My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
Articles
Not long ago, an acquaintance of mine, a seasoned gentleman, asked me, "What is sin?" It was an honest question, not a trick one, and without any sarcasm or ulterior motive. He was completely sincere and open-minded to hear my answer. It stunned me for a moment because
Articles
If you don't know what shofar is, it's an obscure item, a ritual instrument, and its name comes from ancient Hebrew. It is a special trumpet used in Jewish holiday observance, connected to the Jewish new year and Day of Atonement (Lev 23:24). Shofar (שׁ
>Seminars
If Jesus was indeed a first-century Rabbi, then does that mean he embraced the beliefs, teachings, and conventions other rabbis of his day employed? Consider what it meant to be a teacher of Torah in the first century and explore the language and teaching techniques of ancient rabbis. Learn about
>Books
Dr. Brad Young invites readers to explore how rabbinic thought shaped the world of Jesus and the New Testament—and why that same tradition holds relevance for today’s readers of scripture. Rabbinic teachings provide profound insight into how to live meaningfully and ethically in harmony with God and with
Video
Dr. Brad Young is head of the Gospel Research Center and author of several books on Jesus' parables and ministry in their Jewish context. In this lecture, Dr. Young discusses why rabbinic literature is, unfortunately, so often dismissed as a valuable source for understanding Jesus’ teachings. A common response
Video
I find the words of Psalm 27 comforting, and they always lift my spirit. God is my stronghold in so many ways. I pray that these words and music will lift your spirit as they do mine, and the deep awareness that God is our stronghold will never leave us.
Articles
What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? In the area of biblical and historical studies, the Dead Sea Scrolls are considered one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. That is not an exaggeration. The documents were awaiting the day of their discovery in 11 caves near the Dead Sea
Articles
A while back, I was asked to teach a course surveying the prophetic books of the Bible to a college class. As I compiled my notes together, I wanted to present my students not merely the information about the ancient texts themselves, but to describe the world in which the
Video
Ancient Scrolls found in Israel, in the caves of the Qumran region near the Dead Sea in the 1940s, were the find of the 20th century. An impressive collection of ancient Jewish writings contained what is now the oldest known copies of Biblical texts. In this 1st session, I explain
>Audio
Some commandments in Torah are more elaborate and detailed, and others are somewhat straightforward and simple. Yet all of them teach how to apply wisdom in life in all situations. This week, I pondered over a commandment concerning the bird’s nest. Torah says if one comes upon a nest
Video
The Gabriel Revelation is an inscription on a stone found in Jordan dating back to around the beginning of the Common Era, roughly to the time of the birth of Jesus. It is the subject of a book by Israel Knohl, Messiahs and Resurrection in the Gabriel Revelation, published in
>Books
Prof. Israel Knohl shares curious evidence for a messianic precursor to Jesus who is described as the "Suffering Servant" in recently published fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Many scholars have long argued that the concept of a slain savior Messiah who rises from the dead, was alien