A Virtual File Cabinet for Our Studies of Christian Origins & Hebraic Faith
From Claude.ai on 7/8/2025. Critical biblical scholars and archaeologists have reached a strong consensus on the location of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. The site is located at Al-Maghtas, Jordan, officially known as “Bethany Beyond the Jordan,” which was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2015. The site is situated on the eastern […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT on 7/7/2025 Prompt – Provide the bible scripture where it says two of Jesus’s desciples are unlettered and what critical bible scholars say is the meaning. Cite all sources. The passage you’re referring to is found in the Book of Acts, specifically: Acts 4:13 (NRSV) “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT on 7/1/2025. The debate among critical Bible scholars over whether James and Joses (also spelled “Jose”) were biological sons of Mary (Jesus’ mother) or children of Joseph by a prior wife stems from differing interpretations of New Testament texts, early Christian traditions, and theological developments in later centuries. Here’s a summary of the […]
Continue ReadingThe text below was a response by Marko Marina in a BSA conversation here. Like most critical scholars today (Catholic and non-Catholic alike), I’m [Dr. Marina] convinced the figures called “brothers” of Jesus in the New Testament were in fact his biological siblings, children of Mary and Joseph born after Jesus’ birth. Below, I’ll respond […]
Continue ReadingHow Many Prophecies Did Jesus Fulfill? Written by Marko Marina, Ph.D. Posted at BSA on May 29th, 2025. The table and text below are extracts from his excellent article, which includes brief discussions of the sources listed in the table below. Twelve of the most frequently mentioned prophecies Jesus is said to have fulfilled, served up in […]
Continue ReadingThe following is from a transcript of part of Bart Ehrman’s Q&A to his 8th lecture in his series The Maverick Gospel of Luke. The lecture is at BSA here. Son of Man – Three Questions and Answers [Megan] It’s possible that Jesus actually did consider himself to be the Son of Man as opposed […]
Continue ReadingFrom Claude.ai, Sonnet 4 in Explanatory Mode. Prompt: Explain the differences, scholars who support each, and when they appeared of the ransom theory of atonement; the substitutionary theory; and the alternative moral exemplar theory. To understand these three theories of atonement, let’s first establish what we’re exploring: how does Christ’s death on the cross accomplish […]
Continue ReadingWhy is There Doubt Over the “I am” Statements in the Gospel of John? Below are extracts from this very good article. Much of contemporary New Testament scholarship views the “I am” sayings of Jesus found in the Gospel of John as being controversial. The seven sayings in John are as follows: • I am […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT Critical biblical scholarship offers a nuanced perspective on the “I AM” statements in John 14, particularly Jesus’ declaration in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” While some theologians interpret these statements as affirmations of Jesus’ divinity, critical scholars often view them through the lens of historical context and […]
Continue ReadingFrom Claude.ai in Explanatory Mode on 5/18/2025. To explain how critical biblical scholars interpret the differences between Jesus’ statements in John 5 and John 8, I’ll need to examine the key differences between these chapters and how scholars understand them. John 5: Key Statements In John 5, Jesus makes several significant claims about himself and […]
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