Paul's Eagerness to Celebrate Shavuot
Did you know that Paul was adamant about keeping the festival of Shavuot at the Temple in Jerusalem? If not, it is likely because many English translations have obscured this account.
New Testament Insights
The Criminals On the Cross Through the Lens of Midrash
Few images in Christian tradition are as recognizable as the three crosses of Golgotha. But the picture Luke paints weaves in references to the third heaven, garments divided by lots, the words of Isaiah 53, and Joseph's cellmates in the prison of Pharaoh.
Torah
Athens to Jerusalem: Four Shifts for Learning the Bible
Truly understanding the Bible means closing knowledge gaps most readers don't know exist. Going deeper isn't about acquiring more information; it's more like a complete change of operating system. Four shifts in thinking will help one begin the journey from Athens to Jerusalem.
Torah
She’ol, Hades & Gehenna: Mapping the Biblical Underworld
What is She'ol? Korach's descent into the earth opens a study of the Jewish concept of the underworld, its gates, chambers, and appearances of this tradition in the New Testament.
Gospels
The Cursing of the Fig Tree as Midrash: Has Israel Been Replaced?
Learn how the Cursing of the Fig Tree, though taught as a pillar of Replacement Theology, might actually be a Midrash on two well-known prophetic passages.
Mysticism and Spirituality
Aliens, Idols, Demons, and Angels
What does the Jewish tradition say about phenomena like Aliens, or extra-terrestrial beings? And, is there any overlap with the broader categories of Angels and demons?
New Testament Insights
New Book: Reading The Beatitudes Through the Jewish Mussar Tradition
A new book available on Amazon.com
New Testament Insights
The Shaliach: Agency and Representation in Jewish Tradition
Can someone speak, act, forgive, heal, or even claim unity with G_D without collapsing the boundary between the human and Divine? Is there a precedent in the Torah that helps us understand this idea?
New Testament Insights
Was Thomas a Doubter? The Pharisees' Tradition and the Resurrection.
Thomas's refusal to believe in the resurrection without seeing Jesus's wounds is typically read as a failure of faith. But against the backdrop of rabbinic tradition, the Gospel of John affirms details of the Pharisaic tradition of the Resurrection of the Dead.
Book Available on Amazon - Into the Orchard.
"Into the Orchard" is a book that is designed to fast-track the learnings and correct the misunderstandings one may encounter when trying to understand the Jewish context of the New Testament.
Messiah
Much of the New Testament relies on a reader's pre-knowledge of the Jewish Oral Torah, often referred to as the "Mesorah". From this, we derive ubiquitous concepts like, Messiah, the World to Come, Sin, heaven and Hell.
Casting Their Nets
Using various Rabbinic metaphors we've uncovered, we're going to see how these help us reconstruct a familiar passage in the chapter of John.
A Lamp Under a Basket
Understanding Biblical metaphors and multi-faceted imagery is vital to unlocking the hidden dimensions of interpretation. In this article, we will unpack a few layers to reveal a deeper message in a familiar passage from what is called, "the Sermon on the Mount".
Confronting Our Shadow
We should recognize, there is a difference between rectifying your imbalanced character traits and rectifying the cause of the imbalance. For this, we need to confront our shadow.
New Wine in Old Wineskins
At first glance, the popular interpretation of these passages has become so entrenched, the heading of this section is called, “The Superiority of the New”. The translators are preemptively telling us that what is “new” is better.
The Cursing of the Fig Tree
There is a bizarre story that seems to be out of place in the hagiographical flow of the Gospels. It is the story in which Jesus takes his vengeance out upon a random fig tree on the side of the road. This story concludes with many rightfully scratching their heads,
King Without a Crown
The Creator is always sending us hints if we are open to hearing them. Listening to music last week, "King Without a Crown", by Matisyahu, cycled through my playlist. I realized the answers are hidden in these lyrics.
Rolling Away the Stone
After the crucifixion narrative, the Gospel writers record that the large stone used to cover the tomb of Jesus was rolled away, opening the tomb. There is an idea in the Zohar that might give us insight into new meaning
How We Get Faith Wrong
When we try to define "faith" we find it is somewhat prone to misapprehension. You know we're off to a bad start when a popular English dictionary gives you eight different meanings¹. How can such a critical concept be so obscured?
Burial Shrouds and Customs in the Gospel Accounts
On Easter Sunday, it is customary to see the crosses out front of your local Churches draped in a white, or linen sash. Have you ever wondered where this idea originated? Believe it or not, it is derived from within the Jewish oral tradition of the first century.
From Water to Wine
Among the most well-known stories in the Gospels, Jesus turning 'water to wine' is arguably one of the most commonly known. While some see a story that highlights mastery over the physical elements, the Rabbinic metaphors indicate that there is more to this story than meets the eye.
The Last Seder
Many in the church see the "Last Supper" as the Biblical grounds for what is called "Communion. In light of this, I explained how "The Last Supper" features many elements of an early Passover Seder. As it turned out, this was completely new to him, and we never got to discuss the original topic.
Parable of the Talents
In the Zohar, there is a discussion based upon the Torah commandment to 'pay a laborer his wages the same day he works for them'¹. In the Peshat/plain meaning, this is great model of mercy, ensuring a person has what they need to survive and feed their family.
Decoding Golgotha
Is the Gospel of John a straightforward account of events that happened, or has the author concealed a deeper message for readers? In this article, we’ll explore the fascinating and peculiar language of Jewish mysticism and the connections to the crucifixion scene.
The Soul Video Series
In this series of discussions, I join Rey Luque to talk about the dimensions of the soul; the various levels; the worlds of creation; and how many of these ideas are fundamental to understanding the New Testament.
Who Killed Jesus?
There is a perennial tension in the Jewish community that emerges around the time of Easter. In past centuries, the yearly retelling of the "Passion" would spark fiery pogroms and blood libels throughout Europe, as Christians sought to avenge the death of Jesus,
Chaya - Soul Series pt. 4
Chaya means "life", and is often associated with a more holistic span of life energy than the previous levels of the soul. The first appearance of this word is seen upon the creation of humankind.
Battling Doubt - At War with Amalek
As a descendant of Esau, Amalek had a natural predisposition against the nation of Israel. In the Midrash¹, we are told that [Amalek] was one of the counselors of Pharoah who advocated for the persecution and destruction of the Jewish people.
Understanding the Sefirot
You may have come across the idea, or perhaps an image of the Sefirot. In a sense, they can be described as a sort of 'theory of everything' for the Jewish Sage-Mystics. Understanding them can be incredibly useful, though it may require a commitment of time.
Parts of a Whole - Parasha Tetzaveh
In this excellent podcast episode, Abigail True explains the juxtaposition of the holidays on the Jewish calendar, and how each one corresponds to the one across the calendar from it.
The Dough Offered as Firstfruits
Obscured amid the detailed instructions for the building of the Tabernacle, there is a fundamental key to the service of G_D. Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved. - Exodus 25:2
Pharisees
As a child growing up in the church, admittedly, I had acquired a negative view of the Pharisees. The dark villains of many Sunday school stories and their combative portrayal in the Gospel readings, it seemed the word ‘Pharisee’ was an acceptable form of a curse word. However, I recall