A Virtual File Cabinet for Our Studies of Christian Origins & Hebraic Faith
From Chat GPT on 8/4/2025. Critical Bible scholars have long recognized that in his authentic letters, Paul often casts himself in the role of a new Moses, though sometimes implicitly rather than explicitly. These parallels show up in his vocation, covenant mediation, authority, suffering, and transformative glory language. Below is a synthesis of the main […]
Continue ReadingThree responses from ChatGPT on 8/4/2025. Paul reports being blinded in his accounts of the Damascus Road experience (Acts 9:3–9; 22:6–11; 26:12–18), and some critical scholars have noted the possibility that this detail may intentionally elevate Paul’s revelatory experience above Moses’—not by literal comparison, but in a rhetorical or theological sense. 1. Paul’s Blinding vs. […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT on 8/2/2025. The debate between Peter and a character traditionally identified with Paul appears primarily in the Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions and Homilies, two related early Christian novels (likely from the 3rd or 4th century CE). The debate itself is not explicitly between “Peter” and “Paul” by name, but between Peter and a character referred […]
Continue ReadingPaul said: 1Co 10:4 – “and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” RSV Peter was nicknamed Rock.
Continue ReadingThis post points out an issue with Paul’s statement in Philippians 3, where Paul admits to having once dioko (Greek for persecuted or pursued) the church. In addition, Acts (especially Acts 8) presents Paul (then Saul) as a fierce persecutor of early Christians, aligned with the martyrdom of Stephen. Paul makes this statement in Galatians […]
Continue ReadingBelow is ChatGPT’s summary of my transcript of the YouTube Video by Dr. Robyn Walsh at https://youtu.be/oEoouKCTTOw?si=BtMXkNOGmMOdOXjI. Prepared 6/20/2025. She explores the alternate interpretations of the Greek dioko as persecute or pursue. The Transcript is in her DropBox directory. The transcript, “Did Paul Really Persecute Christians?” by Dr. Robyn Walsh, explores the traditional and scholarly […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT on 6/9/2025. Here is a comparative chart showing how Luke differs from Paul, Matthew, Mark, and John, based on the analysis of Bart D. Ehrman and other critical scholars: COMPARISON CHART: Luke vs. Paul and the Other Gospels Topic Luke Paul Mark Matthew John Christology Exaltation at resurrection (Acts 2:36); avoids pre-existence Jesus […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT on 6/7/2025. The Hauptbriefe (German for “chief letters” or “main letters”) refers to a group of Pauline epistles that many critical New Testament scholars consider to be the core or most theologically central writings of the Apostle Paul. These letters are also the ones that are most widely accepted as undisputedly written by […]
Continue ReadingMultiple Responses from Claude.ai in Explanatory Mode on 5/26/2025. All emphasis is mine. Prompt 1 – How do critical bible scholars contrast Paul’s views of a required sacrifice to atone for mankind’s sin with the many places in the Hebrew Bible where Yehweh says he does not ask for and does not want sacrifices? Cite […]
Continue ReadingA very good collection of articles published at BAR is in an ebook (pdf) titled Paul: Jewish Law and Early Christianity, which they distributed for free (other than the price of your email address) that is in Dropbox at “C:\Users\tom\Dropbox\Christianity\Paul\paul_jewish_law_and_early_christianity.pdf” Learn how Jewish traditions and law extended into early Christianity through Paul’s dual roles as […]
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