Catalog Search Results
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 19
Language
English
Description
In the first half of this lecture, examine the growing anarchy that led to the First Jewish Revolt against Rome-including the rise of others who, like Jesus, claimed to be the messiah. Then, follow the story (as related by Josephus) of the trial and execution of Jesus's brother, James the Just.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 23
Language
English
Description
Join Professor Magness as she shares some of her own research into Jesus, comparing and contrasting his apocalyptic beliefs with those of the Qumran sect associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls. As you'll discover, one cannot understand Jesus's exorcisms and healings without understanding the notion of apocalyptic purity.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 11
Language
English
Description
Learn how the expansion of the Hasmonean Kingdom provides a sharp context for understanding the birth narratives of Jesus from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The authors of these Gospels went to great lengths to establish Jesus's descent from David. The question is: Why?
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 1
Language
English
Description
Begin your fascinating historical adventure by developing a solid framework for your exploration of Jesus's Jewish influences. What was it like to be a Jew in the ancient world? What do we mean when we talk about Jewish temples? And how similar was ancient Judaism to other ancient religions.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 15
Language
English
Description
Most of what scholars know about the Essenes, and their apocalyptic outlook, comes from the ancient historians Josephus and Philo. After a deeper dive into who the Essenes were (and how Essene women lived), Professor Magness makes her case for why Jesus could not have been an Essene.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 12
Language
English
Description
In this lecture, probe the rise of the Sadducees and Pharisees during the late Second Temple Period. You'll learn how the Pharisaic approach became dominant in Judaism, and you'll spend time investigating what the Gospels say about whether or not Jesus identified as a Pharisee.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 20
Language
English
Description
The First Jewish Revolt against Rome culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. Explore how this cataclysmic event had profound aftershocks for subsequent Jewish history-as well as early traditions surrounding Jesus (for example, the "Parable of the Wicked Tenants" in the Gospel of Matthew).
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 4
Language
English
Description
How (and why) did the First Temple Period end? First, examine the reign of King Josiah, whose popular religious reforms reasserted the importance of Jerusalem's Temple. Then, investigate the Temple's traumatic destruction-and its relationship to Gospel accounts about the destruction of the Second Temple.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 18
Language
English
Description
Following the death of Herod the Great, there began a period of direct Roman administration of Judea under prefects, the most famous of whom was Pontius Pilate, who would later oversee the trial of Jesus. Learn the historical backstory of both this figure and another contemporary of Jesus, Herod Antipas.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 22
Language
English
Description
What was Jewish life like after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D.? How did the religion survive this trauma? With insights from various historical sources, chart the rise of Rabbinic Judaism-the literature of Jewish sages who portray Jesus as an illegitimate child and magician.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 5
Language
English
Description
After the end of the Babylonian exile in 539 B.C., returning exiles began to reestablish themselves in Jerusalem under Ezra and Nehemiah. This return would lead to a dramatic schism between Jews and Samaritans-one which, as you'll learn, would influence encounters with Samaritans in Jesus's own time.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 17
Language
English
Description
What are the historical roots of the often-disputed Massacre of the Innocents reported in the Gospel of Matthew? Find out in this lecture on the reign of Herod the Great, a man notorious for killing members of his own family and best remembered for his biblical campaign of infanticide.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 24
Language
English
Description
Close out this insightful course with a pointed consideration of how selected passages from the Gospels can be better understood within their Jewish context. The three passages you explore involve the concept of Hell, Jesus's cleansing of the Temple, and John's account of Jesus's healing of a blind man.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 9
Language
English
Description
Follow the turbulent story of the Maccabean Revolt after the outlawing of Judaism under Antiochus IV. Then, examine how the Book of Daniel (written around the time of the revolt) dealt with the concept of "desolating sacrilege," and how this is repeated in Jesus's own prophesies about the destruction of the Temple.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 16
Language
English
Description
First, examine the "Letter of Aristeas," which describes translating the Torah into Greek. Then, meet Philo of Alexandria, whose writings (preserved by Christians) are based on an allegorical method of interpreting the Bible. Finally, using a passage from Isaiah, discover why Jews eventually came to reject the authority of the Septuagint translation.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 3
Language
English
Description
In this in-depth look at the kingdoms of David and Solomon, follow the transformation of 12 Israelite tribes into a monarchy that eventually crumbled over tensions regarding how to properly worship the God of Israel. Along the way, probe controversies that lie at the heart of modern scholarship's hottest debates.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 2
Language
English
Description
In ancient Judaism, there was little distinction between religion and politics. In this lecture, explore the importance of the law (the Torah) in the Jewish religion. Then, draw some intriguing connections between the giving of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai and Jesus's own Sermon on the Mount.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 7
Language
English
Description
Alexander the Great's legendary visit to Jerusalem and Judea had a profound influence on the development of ancient Jewish traditions. Could the ancient warrior also have served as a model for the mythical Jesus? Professor Magness illuminates possible narrative parallels between these two iconic figures of Western history.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 10
Language
English
Description
From 1 and 2 Maccabees to the Books of Daniel and Enoch, get a close reading of apocalyptic literary works composed in the aftermath of the Maccabean Revolt. Afterwards, Professor Magness probes possible meanings of the term "son of man" in both the Hebrew Bible and the Gospels.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 14
Language
English
Description
Unpack the hidden meaning and significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls themselves-some of ancient history's most fascinating texts, which date back to the time of Jesus. Among the findings you'll explore here: early copies of the Hebrew Bible, fragments of a Greek translation of the Septuagint, and early biblical commentaries.
Looking for an older book we don’t have?
Printed books not owned by Santa Fe Public Library that were released more than 6 months ago can be requested from other Interlibrary Loan libraries to be delivered to your local library for pickup. Limit: 3 per calendar month.
Looking for a newer item we don’t have?
Suggest the library purchase a new book, DVD, audiobook, or music CD through your account. Limit: 30 active requests at a time. Submit Purchase Suggestion