Jewish Apocalypticism and Paul

Dr. Gabriele Boccaccini is Professor of New Testament and Second Temple Judaism at the University of Michigan. His many books include Middle Judaism: Jewish Thought, 300 B.C.E. to 200 C.E.; Beyond the Essene Hypothesis: The Parting of the Ways between Qumran and Enochic Judaism; Roots of Rabbinic Judaism: An Intellectual History from Ezekiel to Daniel; and Paul’s Three Paths to Salvation. Prof. Boccaccini is also the founding director of the Enoch Seminar and of the 4 Enoch online encyclopedia of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic origins. In this sweeping and challenging discussion with Dr. Yeshaya Gruber of the Israel Bible Center. Dr. Boccaccini shares his understandings and research theories about the spectrum of Jewish views in the Second Temple Period, including Enochic Judaism, Pharisaism, Sadduceeism, Essenism, Jesus, and Paul. He explains how the rise of Jewish apocalyptic ideas not only provides the proper background for a more sensible reading of Paul's letters but also continues to influence both Judaism and Christianity down to today.