Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science
Plato’s Laws provides the only example in antiquity of an ethical or national literature comparable to the Hebrew Bible. . . . . . . . One may therefore reasonably propose that the biblical authors not only found in Plato’s Laws a blueprint for the creation of a persuasive legal code, but a mandate and … Continue reading “How Plato Inspired Moses: Creation of the Hebrew Bible”
Here are all the posts I have completed so far on Russell Gmirkin’s book, Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible. You can also read an extended abstract or chapter by chapter outline by Gmirkin himself on his academia.edu page. As you can see I have not yet begun to post anything on the … Continue reading “Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible – Post #32”
As per the previous posts, the table here is a simplified summary of some of the points Russell Gmirkin discusses in Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible. It is far from being a complete representation of his discussion. It is best read as an easy reference guide in conjunction with the detail covered … Continue reading “Plato’s Influence on the Bible’s Property and Agricultural Laws”
We have covered five of the six chapters in Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible. The final chapter covers a topic that for me is the most interesting of all, but before going there Gmirkin outlines what he has covered so far. He has presented “substantial new arguments for viewing the Primary History of … Continue reading “The argument so far: Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible”
The previous post, How Does One Date the Old Testament Writings?, was a step back for a broader look through a discussion by Niels Peter Lemche at the kind of literature we find in the Pentateuch, how it compares with literature expressing similar interests and ideas found in other ancient literature, and the relevance of this … Continue reading “Plato and the Hebrew Bible: Law-Giving Narratives as Greek-Inspired Literature”
I originally wrote the following as an introduction to my next post on Russell E. Gmirkin’s new book, Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible. On reflection, it was too long to be part of a post addressing the book so here it is a separate introductory post instead. Our historically conditioned deafness to … Continue reading “Some preliminaries before resuming Gmirkin’s Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible“
Posts in this series are archived at Gmirkin: Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible –o0o– Popular culture presents us with an image of ancient classical Athens, the days of Pericles, of Socrates, the mocking playwrights and the democratic assemblies, as a time of free-thinking, exploratory enlightenment. It is difficult to imagine some of … Continue reading “The Law of Moses, a Reflection of the Law that Condemned Socrates and Other Greek Philosophers”
The Ten Commandments are a strange mix. They proscribe not only stealing and even the craving to have any property belonging to your neighbour. (And neighbour’s property includes his wife.) The command not to kill is certainly not meant to be interpreted literally as a general law since God elsewhere commanded lots of killing of … Continue reading “Ten Commandments: Where Did they Really Come From?”
[These Laws] will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to … Continue reading “Mosaic Laws: from Classical Greece or the Ancient Near East?”
Is it possible that the Bible’s account of priests and prophets contains hints of borrowing from the Greek world? Not that those Hellenistic features mean we have to jettison entirely sources and influences closer to the Levant. Let’s look at another section of Russell Gmirkin’s Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible (2016). Previous posts: Plato and … Continue reading “Bible’s Priests and Prophets – With Touches of Greek”
Continuing my series on Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible by Russell Gmirkin in which it is argued that the Pentateuch owes a heavy debt to the Greek philosophical and political writings of the Greeks located in the Great Library of Alexandria. Previous posts: Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible The Pentateuch’s … Continue reading “The Inspiration for Israel’s Law of the Ideal King”
Russell Gmirkin continues to argue for much of the Old Testament having been written as late as around 270 BCE in his new book, Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible. (He first made the argument in Berossus and Genesis, Manetho and Exodus, – link is to archived posts addressing various points in that work.) The … Continue reading “The Bible’s Assemblies and Offices Based on Greek Institutions?”
After too long a hiatus I am excited to at last return to writing about Russell Gmirkin’s new book, Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible. The previous two posts: Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible The Pentateuch’s Debt to Greek Laws and Constitutions — A New Look The following post is … Continue reading “David, an Ideal Greek Hero — and other Military Matters in Ancient Israel”
For the previous post in this series examining Russell Gmirkin’s new book see Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible —o0o— Ancient Greeks of the Classical and Hellenistic eras loved a good foundation story. Such a story typically began with severe troubles leading to a hopeful solution or escape by sending out a group … Continue reading “The Pentateuch’s Debt to Greek Laws and Constitutions — A New Look”