Understanding Sin and Evil

Join our lively discussion on Enoch and the Book of the Watchers! What biblical texts lie behind the Book of the Watchers? What was the sin of the Watchers? How did Jews of the Second Temple period use this story to explain the Flood and the origin of all evil? The post Dead Sea Scrolls & 2nd Temple Literature #3: Enoch – The Book of the Watchers appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

Join us for a discussion of the Book of Jubilees, a prime example of “Rewritten Bible.” Why would an author in antiquity want to believe in demons roaming with God’s permission? How did writers in the Second Temple period attempt to “fix” the biblical text? What biblical topics became a … The post Dead Sea Scrolls & 2nd Temple Literature #2: The Book of Jubilees appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

Welcome to yet another new series! This class in Hebrew Bible will alternate with the Second Temple literature series. This introductory class will give you a quick overview of what makes the Twelve Minor Prophets — also known as Trei Asar — special. What is exceptional about the “span” of … The post Minor Prophets #1: Introduction to Minor Prophets – Trei Asar appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

Welcome to the beginning of a new lecture series: an overview of Jewish texts of the Second Temple period and the Dead Sea Scrolls. In this first, introductory class, we explore what makes these texts special and why we should learn them. Join us as we discuss the different collections … The post Dead Sea Scrolls and Second Temple Literature #1: Introduction appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this class, we discuss the ultimate example of collective punishment gone horribly, horribly wrong: the Concubine of Gibeah, known in Hebrew as Pilegesh BaGive’ah. This story closes the book of Judges (chapters 19-21), and for good reason. Join us as we discover its “Twilight Zone”-style reality and explore the … The post #31: The Concubine of Gibeah – Pilegesh BaGive’ah appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

We’re back! Join us as we engage in a high-level discussion on the different views of collective and intergenerational punishment in the Bible. What does God and Abraham’s conversation on Sodom tell us about justice? How is the problematic nature of collective punishment portrayed in the Hebrew Bible? What problems … The post #30: Collective and Intergenerational Punishment in the Bible – Review appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

This podcast is a continuation of the previous discussion on the shift of the biblical view and representation of intergenerational punishment. In this podcast, we delve into Ezekiel and his presentation of the “way things work”: there is no intergenerational punishment, and each individual is responsible for him or herself … The post #29: Ezekiel, Intergenerational Punishment & Individual Responsibility appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode we discuss the approach to divine intergenerational punishment (the punishment of a future generation for the sins of a past generation) in the Bible, such as in the “Divine Attributes” enumerated in Exodus, and how we can see a distinctive shift in the attitude toward intergenerational punishment … The post #28: Intergenerational Punishment – Changing Worldviews in the Bible appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this far-reaching episode, we discuss the idea of collective punishment in the Hebrew Bible, the problems it poses in the context of divine morality, and its (strict) limits in human justice. We explore the stories of Sodom and the Concubine of Gibeah, the statute of the “Rejected City” of … The post #27: Collective Punishment — Divine Morality and Human Justice appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

What was behind Antiochus’s decrees? Was Hanukkah really the end of the fight for independence? And what was the difference between Judean and Diaspora views of the Hanukkah story and the Hasmonean revolt? I  explored these questions through a talk  on the First and Second Books of the Maccabees – two … The post Behind the Scenes of the Hanukkah Story: The Books of the Maccabees appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, we discuss what it means for our changing understanding of sin to have a canonized, “frozen” Scripture that must remain relevant, and begin exploring the biblical ideas of “sin as a burden” and intergenerational punishment. Why would someone believe that future generations could suffer for the sins … The post #26: Concepts of Sin — The Meaning of Scripture and Sin as Burden appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, I recap everything we have discussed so far, before I begin a new chapter of the podcast. This is a great place to start if you are new to the podcast, and you can then cherry-pick the past episodes you would like to delve into further. As … The post #25: The “Understanding Sin” Recap Episode — How Far We’ve Come! appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

Join me for a close reading of the Treatise of the Two Spirits, a passage in the Community Rule that explains the origin of sin as the result of a dualistic division between the Prince of Light and the Angel of Darkness. (And yes, I’m hoarse in this episode. Change … The post #24: The Puzzle of the Treatise of the Two Spirits appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, we explore texts from the Qumran community that emphasize responsibility for sin and freedom of choice, despite the sect’s usual deterministic leanings. In the Dead Sea sect’s legal texts, community members are exhorted that they must choose God’s commandments while ignoring their own will — in other words, their evil inclination. … The post #23: Sin, Choice & Responsibility — The Evil Inclination in Legal Dead Sea Scrolls appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, we look at two Dead Sea Scroll sectarian prayers — the Hodayot and the “Hymn of Praise” in the Community Rule — that present sin, or the inclination to sin, as a state of being. Specifically, they present sin as a state natural to all humans as … The post #22: Sin as State — The Evil Inclination in Sectarian Prayer appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, we examine the idea of an evil inclination in Second Temple prayer. How did Jews in the Second Temple period characterize the idea of an internal inclination to sin, and how did they expect God to help? We will look closely at those prayers considered “non-sectarian” — … The post #21: Second Temple Prayer and the Evil Inclination – A Cry to the Divine appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

As we continue our series on the idea of an “evil inclination” in Second Temple literature, we return to Fourth Ezra (4 Ezra/2 Esdras) and Second Baruch, and how these books, written in the wake of the destruction of the Second Temple, deal with a belief in an “evil heart” … The post #20: Fourth Ezra and the Tragedy of the Evil Heart appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode we move farther afield to Egypt and the Diaspora community of Alexandria. How did Philo of Alexandria (also known as Philo Judaeus) approach the human desire to sin while navigating between a belief in divine revelation and an acceptance of Greek thought? How does Philo reconcile the … The post #19: Philo of Alexandria and “Pessimistic” Free Will appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this week’s episode, we continue with Ben Sira and how the book of Ben Sira reflects a range of views on sin. What can this teach us about context in ancient texts? Listen and find out! The post #18: Ben Sira — The Context of Sin and the Beauty of Pairs appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode we discuss Ben Sira, and how his approach to the evil inclination is a predecessor of a prominent modern understanding of the “problem” of sin. What does it mean to believe in a God who created humans and hates sin, while acknowledging that people still “like” to sin? … The post #17: Between Fire and Water: The Evil Inclination and Free Will in Ben Sira appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this podcast, we discuss the first place an “evil inclination” is mentioned in the Bible: the description of the state of humanity before and after the Flood, seen through divine eyes. Unlike the defined “yetzer hara” in later Rabbinic literature, the human “evil inclination” of the Bible is closer to … The post #16: The Inevitability of Evil? The Evil Inclination and the Flood appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

Why is the War Scroll more “universal” than other Qumran texts? Why does the attitude of the Qumran Community toward outsiders “change” in the different Scrolls? And where does Belial come in? Tune in to the conclusion of the “demonic” section of the podcast to hear the answers! Special thanks … The post #15: Demons at War: Belial in the War Scroll appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, we discuss Belial’s role in the Damascus Document, an important rule text in the Dead Sea Scrolls. What are the “traps” of Belial? How did Belial (at least in the Damascus Document) “help” Qumran community members be more sympathetic towards outsiders? And what happens when a Qumran … The post #14: A Kinder, Gentler Belial? The Damascus Document & Belial’s “Traps” appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, we read the Dead Sea Scrolls — specifically, the Community Rule — closely and examine the Qumran community’s view of Belial and sin. How was Belial used to define the sect and others? Did the Qumran community really think that people were born into the lot of Belial or the lot of … The post #13: The Lot of Belial in the Community Rule – Born that Way? appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this Shavuot “bonus” episode, we will discuss the special status of the Torah for fighting sin, in both Second Temple literature and later Talmudic texts. (Download the source sheet here.) We will look at: Dead Sea Scroll prayers that reflect the belief in the metaphysical power of the Torah to … The post #12: Shavuot Episode! Torah versus Sin in Second Temple & Talmudic Thought appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, we will continue our exploration of satanic figures in Second Temple texts. After recapping our last episode, we will discuss the varied role of Mastema in the Book of Jubilees, both as the head of the Watchers and as the “Satan stand-in” for most of the book. Why did … The post #11: The Demon in Charge? Mastema in the Book of Jubilees appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

With this episode we begin a new “chapter” in our series. We’ve looked at how the Watchers story developed into the idea that demons cause sin. But what about the “big guy” himself – where do we find The Devil (capital t, capital d) or, as we’re fond of calling … The post #10: In Search of Satan – “Sātān” and Adversaries in the Hebrew Bible appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, I discuss: The different biblical texts discovered at Qumran The nature of “Scripture” during the Second Temple period The process of canonization and why “canon” can mean something different for Jews and for Christians The importance of interpretation for a “Scripturized” Bible And as a special bonus, … The post #9: What Bible? Scripture, Canonization & Interpretation in the Second Temple Period appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

Your questions answered! In this Q&A I tackle questions you have sent me on previous episodes: Adam and Eve’s punishment The “myth” of the Watchers Demonic possession Repentance in the Hebrew Bible In my next episode, I will address your questions on the status of the Hebrew Bible and “canon” … The post #8: Q&A on Adam & Eve, the Watchers, Demons & Repentance appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

Learn how the Watchers are portrayed in the Dead Sea Scrolls and how they are “used” to explain sin. And where are the Watchers in the Talmud? Discover the echoes of the Watchers story in later Jewish tradition. In this episode, we explore:  Where the Watchers appear in the texts of the … The post Understanding Sin and Evil #7: The Watchers in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Later Jewish Tradition appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

How did the author of Jubilees try to solve the “problem” of evil? In this episode we will explore how the story of the Watchers developed through the book of Jubilees and how the author of Jubilees used this “later” interpretation (compared to the Book of the Watchers in Enoch) to explain evil … The post Understanding Sin and Evil #6: The Evil that Remains – Jubilees, the Watchers and Mastema appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this action-packed episode, we will discuss: The status of Enoch and the Book of Enoch in Second Temple Judaism The popularity of the solar calendar in the Second Temple period and at Qumran The traditions of the Watchers in the Book of the Watchers (1 Enoch 1-36) The retelling … The post Understanding Sin and Evil #5: Enoch and the Watchers Traditions appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this episode, we will discuss the beginning of what is later known as the “Watchers myth”: the story of the mating of “bnei ‘elohim” with human women in Genesis 6:1-4. What is the original biblical story actually about? Who were the nephilim? Tune in and find out! Don’t forget … The post Understanding Sin and Evil #4: Who Watches the Watchers? appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

The episode you’ve been waiting for! You can download the source sheet here.  (It’s not necessary to understand the episode, but it will add to your experience.) Learn how rarely the Dead Sea Scrolls and Second Temple Literature use the stories of Adam and Eve and of Cain and Abel to explain … The post Understanding Sin and Evil #3: Death or Evil? Adam and Sin in the Second Temple Period appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.

In this podcast, I will discuss the meaning of the Cain and Abel story in Genesis 4, both in terms of its plain meaning and in later (Rabbinic) interpretation. Why is Cain upset? What is the meaning of God’s statement to him that “sin couches at the door”? What does Cain … The post Understanding Sin and Evil #2: Cain and Abel – An Oracle of Sin appeared first on Understanding Sin and Evil.