A Virtual File Cabinet for Our Studies of Christian Origins & Hebraic Faith
Extracted text by James Tabor sent to the Patreon on 12/25/2024. Contrary to what many assume, given the Jewish revolts against Rome in the first and second centuries AD, Jews regularly served in the Roman army. Some were conscripted, others enlisted, to obtain Roman citizenship and advance their economic and social prospects. The most famous […]
Continue ReadingWe Have Seen His Star in the East: What Was the Christmas Star? See a slightly different version on his blog here. By James D. Tabor December 25, 2024, at Bible History Daily. That article includes the image of the Focal Point article by Molnar included below. Can Astronomy Explain the Biblical Star of Bethlehem? By […]
Continue ReadingFrom OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com Prompt – What parts do critical historical scholars say are parallel in the creation myths: In Genesis, Enuma Elish, the Atrahasis, and Gilgamesh? Cite all sources. Critical historical scholars have identified several parallels among the creation narratives in Genesis, the Enuma Elish, the Atrahasis Epic, and the […]
Continue ReadingEnuma Elish Enuma Elish: The Oldest Written Creation Myth The Enuma Elish is composed of close to one thousand lines of cuneiform script that have often been compared with the Old Testament creation story in Genesis I. The story features a great battle between gods Marduk and Tiamat that results in the creation of the Earth and mankind. The […]
Continue ReadingFrom OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com First Prompt: Provide the pros and cons and the related scholars regarding the text we call Jeremiah as a compilation of multiple speeches that the historical Jeremiah prepared and delivered. These are the off the cuff ramblings of an angry man, scholars have long held that these […]
Continue ReadingMelchizedek: How a Literary Phantom Became an Eternal Priest and Savior of Israel, September 21, 2024, by Paul Davidson at https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/. The text below are extracts from his very in-depth article and are included her as my “talking points”. End extracts from Paul Davidson’s post.
Continue ReadingExtracts from Matthew’s Nativity Story, Critically Examined by Paul Davidson. But I want to look behind the textual curtain and see how the nativity stories came about. Matthew’s version provides an interesting example of how biblical authors worked, combining and reinterpreting Jewish scriptures and other literary sources to craft a deliberate portrait of Jesus. I will […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT, 12/18/2024. The concept of virgin birth, or miraculous conception, is a motif found in various religious and mythological traditions. Below is a list of figures said to have been born of a virgin, along with the sources that describe them: Deities Humans Follow-up ChatGPT response. Prompt – Provide context and list the sources […]
Continue ReadingSummary of the Ecclesiastes portion of Christine Hayes’ Lecture 21 of her Yale Open Course, Introduction to the OT. 1. Introduction to Ecclesiastes (Qohelet) – ko-HEHL-ehth 2. Themes and Tone Verses Cited: 3. Critique of Divine Justice Verses Cited: 4. Death as the Central Concern Verses Cited: 5. Existential Response to Life’s Futility Verses Cited: […]
Continue ReadingThis long post with many great observations by various scholars begins with an essay provided by John Collins as part of his course “Judaism before Jesus” is A LIFE-STYLE FOR DIASPORA: A STUDY OF THE TALES OF ESTHER AND DANIEL by W. LEE HUMPHREYS, UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE, TENN. The PDF is in the Collins […]
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