Have you ever sent an email and then realized that you colossally misspelled a couple of words in your message? I have. And even worse, the grammatical structure of one of my sentences was so backward that I truly wondered…Continue Reading
Category: Articles
Sunday vs. Saturday and Messianic Jews
There is a long-standing debate over Sunday and Saturday among Christ-followers, both Jewish and non-Jewish. The institution of Sunday in historical Christianity is a well-known fact and for many Christians, their very identity is tied to Sunday and what it…Continue Reading
Is Kosher Biblical?
You are probably intrigued. Why would anyone suggest that Kosher is not biblical? Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 articulates what should be eaten and what should not be eaten by Israelites without ambiguity. However, the terminology of Kosher vs. Unkosher…Continue Reading
What Kinds of Fish Were Eaten in Ancient Jerusalem?
Over the past century and a half, archaeologists have excavated a variety of sites in Jerusalem, bringing to light many aspects of everyday life in the biblical city. The examination of ceramic vessels for cooking and serving, as well as…Continue Reading
Fifth Century Samaritan Master Adios Inscription
A new Tzur Natan neighborhood construction in central Israel was proceeded by a dig. The excavation unearthed a rare written record. It points to a Samaritan business from 1600 hundred years ago. The Greek inscription mentions a wealthy landowner ‘Master…Continue Reading
Top Useful Websites for Bible Study
From time to time I get asked to recommend some good websites for studying Biblical texts and for free research resources. So in this article, I decided to offer a collection of links with some brief annotations. If you are…Continue Reading
Last Supper: Unleavened Bread or Leavened?
Recently, I was asked an intriguing question, “Did Jesus use bread or Matzah on Passover?” I was a bit puzzled at first. Because in my mind, of course, he used Matzah (מַצָּה), the unleavened bread. So I had to clarify,…Continue Reading
The Symbolism of Doves
Few symbols have a tradition as long and as rich as the dove. A particular favorite in art and iconography, the dove often represents some aspect of the divine, and its use has been shared, adapted and reinterpreted across cultures…Continue Reading
New Digital Tool for Researching Ancient Literature and History
The Digital Corpus of Literary Papyri, a new digital tool for researching ancient literature, is now available. The open-access database, which offers information about and transcripts of Greek and Latin texts preserved on fragments of papyri, ceramic shards NAND wooden…Continue Reading
Harmonizing God and Bible Verses
When it comes to the Bible people have many ideas curious ideas of what it actually is. Why does that matter? It matters simply because what the Bible reveals and what it means to us, and whether we believe its…Continue Reading
Three Witnesses of Yeshua
Occasionally I bump into people who doubt that Yeshua (Jesus) ever existed, deeming him to be a fictional character like Hercules, Loch Ness Monster or Santa Claus. I am not surprised that people have trouble recognizing what Yeshua did, who…Continue Reading
How December 25 Became Christmas
On December 25, Christians around the world will gather to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Joyful carols, special liturgies, brightly wrapped gifts, festive foods—these all characterize the feast today, at least in the northern hemisphere. But just how did the Christmas festival…Continue Reading
The Danger of Knowing Too Little Greek
Why Greek Tools Can Be Dangerous Never before have there been such powerful tools for zooming in on the details of Greek. These are useful and I’m glad to have them. But I wince when they are misused. And they…Continue Reading
Altar of Incense in the Holy of Holies?
Not long ago I received a curious question from a man who was struggling reading through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. His question had to do with the temple and with tabernacle arrangement, which was originally described…Continue Reading
Video Lecture: Conversion of Constantine
This is a video of a live lecture by Peter Heather given at Kings College London (October 2012) – “The conversion of Constantine and the Christianisation of Europe” Peter Heather is currently Professor of European Medieval History at Kings College London.…Continue Reading
The Blunder of Proof-Texting
One day my theological thinking about the gift of salvation was challenged by an individual who believed that “God wants ALL people to ‘be saved’”. By the way, there is nothing wrong with such a belief, but it is a…Continue Reading
Context, Terminology, and Translation
In this article, I want to discuss the importance of context, terminology and precise translation of the original text (be it Greek or Hebrew). When it comes to the interpretation of biblical texts and conclusions drawn from them these building blocks…Continue Reading
Jewish Customs of Mourning
The world of the Bible is full of symbolism that modern readers at times notice and do not appreciate, but very often miss entirely. People’s customs, traditions, and folkways about most ordinary matters of life often reflect deep into their…Continue Reading