In the first days of 2020, the website of the influential evangelical magazine Christianity Today ran a bold critique of antisemitism entitled, “Killing Jesus’ Brothers and Sisters.” The op-ed was a clear and forthright—and welcome—condemnation of historical antisemitism as it has been conveyed through centuries of Christian doctrine and rhetoric. The op-ed’s positive impact, however,…

Prologue Scene: A cat is playing a violin. A cow is flying in the sky, near the moon. A dog, looking on, is laughing. A plate with legs is running. What do these disparate unexpected occurrences have in common? Why would they form a “group”? If you cannot answer these questions, perhaps you need to…

The first Gospel begins with the words, “An account of the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt 1:1).1 It is not difficult to see how the theme “son of David” pervades Matthew’s magnum opus. The term appears ten times, and Yeshua is portrayed as the shepherd-king of…

Rabbinic writings are typically divided into two categories, halakhah and aggadah. In some ways, they are worlds apart from each other. Halakhah is the articulation and elucidation of the 613 mitzvot that constitute the Torah. It was developed foundationally in the Mishnah, Tosefta, and the Talmuds. The Babylonian Talmud continues to be the primary halakhic…

Rather than pursue the usual procedure for addressing a biblical-theological issue in a paper of this nature, this will be an effort of a somewhat different sort. It is commonly accepted and expected that the author conduct a rather thorough—but usually tedious and often tiresome—review of and response to the literature on the subject. Instead,…

  In May of 1893, while clearing collapsed debris from a room overlooking the ancient ruins of Nippur, a group of local workmen made a startling discovery. Buried beneath the rubble they found a large number of clay tablets. Their exciting discovery caused a great tumult among the expedition from the University of Pennsylvania.1 Located…

It is a privilege to contribute to this Festschrift in honor of Elliot Klayman. Elliot is a gifted visionary, teacher, mentor, and friend. His wisdom, generosity, kindness, and sense of justice continue to leave a deep imprint on the Messianic Jewish movement. Elliot has always been a man to honor the past, envision the future,…

During the Second Temple period, the synagogue was an established institution in the Jewish community in both the land of Israel and in the diaspora. It was where the people assembled to study the Torah and to pray. The synagogue also served as the center for all the community’s cultural and religious activities. During the…

The first time that I encountered the phrase “Jesus saves” was in 1969 when I was 11 years old. It appeared in the form of graffiti spray painted on a railroad trestle over the Arcadia Soda Shop on South Columbus Avenue where my friends and I would hang out after playing basketball. It didn’t take…