Biblical Topics
Jun 14
The Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament
By: Megan Sauter
What do the Dead Sea Scrolls say about Jesus? What do they say about the world in which Jesus lived? In BAR, James C. VanderKam examines the overlap between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament.
Jun 13
The Nuzi Tablets
By: Philippe Bohström
Northern Iraq is a landscape steeped in both historical and economic significance. During the early 20th century, international oil consortiums dispatched businessmen, geologists, and engineers […]
Jun 12
When Was Jesus Born—B.C. or A.D.?
By: Megan Sauter
In which year was Jesus born? While this is sometimes debated, the majority of New Testament scholars place Jesus’ birth in 4 B.C. or before.
Jun 12
High Places, Altars and the Bamah
By: Ellen White
The open-air altar shrine, called a bamah (plural bamot), is known through several books of the Biblical canon. Often referred to as “high places” in translations of the Bible, bamot were worship sites that usually contained an altar.
Jun 9
Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh
By: John Drummond
One of the apostle Paul’s most-discussed passages occurs in 2 Corinthians 12. In the span of ten verses, Paul alludes to not one but two […]
Jun 8
The Doorways of Solomon’s Temple
By: Megan Sauter
In the Bible, the inner shrine of Solomon’s Temple is described as having five mezuzot. What are they? The question has puzzled Biblical scholars for centuries. Does a recently discovered shrine model from Khirbet Qeiyafa hold the answer?
Jun 7
Who Is Satan?
By: John Drummond
Does our modern conception of Satan have any resemblance to the devil in the Bible? Just who is Satan?
Jun 4
Prophetesses in the Bible
Although often overshadowed by their male counterparts, prophetesses in the Bible play an important role. Yet, their role does not always match our common understandings […]
May 29
Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First Recognized Jesus as Messiah?
By: Ben Witherington III
Who was the first person to truly recognize Jesus as the messiah and understand the implications? Biblical scholar Ben Witherington III takes a close look at the account given in Luke, and sheds some light on what the Biblical narrative has to say about who was the first to recognize Jesus as the messiah.
May 17
The Nephilim and the Sons of God
By: John Drummond
Sandwiched between the genealogies of Adam’s descendants and the tale of Noah’s flood are a few enigmatic verses that leave many of us scratching our […]
