A Virtual File Cabinet for Our Studies of Christian Origins & Hebraic Faith
The paragraph and table below is from BAS Library: Child Sacrifice: Returning God’s Gift, Barren women give birth to exceptional children by Susan Ackerman. Susan Ackerman is a retired professor of religion and women’s and gender studies at Dartmouth College. She specializes in women and the religion of ancient Israel. Six barren woman in the Bible receive […]
Continue ReadingFor a concise history and background, see the Britannica article here. All information below is from ChatGPT on May 11, 2025. Additional responses below the first prompt are: 1st prompt – When the Jewish Study Bible uses LORD in all caps what was the name used in the original Hebrew? ChatGPT said: When the Jewish […]
Continue ReadingSummary of “Smoke and Mirrors: The Sacrificial System” This document is a summary by Claude.ai of the transcript of the above lecture by Ross Nichols, examining the biblical sacrificial system. Ross argues that the sacrificial cult described in Leviticus was not originally ordained by God or authored by Moses, contrary to traditional orthodox views. He […]
Continue ReadingFrom Claude.ai. Prompt: What is Corban Practice (Mark 7:9-13; Matthew 15:3-9). Corban Practice in Biblical Context The Corban practice referenced in Mark 7:9-13 and Matthew 15:3-9 refers to a specific type of religious vow in Judaism during the Second Temple period. The term “Corban” (קָרְבָּן in Hebrew) literally means “offering” or “that which is brought […]
Continue ReadingFrom Claude.ai. See the second prompt/response in this post titled Historical Connections Between Jesus and Hillel: A Critical Assessment is below this one. First Prompt: List all references to Jesus where critical bible scholars identify either the school of Hillel or Shammai. Cite all sources. References to Jesus in Connection with the Schools of Hillel […]
Continue ReadingExtracts from and links to the BAS LIBRARY EXPLORER March 30, 2025 Considered sacred ground even before Solomon’s Temple stood there and bitterly contested in our own day, the Temple Mount is one of the most fascinating and important places on earth. BAS editors have compiled a special collection of articles from Biblical Archaeology Review that highlight […]
Continue ReadingAll text below is from Claude.ai in Explanatory mode. In the responses everywhere “I” or “me” is speaking that is Claude.ai—not this web guy. Below Prompt 1 are the following prompts and responses. Prompt 1: Did Yohanan ben Zakkai ever live in the Galilee? Site all sources. Let me (Claude.ai) address this historical question carefully. […]
Continue ReadingThis is from ChatGPT and is a followup to the long multiple-response post here. How Apostle Paul’s Writings Changed Early Christian Worship Apostle Paul played a critical role in transforming early Christian worship, as his letters reinterpreted Jewish traditions and adapted them for a broader Gentile audience. While early Christian worship remained influenced by Jewish […]
Continue ReadingBobby Lane started a conversation at the BSA General Discussion forum on January 7, 2025, about the difference between Israel’s God YHWH and other Gods. Michael Waddell’s comment is worth saving and is copied below. Michael L Waddell In the ancient world, gods were very local. The first mention of YHWH in a non-Hebrew inscription […]
Continue ReadingThis page contains significant comments to a post in the Bible Nerds section titled Were Yahweh and El, the Chief god of the Canaanite Pantheon, Good Buddies? at Biblical Studies Academy stemming from the OP by Ron Gamache dated 12/29/2024. Following is a paragraph with the question from the Original Post; Can the biblical scholars […]
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