The central question of Israel’s faith in the first century boiled down to this: What must we do to provoke God to complete his project of salvation? It had been centuries since the temple – destroyed during the Babylonian invasion – had been restored, and yet the glory of God had not returned. Some attempts...
Tag: sadducees
Understanding the Bible 18: Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots…Oh My!
The Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and Zealots are central characters in the New Testament, and there is no understanding Jesus without understanding the larger conversation into which he entered. In this episode we examine each of these four major sects of first century, Palestinian Judaism and their answers to the central question of the day: What...
Gospels, Part 3: Miracles – Salvation Enacted
Much of Jesus’ ministry – and the Gospel descriptions thereof – revolve around his “miracles” (the Gk. word is best translated “works of power”). But what was their purpose? Did they simply serve to impress his audience, to demonstrate his might or authority? Or are they part and parcel of the declaration that “the kingdom...