Knowing more about the cultural context of the Bible often sheds light on some of the most difficult head-scratchers. Puzzle with us in the articles below…

 

Brief Articles

An Eye for an Eye	Heaping Burning Coals?
Punished for Parent’s Sin	Laws for the Gentiles
The Lord Alone	Good News To The Poor
Salvation with Fear	Did Jesus Hide Message?
Why Carrying Wood?	Jesus, God’s Firstborn
If Your Eye…	The Gentle Eyes of Leah
Keep Us From Evil	Give to Him Who Asks
Blessed Are…	The Bride and the Lamb
The Poor in Spirit	Leviticus: God’s Way of Teaching
Blessed Are the Mourners	The Context of Paul’s Conflict
The Meek Shall Inherit…	Paul, The Gentiles and the Jews
Pursuing Righteousness	Giving God Our Best
Blessed are the Peacemakers	A Most Amazing Discovery

 

Longer Essays

Jesus’ Strange Teaching About a “Single Eye'”– Jesus’ words are much more clear when we understand the cultural idioms that he was using.

Hasidut: Righteousness that Goes Beyond the Law – What does it mean to have “righteousness that surpasses the scribes and Pharisees”?

Jesus’ Surprising Answer – When a man discussed with Jesus how he could have eternal life, why did Jesus accept what seems to be a wrong answer?

What It Means to “Fulfill the Law” – Both Jesus and Paul used the phrase “fulfill the law,” and knowing its idiomatic meaning is critical for grasping their message. It’s likely not what you think. A 3-part article. You can read it all above or in parts below:

1. What “Fulfill the Law” Meant in its Jewish Context
2. What Paul Said about Fulfilling the Law
3. Is Christ the End of the Law?