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.
New Testament Insights
180 posts
Insights and new perspectives on the New Testament
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Antisemitism in the New Testament?
Is the New Testament antisemitic? Scholars like Amy Jill-Levine would argue, though it wasn't intended, the texts have been read to that conclusion.
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Is the Messiah Divine? Unpacking the Controversy in Light of Jewish Thought
In this series, we will explore one of the most controversial ideas—one that has sparked massive conflict between Judaism and Christianity over the past 1,900 years. We will look at the idea of the 'Divinity of Messiah' in Jewish thought.
Misreading the Gospels: Understanding Jesus Within Rabbinic Judaism
For nearly two thousand years, the world has viewed Jewish tradition, and especially the rabbis of the Apostolic era, through a distorted lens. This distortion is derived from various disputes in the New Testament, but the picture is not complete. There is a deeper context that has been overlooked.
Ibur: The Entanglement of the Soul in 1 John
What does it mean that G_D is in us, and we are in G_D? Learn how the deep mystical concept of Ibur holds a prominent place in the Apostolic writings, unlocking insight and dispelling errant theologies.
Video: Misreading the Rabbis. Recovering the Context of the New Testament | Part 2
In part 2 of this video series, we look at the parallels between the teachings in the New Testament and the emerging Rabbinic Judaism after the destruction of the Second Temple. Learn the deeper message behind key teachings of Jesus, and the point of the healing on Shabbat conflicts.
Video: Misreading the Rabbis. Recovering the Context of the New Testament | Part 1
In this video series, we explore the contentious context of first-century Israel. Learn how post-exilic conditions, the influence of various cultures, and gaps in the Biblical texts all contributed to a period of strife in the time of the New Testament.