My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
What was Judaism like in the Second Temple period? It was diverse. Very diverse. In this discussion, Pinchas Shir tells us about where that diversity came from and why we primarily talk about four divisions of Judaism from that time. As the dialogue progressed, we ended up focusing on the...
When this particular Hebrew poem is read in translation, its words sound very familiar to many Christian audiences. Why? Like Moses, Yeshua spoke very similar words, repeating the words preserved in Deuteronomy. Like Moshe, he criticized certain people who surrounded him, calling them “a perverse and crooked generation.” These words...
To readers of the Bible, Siloam (Σιλωάμ) is a familiar water source in ancient Jerusalem. It was there that Jesus healed the man born blind (John 9). In Hebrew, the pool is called Shiloach (שִׁלֹחַ) or Shiloah, meaning "sent." Yeshua (Jesus) saw himself as שָׁלִ...
Psalms are ancient Jewish poetry, composed in classical Hebrew, yet somehow, these ancient songs, even in translation, still move people all over the world. Psalm 24 anticipates the King of Glory (mekekh hakavod, מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד), who would bring salvation to Israel. The words of this...
As an educator, I experiment with different types of teaching. Most often, in my videos, I present all sorts of academic, historical, biblical, and religious information in classroom lecture format. Periodically, I also lead spiritual discussions, which are educational, but they are meant to be a learning of a different...
When Jews celebrate Passover today, the festive tables feature a special plate with traditional foods tased during the celebration. There are bitter herbs of several kinds to remember the bitterness of slavery in Egypt (Num 9:11). There is also a lamb bone to remember the sacrifice that was offered...
No doubt you have heard about the famed water source of ancient Jerusalem called Siloam. When someone hears Siloam, they immediately go to John’s gospel (Ch 9), and the story of Jesus healing a man born blind. Yes, that amazing miracle happened at this unique pool in Jerusalem. In...
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,...
A remarkable Jewish book came out of Egypt in the second century BCE. It's an impressive collection of Proverbs-like teachings of a Jew named Yeshua, son of Eleazar, son of Sira. The book's prologue tells us that a grandson found his grandfather's teachings and...