Biblical Studies and Technological Tools

Matthew 5.38-48 (Beatitudes) for RCL Epiphany 8A

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 02:41:00 +0000

Image by ChatGPT

The RCL text for Epiphany 8A is Matthew 5.38-48, part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.

This is my translation which stays close to the Greek but perhaps gives a different tone.

Matthew 5.38-48 mgvhoffman

³⁸ “You’ve heard that it was said,

‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

³⁹ But I’m telling you not to retaliate against an evil person.

Rather, should anyone slap you on your right cheek,

turn the other to them as well.

⁴⁰ And as for the one who wants to sue you and take your undergarment?

Give them your outer garment as well.

⁴¹ And should anyone force you to go one mile?

Go on with them for two.

⁴² As for the one asking you for something?

Give it to them.

And the one who wants to borrow from you?

Don’t turn them away.

⁴³ You’ve heard that it was said,

‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

⁴⁴ But I’m telling you, love your enemies and pray for the ones persecuting you,

⁴⁵ so that you become children of your heavenly Father,

because the sun, God causes it to rise on the evil and the good,

and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.

⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?

Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?

⁴⁷ And if you greet only your siblings, what are you doing more than others?

Don’t even the Gentile do the same?

⁴⁸ So then, as for you, you are to be perfectly whole, just as your heavenly Father is perfectly whole.”

For an explanation of my choices, HERE is a guide comparing translations and highlighting grammatical and lexical issues.

AI can do something useful that neither Accordance or Logos can do

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 20:37:00 +0000

Find all the instances of κωμη in the gospel of Mark and create a table showing the parallel passages in Matthew or Luke.

There is a Bible search task I have long wished that Accordance or Logos (or BibleWorks back in the day) could do, but it did seem to be asking a bit much. Namely, I wanted to run a search for a word that occurs in one of the gospels and concurrently check out the parallel passages in the other gospels to see if the same wording was used.

What I have done in the past is run the search to get the results and then manually compare (either just using the search results or entering passages one at a time into a parallel resources like Aland's Gospel Parallels) to see whether they matched or not.

On a whim, I decided to ask Microsoft CoPilot to run such a search for me. It worked!

Here's the prompt I used: Find all the instances of κωμη in the gospel of Mark and create a table showing the parallel passages in Matthew or Luke.

My hope was to see whether Luke 'upgraded' Mark and turned villages / towns (κωμη) into cities (πολις) similar how to coinage in Luke is upgraded compared to Mark. You can see in the graphic that it explained its methodology and then created the table. Here is the Summary it produced at the end:

When I told it to go ahead and create a slide deck it went even further generating 8 slides (including one of Theological Implications and another of Reflections that weren't bad) and created a cleaner table.

I did some other similar searches, and there were some less reliable results, largely due to trying to match up passages rather than exact verses. So, as you can expect, results need to be confirmed, but this is a really fascinating use of AI.

Another search I tried is that I searched for all the uses of the form λεγει in Mark and asked for the parallels in Matthew and Luke in order to see what they do with Mark's frequent use of the historical present. Results were not precise. It did cite Toronto's Five Gospel Parallel and the Four Gospel Harmony as sources.

Bad AI... (or just bad theology?)

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 02:48:00 +0000

Fantasy or faith? One company's AI-generated Bible content stirs controversy

Apparently there is money to be made using AI to make 'slop' videos for a Christian audience. AIBible.com and Pray.com (you'll have to do the linking yourself) made what is apparently a very popular Revelation / Rapture video. I'll link you to the article, but you can track it down yourself if so interested. Pretty dramatic, pretty predictable, pretty awful. It's better if you just read the article over at NPR.

Here is the article from NPR: "Fantasy or faith? One company's AI-generated Bible content stirs controversy"

And if you're into that kind of stuff how about Mary the mother of Jesus on TikTok recounting the annunciation and birth. (https://www.tiktok.com/@holyvlogsz/video/7510656011473063198)
"Hey, guys! It's Maria. And you won't believe this..." It ends with Maria saying, "Don't forget to Like and pray!"

Luke 13.10-17 A Woman Is Healed by Jesus RCL Proper 16C

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 02:53:00 +0000

Image generated by Microsoft Copilot

Luke 13.10-17 is the story of Jesus healing a disabled woman. It's the text for RCL Proper 16C.

I've attached a document with a number of versions in parallel along with my translation that tries to pay close attention to the nuances in the text, especially for oral presentation. I have notes for each verse that draw attention to details that I think are significant.

If you don't have time to read all the notes, below is my translation and how I display a text so that I can memorize it. Two main things to note.

Note that the "look here!" (ιδου in the Greek) is an oral feature that aids both the storyteller and the hearer. In this passage, it also provides a frame for the story with the reference to 18 years. (Cf. the orange highlighting.) Almost every English version omits it.
When Jesus speaks to the woman, a somewhat odd word choice (ἀπολέλυσαι) is used to "release" her from her disability. What's important to see, though, is that the root (λύω) is the key to Jesus argument about "unleashing" (λύω) an ox or a donkey in verse 15 and why he asserts it is right to "unleash" her from her disability. I use release / unleash to make the verbal connection. I don't know of any English version that preserves that link in verses 12, 15, and 16

HERE is the document that compares a variety of versions and has my notes. (I'm using this i my Greek class, so ignore the assigned work!)

Audio-Visual Reading of Joshua 18

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 22:22:00 +0000

David P. Barrett, author of the BibleMapper program, has been sharing outstanding, high-quality maps of biblical events on his blog. Check his List of All Atlas Maps.

He recently posted something a bit different, an audio-visual reading of Joshua 18. This chapter describes the process of allotting territory to the tribes and starts with defining the boundaries of the tribe of Benjamin. Barrett's video provides a walk-through showing on a map exactly what is being described in Joshua 18. Without a resource like this, it takes some work trying to read and consult a map to see what exactly is being mentioned and where it is.

HERE is the link to check out!

AI agAIn: ChatGPT, BibleMate, Gemini, Claude, Logos

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Wed, 28 May 2025 15:30:00 +0000

In previous posts (here and work back) I looked at ChatGPT and BibleMate to see what they would do with some basic Bible questions. AI has come a long way in the last year or so. I just read a thread on Twitter (x) where someone compared Gemini, Claude, and the latest ChatGPT4. He was testing to see whether AI 'hallucinates.' I.e., when prompted (and encouraged or challenged) with a falsehood, is the AI able to detect it? Or does it create information to validate it? The person created 2 prompts regarding some false, fantastical claims about Elon Musk. Here are the results. (click on graphic to go to x thread)

Gemini really went all in and created all sorts of false validation. Claude was the most reliable, but what struck this person was that ChatGPT seemed to 'learn' from it's first mistake and improved its response.

I played around a bit again with the various engines. BibleMate still reflects a rather literal, 'conservative' response to Bible questions. All of them can generate excellent results (e.g., answering questions like: Did Jesus say, "Heaven helps those who help themselves"? or finding biblical texts or creating outlines of biblical books), but as always results need to be checked.

I'm still checking out the integration of AI into Logos Bible software. Working off a more curated database, it does offer the prospect of more reliable and helpful answers.

MARBLE: Modular Aggregation of Resources on the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:32:00 +0000

I just came across this MARBLE site, but it appears to be the successor of SemanticDictionary.org, a project by the United Bible Societies headed by Reinier DeBlois. When I first reported on this back in 2008 (!), it was a new resource for Old Testament study linked to the Semantic Dictionary of the Hebrew Bible. It has now been greatly enhanced and has New Testament Greek resources as well. From the website:

MARBLE stands for Modular Aggregation of Resources on the Bible
This website, published by the United Bible Societies (UBS), gives free access to a number of important Bible background resources, including:
The Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS)
The UBS Greek New Testament (5th edition, UBSGNT5)
The Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (SDBH, edited by Reinier de Blois)
The Semantic Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (SDGNT, based on Louw and Nida's lexicon)
Thousands of Bible images and video clips linked to Bible passages

Along with the Hebrew and Greek texts, it is cross-linked and has cross-highlighting with the 1952 RSV. (I.e., when working with a biblical text, clicking on either the Hebrew/Greek or English word, it will bring up the original language dictionary entry.)

The inclusion of images and videos (which can be accessed either through an image / video search or when working on the Bible text and clicking on a link bringing up images / videos associated with that chapter of the Bible.

Probably the most helpful aspects of this site that integrates information that takes a bit more work to access even in Accordance or Logos are the Semantic Dictionaries. I'm guessing that its initial roots in the Hebrew, there is more information provided for Hebrew lexemes, but for both Hebrew and Greek, not only is lexical meaning provided, but there is also information on the lexical domain. (For the Hebrew, there is also information on Contextual Domain and Collocations.) If you have used Louw-Nida, you will be familiar with what is being done here, but the MARBLE site makes it very easy to use, see lexical relationships, and navigate around.

E.g., here is just a portion of the kind of information provided for a word like אב.

And here is just a portion of the information for χάρις.

It's definitely worth checking out this site, and it serves as a great supplement to something like the STEP Bible site if you don't have Accordance or Logos.

(HT: I learned about MARBLE through a DataDrivenBiblicalStudies video on YouTube. I think it's by Dirk Roorda, and he also uses a Text-Fabric web app that is quite impressive.)

In the Footsteps of St Paul: Museum Exhibition in Greece

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 02:31:00 +0000

Via Egnatia toward Kavala

The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki in Greece is hosting a temporary exhibition until 30 April 2025, "In the Footsteps of Paul." The exhibit is described in this way.

The museum narrative of the exhibition was structured based on the Second Apostolic Journey of Paul in Greece, in a revised framework of documentation and reconstruction, according to the text of the Acts of the Apostles, his letters to the newly founded Christian Churches and his associates, historical and archaeological research, but also the oral tradition that preserved the memory of the Apostle unaltered. The goal is to connect the apostolic journey with archaeological sites and monuments of the Greco-Roman era, the Jewish Diaspora and the Christian world at the then stations of the Apostle's tour and current cities of modern Greece. (translated by Google; original in Greek here)

There is also a downloadable PDF brochure describing Paul's journey here. One minor detail that is a bit out of the ordinary is the conclusion that when leaving Athens, Paul sailed to Cenchreae and then walked to Corinth. (IMO, this is a correct conclusion. It's easy enough to walk from Athens to Eleusis, but it's a challenging hike after that.) The "cultural route" described in the journey notes that the exhibit also includes Nicopolis that Paul appears to have planned to visit. (Titus 3.12)

The exhibit will be in Athens this summer. More information will be forthcoming soon about other opportunities, but for now, check out the hiking guides I have provided:

How do the English versions break the text into sections?

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 04:09:00 +0000

2 John Sanky Diagrams Section Headings
From https://www.openbible.info/labs/bible-section-sankeys/

Over at OpenBible.info, Stephen Smith continues to play with interesting visualizations of the biblical text. A recent post shows how we can see the way different English versions break up the text under section headings:Explore Bible Sections (Pericopes) with Sankey Diagrams. Using a free online resource, SankeyMATIC, Smith took twenty English Bible, generated the data for where each split up the text (he shares the data which looks like a lot of work to me), set it up to be used in SankeyMatic, and then generated Sankey Diagrams for each book of the Bible. I've copied the one he generated for 1 John.

What are you looking at? Sankey diagrams provide a way of comparing and visualizing data. The height of the band indicates the number of sources in agreement. The splits show where they differ and how many differ. As you would expect, they all agree about the beginning and end of the text. Most versions insert a heading at 1.4, but at least a couple versions split at 1.5, and some make no split at all.

So, what good is this kind of information? Smith cites some examples from Ruth and Lamentations (acrostic divisions).

Another way I think this kind of visualization could be helpful is to compare alignments in the LXX version of books as compared to the Hebrew. E.g., it's always messy trying to align ch:vs in LXX of Isaiah w/ that of the Hebrew (and English versions). Esther is also messy that way. And the Psalms need alignment between the Hebrew, Greek, and English with offsetting chapters and verses.

These Sankey diagrams could also be helpful for showing some key places where sections are in question. For example, here is a snippet Smith generated for Mark 8.27-9.30.

Mark 8.27 starts the scene near Caesarea Philippi where Peter makes his confession of Jesus. Most versions make a split at 8.31 and the first Passion Pronouncement. Some break again at 8.34 when Jesus calls the crowd together and talks about what it means to follow him, but some don't break until 9.2. It appears that one version breaks at 9.1, though 9.1 really does belong with the preceding. (And unfortunately, the Revised Common Lectionary follows the chapter break rather than the logical break at 9.2.) The Transfiguration starts at 9.2. Should it run until 9.14, or, as some versions do, break at 9.9 and the discussion as they are coming down the mountain about rising from the dead and Elijah?

And thanks to Smith's sharing of the data, I will hope to find the time to plug in my preferred division of Mark's gospel and use the SankeyMATIC to show how mine differs from the others.

One other thing that might be interesting historically is to use Eusebius' Kephalia of the Gospels to show how it compares to modern divisions.

How else do you think these could be used?

ChatGPT, biblemate, and more AI revisited

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 16:22:00 +0000

Image created by DALL-E with prompt: create an image of Jonah and the whale, there is a storm and rough seas, Jonah is about to be swallowed, there is a ship nearby, angular and abstract style

I first posted about AI and their ability to respond to Bible related questions in May 2023. I did an update in November 2023 and noted some significant changes. I thought I would revisit the matter again and see what's new. Well, a lot is new.

A year ago, ChatGPT was the really the primary service, but I also used biblemate, a customized version which, as the name suggests, is Christian-moderated. One of the prompts I used was: "Was Jonah swallowed by a whale?" I chose this figuring it would sort out how aware the AI was of literal or metaphorical readings. Also, would they know that the Hebrew really just refers to a "great fish" and not necessarily a whale?

What's new now is that ChatGPT has a whole host of related services dedicated to different sorts of tasks. For this time, I chose "Scholar GPT." But there are quite a few other AI services now: Bing Copilot, Gemini, Claude, and more. Another somewhat new aspect is that the Copilot, Gemini, and Claude interfaces are now presented as 'chats.' I.e., they understand that there is some sense of a conversation, and that its response to a query can need either refinement or expansion. I did also try asking the same question at different times, and I got different responses, so they all (except for biblemate) seem to be constantly updating themselves. (This is also why it makes it so hard to track down plagiarism.)

So how do they each answer the question: Was Jonah swallowed by a whale?

You can check the November responses for ChatGPT and biblemate, and this time around, they both are more 'conservative.' Scholar GPT similarly describes the event and notes that it was a "great fish," but it omits this part that it had last time:

Whether the events in the story are to be understood as literal historical events or as a symbolic or allegorical tale is a matter of interpretation. Some people interpret the story as a miraculous event that actually happened, while others see it as a literary device with a moral or theological message. It is important to note that interpretations of biblical stories can vary among different religious traditions and denominations.

I.e., it only reports a literal reckoning of the story. biblemate was 'conservative' last time and is even more so this time. Here's what it says now:

Yes, the story of Jonah being swallowed by a great fish is found in the book of Jonah in the Old Testament. In Jonah 1:17, it states, "Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." This miraculous event serves as a sign of God's sovereignty and mercy, as Jonah was eventually spit out onto dry land and given a second chance to fulfill God's mission for him.

That's pretty similar to last time, except that it omits: " The story of Jonah is often interpreted as a lesson about obedience and repentance." I.e., it seems to only be concerned about the literalness of the event and doesn't even consider it to be a "lesson." Where are Scholar GPT and biblemate learning this from?

Bing Copilot by default provides cross references. (I probably could have asked the others to do so.) Here is how it answers the question:

The story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale is a well-known biblical tale. According to the Bible, Jonah was swallowed by a “great fish” that God provided ¹ ². The Hebrew text uses the phrase “large fish,” and it doesn’t specify the exact type of creature ³. In popular culture, this fish is often depicted as a whale, but the original text leaves it more ambiguous ².

It’s a fascinating story that has captured the imagination of many over the centuries!
Do you have any other questions about biblical stories or anything else?

Those references are to BibleGateway for the text, Wikipedia, and a response on billygraham.org. It does answer the question quite concisely, and it does leave some room for it being a "biblical tale" and "story."

As an experiment, I asked Copilot the exact question again some time later, and it generated a different response.

The story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale is a well-known biblical account. However, the original Hebrew text of the Bible refers to a “great fish” rather than specifically a whale ¹ ² ³. In the Book of Jonah, it states that "the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah"². This has led to various interpretations over time, with some translations and cultural depictions referring to it as a whale ³.

Regardless of the exact species, the story emphasizes Jonah’s miraculous survival and his subsequent mission to deliver God’s message.

Is there a particular aspect of this story that interests you?

The conclusion says a bit more the second time. The references it cites this time are from: armstronginstitute.org, BibleGateway, Wikipedia, learnreligions.com, and BibleHub. That's a rather interesting spectrum from Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God to Learn Religions' all-religions approach.

Gemini offers an even more concise answer.

Yes, according to the biblical account of Jonah, he was swallowed by a "great fish." This fish is often interpreted as a whale, though the exact species is not specified in the text.

The story of Jonah and the whale is a well-known parable in the Bible that highlights the power and mercy of God.
Would you like to know more about the story of Jonah and the whale?

It knows about the "great fish" aspect, and, as you can read, it labels the story as a "parable."

Here is what Claude returns:

According to the biblical narrative in the Book of Jonah, Jonah was swallowed by a "great fish" rather than specifically a whale. The exact Hebrew term used is "dag gadol," which translates to "great fish."

This story is part of the Judeo-Christian tradition, found in the Old Testament. In the account, God commands Jonah to preach to the city of Nineveh. Jonah attempts to flee from this divine command by boarding a ship. A great storm arises, and the sailors, believing it's due to Jonah's disobedience, throw him overboard. It's at this point that the "great fish" swallows Jonah.

Jonah remains in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights before being vomited out onto dry land. He then proceeds to fulfill his mission to Nineveh.

It's worth noting that while many popular retellings and interpretations of this story refer to the creature as a whale, the original text does not specify the exact type of sea creature. The idea of it being a whale likely stems from the creature's large size and its ability to swallow a man whole.

Would you like more information about the story of Jonah or its interpretations in various religious traditions?

This is the longest response of the AI generators I tried, and it provides quite a bit more context for the account. It only answers the question posed without getting into literal or metaphorical matters, but it did offer to go further at the end. When I replied with a "yes," it came back with this:

Certainly, I'd be happy to provide more information about the story of Jonah and its interpretations. Here are some key points:

1. Historical and Literary Context:
   - The Book of Jonah is part of the Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.
   - It's believed to have been written around the 8th-5th century BCE.
   - Unlike other prophetic books, it's primarily narrative rather than a collection of prophecies.

2. Interpretations in Judaism:
   - In Jewish tradition, the story is read during Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) as a reminder of God's mercy and the power of repentance.
   - Some rabbinical interpretations focus on Jonah's reluctance to prophesy, seeing it as a reflection of his concern for the Jewish people.

3. Christian Interpretations:
   - In Christianity, Jesus references the "sign of Jonah" as a prefiguration of his death and resurrection (three days in the tomb).
   - The story is often seen as an example of God's universal love and forgiveness, extending even to non-Israelites (the people of Nineveh).

4. Islamic Perspective:
   - Jonah (Yunus in Arabic) is considered a prophet in Islam.
   - The Quran mentions his story, emphasizing the themes of repentance and divine mercy.

5. Symbolic and Allegorical Interpretations:
   - The "great fish" has been interpreted as a symbol of chaos, death, or the unknown.
   - Jonah's journey has been seen as an allegory for spiritual transformation or rebirth.

6. Scientific and Historical Debates:
   - Some have attempted to identify real marine creatures capable of swallowing a human, such as large species of whales or sharks.
   - Others interpret the story as purely allegorical or mythological, not meant to be taken literally.

7. Cultural Impact:
   - The story has inspired numerous works of art, literature, and even idioms (e.g., "a Jonah" referring to a person who brings bad luck).

Would you like me to elaborate on any specific aspect of the Jonah story or its interpretations?

That's quite a broad perspective, and one that seems reasonably objective and accurate. I did ask Claude to provide source references for its response, and it replied:

I apologize, but I need to clarify that I don't have access to a database or the ability to search for and provide specific source references. The information I provided in my previous response is based on my training, which includes general knowledge about religious texts, interpretations, and scholarship. However, I cannot cite specific books, articles, or authors.

When it comes to providing accurate citations, especially for academic or scholarly purposes, it's always best to verify information from primary sources or peer-reviewed publications.

For the most reliable information on this topic, I would recommend consulting:

1. The original biblical text (Book of Jonah in the Old Testament)
2. Academic commentaries on the Old Testament or specifically the Book of Jonah
3. Scholarly works on Jewish, Christian, and Islamic interpretations of prophetic literature
4. Books or articles on comparative religion, particularly those focusing on shared narratives across Abrahamic faiths
5. Academic databases or libraries for peer-reviewed articles on the literary and historical analysis of the Book of Jonah

If you need specific citations for any part of the information I provided, I encourage you to cross-reference with these types of sources. This will ensure you have accurate, up-to-date, and properly cited information for your purposes.

As always, the AI generator results may not be accurate and require further confirmation. Copilot seems the most transparent in pointing to its sources.

The Eclipse (?) at Jesus’ Crucifixion

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 21:28:00 +0000

With the 8 April 2024 eclipse in view, I am happy to extract and summarize a portion of my dissertation, Psalm 22 (LXX 21) and the Crucifixion of Jesus.

According to Matthew and Mark, the sky darkened for three hours when Jesus was crucified. Luke reports the darkness, but he specifically states, using the correct astronomical term, that it was due to an eclipse. Luke 23.45 states: τοῦ ἡλίου ἐκλιπόντος = tou hēliou eklipontos = while the sun eclipsed.

Luke’s reference to the eclipse was not a natural nor a fortuitous addition to the Passion narrative. Jewish^{^[1]} and pagan opponents of Christianity recognized that the phrase τοῦ ἡλίου ἐκλιπόντος introduces an absurd and difficult problem. Origen summarizes their argument:

Eclipses always take place at a fixed time when sun and moon come together, when the moon running under intercepts the rays of the sun, and by its intervention cuts off its light. But in the time when Christ suffered it is clear that the sun and the moon did not meet together, since it was the time of the Passover, which is regularly held when the moon is at the full and shines all the night. How then could there be an eclipse of the sun when the moon was full and had the fullness of the sun?^{^[2]}

Not only is the conjunction of sun and moon impossible at this time, there also is the difficulty that Luke has just stated that the darkness lasted for three hours, but an eclipse is only a momentary occurrence. Julius Africanus appears to have been the first to respond to this difficulty. He acknowledges that a true eclipse is impossible, but says, “Let the cosmic portent be supposed to be an eclipse of the sun from the illusion of the sight.”^{^[3]} Origen in his commentary on Matthew, §134, takes greater pains to resolve the problem. He observes that some believers claimed that this impossibility was a necessity for it to be truly recognized as a miracle associated with Jesus’ crucifixion. Origen realizes, however, that such a wonder ought to be recorded in some history but is not. His solution is to suggest that this phrase should be rejected altogether as an unwise substitution by a scribe or, more likely in his opinion, as a malicious alteration by an enemy seeking to discredit the Gospel. He prefers instead the reading he finds in the majority of copies: καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη ὁ ἥλιος.^{^[4]}

Origen’s student, Dionysius of Alexandria, also realized that an eclipse was impossible, but for him, this only goes to show how miraculous and unique the event was.^{^[5]} Tertullian hedges on the issue.^{^[6]} Chrysostom, however, emphasizes that it was not an eclipse——lest anyone think that it was simply some naturally occurring event——but learns from this incident that it was a sign of God’s wrath at the Jews.^{^[7]}

Why has Luke inserted this problematic detail right at the point where he omits the cry of dereliction from Psalm 22 (LXX 21).2 from Mark 15.34?

ελωι ελωι λεμα σαβαχθανι; ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον· ὁ θεός μου ὁ θεός μου, εἰς τί ἐγκατέλιπές με; = elōi elōi lema sabachthani? ho estin methermēneuomenon; ho theos mou ho theos mou, eis ti egkatelipes me?

I explain in detail in my dissertation, but the short version of it is that Luke reads Mark’s ελωι (or Matthew ηλι) and from it gets to ηλιος. I.e., ελωι > ηλιο-ς (or ηλι > ηλι-ος). There is further evidence that Luke was not the first to connect the Hebrew word for God in the psalm (אֵלִי = ʾēlı̂; Matthew’s Ἠλὶ = ēli) with the Greek word for the sun (ἥλιος = ēlios) which coheres with the numerous pagan solar deities.

Next, rather than Mark’s ἐγκατέλιπές = egkatelipes = “you abandoned,” Luke extracts the shared root from ἐγκατέλιπές (ἐγκατα-λείπω) and gets to ἐκλιπόντος (ἐκ-λείπω).

My conclusion: It was more reasonable for Luke to report the astronomical impossibilty that the sun eclipsed (τοῦ ἡλίου ἐκλιπόντος) than to think that God abandoned the Son (ὁ θεός μου ὁ θεός μου, εἰς τί ἐγκατέλιπές με).

^{^[1]} Cf. Acts of Pilate 11.2 where the Jews respond to Pilate’s question about what had happened by saying that it was an ordinary eclipse. Pilate responds incredulously by noting what time of the lunar month it was.

^{^[2]} Origen, Commentary on Matthew §134, transl. by Harold Smith in Ante-Nicene Exegesis of the Gospels, 68-69.

^{^[3]} Fragment 1 (= Chronikon 5.50) in Routh (ed. 2.297), transl. by Smith, ibid. 67-68. Julius Africanus wrote ca. 221 CE.

^{^[4]} This reading is also preserved in the Old Latin and Vulgate (obscuratus est sol) and the Peshitta (ושמשא חשך). Cf. the critical apparatus to Luke 23:45 I provide on Table 3. Also cf. the Gospel of Nicodemus (Acts of Pilate) 11.1 which states: “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the land until the ninth hour, for the sun was darkened. (... Sole autem obscurante ecce.) Cf. R. M. Grández, “Las tinieblas en la muerte de Jesús. Historia de la exégesis de Lc 23,44-45a (Mt 27,45; Mc 15,33),” EstBib 47 (1989), 177-223.

^{^[5]} Cited in Smith, ibid., 73-73.

^{^[6]} Cf. his Apology 11: At the time of Jesus’ death, “in the same hour the light of day was withdrawn, when the sun at the very time was in his meridian blaze. [The allusion is to Amos 8:9.] Those who were not aware that this had been predicted about Christ, no doubt thought it an eclipse.”

^{^[7]} Homily 88: “... That darkness was a token of [God’s] anger at their [the Jews] crime. For that it was not an eclipse, but both wrath and indignation, is not hence alone manifest, but also by the time, for it continued three hours, but an eclipse takes place in one moment of time...”

The First Computer-Generated Greek New Testament

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 20:33:00 +0000

Alan Bunning from the Center for New Testament Restoration has an article in TC: A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism 28 (2023): 111–126 on "The First Computer-Generated Greek New Testament." (available to read online HERE)

Abstract: A plausible Greek New Testament text can be automatically generated by a computer program using statistical analysis and algorithms that weigh the earliest manuscript data in a manner simulating a reasoned-eclecticism approach. This method offers several substantial advantages by providing a consistently weighed text that is openly transparent, without any theological bias, and scientifically reproducible, and the results are very similar to our best modern critical tests. This initial accomplishment could have a number of future implications for the field of textual criticism regarding advances in the use of statistics and algorithms for further refinements in the production of critical texts.

The project was started by hand in 2012, but by 2020, the first computer-generated Greek New Testament was created, the Bunning Heuristic Prototype Greek New Testament. (BHP) That text was deprecated, and with further developments, in 2022 it became the Statistical Restoration Greek New Testament (SR). All the earliest manuscript evidence is fed directly to a computer program as raw data, and the most probable text is generated based on statistical analysis and algorithms." SR is now available as an open-licensed (CC) text available for download HERE.

1602 Bishops' Bible with King James Bible Translators' Notes Digitized

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 15:50:00 +0000

Screen capture of digitized 1602 Bishops' Bible

The single remaining copy of the 1602 Bishops' Bible with notes from the King James Bible translators has been digitized. THIS ARTICLE at Text & Canon Institute provides background and gives some interesting examples of the kinds of notes that were made. It shows a good awareness of differences in the available textual witnesses. HERE is the link directly to the digitized version at the Bodleian Library. It is worth checking out some of the prefatory material which includes a lectionary, genealogy charts, and more.

HT: Christianity Today

Using AI to Translate the Bible into Rare Languages

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 14:14:00 +0000

Image created by DALL-E 3

Interesting article from Religion News Service on using AI to translate the Bible into rare languages, a process that usually is very time-consuming or otherwise totally neglected.

Out of the 7,100 languages that exist, the Bible has been translated into more than 700, making it the most-translated book in the world. Yet, those remaining languages — many of them extremely rare — have vexed Bible translators for decades. Two scientists are looking to new advancements in artificial intelligence to help close the gap.

They recently launched the "Greek Room."

The Greek Room includes three main tools: spell-checking, world alignment that ensures consistency in translation, and Wildebeest, used to detect improper characters in a script.

Their work is supported by Wycliffe, part of the Every Tribe, Every Nation project.

Mark 1.1-8 RCL Advent 1B Translation, Commentary, Performance

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 02:59:00 +0000

I've been working on a new translation and commentary on Mark which is 'tuned' to the performing (biblical storytelling) of the text. Attached here is the Mark 1.1-8 text for this Sunday, Advent 1B of the RCL. It includes my introduction to the text which does not tell what the text is about. Rather, it puts it into context and prepares the hearers to understand it better. There are also some suggestions for the performance of the text. Let me know if / how this is helpful.

Mark 1.1-8 LtHU

Now is a good time to sign up for BiblePlaces newsletter!

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 20:20:00 +0000

Todd Bolen's BiblePlaces website has so many great resources. Due to a list manager change, subscribers need to re-enroll for the monthly newsletter. It is worth getting! And anyone who (re-)enrolls now, they will also get two free PowerPoints of Herodium and of Philippi. These are great resources that will give you a good idea of the kind of benefits you can get from the Photo Companions (PowerPoints organized and labelled by book, chapter, and verse) and Pictorial Libraries (organized by sites and topics). You will see that there are thousands of quality photos, maps, and illustrations. Everything is well-labeled with explanations and pointers to biblical passages. You can get further insight into the quality of the work by checking out the resources shared under Chapters (i.e., chapters of the Bible) and Sites.

Definitely a site worth checking out and bookmarking! Register for the newsletter and get the free PowerPoints HERE.

BibleMate and ChatGPT Update

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 15:20:00 +0000

In May 2023, I did a comparison of BibleMate and ChatGPT (now ChatGPT 3.5) in terms of how they responded to a couple of Bible related questions. (HERE is original post.) Since AI is by nature an evolving technology that keeps learning, I decided to revisit them with the same questions now (11/23/2023) as I posed six months ago.

I am getting rather different answers. (Of course one can get different answers simply by refreshing the request in ChatGPT. BibleMate does not offer that option, and it appears that its answers have become somewhat fixed.)

As to the question: Was Jonah swallowed by a whale?
BibleMate in May answered:

Yes, according to the Bible, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, not specifically identified as a whale, in the book of Jonah. The book of Jonah is a narrative about a prophet named Jonah who was called by God to go to the city of Nineveh to preach repentance to its people. However, Jonah disobeyed God and tried to flee by boarding a ship going in the opposite direction.

As a result, God sent a great storm that threatened to sink the ship. The sailors on the ship realized that Jonah was the cause of the storm and threw him overboard. It was then that Jonah was swallowed by the great fish. After three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, Jonah repented and prayed to God, and the fish vomited him onto dry land.

While some people may view this story as a metaphor or allegory, others believe it to be a literal historical event. Regardless of one's interpretation, the story of Jonah teaches important lessons about obedience to God and the power of repentance and forgiveness."

BibleMate now answers:

Yes, according to the biblical account in the book of Jonah, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, commonly referred to as a whale. In Jonah 1:17, it says, "Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." This miraculous event serves as a sign of God's power and mercy, as Jonah was eventually vomited out by the fish and given a second chance to fulfill his mission. The story of Jonah is often interpreted as a lesson about obedience and repentance.

ChatGPT in May answered:

The story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale or a great fish is found in the biblical Book of Jonah. According to the account, Jonah was a prophet who was commanded by God to go to the city of Nineveh and deliver a message of repentance. Instead of obeying, Jonah attempted to flee from God's command by boarding a ship bound for Tarshish.

During the journey, a great storm arose, and the sailors realized that Jonah was the cause of their misfortune. Jonah instructed them to throw him overboard, believing that this would calm the storm. As he was cast into the sea, the text says that "the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17).

The Book of Jonah does not specify the exact creature that swallowed Jonah, using the Hebrew word "dag gadol," which generally refers to a large sea creature. The term "whale" is commonly used in translations, but the text itself does not provide specific details.

The story of Jonah being swallowed by a great fish is often interpreted symbolically or as a miraculous event. It emphasizes the themes of obedience, repentance, and God's mercy. Some consider it to be a parable or an allegorical tale rather than a historical account, while others view it as a literal event.

As with many biblical narratives, the interpretation of Jonah's story varies among different individuals and religious traditions. Ultimately, whether one believes the account to be a historical event or a symbolic story is a matter of personal faith and interpretation.

ChaptGPT 3.5 now answers:

The story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale is a biblical narrative found in the Book of Jonah in the Old Testament. According to the account, Jonah was a prophet who tried to escape God's command to go to the city of Nineveh and deliver a message of repentance. As he tried to flee by sea, a great storm arose, and the sailors on the ship eventually cast lots to determine that Jonah was the cause of the storm. Jonah instructed them to throw him into the sea, and a great fish, traditionally described as a "whale," swallowed him.

The relevant biblical passage is found in the Book of Jonah, specifically Jonah 1:17 (New International Version):

"Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

The story goes on to describe how Jonah prayed to God from the belly of the fish, and after three days and nights, the fish vomited him onto dry land. Jonah then went to Nineveh and delivered the message as God had commanded.

Whether the events in the story are to be understood as literal historical events or as a symbolic or allegorical tale is a matter of interpretation. Some people interpret the story as a miraculous event that actually happened, while others see it as a literary device with a moral or theological message. It is important to note that interpretations of biblical stories can vary among different religious traditions and denominations.

As you can see, BibleMate has shortened the answer and removed the possibility of an allegorical or metaphorical reading. ChatGPT's response again provides more context, but it has simplified the response somewhat.

Regarding the question of "What does the Gospel of John say about the 'Jews'?", I got new answers from both, but I would say they are similar to the May responses and a bit better. Interestingly, BibleMate concluded with this statement:

If you have any specific passages or questions in mind regarding the references to "the Jews" in the Gospel of John, feel free to mention them, and I'll be glad to provide more insight and biblical citations.

SUMMARY

As is the nature of AI, things are evolving. I'm wondering if there were 'conservative' responses to BibleMate's earlier answer about Jonah and the whale that have caused it to become more 'conservative.' The comparison also shows how good AI can be AND how you still need to confirm whether AI responses are any good at all. We still need to wonder about how AI is scouring the web to come up with its answers and how that all infringes on copyright matters. The evolving nature also shows how easy it can be to plagiarize from these AI engines without getting caught.

Beroea to Pydna Paths where Paul walked

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 19:06:00 +0000

Road between Aigai and Neokastro along route from Beroea to Pydna

According to Acts 17.10.15, Paul had to make a hasty exit from Thessalonica and went to Beroea (modern Veria). After some success there, he again was forced to move on. Acts 17.14-15 says that Paul was conducted "to the coast," and from there he continued on to Athens.The most likely spot on the coast would have been Pydna.

I did a good deal of hiking and driving in the area in June 2023 imagining where Paul might have walked to make the journey from Beroea to Pydna. If you are interested in the background for establishing Paul's routes, suggestions on where to drive and / or walk with Google Map links, and some guidance on things to see along the way, download the attached travel summary.

Beroea (Veria) to Pydna Paths

John 8.31-36 Translations and notes (Reformation Sunday)

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 19:07:00 +0000

The Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives

John 8.31-36 is the text designated for Reformation Sunday. The incident takes place while Jesus is in Jerusalem and teaching on the Temple Mount.

The passage actually starts at 8.12 when Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” But this causes controversy with the Pharisees whether he is testifying about himself and whether it’s true. This leads into a discussion about who Jesus’ father is, and then Jesus says “I am going away, and you will look for me but will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” The Jewish authorities speculate that this means he plans to commit suicide. Jesus says that they are clueless. That’s why they will die in their sins, unless they believe, Jesus says, that “I am.” They now ask Jesus who he is, and Jesus says, “When you lift up the Son of Humanity, then you will know that I am.” It’s reported that this exchange caused many people to believe in him.

Things only get worse following the exchange in 8.31-36 and ends in 8.59 with people picking up stones to stone Jesus.

It's helpful to keep in mind that John is a 2-level story:

The story of what happened in Jesus' life
The story of what has been happening in the Johannine community whose experiences parallel Jesus’ experiences

I.e., the Gospel of John is a meditation on the life of Jesus that reflects the experiences of the Johannine community. It is a community that understands themselves in faithful continuity with Jesus.

Here are a collection of translations, including my own, and my notes on translating this passage. At the end of the document is my translation along with an introduction to the text.

John 8.31-36 translations and notes PDF

Corinth to Lechaion Walking Paths

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 19:23:00 +0000

Lechaion and Corinth Roads

This summer I had the pleasure of working a couple weeks on an archaeological dig at the Lechaion Harbor Project directed by Paul Scotton and the Corinthian Ephorate. I took the opportunity to do a lot of hiking in the area. I previously reported on the routes Paul might have taken between Corinth and Cenchreae, the Corinthian harbor on the Saronic Gulf to the east. I also am persuaded that Paul probably had occasion to go through Corinth's Lechaion harbor to the north on the Gulf of Corinth. (I provide rationale for this claim in the document I've linked below.)

The document link below is a summary of the routes I investigated. There has been uncertainty about the routes between Corinth and Lechaion. The so-called Lechaion Street that visitors can walk in the Roman forum of Corinth does have evidence of a road that extends straight north toward the harbor. (Green line on graphic above) It ends up somewhat west of the harbor, however, so some have suggested another route further to the east that goes directly there. (Navy blue line on graphic) Because of swampy conditions, a route further to the west (purple) is also possible.

Realizing how much has likely changed over 2000 years, I can only make reasoned guesses, but here is what I think is most probable.

There were probably multiple routes between the two sites.
There are really only two 'indentations' or cuts in the ridge to get up to Corinth, so it is more likely that roads pass through them.
It makes good sense to me that the Lechaion Street route and its extension to the harbor was likely a prominent route. It runs straight on a north-south axis (which Romans liked) and goes through one of the cuts in the ridge passing by the Asklepion and the Waters / Baths of Aphrodite. (Romans would have enjoyed a water feature upon entering a city.)

If anyone is interested in walking any of the routes, I provide background to the area, suggestions for walking, and links to further information. The document is 18 pages long, but you may enjoy simply checking out my pictures at the end!

Vocabulary Range of the Greek of the New Testament Books

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:44:00 +0000

As a way of determining the vocabulary range of the Greek of the New Testament books, I ran searches on each book calculating the total number of words in the book and the number of unique roots. It is an easy task using Accordance (as I am for this exercise) or Logos Bible software. I typed the results into Excel and could then calculate a percentage of unique word roots per total words in each book.

The results can only be approximate, of course, because they are highly dependent on the number of words in the selection. For example, a 5-word sentence is likely to have 5 unique words and thus be a 100% ratio. I.e., the longer the document, the lower the ratio one should expect since commonly used words (articles, conjunctions, names, etc.) are going to be used more frequently and thus dilute the uniqueness of words overall. E.g., in the whole NT of Nestle Aland 28, there are 138069 words with 5432 unique roots and a uniqueness ratio of 3.93%. For 3 John, the shortest document, there are 221 words with 112 unique roots and a uniqueness ratio of 50.68%. The table confirms this expected result. Still, despite the length factor, there are some clear and interesting results which are both predictable and surprising.

SORTED BY BOOK LENGTH
	Total Words	Unique Roots	Unique Roots / Total Words
LUKE	19483	2043	10.49%
ACTS	18451	2028	10.99%
MAT	18348	1681	9.16%
JOHN	15633	1016	6.50%
MAR	11305	1340	11.85%
REV	9853	912	9.26%
ROM	7113	1058	14.87%
1COR	6832	958	14.02%
HEB	4955	1029	20.77%
2COR	4480	785	17.52%
EPH	2424	529	21.82%
GAL	2232	521	23.34%
1JOH	2143	236	11.01%
JMS	1747	555	31.77%
1PET	1682	546	32.46%
PHIL	1631	441	27.04%
1TIM	1594	537	33.69%
COL	1583	433	27.35%
1THES	1484	364	24.53%
2TIM	1241	454	36.58%
2PET	1102	396	35.93%
2THES	826	250	30.27%
TIT	661	298	45.08%
JUDE	460	228	49.57%
PHLM	337	140	41.54%
2JOH	248	98	39.52%
3JOH	221	112	50.68%

EXPECTED RESULTS

As one might guess, the Johannine literature with it spirals of dialogues and community-shaped language has the lowest ratio of unique roots. The Gospel of John is particularly striking in relation to the other three gospels for having such a lower percentage. Unsurprisingly, 1 John has an extremely low ratio compared to its peers in size like Ephesians and Galatians.
It is also perhaps expected that Revelation is a bit lower than expected.
As one might also expect, Luke has the highest ratio among the gospels.

SOMEWHAT UNEXPECTED RESULTS

What may come as a surprise, however, is the somewhat higher than expected ratio of unique words in Mark
More striking, though, at least to me, is the lower than expected ratio in Matthew. It may be, however, that Matthew’s ratio is average in relation to its number of words, and in that case, it makes Luke’s ratio all the more remarkable for being so high.
Given the wider range of topics and incidents, I was expecting the ratio for Acts to be higher than Luke, but that they are so similar might be taken as confirmation that the same author wrote both.

How else might this data be used?

THE ENDING OF MARK

There have been many arguments regarding the ending of the gospel of Mark.

		Total Words	Unique Roots	Unique Roots / Total Words
1	Mark1.1-16.20	11305	1340	11.85%
2	Mark1.1-16.8	11132	1323	11.88%
3	Mark16.9-20	171	99	57.89%
4	Mark3.9-20	167	81	48.50%

What do these results show?

Comparing Mark 1.1.1-16.20 (row 1) and omitting 16.9-20 (row 2) does show that the ratio goes up a bit even though the number of words has increased. This only confirms which many others have already noted that the vocabulary of 16.9-20 is not fully consistent with the rest of the gospel.
Just looking at Mark 16.9-20 (row 3) on its own, the ratio is only slightly higher than what might be expected for a selection of that length. I did look at a random range elsewhere in Mark of similar length (Mark 3.9-20, row 4), and the difference is significant.
I.e., though certainly not proof, these results suggest different authorship of 16.9-20 from the rest of the gospel.

PAULINE AND DEUTERO-PAULINE LETTERS

There have been many arguments regarding which letters are authentically Paul’s and which are disputed (highlighted in blue in the table).

	Total Words	Unique Roots	Unique Roots / Total Words
ROM	7113	1058	14.87%
1COR	6832	958	14.02%
2COR	4480	785	17.52%
EPH	2424	529	21.82%
GAL	2232	521	23.34%
PHIL	1631	441	27.04%
1TIM	1594	537	33.69%
COL	1583	433	27.35%
1THES	1484	364	24.53%
2TIM	1241	454	36.58%
2THES	826	250	30.27%
TITUS	661	298	45.08%
PHLM	337	140	41.54%

What do these results show?

If the disputed letters are removed from the table, the ratios are expected and consistent in relation to the total number of words.
The main outliers are 1 and 2 Timothy which have a significantly higher ratio than expected. I.e., though certainly not proof, these results suggest different authorship of 1 and 2 Timothy from the genuine Pauline letters.
Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians are in the expected range of unique roots, so that cannot be used as an argument against their authentic Pauline

Anyone else see anything in these results?

Matthew 20.1-16 Translations and Notes - RCL Year A Lectionary 25/ 17th Sunday After Pentecost

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 23:23:00 +0000

Image generated by DALL-E with prompt "a 3D rendering of migrant workers and a boss in a grape vineyard"

Matthew 20.1-16 is the RCL Year A assigned reading for Lectionary 25/ 17th Sunday After Pentecost. It's the parable usually called "Laborers in the Vineyard." When I teach this parable, I label as "All in a Day's Wage" or "The Line Forms at the Rear."

It's a well-told story, and I try to capture more of the conversational tone in my translation. (Cf. link below.) I think that one of the challenges of the parable for modern hearers is that we want fairness, not equality. This parable is closer to Marx's "From each according to ability, to each according to need." It also is a dramatization of the Lord's Prayer petition, "Give us today our daily bread."

One more thing... The closing to the parable is the well-known, "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." I suspect that most people picture this as a vertical / hierarchical kind of reversal. I think that's problematic, because it means there will be an endless cycle of reversals. Think instead of a vertical / hierarchical order being changed into a horizontal equality. I.e., it really means that the first will be the same as the last and the last the same as the first. That's what I think God's dominion looks like.

Here's the link to the downloadable file. My translation is on the last 2 pages.

Matthew 20.1-16 translations and notes and MGVH translation

Matthew 16.21-28 Translations and Notes - RCL Year A Lectionary 22/ 14th Sunday After Pentecost

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 04:13:00 +0000

Image generated by DALL-E 2 with prompt: "Depict someone standing behind Jesus in the style of Georgia O'Keefe"

Matthew 16.21-28 is the RCL Year A assigned reading for Lectionary 22/ 14th Sunday After Pentecost. It's a shame that the RCL splits up 16.13-28 over two Sundays, since vv13-20 are needed to appreciate what happens in vv21-28. (Cf. page 10 of my downloadable PDF below for a way to introduce the text and set the context.)

Matthew makes some interesting changes to his source in Mark 8.27-9.1, but where Peter's status had been elevated in Matthew 16.16-19, Matthew does preserve Jesus rebuke to him in 16.23: "Get behind me, you satan!" The Son of Man / Child of Humanity has more status (his angels, not the Father's angels) in 16.27, and Matthew also adds a typical Matthean concern about the judgment of peoples' actions.

Here is a PDF you can download with translations, notes, and introduction

Matthew 16.21-28 mgvh translation and notes

A couple other resources I recommend checking:

Walk in Paul's Steps from Corinth to Cenchreae

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 01:48:00 +0000

View looking west to Acrocorinth; Examilia quarry in foreground

I spent 3 week in Corinth in June participating in the Lechaion Harbor and Settlement Project directed by Paul Scotton. I had a wonderful time! On the weekends, I went around and tried to retrace Paul's paths in Greece. I had already done most of his path on the Via Engatia from Neapolis (Kavala) to Philippi in 2017. This summer I visited where Paul went from Pella to Edessa to Beroea (Veria) and from there on to Pydna via Aigai (Vergina). I also stopped at Nicopolis (Titus 3.12). Working at Lechaion, I went back and forth between the harbor and the Roman forum. I suspect Paul also did so, especially if on his third trip he went all the way west to Illyricum (Romans 15.19) and then sailed south and then east in the Gulf of Corinth to Lechaion. I will share reports on those when I get a chance, but for this post, I will report on my walk from Corinth to Cenchreae (Kenchreai) and back. We are told Paul sailed from the Cenchreae on his way back to Jerusalem and Antioch at the end of his second journey.

Acts 18.18: After staying there for a considerable time, Paul said farewell to the believers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut, for he was under a vow.

If you are interested in walking this path, I share suggested routes (with Google Maps guides), hiking shortcuts, and some tips for things along the way. It is about 7.3 miles (11.5km) one way and takes about 3 hours at a leisurely pace. The recommendation for a walking stick to fend off dogs came from Hannah Lents who will be presenting at SBL this year: "The Road to Kenchreai: A History of a Gospel Highway."

Looking east to Cenchreae and the Saronic Gulf

Here is the PDF with all the information. Let us know if you have walked this path and what your experience was!

Corinth to Cenchreae (Kenchreai) Walking Path

Gardens of the Roman Empire

noreply@blogger.com (MGVHoffman) — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 02:06:00 +0000

Here's a new site I just came across (HT: DCCommentaries on Twitter/X): Gardens of the Roman Empire. From the site description:

The peoples of the Roman Empire conducted their lives outdoors in gardens, parks, groves, tomb gardens and other designed environments. Whether created by highly skilled topiarii such as the freedman Tiberius Claudius Turiscus in Rome, by an anonymous team of gardeners and trainees at a tomb in Andematunum, Germania, or by a shopkeeper in Pompeii, gardens have left material traces discoverable from archaeological digs, in literature, paintings, inscriptions, or coins.

We present this evidence for the garden culture of the Roman Empire in a searchable encyclopedic format. Scholars, students, and the interested public internationally can explore a wide array of topics to address contemporary questions about imperial power, daily life, the environment, garden art, and religion across the diverse cultures of the Roman world.
We are launching the GRE website in a beta format. As a legacy project, our goal is to share the original text prepared by Wilhelmina Jashemski and her editorial team, and develop this site in collaboration with our readers.

There are many gardens located in Greece, as one would expect, but surprisingly, lots in England and few in Italy. The map is interactive and can go full screen and makes beautiful implementation of OpenStreetMap.Clicking on a site will bring up a separate page of information that is quite complete and very well done.

Of biblical interest, there were Herodian gardens at Machaerus, three gardens at Herodium, five at Herodian Jericho (Kypros), Masada, Ein Gedi, and two at Caesarea Maritima. (For now, Machaerus is mislocated near Jericho. I've reported it.) There are also sites in Greece where Paul travelled.

Check it out and click away!