Digging In: Broadening the Biblical World

GLENN J. CORBETT

During my five years as Editor-in-Chief (yes, it’s already been that long!), BAR has aimed to broaden our readers’ horizons on the biblical world. We’ve looked beyond the familiar to encounter the diverse array of peoples and places that made up the Bible’s rich cultural tapestry. We’ve also probed the temporal breadth of the biblical past, examining how earlier Canaanite traditions informed the world of ancient Israel, and how later Greco-Roman culture shaped early Judaism and Christianity.

Our Summer 2026 issue offers yet another opportunity to explore the complexity behind the Bible’s peoples and stories. In “Mediterranean Mercenaries of the Bronze Age,” discover ancient Sardinia’s roaming warriors, the Shardanu, who fought for the highest bidder and created a mercenary tradition later practiced by the Philistines and even a young David before he came to the throne. In “Sacred Center,” journey across the Dead Sea to the biblical site of Ataroth in Moab to excavate a unique temple complex that may have been destroyed during King Mesha’s rebellion against Israel in the ninth century BCE. Travel north to the rugged highlands of the Aleppo Plateau to explore “The Dead Cities of Christian Syria,” where some of the Middle East’s earliest Christian communities flourished following the first missionary journeys of Peter and Paul. And in “Sublime Sanctuary,” take a deep dive into the Dead Sea Scrolls to reveal the varied early Jewish visions for a renewed Temple and especially its role within an idealized Jerusalem.

In Strata and Epistles, visit beautifully preserved apartment complexes from ancient Ephesus to study the domestic shrines that adorned everyday Roman homes and how their ubiquitous presence may have impacted Paul’s message to the city’s nascent Christian community. Examine the plethora of Byzantine churches discovered in towns and villages across the southern Levant during late antiquity and what this abundance may suggest about social and religious rivalries among leading Christian families and local church leaders. Take a second look at the gospel traditions about Mary and Joseph in light of first-century Judean marriage practices to learn why the Holy Family was likely more complex and blended than many Bible readers may appreciate. And venture into Turkey’s mountainous interior to uncover new evidence that explains why Paul made the unexpected decision to trek north from Asia Minor’s southern coast over arduous and difficult terrain to the small Roman town of Pisidian Antioch during his first missionary journey.

Finally, as many of us mark two and half centuries of American independence this summer, be sure to check out this issue’s quizzes that highlight some surprising facts connecting American achievements to biblical figures and the early exploration of the Holy Land. And while you’re celebrating, try out our latest “Test Kitchen” recipe that will bring a “dill”-icious tangy taste from ancient Rome to your backyard barbeque or poolside picnic.

So, with BAR as your guide, we hope you again enjoy this exciting journey into the biblical past, appreciating the many cultures, perspectives, and beliefs that brought the Bible and all of its wonderful complexity into being.