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Pinchas Shir

My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.

Four Rivers and Four Kingdoms

Four Rivers and Four Kingdoms

For anyone who follows Middle Eastern politics and history even a little, the cycles of aggression and conflict between different groups in the region never end. Frankly, that is not new. It has been this way ever since the beginning. There seems to be an unending struggle as new hungry

Come Render Praise to ADONAI

Come Render Praise to ADONAI

I want to share my recent musical reworking of Psalm 95. It's meant to be a meditative call to worship that is built solidly on the message of this ancient psalm that moves from Hebrew to English and back to Hebrew. If you are learning the Hebrew language,

Stop Running

Do you ever feel stressed or pressured, feel like running away? It's a common response to encountering stress. The world we live in is not for the faint of heart. For people of faith, for those who look to God, it's difficult to stay on course

What is Kosher? by BimBam

What is Kosher? by BimBam

This is a very simple introduction to kosher for everyone. Learn why people keep kosher, the basic rules, how to get started, or how to be thoughtful as a guest in a kosher home. A great intro to the topic for Jews and non-Jews alike. As an educator, I

What Kinds of Fish Were Eaten in Ancient Jerusalem?

What Kinds of Fish Were Eaten in Ancient Jerusalem?

Over the past century and a half, archaeologists have excavated a variety of sites in Jerusalem, bringing to light many aspects of everyday life in the biblical city. The examination of ceramic vessels for cooking and serving, as well as the uncovering of food waste, mainly comprised of discarded bones,

Synagogues and the Spread of Christian Beliefs

Synagogues and the Spread of Christian Beliefs

What do Synagogues have to do with the spread of Christian beliefs? If you are asking yourself this question, then you probably need to reread the Book of Acts. Early believers in Jesus were all members of synagogues, and wherever they went, those affiliations continued to play an essential role

One's Own Enemy

One's Own Enemy

The Book of Ovadyah, or Obadiah, is very short. Only one chapter. The prophet's entire message is about Esau, or Edom, as he is also known. And since the Torah reading with which it corresponds is all about the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau, Obadiah’s words allow

New Wind in the Early Jewish Church

New Wind in the Early Jewish Church

A while back, I had an opportunity to develop a course for the institution where I teach, entitled "The Stories of the Jewish Church." The title was intended to be somewhat provocative, designed to emphasize that the early church was indeed Jewish. In this podcast interview, Dr. Parker

Multiple Heavens in the Bible and Three Books of Enoch

Multiple Heavens in the Bible and Three Books of Enoch

The corpus of texts attributed to the biblical figure Enoch represents some of the most significant apocalyptic literature from the Second Temple period. Named after the seventh patriarch from Adam, who, according to Genesis 5:24, “walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him” (וַיִ

The Revival of the Modern Hebrew Language

The Revival of the Modern Hebrew Language

Hidden away between the dense trees of the Hebrew University’s Givat Ram campus lies the past, present, and future of the Hebrew language. Disguised by its modest exterior and dwarfed by impressive new university faculties, two small buildings are home to the supreme institution of Hebrew in Israel and

The Angels Made Them Do It: The Origins of Evil

The Angels Made Them Do It: The Origins of Evil

Many people have heard an excuse: “The devil made me do it.” The great tempter, the Adversary, is often blamed for humanity’s weakness and moral collapse. The story of evil and sin usually begins in the Garden of Eden, where the serpent persuades Chava to eat from the forbidden

Follow The Steps

Follow The Steps

Have you ever assembled one of those pieces of furniture that comes in a flat box? I have. You open a box and pull out a hundred tiny components. They come with many screws, bolts, and pegs of various sizes. All of the parts you pull out of the box

You Are God's Temple: 1 Corinthians 3:16

You Are God's Temple: 1 Corinthians 3:16

Apostle Paul was a first-century religious Jew, trained at the feet of the best rabbis of his time. Though he addresses primarily non-Jewish audiences, Shaul often writes as a rabbi, resorting to midrash and employing metaphors to illustrate his ideas. Sadly, his readers are not used to this

Du Tillet Hebrew Matthew

Du Tillet Hebrew Matthew

For a long time, some have known the gospels are Jewish stories, assembled by Jews in the first century, and it is logical that many have hoped to find their Hebrew manuscripts. The Hebrew Book of Matthew, known as Du Tillet Matthew, is a manuscript that has surfaced among Jews

Are Those Horns on Moses' Head?

Are Those Horns on Moses' Head?

One of the most magnificent statues of Moses was crafted by Michelangelo, a famed Italian artist from the 14th and 15th centuries. It was commissioned by one of the popes, and today it graces the church of St. Peter in Rome. Enjoying this beautiful work of art, one cannot help

Rethinking Jewish Spirituality and Mysticism

Rethinking Jewish Spirituality and Mysticism

This is a lecture by Rachel Elior, a Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Jewish Mystical Thought at the Hebrew University, a talk given in front of an audience of peers. Her research is insightful and often challenges the status quo academic thinking. In this segment, she raises questions of definitions

Galatians in Anatolian Context: Part Two (~3h)

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Galatians in Anatolian Context: Part Two (~3h)

In Part One of my lectures on the Letter of Galatians, I explained that reading a very personal message in light of another, not entirely related, message to a different community altogether is not the brightest idea. But what historical and cultural context should the readers of Galatians have in

Rouse Yourself

In our reading from the prophets, Isaiah speaks to Jerusalem, which typically represents all of God’s people. They have just experienced a hard time, tasted his anger, but these are words of comfort, so the message is positive. In Isaiah 51:17, he says. Hitor’ri, hitor’ri kumi

Galatians Without Romans: Part One (~2h)

Galatians Without Romans: Part One (~2h)

It's not a secret that many people who read Paul's Letter to Galatians read it after they have already read the Letter to Romans (because that is the order in which they appear in the NT). Only that is not the order in which Paul wrote

Was the Hebrew Bible Really Canonized at Jamnia?

Was the Hebrew Bible Really Canonized at Jamnia?

In the 1st century CE, Jamnia or Yavneh (יַבְנֶה) was a small town on Israel’s southern coastal plain, between Jaffa and Ashdod. It is widely believed that Jamnia hosted discussions on the establishment of the Jewish canon, and that the Hebrew Bible was canonized there. According

Is There Such a Thing as a Righteous War?

Is There Such a Thing as a Righteous War?

War is among the darkest realities of human existence. It leaves cities in ruins, families divided, and generations marked by trauma and loss. No sane person celebrates war, and few emerge from it unchanged. Yet history repeatedly reminds us of an uncomfortable truth: war is sometimes unavoidable. Nations invade. Empires

God is My Dwelling Place

God is My Dwelling Place

If you read the words of Moses' Prayer (which was probably also a song), you will see how the lyrics are thoroughly inspired by his poetic verses. God's unique name Adonai Maon is somewhat mysterious, but to me it brought a sense of realization that everything, including

The Salt of The Earth: Matthew 5:13

The Salt of The Earth: Matthew 5:13

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said to his disciples, "You are the salt of the earth..." but what exactly did he mean by that? Look beyond the English idioms. Look deeper into history. Consider how ancient Greeks and Jews perceived salt in antiquity. What did salt mean to

Rabbis who Witnessed the Power of Yeshua's Gospel

Rabbis who Witnessed the Power of Yeshua's Gospel

The video below is a lecture given at Lanier Theological Library early in 2020 on a most intriguing topic, the interaction of Rabbis in the Talmud with early followers of the Nazarene. The lecturer, Joseph Shulam, grew up in Jerusalem, where he was introduced to the New Testament in high

Second Temple Complex Walkthrough

Second Temple Complex Walkthrough

Enjoy a new musical rendition of a couple of verses from Psalm 16. It is presented alongside an archaeologically based digital reconstruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The video is a digital extrapolation of what it might have looked like in the first century CE (thanks to bible-scenes.