Jerusalem: 62 CE. Ya'akov haTzadik (James the Righteous) was thrown from the Jerusalem Temple and then beaten to death with a club. This devout man was so revered that the Jewish sect known as the Essenes placed his teachings in their library alongside the other revered Jewish writings, including the Torah Journey through the pages of the most Jewish book in the entire New Testament, from the culture of first-century Judaism and the language of Jesus

In the culture of the Bible, each person's name spoke of their character, nature, and to some, even of their destiny. In this volume, we'll discover that Mattityahu Levi was a conflicted man who fought against his own inherent destiny. He was a man named after the God who'd given him as a gift to his parents. And he was born into a family known for its closeness and service to Almighty God. Even so, Mattityahu Levi chose to become a tax-collector - a profession considered almost criminal - far removed from knowing and serving the Living God. We'll discover through Matthew's own writings more...