For more than two thousand years, Jezebel has been saddled with a reputation as the bad girl of the Bible, the wickedest of women. This ancient queen has been denounced Read more…
People & Cultures in the Bible
Groups of people and cultures in the Bible such as the Israelites, the Egyptians, the Samaritans, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, as well as Biblical figures such as Adam, Eve, Moses, Rachel, Sarah, Mary the mother of Jesus, Joseph the father of Jesus, John the Baptist, and the disciples of Jesus.
-
How Bad Was Jezebel?
• 05/06/2013
-
Anna in the Bible
• 04/19/2013
Anna is one of the Bible’s most unusual women. Introduced at the end of the Birth Narrative (Luke 1:1-2:40), Anna concludes the sextet of named, pious Israelites surrounding the miraculous Read more…
-
Herod the Great: Friend of the Romans and Parthians?
• 03/29/2013
Duquesne University’s Jason M. Schlude explores how King Herod manipulated his position between two regional powers. Read more…
-
The Parables of Jesus
• 03/27/2013
“Recovering the Original Meaning of Matthew’s Parables” by Helmut Koester as it was originally published in Bible Review magazine. Koester suggests that the parables of Jesus did not communicate a Read more…
-
The Making of a Messiah
• 03/08/2013
In this post I want to to consider what I call the “textual dynamics of messianic self-identity.” I realize that is a mouthful but bear with me here, as this Read more…
-
Herod the Great—The King’s Final Journey
• 02/13/2013
Herod the Great—The King’s Final Journey reveals the Herodian world and the end of the illustrious king’s life, as brought to light by the late archaeologist Ehud Netzer. Our slideshow Read more…
-
Widows in the Bible
• 01/23/2013
In a Biblical Views column, Robin Gallaher Branch presents several examples of how, in the Bible, widows can serve as special textual markers to alert readers that something significant is Read more…
-
First Person: Art as Bible Interpretation
• 01/18/2013
To convey the meaning of Scripture, we commonly resort to words. That is how we explicate the text—with words. That’s also the case with those nonbiblical books denominated apocrypha, as Read more…
-
If I Ascend to Heaven … Paul’s Journey to Paradise
• 01/03/2013
The various types of the heavenly journeys we have reports about can be divided into four basic categories, based upon the fundamental purpose or outcome of the ascent as reported Read more…
-
A Samson Mosaic from Huqoq
• 12/28/2012
Jodi Magness’s excavations at Huqoq have exposed an elaborate Samson mosaic as well as new insights into the development of ancient synagogues. Read more…
-
The Edomite Stronghold of Sela
• 12/13/2012
In one of the Old Testament’s colder and more brutal episodes, King Amaziah of Judah (c. 801–783 B.C.E.), after having slain nearly 10,000 Edomites in battle near the southern end Read more…
-
Merneptah Owned Egypt’s Largest Sarcophagus
• 12/10/2012
Pharaoh Merneptah, who infamously boasted in a victory stela of having laid waste to the Israelites in the waning years of the 13th century B.C.E., was buried in the largest Read more…
-
How December 25 Became Christmas
• 12/07/2012
Theological scholar Andrew McGowan examines how December 25 came to be associated with the birthday of Jesus and became Christmas, a holiday celebrated by Christians around the world. Read more…
-
The Quest for the Historical Paul
• 11/13/2012
What can we reliably know about Paul and how can we know it? As is the case with Jesus this is not an easy question. Historians have been involved Read more…
-
That Other “King of the Jews”
• 10/24/2012
According to the gospel of Mark, when Jesus is on trial before the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate he was asked if he claimed to be the “King of the Jews,” Read more…
-
Was Jesus’ Last Supper a Seder?
• 10/18/2012
Many people assume that Jesus’ Last Supper was a Seder, a ritual meal held in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover. And indeed, according to the Gospel of Mark Read more…
-
Is the Harvard Theological Review a Coward or Did Dr. Karen King Do Something Wrong?
• 10/16/2012
Poor Karen King. The prestigious Harvard Theological Review (HTR) has withdrawn her article from its publication schedule—at least temporarily. It was supposed to go into the January 2013 issue. Not Read more…
-
Barnabas: An Encouraging Early Church Leader
• 10/05/2012
Who is Barnabas in the Bible? In this two-part studt, Robin Branch describes the traits that define Barnabas as an early church leader. Read more…
-
Barnabas: An Encouraging Early Church Leader
• 10/04/2012
This is the first of two posts written by Dr. Robin Branch on Barnabas, an early church leader. The blogs are condensed from a longer article by Dr. Branch entitled, Read more…
-
Titus Flavius Josephus and the Prophet Jeremiah
• 09/28/2012
In the September/October 2012 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Avisahi Margalit contrasts the Josephus’s tarnished reputation with that of the prophet Jeremiah. Read more…
-
A “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife” on a Coptic Papyrus
• 09/19/2012
On Tuesday, September 18th, 2012, early Christianity scholar Karen L. King of the Harvard Divinity School announced the discovery of a Coptic papyrus fragment that includes the text “Jesus Read more…
-
Did I Find King David’s Palace?
• 09/07/2012
Excavator Eilat Mazar describes finding what she believes to be King David’s Palace in Jerusalem. Originally published in the January/February 2006 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review Read more…
-
Lilith
• 09/04/2012
In most manifestations of her myth, Lilith represents chaos, seduction and ungodliness. Yet, in her every guise, Lilith has cast a spell on humankind. Read more…
-
Herod Antipas in the Bible and Beyond
• 08/29/2012
Herod Antipas ruled Galilee in Jesus’ time. He succeeded his father, Herod the Great, and served as tetrarch from 4 B.C. until 39 A.D., almost exactly the lifetime of Jesus. Read more…
-
Paul: Jewish Law and Early Christianity: A Free BAS eBook
• 08/15/2012
In a new free eBook, Biblical scholars examine the controversial role of Jewish law and tradition in early Christianity through an examination of the Apostle Paul’s Judaism and faith in Read more…
