Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science
When did the Exodus happen? 1 Kings 6:1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel . . . Solomon’s rule is said to have begun around 970 BCE. … Continue reading “Exodus, part 1. Semites in Egypt”
We think of Hellenism as the enemy against which the Maccabees fought to the death. But consider the following . . . . To celebrate the recapturing and re-dedication of the Jerusalem Temple in 164 BCE the Maccabees instituted the festival of Hannukah [=Dedication]: Judah and his brethren and the whole congregation of Israel ordained, … Continue reading “Those Hellenistic and Hellenizing Maccabees and Pharisees”
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 “Slavery and Social Welfare (if any) Legislation in the Biblical and Neighbouring Worlds”
This post continues the discussion of Russell Gmirkin’s Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible. All posts in the series can be accessed in the archive. –o0o– After discussing the popularity of Greek foundation stories and the appearance of the same genre in the Pentateuch, Gmirkin looks at one more type of narrative that is … Continue reading “Plato and the Hebrew Bible: Political Evolution in Literature”
Weinfeld compared the Abrahamic promises that prompted his emigration from Mesopotamia to Canaan with the similar destiny prophesied for the legendary Trojan hero Aeneas at the outset of his travels: much as the descendants of Aeneas would someday found Rome (Homer, Iliad 20.307; Virgil, Aeneid 3.97-98), so Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation and … Continue reading “Comparing the Rome’s and Israel’s Foundation Stories, Aeneas and Abraham”
Continuing from Plato and the Hebrew Bible: Law-Giving Narratives as Greek-Inspired Literature . . . . The historical narratives of both Herodotus and Thucydides contain narratives explaining the origins of Athenian laws of three notable lawgivers in both myth and history: Theseus, Solon and Cleisthenes. (Russell Gmirkin appears to say that both historians address the latter … Continue reading “Plato and the Hebrew Bible: Legal Narratives (esp. Panegyrics), continued”
To some extent, the followers of Jesus knew the basic facts: he was crucified by the authority of Pontius Pilate (with the complicity of the Jewish leadership?) outside the city of Jerusalem around the time of the Passover. Yet what was the meaning of those events? As Koester has noted, that question led the followers … Continue reading “Did the Search for Meaning in Scriptures Really Lead to the Gospel Narratives?”
The second of the three earliest references to the slain Messiah ben Joseph is a few lines further on in the same Talmud tractate, Sukkah 52a Our rabbis taught: The Holy One, blessed be he, will say to Messiah ben David (May he reveal himself speedily in our days!), “Ask of me anything and I will give … Continue reading “Continuing a case for an early Jewish belief in a slain messiah”
Also he says that “Exodus to Joshua: depict the Elders and Assembly as “national democratic institutions . . . subordinate to . . . Moses and Joshua.” Democratic? Really? From what does Gmirkin extrapolate any meaningful form of democratic process? Austendw questioning a point made in relation to the post The Bible’s Assemblies and Offices Based on … Continue reading “Primitive Democracy in Ancient Israel”
A steady stream of my RSS notices over recent weeks and months have alerted me to interest in a new book by Larry Hurtado, Destroyer of the Gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World. The title is dramatic enough. Search the term “destroyer of the gods” on Google’s Image search to see the dramatic scenarios … Continue reading “Destroyer of the Gods”
In a recent post (What a Bizarre Profession), Neil cited James McGrath over at The Pigeon Trough, discussing Paul’s admonition to the Romans not to resist the powers that be. 13:1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established … Continue reading “Paul and Eschatalogical Morality”
A paper presented last the Caves of Qumran 2014 conference at Lugano, Switzerland, by Gregory L. Doudna argues that the traditional dating of the scroll deposits of the caves of Qumran to as late as the time of the First Revolt [66-70 CE] is supported by neither evidence nor plausibility. (Doudna 2017, p.238) Doudna’s paper makes … Continue reading “Dead Sea Scrolls — All Well Before Christ and the First Jewish War”
This post covers just one small set of details addressed by Russell Gmirkin in Plato and the Creation of the Hebrew Bible, legal proceedings. I am keen to get to the next chapter where laws themselves are compared, but to take the question of “Biblical” links with the Greek world as distinct from the Near … Continue reading “Similarities between Biblical and Greek Judicial Systems”
Looking beyond the books of the Bible and into other ancient Jewish writings containing some very different views of biblical heroes can be a most interesting experience. Have a look at The Prayer of Joseph (1st or 2nd century CE): [1] “I, Jacob, who is speaking to you, am also Israel, an angel of God … Continue reading “Bible Heroes in Heaven Before They Came to Earth”