With the end of the Fall biblical Holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkoth) last week millions of Jews and Hebrew oriented non-Jews, including many Christians, began a new cycle of Torah readings this past weekend. The reading for October 17th, this past Sabbath, was Genesis 1:1-6:8. I guess one…
Last night on the Jewish calendar marked the beginning of one of the lessor known festivals in the biblical calendar by our general secular/Christian society. Many non-Jews have heard of Passover, Pentecost (Shavuot), Rosh HaShanah, and Yom Kippur, but the larger culture knows little about Sukkoth–sometimes called the “feast of…
As many of you know I have a new translation of The Book of Genesis now available in print and Kindle editions via Amazon. I have also begun a weekly series working through the book of Genesis, bit by bit, with hosts Jono Vandor and Ross Nichols on the Truth2U.org…
If Genesis 1:1 is the best known verse in the Bible, and I think it well might be–even over John 3:16–isn’t it quite remarkable that it is mistranslated–and thus badly misinterpreted. This goes back centuries. I have a replica of the Geneva Bible, published in 1560, that was the standard…
I am very pleased and excited to announce the inauguration of a new weekly series you can listen to or download on the internet in which I discuss week-by-week the new Transparent English Bible’s “Book of Genesis,”–just released last week. You can get your copy at Amazon, US and International…
Last week I posted an article I published some years ago dealing with Paul’s idea of “Apotheosis,” or “Divinization,” i.e. “becoming Divine.” Several readers wrote me that the extensive use of Greek in that published article, made it difficult for them to follow. I apologize for not noticing that. It…
Nietzsche said the Christian decision to make the world ugly and evil has made the world ugly and evil. Of course the Christians were only mimickers and mirrors of the neo-Platonism and Gnostic perspectives that became so influential in late Antiquity. Quite a contrast to the Hebrew Bible. Demons, Satan…
Last night at sundown, marked the 1st day of the 1st month of the ancient Hebrew calendar. So, today is New Year’s Day (Thursday, March 26th). Don’t take my word for it–since we have the ancient words attributed to God through Moses: “This month (literally “new”) shall be to you…
Jews, Christians, and Muslims all affirm the doctrine of “resurrection of the dead” as a central tenet of eschatology–that is, the understanding of the “last things” or how human history is to end. One common misunderstanding, especially among Christians, is that resurrection of the dead is equivalent to the idea…
If you want to travel with me to Israel in 2020 we have just opened registrations for a specialized tour like no other. I am just back from our Mt Zion excavation which marks my 70th trip to the Holy Land since my first visit with my family in the…