Pages

Monday, September 22, 2025

On making prophetic scripture relevant in antiquity

PROF. JUDITH H. NEWMAN: Haftarot: How Prophecy Became Liturgy (TheTorah.com).
The precise origins of the practice of reading from the prophets in the synagogue are unknown, but early evidence can be seen in the story of Jesus visiting the synagogue in his hometown on Shabbat and reading from Isaiah (Luke 4:16–19). Yet the process of making prophetic scripture relevant to a contemporary audience began even earlier, as we see in the second-century B.C.E. book of Baruch.
Perhaps Daniel chapter 9 is also relevant here.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.