E. P. Sanders, one of the most influential New Testament scholars of this century, passed away on November 21, 2022, at the age of 85. Although I am highly critical of his view on Paul and Judaism, I cannot overemphasize the impact he brought about through his magnum opus Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison … Continue reading E. P. Sanders (1937-2022)
The One True Messiah: Jesus
Allow me to ask you two seemingly unrelated questions: Have you ever seen the face of a “messiah”?; have you ever seen something that combines all three, i.e., Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity? You can answer “yes” to both if you’ve seen the photo I attached above. When I was driving by a mosque yesterday, I … Continue reading The One True Messiah: Jesus
Three Perspectives on Paul’s Relationship to Judaism
The traditional view (Old Perspective) presents Paul as being in a hostile relation to Second Temple Judaism; according to the Old, the Apostle Paul left Judaism because Judaism was legalistic. So, in the Old Perspective, Judaism and Christianity parted ways and exist as distinct entities. The so-called New Perspective, too, pits Paul against Judaism, but … Continue reading Three Perspectives on Paul’s Relationship to Judaism