Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science
There are two passages in Josephus that refer to Jesus Christ. The first one in Book 18 of his “Antiquities of the Jews” is widely known as the Testimonium Flavianum (TF) (=the testimony of Flavius Josephus). Another, in Book 20, is a briefer reference but it is cited in major works as authentic to Josephus, … Continue reading “That other suspect entry in Josephus”
Why did the author of the Gospel of John change the setting of Jesus driving out the money changers from the Temple from near the end of the gospel (where it is in all the other gospels) to place it near the very beginning of the ministry of Jesus? In those other gospels the episode … Continue reading “How Moving Jesus’ Cleansing of the Temple to the Beginning of the Gospel of John Rebuked the Gospel of Mark”
Continuing from Where does John the Baptist fit in History? . . . . Peter Kirby’s first argument for the authenticity of the John the Baptist passage in Antiquities of Josephus is (1) The Textual Witness Itself All manuscripts contain the passage and Kirby goes one step further and states as a fact: It is … Continue reading “Where does John the Baptist fit in History? — The Evidence of Josephus, Pt 1”
Continuing from https://vridar.org/2023/10/01/a-dialog-with-chatgpt-on-christian-origins/ Me: What, if anything, changes, if we introduce the need for independent corroboration? ChatGPT: The requirement for independent corroboration significantly tightens the standards for historical verification. If historians strictly demand independent sources to corroborate each event or claim, it can add more confidence to their conclusions but also presents challenges: Higher Confidence … Continue reading “Continuing Dialog with ChatGPT — historical methods”
Theological Explanation of the Gospels Die theologische Erklärung der Evangelien by Bruno Bauer 1852 II. Strauss’ tradition hypothesis. Topic headings in the text below are my additions to Bauer’s text. 68 The proposition that language is the man and the word is the thing remains valid even when the language of a point of view … Continue reading “BRUNO BAUER: Theological Explanation of the Gospels – II. Strauss’s tradition hypothesis”
125 8. The Composition of Acts of the Apostles Let us especially keep in mind the parallelism of Peter and Paul, then the undeniable testimonies that speak for the fact that the miracles of both apostles are intentionally and with full consciousness copied from the miracle reports of the Gospels, finally the artistic machinery that … Continue reading “8. The Composition of Acts of the Apostles”
90 6. Paul the Apologist If Paul, as portrayed in the Acts of the Apostles, had to share the fame of miraculous power with Peter, and even had the honor of being worthy of direct revelations from heaven and wonderful visions, which he could only make use of after it was legitimized by the same … Continue reading “6. Paul the Apologist”
60 4 The Apostles’ Convention A local dispute in Antioch, which was accidentally caused by some arrivals from Judea by their assertion of the necessity of circumcision for salvation, causes a decision that settles the whole dispute about the necessity of the law, secures the freedom of the Gentile Christians and establishes the peace of … Continue reading “4. The Apostles’ Convention”
42 3. The Conversion of Paul. The differences between the author’s own account and the portrayal that Paul himself gives of his conversion before the people and later before King Agrippa will never be of practical service to those who wish to use them *) to eliminate some gaudy features and to move the event … Continue reading “3. The Conversion of Paul”
Critique of the Gospel History of the Synoptics by Bruno Bauer Volume 2 —o0o— 344 § 60. Jesus in Nazareth. Matth. 13, 53-58. Mark 6, 1-6. After the account of the reception of Jesus in Nazareth, Matthew immediately tells us how Herod heard of Jesus; for he had to omit the account of the instruction … Continue reading “§ 60. Jesus in Nazareth”
Critique of the Gospel History of the Synoptics by Bruno Bauer Volume 2 —o0o— 173 Section Six. The Instruction of the Twelve. Matthew 9:35-11:1. ———– § 43. The Election and Sending Out of the Twelve. Matthew 9:35-10:5. 1. The Occasion. Among the many unpleasant tasks that the critic must undertake in this final battle … Continue reading “§ 43. The Election and Sending Out of the Twelve”
Critique of the Gospel History of the Synoptics by Bruno Bauer Volume 2 —o0o— 95 § 36. The banquet of the tax collector Matthew. Matthew 9:9-13. The apologists should finally become wise and stop trying to completely stifle the contradictions in the Gospel accounts with such blind fury, lest they create the impression that the … Continue reading “§ 36. The banquet of the tax collector Matthew”
Critique of the Gospel History of the Synoptics by Bruno Bauer Volume 1 —o0o— 265 § 17. The calling of the first four apostles. The account of Matthew. 4: 18—22. With the same words, the same sentence construction as Mark, Matthew also reports the calling of the first four apostles, and like him, he … Continue reading “§ 17. The calling of the first four apostles”
Criticism of the Pauline Epistles by B. Bauer First Section The Origin of the Galatians Epistle 1850 3 Preface We will put an end once and for all to the mistakes and unsuccessful attempts of the apologists, who started from the assumption that it is both possible and necessary to integrate the Pauline letters with … Continue reading “BRUNO BAUER: Criticism of the Pauline Letters – I. Origin of the Galatians Epistle”