“Who was Philo of Alexandria?”……Answer: Philo of Alexandria, sometimes known as Philo Judaeus, was a first century philosopher who was born sometime between 15-30 BC in Alexandria, Egypt. A member of the Jewish Diaspora, he was raised with a Jewish and Greek education, giving him an impressive status in a non-Jewish city like Egypt. Biblical […]

“Who were the Edomites?”……The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the firstborn son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob. In the womb, Esau and Jacob struggled together, and God told their mother, Rebekah, that they would become two nations, with the older one serving the younger (Genesis 25:23). As an adult, Esau rashly […]

“Who was Pontius Pilate?”……Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea from A.D. 26-36, serving under Emperor Tiberius. He is most known for his involvement in condemning Jesus to death on a cross.……Outside of the four Gospels, Pilate is mentioned by Pliny the Younger, Philo, and Josephus. In addition, the "Pilate Stone," discovered in 1961 […]

“Who were the Essenes? Was John the Baptist an Essene?”……The Essenes were a Jewish mystical sect somewhat resembling the Pharisees. They lived lives of ritual purity and separation. They originated about 100 B.C., and disappeared from history after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The Essenes are not directly mentioned in Scripture, although some […]

“Who was the first Jew?”……Part of the difficulty with this question is the fact that the word "Jew" does not occur in the Bible until 2 Kings 16:6 (KJV) and 2 Kings 25:25 in most other Bible translations. In those instances, the Hebrew word would likely be better translated "men of Judah." The word "Jew" […]

God knows the end from the beginning … and will do all that He pleases … He will grant salvation to Israel ~ Isaiah 46:10,13 Timeline ca 2000 BCCovenant with Abraham God made unconditional promises to Abraham. Genesis 12:2-3,7 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make […]

“Who were the Herodians?”……Answer: At the time of Jesus, there were certain groups-the Pharisees, the Herodians, and the Sadducees-that held positions of authority and power over the people. Other groups were the Sanhedrin, the scribes, and the lawyers. Each of these groups held power in either religious or political matters. The Herodians held political power, […]