Akiva Cohen, Ph.D., Instructor

In this lecture series we will explore the Gospel according to Matthew in its first-century context. Why did Matthew write another version of the story of Yeshua, since Mark had already written his version of the story? What were Matthew's goals in writing his version of the "story" of Messiah? Was the Matthean community Torah-observant? What was the attitude of Matthew's community to non-Jews of the Nations? What was the relationship of the Matthean community to the emergent rabbinic movement started at Yavneh? These are some of the issues we will explore together and also find how amazingly relevant this Gospel is to the Messianic Movement of our own times.

Approx. 6 hours of teaching on 3 DVDs or Online Streaming. (2009)

Akiva is married to Susan and has two sons, Yishai (20 year old Junior at SMU, Dallas, TX, philosophy major) and Elad, who lives with them in Israel. Akiva teaches in several University platforms in Israel and the Diaspora. Akiva made aliyah in 1984. His revised dissertation on Matthew and the Mishnah is currently under contract to be published in Germany in the summer of 2009. Akiva loves to read and play tennis in his spare time.