Introductions, annotations, and a selection of handpicked digitized books for online reading. These titles were chosen to enhance the study of the ancient historical and cultural context of the Bible.
This extrabiblical Jewish book was written in Hebrew around 2 Century BCE. The book is full of proverbial wisdom teachings, peppered with pre-rabbinic spiritual and moral ideas often resounded in the gospels and in apostolic era letters. Imagine hearing perspectives on death, happiness, honor, shame, sin, money, proper speech, social...
Shaye J. D. Cohen 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 rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. This book (link here) is one of my favorites. If you...
In his book Ancient Judaism and Christian Origins, Professor George Nickelsburg examines the historical, religious, and social contexts of Second Temple Judaism (roughly 516 BCE to 70 CE) and how they influenced early Christianity. Nickelsburg explores topics like Jewish beliefs, messianic expectations, scriptural interpretations, and apocalyptic literature, showing how these...
The Third Book of Enoch (Hebrew Enoch), or "The Book of Palaces," is an ancient Jewish mystical composition. How ancient? Around the sixth century CE. The Third Book of Enoch is quite different from 1 Enoch and 2 Enoch. It does not sound like Second Temple Era Jewish...
One of the world's foremost experts on the Dead Sea Scrolls provides an authoritative English translation of the two hundred longest and most important nonbiblical Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran. This book is also supplied with introductory information about the history, discovery, and publication of each manuscript....
Midrash Rabbah is a homeletic, ethical, and moral commentary on the Torah expounded by the Rabbis during Talmudic times. The Midrash represents the essence of Judaism, its ethical standards, and its insight into the human heart in a unique literary form. For centuries the Midrash Rabbah commentaries nourished the Jewish...
What would you say if I introduced you to an insightful, short book with lots of takeaways from a trustworthy source? The book will gently lead you through a 40-day journey looking at Hebrew words and concepts to enrich your faith and worship. This could be an exhilarating 40-day journey...
In this book, Shaye J.D. Cohen explores the formation and transformation of Jewish identity between Hellenistic times and the Roman era. Cohen, a renowned scholar in Jewish history, addresses complex issues related to ethnicity, religion, and cultural identity. He investigates how Jewish identity was defined and perceived both internally...
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.