Basic Timeline – Monarchy to Rome
Click here for an extensive Timeline of Jewish History. The table below was extracted from that page on 5/12/2026.
Continue ReadingCategory: Bible Scholarship
The Rise of Ancient Israel at BAR
The Rise of Ancient Israel – Defining the Problems: Where We Are in the Debate by Hershel ShanksThe long article is a very good presentation for the layman of the potential origins of the Israelites. Where Did the Early Israelites Come From? Enjoy all of these articles from this collection in the BAS library:
Continue ReadingMary Magdalene’s Mystery by Libby Schrader
Citation – Polczer, Elizabeth Schrader. “The Mystery of Mary and Martha,” Biblical Archaeology Review 50.4 (2024): 66–69.
Continue ReadingMatthew: Fulfilling The Scriptures
From OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com on 11/16/2024. Prompt: List the scriptures in Matthew where the writer refers to an event fulfilling the scriptures. Cite the scriptures from the NRSV and the context of each scripture in the Hebrew Bible that scholars believe is being referred to. At the end of the response […]
Continue ReadingParthians, Who Were They?
From Chat GPT 11/14/2024 Prompt – Where was the Parthian frontier in the year 129 BCE, when Antiochus mounted a campaign. Address the history of the Parthians addressing who they evolved from, where, and when. Cite the sources at the end of the response. The Parthian Empire, which became a significant power in the Near […]
Continue ReadingReturn to Canaan: Timing and Details of the Exodus Tradition
From ChatGPT on 11/10/2024. Prompt – Add to the last response more on the timing and details of the Exodus tradition. [The “last response” refers to the result of the series of prompts in the Post here. Certainly, here’s an expanded exploration of the timing and details surrounding the Exodus tradition, including various scholarly perspectives, […]
Continue ReadingOutline of Events: Abraham to the Exodus
From ChatGPT on 11/10/2024. Prompt Series – Prepare an outline of the events in the Middle Bronze Age (c. 2000–1550 BCE) related toAbraham and the Patriarchs and their descendants noting the location of the events and any related NRSV bible scripture. Provide a list of sources at the end of the paper. Five Follow-up prompts […]
Continue ReadingCanaan and the Canaanites
Canaanites, Amorites, and Hittites in History and the Bible by Paul Davidson, September 20, 2015. See his updated YouTube video The Canaanites in History and the Bible dated September 20, 2023. My transcript is in DropBox subdirectory named Canaanites. From OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com Prompt – What is known by biblical history scholars […]
Continue ReadingNoah’s Drunken Naked Rage
From OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com Prompt – Where in the old testament does it tell about Noah getting falling-down drunk, lying butt-naked in a stupor, having to be covered up by his sons, and then cursing one of them and his descendants forever once he sobered up? That incident is recorded in […]
Continue ReadingCrucifixion Narratives
Bart Ehrman’s Post Jesus’ Death in Mark and Luke, September 10, 2012. Excerpt – Luke, then, changed Mark’s account both because he had a different view of Jesus going to his death and because he wanted his readers to take away something different from the account. It is a real mistake to think that Mark […]
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