This academic volume that reexamines one of the most influential yet often misunderstood groups in Jewish and Christian history - The Pharisees. Long portrayed in simplistic or negative terms, especially through the lens of the New Testament, here the Pharisees are portrayed in a fuller historical, social, and religious context.
No one likes rejection… Our weekly reading from the Prophets, in 1 Samuel 15, tells a tragic tale of how King Saul lost God’s favor. It was a time of war. He defeated the Amalekites, but did not fully follow Hashem’s instructions that he was given. He was
The gospels are filled with ancient rabbinic theological teachings. The reason is simple, Jesus was a Rabbi, a first-century teacher of Torah. The more people understand this, the more they open a door to the depth of his words in their true context. Most of the people with whom he
Not many people have read the Talmud. Why? Because though it is a monumental work of Jewish literature it is comprised of 63 tractates and 523 chapters, totaling around 2 million words. It's like an encyclopedia with various contributions that span more than 1800 years. And its language
The Bible speaks about the spiritual duties of priests and Levites, about the exploits of the prophets, kings, and scribes, but it does not mention the Rabbis. To understand this new class of religious teachers, one has to trace their origins and history. What put Rabbis into the center of
In our reading from the Prophets, Hosea speaks of his deep love for Israel and his people. But the book is not at all simple. Hashem deliberately asked the prophet to marry a wayward and promiscuous woman so that Hosea would understand how God felt betrayed in his love and
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
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
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
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
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Articles
Thanks to everyone who supports the PSHIR.COM publication with a subscription! For only $7 per month, you help me develop and publish new learning resources week after week. I am excited that I finally finished the "World of Hebrew Prophets" series, which ended up being 15 hours.
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The verses in the Prophets I want to highlight today, I like to call the divine promise of Israel’s salvation. Ezekiel is known to be the exiled prophet, and Chapter 36 speaks loudly and vividly about Israel’s salvation from exile, restoration through cleansing, transforming hearts, and filling Israel
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What is this Sign of Jonah? The traditional thinking is that it's Jesus' resurrection, three days and three nights... But the passage may not be so simple as it appears on the surface. Interested in taking a closer look and discovering another way to read the text?
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Psalm 139 meditates on God's pervasive presence in this world. There is no place where we can go that we escape God's presence, and there is no such place as too far away for God. Living with God in a world that He has made is
Articles
The 9th of Av (Tisha B'Av) stands as one of the key solemn dates on the Jewish calendar, marking a day when tragedies have repeatedly befallen the Jewish people throughout history. According to the Talmud, Ta'anit 29a, the origins of this day of mourning among Jews