Here is a short interview in which I lay out an interpretation of the famed “Christ Hymn” in Paul’s letter to the Philippians that so many interpreters–from mythicists to evangelical Christian believers consider to support the idea of Jesus as a pre-existent divine Being. I posted this yesterday and it…
For a bit of a change of pace, checkout this cartoon video a friend created. I only recognize myself in my dreams, but I really did rappel down Masada to get into the southern caves! See my post on the Masada Bones of Cave 2001 to find out what I…
Don’t miss this one! I recently did an update interview on some of the latest research on the James ossuary that has not been picked up by either the media or academics in the field of 2nd Temple Judaism/Jesus Movement historical studies…Much more to come, especially further, more sophisticated DNA…
Few Bible students realize that some of the key texts in the Hebrew Bible about the “wilderness” or “desert” are specific references to what is called in Hebrew, the “Arava,” the rift valley that runs down to the Dead Sea–the lowest spot on earth–all the way into Africa. For example,…
A short note to readers: The month of October I took a break from posting on the blog due to personal family reasons–we have had two deaths in the family in recent months, as well as being out of the country the last of the month. I just returned from…
I wish all of you a Happy Yom Teru’ah, the Hebrew term for what is commonly called Rosh Hashanah–(lit. “head of the year”)–or the “Jewish New Year.” In fact, according to some Jewish traditions it is not so much the Jewish New Year, as the remembrance of the “birth…
Over the decades I have heard dozens of interviews with John Crossan, listened to his lectures, read his books, and spent time together in Jerusalem in 2007 with him and his wife Sarah, in endless conversation, visiting some of the “off the beaten tourist paths” places with Shimon Gibson. He…
In this informal presentation I relate our very human attachment to “old things,” to which we attach emotion and meaning–including some of my own personal experiences–and how that is connected broadly to “archaeology”–that is, the scientific exploration of the human material past. Our imagination connects us to the past–places, artifacts,…
In Part Two I relate the story of the ossuary or “bone box” from 1st century Jerusalem inscribe: “James son of Joseph Brother of Jesus” and its possible relationship to either the Shroud tomb or the Talpiot “Jesus Family” tomb. If you missed Part One see the previous post on…
Most of the important archaeological discoveries of of time have been almost wholly accidental. Those who look, never find, and those who are not looking, hit upon something amazing! The following is one of the greatest examples of that in my own 30 years of doing archaeology in the Holy…
