The Surprising Origins of Judaism Before Jesus

https://bartehrman.com/CollinsJudaism

In this episode, Bart Ehrman sits down with Professor John C Collins of Yale to discuss the fascinating evolution of Jewish thought in the centuries leading up to the New Testament. While many imagine a static tradition stretching from Moses to the first century, the historical reality is far more complex.

Collins explains how the Babylonian exile and the later Maccabean Revolt served as massive turning points for the Jewish people. They discuss the transition from a local cult to an international religion, the late arrival of strict Torah observance, and the radical emergence of apocalypticism. You will also learn why the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls changed everything we thought we knew about Jewish diversity. This conversation provides the essential historical context needed to understand the world Jesus was born into.

Visit https://bartehrman.com/CollinsJudaism to learn more about the upcoming course, \