“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…
Jesus/Historical Jesus
Is it possible to identify the first-century man named Jesus behind the many stories and traditions about him that developed over 2,000 years in the Gospels and church teachings? There are many critical archaeological and Biblical issues that surround the search for the historical Jesus.
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The Parables of Jesus
• 03/27/2013
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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 The prestigious Harvard Theological Review (HTR) has withdrawn her article from its publication schedule—at least temporarily.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…
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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…
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Uncovering the Jewish Context of the New Testament
• 03/26/2012
Most Jewish readers approach the New Testament, if they approach it at all, with at best a certain unfamiliarity. This is unfortunate, according to Jewish New Testament scholar Amy-Jill Levine, Read more…
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Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?
• 12/16/2011
Were the gifts of the magi meant to save Jesus from the pain of arthritis? It’s possible, according to researchers at Cardiff University in Wales who have been studying the Read more…
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Mexico City Builds World’s Largest Nativity Scene
• 12/14/2011
Officials in Mexico City this week unveiled the world’s largest nativity scene, a sprawling 215,000-square-foot display that recreates dozens of Biblical passages related to the story of Jesus’ birth. The Read more…
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Israel Inaugurates “Gospel Trail”
• 12/01/2011
Israel’s Ministry of Tourism this week inaugurated the new “Gospel Trail,” a 40-mile-long route that will allow Christian tourists and pilgrims to follow Jesus’ trek from his hometown of Nazareth Read more…
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Bible Scholar Brent Landau Asks “Who Were the Magi”?
• 11/29/2011
A lost Syriac manuscript, the Revelation of the Magi, recently translated into English by Bible scholar Brent Landau, may help answer that key question from the Christmas story: “Who were Read more…
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The Bethesda Pool, Site of One of Jesus’ Miracles
• 09/30/2011
The Bethesda Pool, where Jesus heals the paralytic man in the Gospel of John, is a complex site. It appears to have been a mikveh, or ritual bath. As the Read more…
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Did Jesus Exist? An Essential Guide to the Evidence Jesus Existed
• 09/01/2011
In The Historical Jesus: An Essential Guide, New Testament and Dead Sea Scroll scholar James H. Charlesworth summarizes the historical evidence of Jesus and answers that all-important question: Did Jesus Read more…
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Was Jesus a Jew?
• 07/15/2011
Was Jesus a Jew? Some people claim that Jesus was a Christian. Some have claimed that he was an Aryan Christian. But in recent decades scholars have been returning to Read more…
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Israel Opens Site Associated with Jesus’ Baptism
• 07/15/2011
In Israel, one of the two sites traditionally associated with the baptism of Jesus has been opened for daily visits by the public—something that hasn’t occurred here since 1967. The Read more…
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What Did Jesus Really Look Like?
• 07/13/2011
Do we know the answer to the question: What did Jesus look like? In “Painting a Portrait of Jesus,” D. Moody Smith points out the difficulties in answering the question: Read more…
