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New Book: Reading The Beatitudes Through the Jewish Mussar Tradition
A new book available on Amazon.com
New Testament Insights
176 posts
Insights and new perspectives on the New Testament
The Power to Bind and Loose Assur and Mutar in Jewish Law
In this article, we continue to look at the legal context of New Testament saying. We will explore "binding and loosing," their role in legal rule-making, and how these terms have been misinterpreted through time.
Proofs of Oral Torah: "Salvation is from the Jews.”
One of the most direct critiques of Replacement Theology came from Jesus himself. And while commentators have spent centuries softening his words, Jesus's statement, "Salvation is from the Jews," makes a strong endorsement for the Oral Torah.
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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?
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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.
Video: Reading Acts 10 as a Midrash on Zechariah 8:23
In a previous article, we explored how Peter’s vision was not intended to collapse the Biblical dietary laws. In this, we go deeper and look at how this story may actually be a creative Midrash on Zechariah's prophecy of the Messianic kingdom.
Jesus Within Rabbinic Debate: Understanding the Gospel Conflicts
Though traditionally perceived as a break from Jewish tradition, Jesus’s arguments with certain Pharisees were well within Rabbinic legal norms. This article explores the Jewish legal and practical frameworks behind Gospel debates and how misunderstandings have shaped centuries of Christian reading.
The Traveling Rock and Miriam’s Well
From the Apostolic writings and the Tosefta, to Chasidic tales and modern accounts, the tradition of the life-giving rock that accompanied Israel in the wilderness highlights the continuous presence of G_D, while connecting with Messianic themes of redemption.
A Voice from Heaven: The Bat Kol in Rabbinic and New Testament Traditions
After the collective prophecy faded, Jewish tradition still spoke of a heavenly voice, the Bat Kol, calling out to us from above. From the Talmud to the Apostolic writings, learn how this tradition still speaks to us today.
Video: Pharisees, Oral Torah, and the World of Jesus
What if the Pharisees weren’t the villains many were taught to hate? What if they served an important position in Jewish society, religious observance, and Biblical interpretative tradition that Jesus himself affirmed?
Peter's Vision: Is Acts 10 About Dietary Law?
Peter’s vision in Acts 10 is often interpreted as evidence of the nullification of the Torah’s dietary laws. Yet a closer reading reveals a different story. Further, this episode reads like a Midrash on Gentile inclusion, shaped by Biblical imagery and a distinctly Rabbinic style of storytelling.
The Jewish Version of the Rapture. First Fruits of Zion Repost
This is a repost of an excellent article by D. Thomas Lancaster, Director of Education at First Fruits of Zion, who unpacks the "Rapture" against Jewish eschatology. He challenges the late interpretations that have influenced Christian theology in the modern era.