How to interpret the Sermon on the Mount has been one of the most debated questions in all of church history. The content and tone shift so dramatically – from the comforting assurance that “your Father in heaven gives good things to those who ask him,” to the simple faith of the Lord’s prayer, to...
Tag: second temple judaism
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...