Paul Cohen was born in the Netherlands in 1963. After finishing high school in 1983, he moved to Israel, where he spent time studying in a Yeshiva, a Jewish theological college, in Jerusalem. It was also in Israel that Paul met his wife, Sue, who had grown up in Australia. Sue became a believer in Yeshua, Jesus, in 1984 and was instrumental in Paul coming to faith in February 1987.

Since 1992, Paul has volunteered and worked with several prominent ministries serving Jewish people. He has a deep love for the Scriptures, a wide knowledge of biblical theology and Jewish studies, and a strong desire to help people understand the Bible in its Jewish context. His heart is to see his own people come to know the love and grace of their true Messiah, and to help the wider Church engage more deeply with the biblical story from a Jewish perspective.

Paul and Sue founded Brit Chadashah, Celebrate Messiah’s Sydney congregation, in 2013. Paul led the congregation for ten years, and it is now known as Beit Shalom. He also lectures in biblical theology and Jewish studies at Western Sydney Bible School and serves as the lead instructor at Celebrate Messiah’s Messianic Training Centre.

Paul is widely appreciated for the depth of his scholarship and his ability to make complex biblical themes clear, engaging and accessible. While he brings significant knowledge of Scripture and its Jewish background, he teaches in a way that connects with people. Participants in his courses have described his teaching as biblically sound, clear, informative, well-presented and easy to follow. Others have commented on the lasting value of his courses, his careful use of sources, and the practical resources he provides for further study.

Churches have also expressed deep appreciation for Paul’s ministry, noting that he brings the insight of someone who has devoted his life to intensive study of the Bible, while remaining warm, humble and engaging. His teaching does not speak over people’s heads, but uses scholarship to illuminate Scripture and help congregations see the richness of God’s Word more clearly.

Through his teaching, Paul helps people not only learn more about the Bible, but encounter the depth, beauty and continuity of God’s redemptive story through Messiah Yeshua. You can invite him to speak at your church or organisation.