Recommended Resources
BOOKS
The Sage from Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus' Genius
By David Flusser and R. Steven Notley
This new edition of David Glusser's (1917-2000) classic study of the historical Jesus, is revised and updated by his student and colleague R. Steven Notley. This work is the conclusion of many decades of research and dedication to understanding the Second Temple Period and Jesus, offering an informed portrait of Jesus in the context of Jewish faith and life in his day.
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Understanding the Gospels as Ancient Jewish Literature
By Jeffrey P. Garcia
While decades of research into the "Jewish backgrounds" of the Gospels have proven to be fruitful, little attention has been given to their function as a witness to the evolution of ancient Judaism. Comprehending this evolution sheds new light and meaning on the Gospel narratives, as well as on the core message of the Jesus movement through the lens of ancient Judaism.
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The Sacred Bridge: Carta's Atlas of the Biblical World
By Anson F. Rainey, R. Steven Notley
This atlas is the hallmark of two scholars combining their respective scholarship into one comprehensive atlas of the biblical world. History, geography, archaeology, language, literature and culture are thoughtfully blended together to present the reader a detailed chronological movement of biblical history within the landscape of the biblical world.
In the Master's Steps: The Gospels in the Land
by R. Steven Notley
The New Testament Atlas focuses on the physical setting for the life of Jesus, and includes recent advances in history, geography, toponomy, and archaeology.
Jerusalem: City of the Great King
by R. Steven Notley
This volume, the second in The Carta New Testament Atlas series, presents the latest advances in the history and archaeology of Jerusalem. Dr. R. Steven Notley draws upon his vast personal knowledge of Jerusalem's archaeology to offer his reader a fresh look at known excavations and their contextual relevance to the gospels.
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Biblical Turkey: A Guide to the Jewish and Christian Sites of Asia Minor
by Mark Wilson
Biblical Turkey is an authoritative and comprehensive guide to the ancient Jewish and Christian sites in Turkey. It includes all the references to cities, regions, provinces, and natural features in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Apocrypha/Deuterocanonicals, New Testament and Apostolic Fathers.
BOOKS
Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus
by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg
This book will take you on a fascinating tour of the Jewish world of Jesus. The authors paint powerful scenes from Jesus’ ministry, immersing you in the prayers, feasts, history, culture, and customs that shaped Jesus and those who followed him.
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Paul the Jewish Theologian: A Pharisee among Christians, Jews, and Gentiles
by Brad H. Young
This book reveals Saul of Tarsus as a man who, though rejected in the synagogue, never truly left Judaism. Only in aligning Paul as rooted in his Jewishness and training as a Pharisee can he be correctly interpreted. Young asserts that Paul's view of the Torah was always positive, and he separates Jesus' mission among the Jews from Paul's call to the Gentiles.​
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Three Stones Make a Wall
by Eric H. Cline
This book traces the history of archaeology from an amateur pursuit to the cutting-edge science it is today by taking the reader on a tour of major archaeological sites and discoveries. Along the way, it addresses the questions archaeologists are asked most often: How do you know where to dig? How are excavations actually done? How do you know how old something is? Who gets to keep what is found?
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A Digger's Life: A Guide to the Archaeology Dig Experience
This Free e-book download is made available by Biblical Archaeology Review. The book begins with “Beginning Your Dig Experience” and articles that introduce planning for a dig and preparing for the experience.
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WEBSITES
El Araj Excavation Project
Current information on the excavation including, the excavation blog, news stories, articles, and videos.
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Biblical Archaeology Review
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/magazines
This is the most popular magazine on the subject of biblical archaeology in Israel. BAR is mainstream in its approach and its articles and photograph selections are excellent.
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Jerusalem Perspective
https://www.JerusalemPerspective.com
Developed by David Bivin, this website provides hundreds of articles that explore Jesus’ teaching within its first-century Jewish context. With a host of contributing scholars, Jerusalem Perspective is a leader in the field of contextual Synoptic Gospel research and scholarship.
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