responsible for the first Gentile converts in Antioch (Acts 11:19-21). Indeed, the Jewish inhabitants of Cyrene were fully engaged in world affairs and closely connected to Jerusalem and other Jewish communities throughout the Mediterranean. Yet, sadly,
Members only Bearing Fruit In Isaiah Chapter 28, God speaks of his people, Israel, poetically painting them as his vineyard. Isaiah 28:10 says, “the fortified city is left alone, a deserted settlement and abandoned like the desert. Calves graze there, lie down, and eat from its branches.” The fortified city that Hashem speaks
Members only Articles Honor A Physician The Book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus or Ben Sira, is a Jewish wisdom text from the Second Temple period, written by Jesus ben Sira around 180-175 BCE in Jerusalem. It is part of the Apocrypha in many Christian traditions and is included in the Septuagint, though it is
>Audio Bless Adonai, Angels on High A portion of Psalm 103 paints a powerful reality that calls all of us to join the praises of angels and all of God's creation. They already praise the Almighty, so why can't we join them? Below is the song and the words to another musical
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Members only Articles Four Faces and Four Voices The books of Enoch preserve many curious visions. At times, they present ideas not mentioned by anyone else. And what always amazes me personally are all the rich details that Enoch texts include. Take this seemingly typical scene where Enoch describes what he saw in heaven, "I saw a
Paid-members only >Books Our Father Abraham by Marvin Wilson Marvin R. Wilson is an experienced educator who invites his readers to rediscover the Hebrew foundations of Christian beliefs and practice as he attempts to bridge the worlds of Judaism and Christianity with clarity, depth, and warmth. Wilson presents Christianity as rooted in the story of Israel, the covenant with
Members only Articles The Angels of Punishment in Enoch and Revelation What comes to mind when you hear the word "angel?" Most people visualize some sort of human-looking figure with wings. Yes, some angels do have wings, but wings are not their most common feature. Best we can tell, there are many types of angels, and their duties, not
