A Virtual File Cabinet for Our Studies of Christian Origins & Hebraic Faith
7/31/2026 – This post contains a Claude.ai summary of a paper by Marcus Blue (member of BSA) about how the gospels progressively made Judas more guilty and Pilot more innocent. Marcus’ paper has an extensive bibliography and the second Claude response, identifying critical bible scholars who agree with Blue, cites the same scholars as did […]
Continue ReadingThe post contains Bart Ehrman’s comments about contradictions vs differences and then a list of the contradictions he often cites. The text below was prepared by Claude.ai using the transcript of his 15-minute lecture posted to BSA titled Let There Be Light: What’s Your Favorite Bible Contradiction? (Bart Responds). The transcript is in his Dropbox […]
Continue Reading4/5/2026 – Below is the transcript of Goodacre’s Short on YouTube here. Below the transcript is a Claude.ai response to a prompt offering the transcript and asking for more insight particularly regarding the different starts of the day of the Jewish calendar and the Roman calendar. Jump down to Extract from the BAR article Was […]
Continue Reading3/12/2026 – This post contains a Claude.ai summary of the transcript of an interview of Helen Bond on the History Valley Podcast here and embedded below. The transcript is in her directory in Dropbox. Her book on Pilate was recommended by an active member of BAS.
Continue ReadingFrom BAS’s email on 2/22/26. In Easter and the Death of Jesus, BAS editors have carefully compiled a special collection of articles from Biblical Archaeology Review and Bible Review that reveal the Easter story in all its rich and rewarding facets. To truly understand the passion, crucifixion and resurrection, you’ll want to read all of the articles, of which these […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT, 1/5/2025. Provide an outline comparing how each Gospel portrays Pilate’s motives and attitude—for instance, how Mark’s Pilate is pragmatic, Matthew’s hesitant, Luke’s political, and John’s philosophical? Here’s a concise, practical outline comparing the trial of Jesus before Pilate across the four Gospels. It shows how each writer presents Pilate’s character, motives, and role […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT. The Greek word lēstēs (λῃστής) — meaning robber, bandit, or revolutionary/insurrectionist — appears several times in the New Testament, especially in the Gospels. Here are the occurrences, with context and English translation (NRSV). Pronunciation: lay-STACE. Scroll to the bottom for info and links about Dr. James Tabor’s translation of the term λῃστής (lēstēs) as […]
Continue ReadingThis post contains ChatGPT’s summary of the transcript of Paula Fredriksen’s Lecture: “Turning the Tables on the ‘Purification’ of the Temple” in NINT 2025. The transcript is in her directory in DropBox. Her thesis is it did not happen. Robin Faith Walsh had other thoughts, which are at the end of this post. Summary of […]
Continue ReadingShort ending of Mark Several witnesses, including four uncial Greek manuscripts of the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries (L Ψ 099 0112), as well as Old Latin k, the margin of the Harclean Syriac, several Sahidic and Bohairic manuscripts, and not a few Ethiopic manuscripts, continue after verse eight with small variations. Starting in the […]
Continue ReadingFrom 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 […]
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