What do Jewish backgrounds and rabbinic literature have to do with the Gospels? “Everything,” according to one of St. Petersburg Seminary and Yeshiva’s most respected professors.

Based on popular lectures presented by the author at the prestigious 2015 ABA International Archaeology Conference held at the Schönblick Convention Center in Germany, Dr. Tom argues that a comprehensive understanding of the Jewish foundation and framework of the Biblical text is one of the most critical components of Biblical exegesis and textual research. Its longtime neglect has produced numerous mistranslations and misinterpretations, fueling the fires of Biblical criticism and anti-Semitism. In a clear readable format Dr. Tom demonstrates how being true to the time, culture, and spirit of the Jewish foundation and framework of the Bible evaporates many of the so-called contradictions and historical-crit­icisms. Drawing upon first-century rabbinic sources, unmistakably clear evidence for the deity of Jesus is revealed in the Jewish Targums, the Tetragrammaton, and in the rabbinic linguistics of the Synoptics. A sincere and authentic quest for the historical Jesus begins here.