My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
Many Jewish scrolls scribed between 300 BCE and 200 CE can be classified as “apocalyptical” because of their frequent focus on the heavenly scenes, secrets, revelations, and visions of the future. Apocalypse is a Greek word that means “to reveal” or “uncover something hidden.” So, these books contain a good...
Over the years of teaching, I have often referred my students to the books of Enoch. But most of the time, I did so with some reservations. I knew that the broadly distributed copies they would likely come across would be littered with archaic and hard-to-digest language. Finally, between 2023...
In Vayikra, in Leviticus 21, verses 10-11 speak to a priest, who is the greatest among his brothers because he was anointed, should not tear his garments or bare his head. He should not defile himself even if his parents died because he was anointed to serve in the holy...
Recently, I created several videos where I offer some audio readings of segments from Jewish compositions that people might have never read, that I have translated. If you are not familiar, The Apocalypse of Abraham (התגלות אברהם, hitgalut Avraham) is an ancient Jewish apocalyptic text that scholars estimate was composed...
Are the Essenes the same people as the Jewish Qumran Sect? Who are the Zealots, and why does Josephus dislike them so much? Pinchas Shir helps us better understand the diverse beliefs among the Jews during the Second Temple Period by pointing out the similarities and differences. Stay tuned till...
The Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem carries a unique name, alluding to the "one who was sent." I have recently shared a couple of articles about the connection between this unique place and Jesus' miracles. I realize that such articles often fuel further curiosity and research about...
We start with the Hasidim and discuss how the Pharisees emerged from this group. While the Sadducees were Temple-focused, the Pharisees were focused on purity in everyday life. They were an of-the-people-for-the-people kind of group scattered throughout Israel and the diaspora. Pinchas Shir helps us understand how the Pharisees used...
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...