Nietzsche said the Christian decision to make the world ugly and evil has made the world ugly and evil. Of course the Christians were only mimickers and mirrors of the neo-Platonism and Gnostic perspectives that became so influential in late Antiquity. Quite a contrast to the Hebrew Bible. Demons, Satan…
Jews, Christians, and Muslims all affirm the doctrine of “resurrection of the dead” as a central tenet of eschatology–that is, the understanding of the “last things” or how human history is to end. One common misunderstanding, especially among Christians, is that resurrection of the dead is equivalent to the idea…
This post is continued from the previous one here. Here are the last three in this two-part posting. You will find a full exposition of these ideas, chapter by chapter, in my book Paul and Jesus. At the Recently Discovered “Tomb of Paul” in Rome 4) Already but Not Yet.…
December 25th as the date of the birth of Jesus can be traced back to the early 3rd century CE although it did not achieve more universal recognition until the late 4th century. It is common to hear the charge that “Christmas is pagan,” based on the popularity of the…
From the lovely, elegant, and scholarly 1985 JPS translation, to the unparalleled Oxford maps, the extensive scholarly, well-balanced notes (including academic as well as rabbinic perspectives), the essays, tables, and charts in the back, with additional maps and charts splashed on the pages throughout, printed on high quality “Bible” paper…
This week I am giving Ten Lectures at the Biblical Archaeology Society Seminar at St Olaf College in Northfield, MN. I will post my slides each day, which have hyperlinks to more materials and references to books and further reading, for those who want to delve into these subjects a…
Dear Reader:This is one of the most thorough and complex blog posts I have ever done based on years of careful textual work. It is not something to breeze through, though it is written clearly and simply. You will need your Bible out and a pad of paper but your…
Gary Greenberg was kind enough to send me a copy of his fascinating new book, Proving Jesus’ Authority in Mark and John: Overlooked Evidence of a Synoptic Relationship (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2018). I am just beginning to read it, so I will not attempt any kind of overview or review at this…
Why Even Some Jews Once Believed Moses Had Horns It is often said that this is a simple matter of mistranslation, but Vulgate author Saint Jerome would not have made such a crude mistake HaAretz, Elon Gilad, March 27, 2018 https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/why-even-some-jews-once-believed-moses-had-horns-1.5949749 Famously, Michelangelo’s Moses has two horns protruding from his head.…
Recent polls indicate that up to 70% of Americans, both Black and White, approve of some form of corporeal punishment of children–with Evangelical Christians coming in at over 85%. 15 States in the USA explicitly permit some form of “paddling” in public schools, with 7 States not prohibiting it, leaving…