My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
Joseph Shulam, grew up in Jerusalem, where he was introduced to the New Testament in high school. He became a believer and moved to the United States for college. After his return to Jerusalem, Shulam studied Biblical Archaeology and Bible at Hebrew University. He attended 3 years of rabbinical college...
Both Jewish and Christian rituals today utilize wine. And the Bible is full of stories that mention wine's prominence. Perhaps the first one is about Noah planting a vineyard after the flood (Gen 9:20). Anthropologists will tell you that nomads do not plant vineyards. This was a...
In a touching Torah story, Judah offered himself instead of Benjamin to the Egyptian ruler. Judah has come to terms with an intense attachment Jacob had to Rachel's sons. He was not angry with Jacob for favoring Benjamin anymore, not like he was jealous of Joseph earlier. Moments...
A tree grows in Israel, in Kibbutz Qetura – a Methuselah date palm tree. It is a very unusual tree, a living palm from the days of Jesus which was named Methuselah because of its origins.
This book is not intended for someone who is new to the Bible or has never seriously studied it. It is meant for those who took plenty of time but still feel like something is missing.
These seminar videos touch on the foundations of "Distinction Theology" - a teaching that maintains the continuity of the relevance of Israel and Jews and recognizes the nations that embrace Israel's God in solidarity with Israel but distinct from Israel. The video sessions touch on the...
In Bereshit, in Gen 34, Jacob and his family settled near Shechem. Dinah was socializing with the local girls when Shechem the Hivite, a town’s nobleman, took advantage of her and violated her. Torah says he was drawn to her and so desperately wanted to marry her. So he...
The first time I heard about heaven’s pearly gates, I wondered how people knew what those gates looked like. The reason why many people believe that heaven’s gates are made from pearls is a reference in the book of Revelation. “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each...
Jodi Magness is a Distinguished Professor of Early Judaism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This book is cleverly subtitled "Jewish daily life in the time of Jesus" to afford it a broader Christian...