Latest Resources
Sadducees
First century Judaism revolved around the temple. So did the Sadducees. Read about what these Jewish leaders believed and why they eventually disappeared. This group's name may come from Zadok, the high priest of Israel at the time of King David. The Sadducees may have also been descendants of the Zadokites, who had controlled the temple as high priests for…
READ MOREEssenes
Perfection. The Essenes would settle for nothing less. See what role this disciplined and secluded sect of Judaism played in the New Testament world. The Essenes may have been formed as a group at about the same time as the Sadducees. Instead of trying to influence the priesthood and religion of Israel from the inside, they withdrew from Jewish society,…
READ MOREScribes
Literacy was low in the biblical world, so people who could read and write held important roles in government and religion. Those Jews who filled jobs set up by the Romans to help run the government in the land were called “scribes.” Because they could read and write in a time when many people could not, they were very valuable…
READ MOREHasmoneans (Maccabees)
The Hasmoneans began a revolt that changed the shape of Palestine between the New and Old Testaments. Read more about this influential family. “Maccabees,” the family nickname of the Jewish dynasty that ruled Judea from the time of the Maccabean Revolt (167 B.C.) until the Roman conquest of Palestine by Pompey in 63 B.C., usually refers to the Jewish patriot…
READ MOREGetting the Most out of your Bible Reading
This step-by-step tool guides you through effectively studying the Bible on your own. Helpful Tips for Reading the Bible Reading the Bible is one way to learn about God and what God wants from us. When we read the Bible, we read about a specific people and their relationship to God, but we also can learn about our own relationship…
READ MOREDiscover 3 New Approaches to Bible Reading
Use this Bible-reading guide to encounter Scripture in three new ways: by asking questions, and by considering the social and historical context of the text. Check out our online guide now. Reading any document, even the Bible, can often become routine. And reading the Bible in the same way every time can keep us from discovering biblical truths that can…
READ MOREGod’s Word heals and brings hope
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