Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science
Let’s imagine Mark was the first gospel to be written, and let’s imagine a reader had only the Jewish scriptures in mind with which to compare it. Just suppose there was no prior oral tradition by which the narrative had come to the readers in any form at all. Here (indented in black) are the … Continue reading “How the Gospel of Matthew Converted the Gospel of Mark’s Disciples”
The Jewish historian Josephus had a bit to say about the nature of historiography, and why he believed his historical writings were more truthful than those of Greek historians. His criticisms of Greek histories have some interest when compared with modern questions about the historical reliability of the Gospels. . . .
Continuing notes from Tyson’s Marcion and Luke-Acts — the previous post (on Luke 24) is here, the lot archived here — Previously I discussed Ancient Prologues in detail, but that was with particular reference to the Book of Acts. Nonbiblical examples of split prefaces, such as we find in Luke-Acts, were part of that discussion, … Continue reading “Marcion and Luke-Acts: The Preface of Luke”
(revised a bit of an hour after first posting) Craig Evans writes of his astonishment that Robert Price concludes that the Jesus Seminar is too optimistic in attributing even as much as 18% of the Gospel sayings and deeds of Jesus really were said and done by Jesus the evidence for the historical Jesus is … Continue reading “‘Fabricating Jesus’, ch1. Evans on Robert Price, and comments on “trained” historians”
Given the high praise so widely given Fabricating Jesus by Craig Evans, and given the book’s subtitle, How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels, I had hoped to find a scholarly engagement, albeit accessible to a lay audience, with the methods and arguments of “modern scholars”. The book generally avoids doing anything like this. Rather, it … Continue reading “‘Fabricating Jesus’ by Craig Evans — The Preface”
I recently posted reasons to question the Pauline authorship of Galatians, which was a distillation of Detering’s challenges. Since some fundamentalists prefer J. P. Holding’s arguments against these challenges, am posting these little ripostes: Holding 1: Detering seems to be under the impression that where Paul offers his credentials (eg, “an apostle”) this somehow could … Continue reading “Authenticity of Paul’s letters: Holding versus Detering”
updated 20th May 2008 Listed here are news sources that target Palestinian affairs, with an emphasis on the Palestinian media and viewpoints. Most are based in Palestine. Some are run by or in partnership with Palestinians living outside Palestine. One is run by “Israeli anti-occupation activists.” I have in most cases copied a site’s blurb … Continue reading “Palestinian news sources“
Last update: 6.10 am [+10 GMT] 20th May 2008 A correspondent has posted in comments an ADL list of “major attacks” by Palestinians against Israelis. The list is intended to demonstrate the genocidal intentions of “the Palestinians” (not any particular organization/s among Palestinians, but “the Palestinians” and “the Palestinian government” (whatever that means). The list … Continue reading “Response to ADL propaganda, “Major Attacks Against Israel””
Continuing notes from Richard Pervo’s Profit with Delight. (Previous related posts are archived here.) Skipping ahead here, wisely or otherwise, to chapter 4 and its discussion of “the ancient novel”. This post looks at different ways of seeing how ancient novels are made/how they work, with the hope of offering new ways to see and … Continue reading “The literary genre of Acts. 9: The ancient novel”
woops — i originally spoke of marion as a “she” — thanks to a respondent i have been able to correct my gaffe. there is less gender confusion when one consults marion’s (marty’s) homepage. (note added 24/jan/07) Christopher Price draws on Marion Soards’ review to dismiss the argument of Richard Pervo’s Profit with Delight as … Continue reading “Reviewing Marion Soard’s review of Pervo’s “Profit with Delight””
My post on the style, content and function of ancient prologues or prefaces in relation to the Book of Acts has been misunderstood as interpreted by some as an attempt to argue or prove from the prologue itself that the author did not intend to write history.
Christopher Price has published online a lengthy discussion titled Genre, Historicity, Authorship and Date of Acts (several places, e.g. here and here). In his 12 to 13 page section of this essay where he discusses Richard Pervo’s Profit with Delight he references Marion Soard’s 1990 review of Pervo’s book in the Journal of the American … Continue reading “Reviewing Chris Price’s and Marion Soard’s critiques of Pervo’s “Profit with Delight””
Little doubt that the tenor of the April DeConick translation is winning open misere. The National Geographic and its translators have been paid their silver for betraying the real Judas. Suspect some would rather hang DeConick than themselves now they’ve been found out, though. The National Geographic and one of its translators of the Gospel … Continue reading “Recent developments in the Gospel of Judas debate”
The Emmaus Road narrative in Luke 24 raises many questions. Why is the hitherto unknown Cleopas one of those who appears to be the first to meet the resurrected Jesus? Who is his unnamed companion? Why does the narrative conclude with a statement that Jesus has appeared to Simon when no such appearance is described? … Continue reading “The origin and meaning of the Emmaus Road narrative in Luke”