Kidron College | Equipping Talmidim through Messianic Scholarship

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The Ten Categories of Study

The Master’s student must choose from 10 categories of study for research and writing. Each category corresponds to one of the assigned research classes. This is meant to ensure that each student gains a well-rounded exposure to the most important areas of Jewish and Messianic studies. The categories are as follows:

Category I – Torah and Tanakh.

            Students will study the Torah, Prophets, and Writings with a focus on Hebrew exegesis, Jewish hermeneutics (PaRDeS), and Messianic interpretation. Research projects will compare classical commentators (such as Rashi, Ramban, and Ibn Ezra) with Messianic perspectives, illustrating how Tanakh passages are understood in Jewish tradition and how they point to the Messiah. This area of directed research papers can also explore themes like covenant, holiness, or prophetic fulfillment. 

Category II – Brit Chadashah in Jewish Context.

Students will analyze the New Testament as a fully Jewish collection of writings. Research will focus on the Second Temple Jewish background, including halakhic debates, Temple theology, apocalyptic thought, and wisdom traditions. Guided research papers allow students to explore links between the Apostolic Writings and the Tanakh, as well as their connection to rabbinic thought. Projects may compare Paul’s letters with rabbinic halakhah or examine the role of midrash in Yeshua’s parables.

Category III – Rabbinic Literature and Hermeneutics.

Students will gain an understanding of Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, and Midrashim, learning how these texts shaped Jewish life and thought. Research emphasizes halakhic argumentation, aggadic storytelling, and the rules of rabbinic interpretation. These rules will include the Seven Laws of Hillel and the Thirteen Laws of Rabbi Ishmael. This study will explore the connections between these rules of interpretation in the Gospels as well as in Paul’s writings. Additionally, there will be an exploration of rabbinic parables alongside those of Yeshua.

Category IV – Hebrew Language and Jewish Liturgy.

Students must develop basic proficiency in Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew to understand primary texts. Additionally, students will study Jewish prayer and liturgical life through texts like the Siddur and Haggadah. This may include Hebrew and classes on the Siddur offered through Kidron College. Research in this area should include basic textual criticism as well as theological studies on liturgy and its connection to Messianic fulfillment. The research paper should link portions of the Amidah’s Messianic petitions with the prayers in the Gospels.   

Category V – Messianic Jewish Theology.

            This category should focus on systematic and constructive theology from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Students will examine how scripture, tradition, and messianic interpretation influence our understanding of God, Israel, and the nations. The aim is to clarify what it means to follow Yeshua as the Messiah within Israel’s covenantal life while actively participating with the broader Body of Messiah. This area should also cover topics such as covenant theology, the ongoing role of Torah, the identity of Jewish and Gentile believers, and the work of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). Since this is a broad subject, careful consideration is needed on how to approach it, given the wealth of information available on this topic. 

Category VI – History of Israel, Judaism, and the Messianic Movement.

            Students in this category will explore Jewish history from Ancient Israel through the Second Temple period, rabbinic development, medieval diaspora, modern Zionism, the Shoah, and the rise of the Messianic Jewish movement. Directed research papers can also examine Jewish believers in Yeshua across different eras, analyze the theological impact of historical events, or investigate how modern Messianic Judaism developed within the context of world history. A good topic to explore is how Messianic Judaism has evolved from the early 1960s to the present, including the stages it went through among Gentiles to reach its current form. Recommended books on the history of Ancient Judaism include Echoes of Glory, Vision and Valor, and The Oral Law of Sinai by Berel Wein.

Category VII – Mussar and Spiritual Formation.

            In this category, students will examine Jewish ethical and spiritual traditions, focusing on works like Mesillat Yesharim, Orchot Tzadikim, and Chovot HaLevavot, alongside modern authors such as Abraham Twerski, Alan Morinis, Barry Block, and Abraham Heschel. Mussar highlights character development (middot) as well as Messianic discipleship and leadership growth. Directed papers might analyze how Mussar relates to New Testament ethics, such as humility in Mesillat Yesharim compared to Philippians 2, or speech ethics in Orchot Tzadikim contrasted with the Epistle of James.

Category VIII – Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah.

            This category introduces students to sources such as the Zohar and Lurianic Kabbalah. Research involves exploring concepts like Ein Sof, Shekhinah, Tikkun Olam, Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yichida, as well as their similarities and differences to New Testament theology. Research papers will include a thorough, analytical engagement with these texts and Messianic applications. For example, a student might analyze Shekhinah theology in the Zohar alongside Johannine writings on God’s indwelling presence.

Category IX – Jewish-Christian Relations and Interfaith Dialogue.

          In this category, students explore the complex history between Jews and Christians, from early conflicts to modern interfaith dialogue. Research should examine supersessionism, antisemitism, and messianic responses to Christian theology. Papers might focus on medieval disputations, the role of Jewish believers in early Christianity, or current efforts to foster dialogue between Messianic Jews, the broader Jewish community, and the Church. This paper should also include the Jewish understanding of the Messiah and explain why it is so difficult to recognize that Yeshua was and is the Messiah. 

Category X – Practical Ministry, Leadership, and Halakhic Praxis.

            This category should focus on applying Messianic Jewish scholarship to real-world leadership and community life. Research projects should cover pastoral care, congregational halakhic decision-making, and the integration of Torah and Mussar in Messianic communities. It’s also important to examine halakhic questions in modern congregational life, leadership models based on biblical and rabbinic precedents, or the observance of feasts and festivals in Messianic communities. This includes applying principles derived from Jewish texts and history to contemporary situations.

The goal of these research papers is to develop competence in each field of study and to train students in advanced research techniques, critical analysis, and academic writing skills. By the end of the program, students will have created a body of research that demonstrates mastery in all areas of Messianic Jewish studies.