The Hidden Orchard

New Testament Insights Featured

The Accidental Apostle: The Story of Pseudo-Dionysius

What if one of the most influential thinkers in church history turned out to be a case of mistaken identity? We'll look at how an anonymous Neoplatonic writer slipped into the stream of Apostolic tradition and shaped the Church's understanding of heaven, hell, angels, and salvation.

Holidays and Festivals

The Good Shepherd and the Chanukkah Connection

Did Jesus celebrate Chanukkah? When we look closely at the elements in John, chapter 10, familiar themes from the prophets emerge, giving us a clue to the messianic tradition behind this winter holiday.

New Testament Insights

Traditions and Commandments: Understanding Jesus's Teaching in Mark 7

Did Jesus reject Jewish dietary laws, declaring all foods clean? In this article, we unpack the discussion in Mark 7 to challenge the popular tradition that Jesus abolished Torah-given commandments, and reflect a misreading of first-century Judaism.

New Testament Insights

The Living Heavens: Angels, Stars, and Biblical Cosmology

Materialistic science emptied the heavens of meaning, but Scripture and Jewish tradition insist the cosmos is alive, conscious, and populated by angelic beings as numerous as the stars.

New Testament Insights

Replacement Theology and the Test In Our Time

In our time, the world is being tested. The prophets speak of a time when the nations will turn against Israel, and if you read ahead, it does not end well for them. This was largely the case in Europe in the 1930's and this test has emerged once again in our time.

Wellness

Soul Refinement - Judging Others Favorably

There is one practice of character development that can radically transform your spiritual development, yet it may be one of the more challenging to correct. Fortunately, we have an ancient tradition with tools and tricks to help us judge others favorably.

Midrash

eBook Available | Rabbinic Metaphors and Symbolism

I've recently made an eBook that contains the most common metaphors, symbolism, and numbers that are found in the Rabbinic literature and Midrash.

Members only

Torah

The Children of the East: The Connection Between Eastern Religions and Abraham

Are all religions connected to an original source? In this article, we explore the surprising parallels between Jewish and Eastern traditions, the surprising path to redemption, and Abraham’s lasting legacy.

Videos

Video: Reading the Wedding at Cana as Midrash

The New Testament is often misread due to a lack of understanding of its rabbinic nature. What can we take away from this story when we view it through the lens of Jewish midrash?

Members only

New Testament Insights Featured

The Crucifixion of Isaac

Years ago, I heard a lecture by an Orthodox Rabbi who shared some deeper insights about the event known in the Torah as the "Akeidah", the "Binding" of Isaac. I found incredible parallels in this story that match the Gospel narrative of Jesus's crucifixion and teachings.

Members only

Mysticism and Spirituality

The Merit of the Righteous.
Abraham, Sodom, and the Scales of Justice

Can a few good people bring salvation to others? For some, salvation is solely the work of Messiah, but the Torah teaches us something different - an empowering lesson of quiet faith.

Mysticism and Spirituality

Beyond Simulation. Reexamining the Biblical Blueprint of Reality

In this article, we explore the nature of reality, looking at a few striking parallels between simulation theory, the Bible, and Jewish thought. Is it possible this new idea on reality is not so new after all?

New Testament Insights

Video: Reading the Woman at the Well as Midrash

In this video, we walk through, in depth, the idea posed in an earlier article that the Gospel of John's account of the Samaritan woman conforms to the Midrashic tradition, revealing a hidden meaning.

Paid-members only

Torah

Lost Civilizations: Exploring the World Before Adam

What if the story of creation in Genesis isn’t the beginning, but a continuation? In this article, we explore the Rabbinic tradition on lost generations and earlier civilizations that may have existed before Adam.

New Testament Insights

Render Unto Caesar: The Rabbinic Discourse on Idolatrous Coins

When Jesus said, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s,” he wasn’t only sidestepping a political trap, he tapped into a rabbinic debate on coins bearing idolatrous images. But beneath the surface lies a deeper theme: coins as symbols of the soul, each human being stamped with the divine image.

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Holidays and Festivals

Hoshana Rabbah and the Living Water: Jesus's Teaching During Sukkot

What did Jesus mean when he mentioned the "living water" during the festival of Sukkot? What is Hoshana Rabbah? Discover how this final day of Sukkot connects ancient Jewish rituals, the pouring of living water, and Jesus’s words in John 7.

New Testament Insights

The Woman At the Well. John's Midrash on Ezekiel and 2 Kings

In this article, we explore John 4 through the lens of Rabbinic Midrash and its links to Ezekiel 16 and 2 Kings 17. Is the Samaritan woman a creative representation of Ezekiel's prophetic narrative, and if so, how does this change the way we read the Gospels.

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Mysticism and Spirituality Featured

Nephilim, Azazel, and the Backstory of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Behind Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur lies a hidden tradition of the Nephilim, the angels who fell, the giants who corrupted the earth, and the restoration of creation that shapes the meaning of the High Holy Days.

New Testament Insights

Rosh Hashanah & the Kingdom: Uncovering the Context of the Gospel Message

When most readers of the New Testament think about biblical holidays, Passover and Shavuot usually come to mind first. In this article, we'll see how Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur may be the most important for understanding the Gospel message.

Torah

Hastening Messiah | A Conversation with Efraim Palvanov

Efraim Palvanov is an author, teacher, and speaker who blends deep Jewish tradition with his background in science. He is savvy, with degrees in biology and education, and even served in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Mysticism and Spirituality

Video: The Journey of the Soul | Week 3 - After Life

In this session, we explore what happens to the soul after life on Earth. Learn about the World of Souls, Olam HaDimyon and liminal spaces, the soul's experience during an NDE, and how loved ones are never really gone.

Holidays and Festivals

Resources for a Meaningful Rosh Hashanah

As the content on the site grows, new subscribers may not be aware of the articles of recurring value as we enter into a new holiday. So, to help with this, below is a list of some resources for Rosh Hashanah and the days of preparation.

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Mysticism and Spirituality

Entangled Souls: The Bond Between You and Your Soul Group

Have you ever wondered why you might feel more connected to some of your friends than members of your own family? I don't mean you like them better, or prefer to spend time with them, but that there exists a deeper, soul-level connection that is difficult to articulate.

Soul

Video: The Journey of the Soul | Week 2 - During Life on Earth

In the second session of "The Journey of the Soul" study, we explore soul groups, spiritual guides, life missions and the process of reincarnation (Gilgul) from within the Jewish tradition and personal accounts.

Mysticism and Spirituality

Video: The Journey of the Soul | Week 1 - Before Life on Earth

In this exploration, we're seeking to understand the journey of the soul, before, during, and after life on Earth, examining what the tradition has to say, alongside science, and personal accounts. We'll learn about soul groups, personal and collective missions, the purpose of struggle, and more.