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king of the jews

king of the jews Latest

Late-15th-century painting of The Last Supper by the Spanish artist known as the Master of Perea.

Mar 31 Blog

Was Jesus’ Last Supper a Seder?

By: Jonathan Klawans

Many assume that Jesus' Last Supper was a Seder, the ritual Passover meal. Examine evidence from the synoptic Gospels with scholar Jonathan Klawans.

Mar 12 Blog

The Three Magi

By: BAS Staff

Bearing gifts for the infant Jesus, the three wise men from the east traversed afar to reach Bethlehem. What do we really know about the magi, who are so central to the traditional telling of the Christmas story?

Roman Catacomb Painting at the Catacombs of Santa Priscilla. Image courtesy James Tabor.

Feb 15 Blog

The Last Days of Jesus: A Final “Messianic” Meal

By: James Tabor

On Wednesday Jesus began to make plans for Passover. He sent two of his disciples into the city to prepare a large second-­story guest room where he could gather secretly and safely with his inner group.

Herod the Great Coin

Feb 9 Blog

30 People in the New Testament Confirmed

By: Lawrence Mykytiuk

Archaeology has confirmed 53 people from the Hebrew Bible. What about the New Testament? In BAR, Lawrence Mykytiuk examines the political figures in the New Testament who can be identified in the archaeological record and by extra-Biblical writings.

herod-jerusalem-palace

Jul 11 Blog

Tour Showcases Remains of Herod’s Jerusalem Palace—Possible Site of the Trial of Jesus

By: Robin Ngo

Visitors to Jerusalem’s Old City can explore remains of King Herod’s palace, which may be where Roman governor Pontius Pilate tried and condemned Jesus of Nazareth to death.

Dec 21 Blog

That Other “King of the Jews”

By: James Tabor

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,” and his ambiguous answer was “You say so.”

Nov 17 Blog

Witnessing the Divine

By: Robin M. Jensen

The legend of the magi has fired the imagination of Christians since the earliest times. In art, the adoration of the magi appeared earlier and far more frequently than any other scene of Jesus’ birth and infancy, including images of the babe in a manger.

Mar 8 Blog

The Making of a Messiah

By: James Tabor

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 subject is quite fascinating and I think we can see some light on this issue if we take all our evidence into account, both ancient and modern.

Feb 13 Blog

Herod the Great—The King’s Final Journey

By: Suzanne F. Singer

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.

Jun 13 Blog

The Coins of Herod: A Modern Analysis and Die Classification

By: Reviewed by David Hendin

It turns out that Herod the Great was great at a lot of things—but making coins was not one of them. “Herod’s numismatic legacy is disappointing to say the least,” according to a new book on the coins of Herod by Donald T. Ariel and Jean Philippe Fontanille. “Considering Herod’s larger-than-life persona, most of his coinage is particularly unimpressive.” Herod was named king of the Jews in 40 B.C.E. by a declaration of the Roman Senate. At the time, however, Herod was without a kingdom, since Mattatayah Antigonus, the last Hasmonean ruler, was king on the ground in Judea and remained so until 37 B.C.E., when Herod captured Antigonus and his Parthian sponsors.

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