- Paso Ancho, Chiriquí, Panamá
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New Testament Studies, Gospel of John, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Thomas, Egerton Gospel, The Book of Revelation, and 27 moreNative American Studies, Iroquois Constitutional Studies, Lakota Spirituality and Philosophy, Old Syriac Gospels, Comparative Linguistics, World Religions, Creative Writing (Fiction and Poetry), Cathar Spirituality, Han-shan, William Blake, John the Presbyter, Jorge Luis Borges, Biblical Studies, Academic Writing, New Testament, History of Religions, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Theology, Odes of Solomon, Syriac Studies, Syriac Christianity, Syriac, New testament exegesis, New Testament Textual Criticism, New Testament and Christian Origins, Historical Jesus, and Biblical Interpretation edit
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James David Audlin is a scholar and author, originally from northern New York state, now living in Panama after previ... moreJames David Audlin is a scholar and author, originally from northern New York state, now living in Panama after previously living in France.
He holds degrees from Eisenhower College (Rochester Institute of Technology) and Andover Newton. A retired pastor and university professor, his best known nonfiction book is "The Circle of Life", a study of Native American philosophy and spirituality. His most popular novel is "Rats Live on no Evil Star", also available in French ("Palindrome") and Spanish ("Palíndromo"), in his own translations.
However, Audlin is recognized most for his massive five-volume restoration of the original version of the Gospel of John, translating it afresh from Greek and Aramaic, with several hundred pages of textual history and commentary. "The Writings of John", the Presbyter's shorter works, is also in publication. The Revelation will follow, from the Aramaic not the Greek, and finally a book of the Presbyter's erotic spiritual poetry, in Aramaic, about Jesus and Mary meeting at the resurrection.
Audlin has besides written about a dozen novels, several full-length plays, several books of stories, a book of essays, a book of poetry, and two travel memoirs, all published by Editores Volcán Barú.
A slightly irreverent author interview conducted by Holly Jahangiri may be found at: http://jahangiri.us/2013/author-interview-james-david-audlin/
SCHOLARLY BOOKS BY JAMES DAVID AUDLIN
Circle of Life: Traditional Teachings of Native American Elders. Abridged Edition. James David Audlin (Distant Eagle). New York and Santa Fe: Clear Light Publishers, 2006.
The Circle of Life: A Memoir of Traditional Native American Teachings. Complete Edition. James David Audlin (Distant Eagle). Paso Ancho, Panamá: Editores Volcán Barú, 2012.
The Gospel of John: The Original Version Restored and Translated. Two Volumes. James David Audlin. Paso Ancho, Panamá: Editores Volcán Barú, 2013-15.
The Writings of John: The Original Versions Restored and Translated. James David Audlin. Paso Ancho, Panamá: Editores Volcán Barú, 2014-15.
Forthcoming:
The Revelation to John: The Original Version Restored and Translated. James David Audlin. Paso Ancho, Panamá: Editores Volcán Barú, early 2015.
The Songs of the Perfect One: The Original Version Restored and Translated. James David Audlin. Paso Ancho, Panamá: Editores Volcán Barú, October 2015. edit
Culled from the upcoming third edition of the book, this essay complements other essays reconsidering the Mary identifications in ancient art. In this essay too I stand in danger of criticism from the Accepted Academic Consensus, which... more
Culled from the upcoming third edition of the book, this essay complements other essays reconsidering the Mary identifications in ancient art. In this essay too I stand in danger of criticism from the Accepted Academic Consensus, which insists on the default position that in all Christian art any Mary who is not blatantly obviously not the Virgin automatically is the Virgin. In defense of this default position many such images are not given the careful analysis that they need, and as a result the Magdalene is often turned into the Madonna. Those described in this essay are among them.
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Kudos to the Italian Carabinieri for recovering this Botticelli masterpiece that had been thought lost. Media reports are, understandably, thrilled with the reappearance of the painting. This essay, culled from the book, suggests however... more
Kudos to the Italian Carabinieri for recovering this Botticelli masterpiece that had been thought lost. Media reports are, understandably, thrilled with the reappearance of the painting. This essay, culled from the book, suggests however that, in line with other late Botticelli works, such as the first <Lamentation Over the Dead Christ>, this is not a <Madonna and Child> but a <Magdalene and Child>. It is also suggested that this work was part of a diptych altarpiece, the other half apparently still lost.
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The woman in this masterpiece of El Greco is often identified as Jesus's mother. This essay begs to differ, and lists a number of details in the painting that suggest that she is the Magdalene.
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In 1919 Ricardo del Arco unearthed a few fourth-century sarcophagus mosaic marking stones in Coscojuela de Fantova, El Grado, Huesca, Spain. The figure in one of them is said to be a depiction of the deceased, named Rufus. This essay... more
In 1919 Ricardo del Arco unearthed a few fourth-century sarcophagus mosaic marking stones in Coscojuela de Fantova, El Grado, Huesca, Spain. The figure in one of them is said to be a depiction of the deceased, named Rufus. This essay suggests that rather it is at the same time his surviving wife, Io, and Mary Magdalene greeting Jesus before his tomb..
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These images, largely by Occitan Cathars escaping persecution by fleeing into northeastern Spain, tell us much about Cathar beliefs in addition to the few trustworthy texts that we have. In particular they provide insights into their... more
These images, largely by Occitan Cathars escaping persecution by fleeing into northeastern Spain, tell us much about Cathar beliefs in addition to the few trustworthy texts that we have. In particular they provide insights into their views about Mary Magdalene.
This will be part of the next edition of the book.
This will be part of the next edition of the book.
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A critique of the Juan Chapa transcription and translation of Pap. Oxy 5577 published in volume LXXXVII of <The Oxyrhynchus Papyri>. This is followed by my own transcription,, translation, analysis, and commentary of the same. The latter... more
A critique of the Juan Chapa transcription and translation of Pap. Oxy 5577 published in volume LXXXVII of <The Oxyrhynchus Papyri>. This is followed by my own transcription,, translation, analysis, and commentary of the same. The latter material will appear in the third and final edition of <THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: The Hypothetical Original Version Restored and Translated>, to be published in approximately twelve volumes in the near future.
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Esta es el link a una entrevista de dos horas con Norma Lilia, la presentadora de "La Biblia en Contexto", sobre el tema del origen y el mensaje del Evangelio de Juan, como queda claro en los manuscritos poco estudiados en el dialecto... more
Esta es el link a una entrevista de dos horas con Norma Lilia, la presentadora de "La Biblia en Contexto", sobre el tema del origen y el mensaje del Evangelio de Juan, como queda claro en los manuscritos poco estudiados en el dialecto arameo galileo que habló Jesús.
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A new analysis of the meaning of "Elohim", a significant Name of G-d, especially in its major appearance in the first chapter of Genesis. This is a section from the book, preceded by a similar analysis of "YHWH" and succeeded by one of... more
A new analysis of the meaning of "Elohim", a significant Name of G-d, especially in its major appearance in the first chapter of Genesis. This is a section from the book, preceded by a similar analysis of "YHWH" and succeeded by one of "El Shaddai".
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One of the most confounding texts in the Torah is given vastly different explanations by interpreters of the Masoretic Text and of the Samaritan Torah. This essay finds reasons to reject both standard explanations and offers a new... more
One of the most confounding texts in the Torah is given vastly different explanations by interpreters of the Masoretic Text and of the Samaritan Torah. This essay finds reasons to reject both standard explanations and offers a new understanding of the passage in their place.
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While there is abundant disagreement about various aspects of Leonardo's Last Supper, none seems to focus on the arrangement of the figures or the identity of the Beloved Disciple. This essay (culled from the upcoming third edition of a... more
While there is abundant disagreement about various aspects of Leonardo's Last Supper, none seems to focus on the arrangement of the figures or the identity of the Beloved Disciple. This essay (culled from the upcoming third edition of a work seeking to reëstablish the hypothetical original version of the Gospel of John) discusses both matters and concludes with a comparative study to the still undeservedly little recognized Last Supper by the early Florentine woman painter Plautilla Nelli.
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Aqui una entrevista con Radio Caldes en español con el académico y escritor James David Audlin acerca dos de sus libros, The Circle of Life (El Círculo de la Vida) y The Gospel of John: The Original Version Reconstructed and Translated... more
Aqui una entrevista con Radio Caldes en español con el académico y escritor James David Audlin acerca dos de sus libros, The Circle of Life (El Círculo de la Vida) y The Gospel of John: The Original Version Reconstructed and Translated (El Evangelio de Juan: La Versión Original Reconstruida y Traducida). Audlin est également disponible pour faire entrevues en français. He is equally available to do interviews in English. Er steht auch für Interviews in deutscher Sprache zur Verfügung, wenn die Fragen vorab gestellt werden, weil sein gesprochenes Deutsch etwas eingerostet ist.
Anteriormente residente de los Estados Unidos y de la Francia, Audlin es un profesor y pastor de iglesias en jubilación viviendo en Panamá. Él es el autor de mas que veinte libros, incluso de novelas, colecciones de cuentas, no ficción, poesía, viaje, sueños, y otros.
Anteriormente residente de los Estados Unidos y de la Francia, Audlin es un profesor y pastor de iglesias en jubilación viviendo en Panamá. Él es el autor de mas que veinte libros, incluso de novelas, colecciones de cuentas, no ficción, poesía, viaje, sueños, y otros.
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This is a reassessment of the Ghent altarpiece in the context of the upcoming third edition of The Gospel of John Restored and Translated, to be published in seven or eight volumes by Editores Volcán Barú, as providing clues that the... more
This is a reassessment of the Ghent altarpiece in the context of the upcoming third edition of The Gospel of John Restored and Translated, to be published in seven or eight volumes by Editores Volcán Barú, as providing clues that the figures represent Jesus and the Mary called Magdalene. The analysis includes an analysis of the original version of the work, the underpainting revealed by x-radiography and other means.
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Art History, New Testament, Medieval Art, Early Medieval Art, Gospel of John, and 8 moreJan Van Eyck, Mary Magdalene, Art Technological Research, Conservation-restoration, cleaning paintings, Art Conservation & Restoration, Mediaeval Art, Ghent Altarpiece, Conservation and Restoration of Art Works, and Research in Art History and Restoration
It has always been thought that John 1:42 includes a statement by Jesus in which he renames Simon with the Aramaic word meaning "rock", after which a scribe parenthetically explains this word in Greek. This brief essay argues that what... more
It has always been thought that John 1:42 includes a statement by Jesus in which he renames Simon with the Aramaic word meaning "rock", after which a scribe parenthetically explains this word in Greek. This brief essay argues that what Jesus actually said includes the presumed parenthetical explanation as well, and that it is an intricate set of doubles entendres.
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The term "Secret Gospel of Mark" refers to two passages which Morton Smith found in 1958, quoted in a copy of a previously lost letter written by Clement of Alexandria. This essay discusses its place in the compositional stages of the... more
The term "Secret Gospel of Mark" refers to two passages which Morton Smith found in 1958, quoted in a copy of a previously lost letter written by Clement of Alexandria. This essay discusses its place in the compositional stages of the Gospel of Mark and how it might be connected with the Galilean Aramaic drafts of the Gospel of John and perhaps other early noncanonical gospels. Since this essay comes from the upcoming next edition of a work in five volumes and more than three thousand pages, it assumes the reader's familiarity with conclusions reached elsewhere. If Academia readers wish to see the analysis for any of these conclusions mentioned in passing herein, please contact the author.
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A midrash on Eve's "acquiring a man" (Genesis 4:1), the derivation of the names "Cain" and "Abel", the lacuna in Genesis 4:8, and the proper translation of the "Am I my brother's keeper?" line in Genesis 4:9. This is from a book being... more
A midrash on Eve's "acquiring a man" (Genesis 4:1), the derivation of the names "Cain" and "Abel", the lacuna in Genesis 4:8, and the proper translation of the "Am I my brother's keeper?" line in Genesis 4:9. This is from a book being prepared for its third edition.
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What Jesus says in John 13:26 is traditionally translated to say that his betrayer "is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after dipping it." The meaning of this is much debated, but it becomes very clear after a consideration... more
What Jesus says in John 13:26 is traditionally translated to say that his betrayer "is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after dipping it." The meaning of this is much debated, but it becomes very clear after a consideration of the linguistic roots of the words for "piece of bread" and "dipping" followed by a review of early Mesopotamian ritual practices.
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The radical notion that the Hekal of the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem was roofed with a dome is supported with a review of its cosmological interior motifs, an analysis of Biblical and other ancient writings on its construction, a... more
The radical notion that the Hekal of the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem was roofed with a dome is supported with a review of its cosmological interior motifs, an analysis of Biblical and other ancient writings on its construction, a look at the architectural record, and a comparison to Muslim architecture, especially the Qa'aba and the Dome of the Rock.
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It is universally assumed that John 20:1 implies that Mary came to Jesus's tomb from home. However an analysis of several sources (Galilean texts of the canonical gospels, references in the Tanakh, passages from Pseudo-Hippolytus... more
It is universally assumed that John 20:1 implies that Mary came to Jesus's tomb from home. However an analysis of several sources (Galilean texts of the canonical gospels, references in the Tanakh, passages from Pseudo-Hippolytus (Melito), Cyril of Alexandria, the Gospel of Philip, Paul's letter to the Colossians, and the Inanna mythos) suggest that Mary may have spent the entire three days and nights inside the sealed tomb with Jesus's body.
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A piece located on page 139 of this early manuscript, the oldest reasonably complete Gospel of John in Greek, appears very different from undisputed surrounding fragments. There are also issues with how its text coheres with surrounding... more
A piece located on page 139 of this early manuscript, the oldest reasonably complete Gospel of John in Greek, appears very different from undisputed surrounding fragments. There are also issues with how its text coheres with surrounding text. This essay examines the item itself and the involvement of some people associated with its first appearance.
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A previous essay (link provided in the article) introduces the Palestinian Lectionaries as containing the closest existing text to the original publication copy of the Gospel of John. This related essay argues that the Pericope Adulteræ... more
A previous essay (link provided in the article) introduces the Palestinian Lectionaries as containing the closest existing text to the original publication copy of the Gospel of John. This related essay argues that the Pericope Adulteræ as found in Lectionary A is not from the Gospel of John (though it bears some similar characteristics discussed in passing) but from the lost Gospel of the Hebrews, and that this version appears to have all of the special features noted by Papias and other very early writers.
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The original intended message of the Gospel of John is suggested through a review of contemporary literature in John's milieu. That intended message is the union of humanity, especially of male and female, to restore humanity to the image... more
The original intended message of the Gospel of John is suggested through a review of contemporary literature in John's milieu. That intended message is the union of humanity, especially of male and female, to restore humanity to the image of Elohim that had the first hermaphroditic human being, created in Genesis 1:26-27.
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The argument that these are two ways of referring to the high priest comprises an examination of the cognomens in Aramaic and Greek, an analysis of descriptive phrases in the canonical gospels, the Miriam ossuary, Talmudic and... more
The argument that these are two ways of referring to the high priest comprises an examination of the cognomens in Aramaic and Greek, an analysis of descriptive phrases in the canonical gospels, the Miriam ossuary, Talmudic and noncanonical early Christian references, and Mediaeval legends. The ramifications of this identification are considered in conclusion.
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Since their aeditio princeps by Agnes Smith Lewis in 1899, the Palestinian Lectionaries, and some fragmentary gospels collections also in Galilean Aramaic, have been largely ignored. A few scholars (such as, recently, Bruce Metzger and... more
Since their aeditio princeps by Agnes Smith Lewis in 1899, the Palestinian Lectionaries, and some fragmentary gospels collections also in Galilean Aramaic, have been largely ignored. A few scholars (such as, recently, Bruce Metzger and Sebastian Brock) have glanced at them but largely dismissed them as Caesarian texts lacking in importance. This essay suggests that their Gospel of John is as close as we can get today to the original monograph that was on display in Ephesus for several centuries, and concludes with an especially interesting variant pericope.
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New Testament, Aramaic Dialectology, Aramaic, History Of The Bible/Biblical Canon, Syriac Studies, and 8 moreNew Testament and Christian Origins, Literary study of the Bible, Syriac (Languages And Linguistics), Syriac Christianity, New Testament Textual Criticism, Gospel of John, New Testament Studies, and Syriac manuscripts
The vast majority of early proto-Christian texts name Joseph as the father of Jesus, clearly wanting to establish their Messiah as legitimately conceived and born. However many non- or anti-Christian texts point instead either to a man... more
The vast majority of early proto-Christian texts name Joseph as the father of Jesus, clearly wanting to establish their Messiah as legitimately conceived and born. However many non- or anti-Christian texts point instead either to a man variously known as Hilphai, Alphæus, Clopas, and Cleopas, or someone usually called Panthera, with clearly a contrasting intent to discredit Jesus on the basis of an illegitimate conception and/or birth. Still, even in several passages of the canonical gospels, there are cryptic references that may point to a patronage by someone other than Joseph. Some scholars, most notably James D. Tabor, have strongly endorsed Panthera as Jesus's biological father, but with other scholars dismissing this conclusion as lacking in strong evidence. This essay looks at all the available evidence, textual evidence within and beyond the New Testament and the controversial Bingerbrück gravestone, and reaches a new conclusion.
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Christianity, Jewish Studies, New Testament, Biblical Studies, New Testament and Christian Origins, and 13 moreRoman military history, Historical Jesus, Judaism, New Testament Textual Criticism, Gospel of John, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Thomas, New testament exegesis, Jesus, Jesus Christ, New Testament Studies, Celsus, and Christian Studies
The healing of the blind man in the Gospel of John chapter 9 is the lengthiest and most complex scene, and the only miracle of Jesus mentioned elsewhere in the gospel. It is positioned just before the ascent to the climax of the gospel,... more
The healing of the blind man in the Gospel of John chapter 9 is the lengthiest and most complex scene, and the only miracle of Jesus mentioned elsewhere in the gospel. It is positioned just before the ascent to the climax of the gospel, the B in a work notable for its overall inclusio A-B-A structure – on either side of this episode the two halves of the gospel are just about mirror images. The structure of this telling also is a microcosm of the gospel's overall inclusio structure: It begins with the disciples asking Jesus whether the blind man sinned or his parents, has at the center the parents appearing and being accused of sin, and ends, as I read it, with the blind man's father asking Jesus if his sins have rendered him spiritually blind. An analysis of chapter 9 suggests this blind man is the son of the gospel author, and examination of several other early proto-Christian texts supports this conclusion.
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New Testament, Johannine Literature, Second Temple Judaism, New Testament and Christian Origins, New Testament Textual Criticism, and 9 moreGospel of John, Johannine Studies, Second Temple Period, New testament exegesis, New Testament Studies, Patmos, Ignatius of Antioch, Pharisees, and Second Temple Judaism and Early Christianity
Scholars ususally say the early Christian leader chose a Latin name, Paul, to supersede his Jewish name, Saul, around when he bgan to evangelize in the gentile community. A look at the language of his Edomite Parthian family suggests a... more
Scholars ususally say the early Christian leader chose a Latin name, Paul, to supersede his Jewish name, Saul, around when he bgan to evangelize in the gentile community. A look at the language of his Edomite Parthian family suggests a very different origination of his name, and some New Testament texts make more sense when read in this light.
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Christianity, New Testament, History of Christianity, Aramaic, Iranian Studies, and 13 moreEarly Christianity, Syriac Studies, New Testament and Christian Origins, Apostle Paul and the Pauline Letters, Indo-Iranian Linguistics, Iranian Languages, Mandaeans, Mandaic, New Testament Textual Criticism, Parthian Empire, New testament exegesis, New Testament Studies, and John the Presbyter
Revelation 13:14-15 mention a curious "image" that moves and speaks. This essay suggests that the reference is to an ongoing controversy in first-century proto-Christianity over idol-sacrificed meat, and also to examples in classical... more
Revelation 13:14-15 mention a curious "image" that moves and speaks. This essay suggests that the reference is to an ongoing controversy in first-century proto-Christianity over idol-sacrificed meat, and also to examples in classical art-technology of mechanical automata. The essay also looks at I John 5:21 in this context.
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Jesus concludes his famous conversation with Nathanael at John 1:51 by saying: "...ou will see the skies/heavens opened, and God's messengers ascending and descending on the son of the (first) human." This essay examines the meaning of... more
Jesus concludes his famous conversation with Nathanael at John 1:51 by saying: "...ou will see the skies/heavens opened, and God's messengers ascending and descending on the son of the (first) human." This essay examines the meaning of this declaration through refence to contextual texts, especially in the Tanakh, the Talmud, and the Gospel of Philip.
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An amulet codex that comprises lines that would go between John 1:49 and 1:50 is newly transcribed in its controversial spot, and the resulting reading put in context of early first century Jewish and Samaritan religio-political activity.
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Usually translated as " Son of Man " , or else inclusively as " Son of Humanity ", the standard explanation is that Jesus borrowed this term from the great prophets. However, this term, as it appears in the great prophets, is without... more
Usually translated as " Son of Man " , or else inclusively as " Son of Humanity ", the standard explanation is that Jesus borrowed this term from the great prophets. However, this term, as it appears in the great prophets, is without definite articles, hence meaning " a son of humanity ". However, the phrase that appears in Greek in John has two singular definite articles: ο υιος του ανθρωπου, " the son of the human being ". This suggests an entirely different source in the Tanakh for the term as Jesus uses it.
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Juan el Presbítero esperó en el Evangelio de Juan no sólo escribir una descripción fiel de Jesús y sus enseñamientos, pero todavía un libro como todo los otros. Él esperó preparar en forma de libro la experiencia directa de Jesús, de tal... more
Juan el Presbítero esperó en el Evangelio de Juan no sólo escribir una descripción fiel de Jesús y sus enseñamientos, pero todavía un libro como todo los otros. Él esperó preparar en forma de libro la experiencia directa de Jesús, de tal modo que el lector no es solamente un lector, pero un testigo de Jesús.
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The standard Christian dogmatic reading of the Gospel of John is that the Pharisees repeatedly accuse Jesus of blasphemy in his claim to be the Son of God and therefore God incarnate. This reading is a distortion of the text, as seen... more
The standard Christian dogmatic reading of the Gospel of John is that the Pharisees repeatedly accuse Jesus of blasphemy in his claim to be the Son of God and therefore God incarnate. This reading is a distortion of the text, as seen through the lenses of a dogma that was not to be invented until centuries after the gospel was written.
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The common assumption is that in John 20:15 Mary is mistaken to think Jesus is the gardener. This brief essay suggests, by an analysis of the text and its cultural context, that she wasn't as mistaken as all that.
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Gordon and Zevit suggest the body part used to make Eve was not Adam's rib but his baculum, the tubelike bone that encloses the penis in nearly all mammal species. This essay further explores the implications of this suggestion.
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Pseudo-Cyprian quotes an agraphon of Jesus, but the context provides us some overlooked material from a fourth letter from John the Presbyter beside the three in the New Testament. Further examination suggests that this material came to... more
Pseudo-Cyprian quotes an agraphon of Jesus, but the context provides us some overlooked material from a fourth letter from John the Presbyter beside the three in the New Testament. Further examination suggests that this material came to Pseudo-Cyprian via a Latin translation of Papias's five-volume masterwork on all the oral teachings of Jesus known to him.
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Bart D. Ehrman is quoted as saying "In the entire first Christian century Jesus is not mentioned by a single Greek or Roman historian, religion scholar, politician, philosopher, or poet, ... (or) in a single inscription ... (or) a single... more
Bart D. Ehrman is quoted as saying "In the entire first Christian century Jesus is not mentioned by a single Greek or Roman historian, religion scholar, politician, philosopher, or poet, ... (or) in a single inscription ... (or) a single piece of private correspondence." In this response I beg to differ.
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Paul twice (once in II Corinthians and once in Colossians) appears to quote from the Gospel of John, at least in an early oral version. This underscores Audlin's theory that the gospel was written very early but not published until around... more
Paul twice (once in II Corinthians and once in Colossians) appears to quote from the Gospel of John, at least in an early oral version. This underscores Audlin's theory that the gospel was written very early but not published until around the beginning of the second century.
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Scholars have never agreed on who the "him" who does the anointing in I John 2:27, the "him" who teaches the truth. A careful look at the very early Old Syriac Aramaic text suggests the "him" is actually a "her", which makes it quite... more
Scholars have never agreed on who the "him" who does the anointing in I John 2:27, the "him" who teaches the truth. A careful look at the very early Old Syriac Aramaic text suggests the "him" is actually a "her", which makes it quite plain who the person is.
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Nobody has come up with a convincing explanation of who the Nicolaitans are by looking only at the Greek text. A glance at the Aramaic, however, and it becomes clear who they are. The same is true of the Synagogue of Satan, the Throne of... more
Nobody has come up with a convincing explanation of who the Nicolaitans are by looking only at the Greek text. A glance at the Aramaic, however, and it becomes clear who they are. The same is true of the Synagogue of Satan, the Throne of Satan, Balaam, and Jezebel.
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The meaning of "Aleph and Omega" in the Revelation to John is clearer, yet rather different, when read in the proto-Aramaic text of the work.
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Usually explained as Jesus's mother or as "the Church", astronomical considerations and a look at the original Aramaic text help us identify the woman who appears in Revelation 12.
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Often arguments develop between members of certain Christian denominations over whether corporate church worship should take place on Saturday or Sunday, with some (most prominently the Seventh-Day Adventists) saying Saturday is the... more
Often arguments develop between members of certain Christian denominations over whether corporate church worship should take place on Saturday or Sunday, with some (most prominently the Seventh-Day Adventists) saying Saturday is the Shabbat and others insisting that Sunday should be the day of worship because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday. This essay states: 1) In the Torah, Shabbat is about contemplation, not worship; 2) Weekly congregational worship developed centuries after the Torah; and 3) There is no association between modern day designations and the ancient Shabbat.
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Some have suggested that the Prester John legends may have been built upon the historic John the Presbyter, an early leader of those who followed Jesus's teachings - but earlier writers have offered no support for this idea other than the... more
Some have suggested that the Prester John legends may have been built upon the historic John the Presbyter, an early leader of those who followed Jesus's teachings - but earlier writers have offered no support for this idea other than the similarity of names. This essay provides some further support for it.
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The Talmud often suggests that male and female together image Elohim and that their separation reduced humanity from that reflective nature. The Gospel of John has Jesus seeking to restore humanity to this original ideal by his death,... more
The Talmud often suggests that male and female together image Elohim and that their separation reduced humanity from that reflective nature. The Gospel of John has Jesus seeking to restore humanity to this original ideal by his death, reuniting him with his feminine aspect.
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A careful analysis of John 10:1-18, especially focusing on the Old Syriac, shows Jesus condemning the hegemony of the Second Temple, proclaiming himself as the rightful heir, and assuring faithful Jews of his day to hold to their faith,... more
A careful analysis of John 10:1-18, especially focusing on the Old Syriac, shows Jesus condemning the hegemony of the Second Temple, proclaiming himself as the rightful heir, and assuring faithful Jews of his day to hold to their faith, not to false leaders in the troubled first century. It is NOT a celestial Jesus promising future gentile converts to a faith not yet invented that he as God incarnate will always be spiritually protecting them.
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Building on the determination (discussed in "The Writings of John") that John 21 was composed long before John 1-20 and in Aramaic, not Greek, this essay discusses the threefold conversation between Jesus and Simon (Peter) about sheep,... more
Building on the determination (discussed in "The Writings of John") that John 21 was composed long before John 1-20 and in Aramaic, not Greek, this essay discusses the threefold conversation between Jesus and Simon (Peter) about sheep, concluding that it has nothing to do with the dogma of organized religion that was developed centuries later.
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An agraphon of Jesus recorded by Clement of Alexandria and the much-debated δεσπόσυνοι comment in Sextus Julius Africanus should be taken as indications of a widespread belief in the first centuries C.E. that Jesus was a husband and father.
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Forty years in the making, a translation of the restored original text of the Gospel of John from Greek and Aramaic, with essays, a history of the text, and commentaries.
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Academics often ride a circular logic wheel, insisting that the standardized texts of Hebrew and Syriac scripture generally speaking have a single meaning that is widely accepted as consensus in the scholarly world. To reach that happy... more
Academics often ride a circular logic wheel, insisting that the standardized texts of Hebrew and Syriac scripture generally speaking have a single meaning that is widely accepted as consensus in the scholarly world. To reach that happy conclusion they must ignore the fact that the Masoretic vowel markings added to ancient texts in the early Middle Ages confirm the meaning they espouse, but at the expense of a plethora of other possible meanings. The effect is to destroy the multifaceted poetry of a text and reduce it to banal instruction.
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The Shem Tob Hebrew translation of Matthew, the Codex Bobbiensis text of Mark, the Galilean Aramaic text of the Gospel of John, and the Gospel of Philip all conspire to put together a theory that Emmaus (whose location is debated) is... more
The Shem Tob Hebrew translation of Matthew, the Codex Bobbiensis text of Mark, the Galilean Aramaic text of the Gospel of John, and the Gospel of Philip all conspire to put together a theory that Emmaus (whose location is debated) is actually close to Capernaum, and that this is the meeting where the risen messiah intends (in Matthew and Mark) to meet with the disciples.
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New Testament, Gospels, Synoptic Gospels, New Testament and Christian Origins, Matthew's Gospel, and 12 moreNew Testament Textual Criticism, Gospel of John, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke, New testament exegesis, Resurrection, Gospel of Matthew, New Testament Studies, Resurrection of Jesus, The Synoptic Gospels, The gospel of Mark, and Gospel of Philip
Many early sources that say the physical appearance of Jesus changed at different times or in the eyes of different people, this usually being explained as examples of Docetism and perceived polymorphism, of subjective perception rather... more
Many early sources that say the physical appearance of Jesus changed at different times or in the eyes of different people, this usually being explained as examples of Docetism and perceived polymorphism, of subjective perception rather than objective characteristics, varying according to each individual's unique way of observing him, largely based on preconceived expectations. The beginning of these fluid appearances, of course, are in the canonical resurrection stories: on the road to Emmaus and the appearance to the male disciples in John 20:19-20 -- and also, this essay suggests, the story of the transfiguration, which I think is a mislocated resurrection appearance (Mark 9:2-8 and cognates) which answers to the clear patchiness of the last few verses of the Gospel of Matthew, wherein the disciples go to a mountain in Galilee whither Mary-and-Jesus had said that it would meet with them. The most interesting and possibly earliest version is in §§ 89bff. of the Acts of John, which I will argue is a post-resurrection scene based on Petrine and Johannine material.
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The textbooks typically say that in earlier classical dialects of Greek there was, besides the singular and plural forms, a dual form as well to guide the declension of words dealing with sets of two and only two members, but that this... more
The textbooks typically say that in earlier classical dialects of Greek there was, besides the singular and plural forms, a dual form as well to guide the declension of words dealing with sets of two and only two members, but that this disappeared in all dialects from the koinē of the New Testament to modern demotic Greek. The only exception to this, these texts say, is the word δυο (duo, “two”) itself in its various declensions. However my conclusion is that there are a few exceptions that I have seen in the koinē, in the New Testament that are today unrecognized as such, but which are wrongly taken as declined in the dative case.
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Amongst the copies of Leonardo's fresco of the Last Supper several works by his male students and imitators are customarily listed, but one that is perhaps the most interesting, by the foremost of the very few known woman painters of the... more
Amongst the copies of Leonardo's fresco of the Last Supper several works by his male students and imitators are customarily listed, but one that is perhaps the most interesting, by the foremost of the very few known woman painters of the Florentine Renaissance. Besides exhibiting a fine mastery of technique, Plautilla Nelli's Last Supper is also far more faithful to the gospel accounts of the Last Supper than those of Leonardo and his successors, and - for its presentation of Jesus and the Beloved Disciple - remarkably courageous.
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Unicorn tapestries, especially the most famous set displayed at The Cloisters in New York, are universally considered to have the symbolism of Jesus's mother as the virgin who attracts the unicorn to its death and captivity. This essay,... more
Unicorn tapestries, especially the most famous set displayed at The Cloisters in New York, are universally considered to have the symbolism of Jesus's mother as the virgin who attracts the unicorn to its death and captivity. This essay, culled from a restoration of the theoretical original version of the Gospel of John, suggests otherwise.
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The following text comprises material from the upcoming third edition of The Gospel of John Restored and Translated, Volume III of eight volumes, to be published by Editores Volcán Barú,
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After several essays in which I invade the territory of art history without the academic "visa" permitting me to do so, with this essay I return to "native territory", textual analysis. There is sure to be some defensive reaction to this... more
After several essays in which I invade the territory of art history without the academic "visa" permitting me to do so, with this essay I return to "native territory", textual analysis. There is sure to be some defensive reaction to this hypothesis, yet I welcome, as always, all thoughtful comments with gratitude! As always, since this essay is culled from a book pushing up to 5,000 pages, it takes for granted some conclusions reached elsewhere therein which, for reasons of length, cannot be included, or else this essay starts to look like the entire book! The reader is welcome, of course, to peruse other essays of mine posted on this website or to ask me for more information about something.
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The origins of the famous Celtic Cross are reconsidered as not representing the wooden instrument on which Jesus was executed but as coming from the natural world. The symbol is also viewed as representing the theology of the early... more
The origins of the famous Celtic Cross are reconsidered as not representing the wooden instrument on which Jesus was executed but as coming from the natural world. The symbol is also viewed as representing the theology of the early Apostolic Brythonic Christianity that preceded Roman Catholicism in various parts of Europe and the British Isles.
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The famous Celtic Cross is considcered not as representing the instrument used to execute Jesus but as rather coming from natural origins and representing the quaternine theology of the original Brythonic Apostolic Christians.
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An analysis of this painting in the context of scripture and contemporary art, concluding that its semi-hidden symbolism informs the viewer that the figure is Mary wife of Jesus, not his mother.
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The identity of the Mary in the Marian series of frescoes in the Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi is widely considered to be that of Jesus's mother. The author, whose research and recovery of the earliest text of the Gospel of John... more
The identity of the Mary in the Marian series of frescoes in the Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi is widely considered to be that of Jesus's mother. The author, whose research and recovery of the earliest text of the Gospel of John concludes that Jesus and Mary became one androgynous being in the day of resurrection, sees these frescoes -- like others about which essays have been posted here on Academia -- as depicting that united messiah in the image and likeness of Elohim. In support of this conclusion the La Stella altarpiece, which is based upon the Assisi frescoes, is also considered.
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A group of amateurs has published what they claim is a French translation of a travel memoir by Pontius Pilate written in 37 C.E. while he was enroute to Rome to defend himself against charges of the excessive use of force. No antecedent... more
A group of amateurs has published what they claim is a French translation of a travel memoir by Pontius Pilate written in 37 C.E. while he was enroute to Rome to defend himself against charges of the excessive use of force. No antecedent Latin text is available, so far as this author knows, which does not bode well for considering it possibly genuine. This essay nevertheless reviews the contents and what is known of its provenance and reaches certain conclusions.
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Generally considered a Gnostic text with Docetic qualities, this Nag Hammadi work (which is neither an apocalypse nor the second of two) is reconsidered as closely related to the Johannine corpus and as lacking any especially Gnostic... more
Generally considered a Gnostic text with Docetic qualities, this Nag Hammadi work (which is neither an apocalypse nor the second of two) is reconsidered as closely related to the Johannine corpus and as lacking any especially Gnostic characteristics.
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A common motif in Mediaeval and Renaissance art depicts John the Evangelist holding a chalice holding poisoned wine, with a serpent or basilisk emerging from it. It is rarely discussed and, when it is, it is said to be based on an... more
A common motif in Mediaeval and Renaissance art depicts John the Evangelist holding a chalice holding poisoned wine, with a serpent or basilisk emerging from it. It is rarely discussed and, when it is, it is said to be based on an apocryphal story that in fact does not mention a serpent or basilisk. This essay offers a different understanding.
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A discussion of the apse mosaic, the Madonna della Clemena ikon, and the façade mosaic of the Trastevere Basilica in the context of the findings reached in the forthcoming new edition of a book seeking to establish an Urtext of the Gospel... more
A discussion of the apse mosaic, the Madonna della Clemena ikon, and the façade mosaic of the Trastevere Basilica in the context of the findings reached in the forthcoming new edition of a book seeking to establish an Urtext of the Gospel of John, reaching the conclusion that it is incorrect to identify the woman in these images as the mother of Jesus.
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All of the major analyses of koinë Greek grammar and syntax agree that the dual number is found only in various forms of classical Greek, and not in koinë or any other later dialect, including modern Greek, except, rarely, in relation to... more
All of the major analyses of koinë Greek grammar and syntax agree that the dual number is found only in various forms of classical Greek, and not in koinë or any other later dialect, including modern Greek, except, rarely, in relation to the noun δυο, "two". This essay, culled from a forthcoming book, argues otherwise - that it does appear in the Johannine writings of the New Testament and also in the theologically related essay called the letter to the Hebrews, and that by means of the dual the word in question, υιω, indicates the androgynous nature of the risen messiah as the redivivus of the first human being made in the image and likeness of Elohim (Genesis 1:26-27).
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From a book restoring the hypothetical original version of the Gospel of John, in which the centrality of Mary called Magdalene is recovered, comes this discussion of the black madonna artistic tradition of Mediaeval Europe and elsewhere... more
From a book restoring the hypothetical original version of the Gospel of John, in which the centrality of Mary called Magdalene is recovered, comes this discussion of the black madonna artistic tradition of Mediaeval Europe and elsewhere in the world. The contention is that many of these are not of the Virgin Mary but rather the younger Mary, and reasons are given for why it is rare that modern art historians are willing to entertain that possibility. Issues of badly conceived attempts at restoration, especially in Chartres, are also considered.
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The image depicting the marriage feast at Cana (Gospel of John chapter 2) in this little-studied psalter is typical for its placement of Jesus in the center rather than off to one side of the banquet table, and with his bride rather than... more
The image depicting the marriage feast at Cana (Gospel of John chapter 2) in this little-studied psalter is typical for its placement of Jesus in the center rather than off to one side of the banquet table, and with his bride rather than being artistically less able to draw the viewer's eye than an anonymous bridal couple. This short essay - from the forthcoming third edition of the book - considers why this would be the case in terms of the standard triclinium arrangement, and who then are the figures shown in this miniatrure.
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Scholars have been confounded by not only the relationship between two like-but-unlike versions of this masterpiece but also by the identities of the five figures. This essay offers a new interpretation in view of Leonardo's awareness of... more
Scholars have been confounded by not only the relationship between two like-but-unlike versions of this masterpiece but also by the identities of the five figures. This essay offers a new interpretation in view of Leonardo's awareness of secret teachings about the origins of Christianity.
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The usual explanation of the staurogram as representing the word σταυρος ("cross") has several difficulties associated with it. This essay looks at its relationships with other similar symbols, its significance in a story told about... more
The usual explanation of the staurogram as representing the word σταυρος ("cross") has several difficulties associated with it. This essay looks at its relationships with other similar symbols, its significance in a story told about Emperor Constantine, and some astronomical considerations. It is in the context of a large work the third edition of which will be published soon, analyzing the early Galilean texts related to the Gospel of John, especially how they center on a redivivus of the original androgynous human being of Genesis 1:26-27.
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The Tempelhof of Bergheim altarpiece, painted by the Alsatian Gothic master Jost Haller around 1445 in Strasbourg, combines images of two seemingly unrelated stories, that of John the Immerser after the immersion identifying Jesus as the... more
The Tempelhof of Bergheim altarpiece, painted by the Alsatian Gothic master Jost Haller around 1445 in Strasbourg, combines images of two seemingly unrelated stories, that of John the Immerser after the immersion identifying Jesus as the lamb of God, and the Mediaeval legend of Saint George rescuing a princess by slaying a dragon. Scholarly analyses of this work put a lot of effort into explaining how these two disparate scenes came to be in the same painting. This essay from the upcoming new edition of a multi-volume book on the Gospel of John, suggests a new answer, in which the woman in red is Mary Magdalene and the Saint George motif is some protective camouflage. Among the people in this time the idea persisted that Jesus and Mary were a couple, an idea that still persisted (as we know from folk plays, songs, poetry, and art, discussed in the previous volumes of this work) after being nourished by the Cathars and Bogomils who were still remembered despite the genocide.
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An examination of the Ghent altarpiece, its surface image and the earlier forms revealed especially by x-radiography, in linguistic and cultural terms, from a book seeking to establish a hypothesized Urtext of the Gospel of John. The text... more
An examination of the Ghent altarpiece, its surface image and the earlier forms revealed especially by x-radiography, in linguistic and cultural terms, from a book seeking to establish a hypothesized Urtext of the Gospel of John. The text is from the upcoming third edition of The Gospel of John Restored and Translated, to be published in seven or eight volumes by Editores Volcán Barú. The images are from the website of “Lasting Support, An Interdisciplinary Research Project to Assess the Structural Condition of the Ghent Altarpiece”.
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A midrash on Eve's "acquiring a man" (Genesis 4:1), the derivation of the names "Cain" and "Abel", the lacuna in Genesis 4:8, and the proper translation of the "Am I my brother's keeper?" line in Genesis 4:9. This is from a book being... more
A midrash on Eve's "acquiring a man" (Genesis 4:1), the derivation of the names "Cain" and "Abel", the lacuna in Genesis 4:8, and the proper translation of the "Am I my brother's keeper?" line in Genesis 4:9. This is from a book being prepared for its third edition.
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An analysis by Rainer Langlotz concludes that only one candidate for replacing Judas among the Twelve Apostles is named in Acts 1:23. This essay asks why, then, the Acts describes a casting-of-lots if only Barnabas was nominated, and... more
An analysis by Rainer Langlotz concludes that only one candidate for replacing Judas among the Twelve Apostles is named in Acts 1:23. This essay asks why, then, the Acts describes a casting-of-lots if only Barnabas was nominated, and concludes that the story allegorizes the struggle that was very much going at the time of the book's composition between the Pauline focus on gentile conversion and the Jewish leaders' insistence on remaining within the Jewish tradition. The allegory names the other candidate, representing the Jewish followers of Jesus, only by implication, as one of the γυναιξιν mentioned after the list of apostles. The article also discusses a full-page miniature in the Rabula Gospels that may support this understanding.
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Ibn Isḥāq’s Kitāb al’Maghāzī, an Arabic work compiled between 754 and 767, is the only text other than the Palestinian Lectionaries, Galilean Aramaic texts from the early eleventh century, that does not transliterate the Greek word for... more
Ibn Isḥāq’s Kitāb al’Maghāzī, an Arabic work compiled between 754 and 767, is the only text other than the Palestinian Lectionaries, Galilean Aramaic texts from the early eleventh century, that does not transliterate the Greek word for "Paraclete" in Jesus's Last Supper discourse in the Gospel of John. Instead, both texts have a different word, in fact the same word, despite the language difference. This essay considers whether Ibn Isḥāq transliterated the Galilean term or whether it is actually an Arabic cognate; it further considers whether παρακλητος might be a transliteration of a Galilean term, rather than a translation.
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The Temple in Jerusalem, both the First and Second, was conceived and appointed in a manner intended to enhance its nature as a microcosm of the universe. I will illustrate this nature in several ways, first mentioning some of the... more
The Temple in Jerusalem, both the First and Second, was conceived and appointed in a manner intended to enhance its nature as a microcosm of the universe. I will illustrate this nature in several ways, first mentioning some of the appurtenances in the Temple, then studying the relevant texts in the Tanakh, listing some Temple portrayals in early visual art, then reading a passage each from the Talmud and the Mandæan Book of John, then surveying other domes in ancient architecture, glancing at the special question of the Qa’aba, and closing with an examination of the Dome of the Rock, which today graces the Temple Mount.
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The poetic structure of these two verses, with its repeated pairs, suggests that "image" and "likeness" may etymologically refer to the male and female aspects united within this single androgynous first human, mirroring the nature of... more
The poetic structure of these two verses, with its repeated pairs, suggests that "image" and "likeness" may etymologically refer to the male and female aspects united within this single androgynous first human, mirroring the nature of Elohim. From the upcoming third edition of "The Gospel of John Restored and Translated".
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Some scholars say the First and Second Temples were located such that the Holy of Holies was situated at the place directly beneath the Dome of the Rock. Others say they were actually located to the south or to the north of that spot.... more
Some scholars say the First and Second Temples were located such that the Holy of Holies was situated at the place directly beneath the Dome of the Rock. Others say they were actually located to the south or to the north of that spot. Passages in the Talmud and from Muslim and Christian historians of the Umayyid conquest of Jerusalem support the third alternative.
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Second Temple Judaism, History of Caliphates, Second Temple Studies, Jerusalem, Second Temple Period, and 8 moreJerusalem Archaeology, First Temple Archeology, Umayyad Dome of the Rock and Temple ,history, History of Jerusalem, The Dome of the Rock, Second Temple Judaism and Early Christianity, Temple Mount, and First Temple - Tempel of Salomon
Consideration of texts and Jerusalemite practice in the late Second Temple period urges a certain conclusion as to the location of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus.
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New Testament, Second Temple Judaism, New Testament and Christian Origins, Historical Jesus, Jerusalem, and 9 moreGospel of John, Second Temple Period, Jesus, Jesus Christ, New Testament Studies, Crucifixion, Jerusalem Archaeology, Crucifixion in Early Christianity, and Second Temple Judaism and Early Christianity
One of the greatest impediments in Christian-Muslim dialogue is a passage in the Qur'an that is widely believed to deny that Jesus was crucified to death. This analysis of the passage, comparing it especially to the Galilean Aramaic text... more
One of the greatest impediments in Christian-Muslim dialogue is a passage in the Qur'an that is widely believed to deny that Jesus was crucified to death. This analysis of the passage, comparing it especially to the Galilean Aramaic text of the Gospel of John, concludes that there is nothing controversial in the former, and that indeed it generally coheres in import with the latter.
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A consideration of textual and architectural indications of how the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem may have incorporated celestial imagery to mark them as a microcosm of the universe -- including possibly a dome.
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A piece located on page 139 of this early manuscript, the earliest reasonably complete Gospel of John, appears very different from undoubted surrounding fragments. There are also issues with how its text coheres with surrounding text.... more
A piece located on page 139 of this early manuscript, the earliest reasonably complete Gospel of John, appears very different from undoubted surrounding fragments. There are also issues with how its text coheres with surrounding text. This essay examines the item itself and the involvement of some people associated with its first appearance.
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In the year 43 a conference was called in the Roman province of Asia (now Anatolia in western Turkey), shortly after it was announced that the Beloved Disciple, Mary – whose presence in Anatolia is documented by Jane Schaberg, amongst... more
In the year 43 a conference was called in the Roman province of Asia (now Anatolia in western Turkey), shortly after it was announced that the Beloved Disciple, Mary – whose presence in Anatolia is documented by Jane Schaberg, amongst others – would be moving out of the region. One outcome of the conference was that the Presbyter should gather from Mary her memories of Jesus, his deeds and his teachings, during the year that began with their marriage and ended with his crucifixion. With these as the foundation, he was then to compose a kind of “living memory” of Jesus as a book, to substitute for Mary’s own oral reminiscences, which of course we know as the Gospel of John. As much as we know about the conference comes from a surviving fragment of Papias’s major five-volume work επιγεγραπται λογιων κυριακων εξηγησεως (Explanations of the Sayings of the Master). Decades later, John would compose another book, arguably his most beautiful, the Songs of the Perfect One. This is a collection of forty-two poems which are in the main presented as Jesus and Mary singing to each other in front of the tomb on the morning of his resurrection. Song 23 is generally considered the most abstruse in meaning, but let us consider a summary of its narrative contents:
<< A letter is sent out “like an arrow from a bow”, sealed with the name and power of someone so mighty – the song later suggests that this name is that of God himself – that the enemies of that person do not dare intercept and open the letter. Rather, they content themselves with watching to see who receives it and reads it. A “wheel” receives the letter, and the rolling wheel creates a “broad path”. The letter orders “all regions” to attend a general meeting, at which the authority of Mary is ratified over these spiritual communities. Following the meeting the letter becomes a “great book” directly inspired by God. >>
In my estimation this account covers the situation in 43 with precision, and thus the meaning of this song can be cleared up.
<< A letter is sent out “like an arrow from a bow”, sealed with the name and power of someone so mighty – the song later suggests that this name is that of God himself – that the enemies of that person do not dare intercept and open the letter. Rather, they content themselves with watching to see who receives it and reads it. A “wheel” receives the letter, and the rolling wheel creates a “broad path”. The letter orders “all regions” to attend a general meeting, at which the authority of Mary is ratified over these spiritual communities. Following the meeting the letter becomes a “great book” directly inspired by God. >>
In my estimation this account covers the situation in 43 with precision, and thus the meaning of this song can be cleared up.
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Several letters have long been dismissed as falsely ascribed to Ignatius of Antioch. But a few, on further examination, are certainly very early, probably by Evodius, Ignatius's predecessor as bishop, and they shed light upon John the... more
Several letters have long been dismissed as falsely ascribed to Ignatius of Antioch. But a few, on further examination, are certainly very early, probably by Evodius, Ignatius's predecessor as bishop, and they shed light upon John the Presbyter's life in Ephesus, and Mary the mother and Mary the wife of Jesus in Anatolia, as previously documented by Jane Schaberg amongst others.
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In the Textus Receptus of the Gospel of John there are a handful of apparent references to a location called Bethany. It is generally assumed that this is a village near or on the side of the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. This essay... more
In the Textus Receptus of the Gospel of John there are a handful of apparent references to a location called Bethany. It is generally assumed that this is a village near or on the side of the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. This essay argues that all of these references are specious, and that in Jesus’s time there was no more a community called Bethany than there was one called Nazareth. Here below the main references to “Bethany” are analyzed.
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Several scholars insist that Pseudo-Hippolytus has Martha anoint Jesus's feet and Martha ahead of Mary at the tomb on the morning of resurrection. This essay carefully analyzes the Georgian text (the best surviving version, translated... more
Several scholars insist that Pseudo-Hippolytus has Martha anoint Jesus's feet and Martha ahead of Mary at the tomb on the morning of resurrection. This essay carefully analyzes the Georgian text (the best surviving version, translated from the nearly entirely lost Greek original) and establishes a very different reading of the word for "Martha", with considerable consequences for establishing an Ur-text for John 20:16-17.
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An analysis is offered that concludes with the possibility that the much-maligned High Priest Caiaphas and the much-revered Joseph of Arimathæa might have been the same person.
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New Testament, Early Christianity, Johannine Literature, Second Temple Judaism, New Testament and Christian Origins, and 8 moreNew Testament Textual Criticism, Gospel of John, Second Temple Period, New testament exegesis, Jesus Christ, New Testament Studies, Early Christian Papyri and Inscriptions, and Second Temple Judaism and Early Christianity
The word χαλκολιβανον (chalcolibanon) in Revelation 1:15, describing the feet of a visionary presence, which appears nowhere else in classical literature, is usually explained as meaning “brass of Lebanon”. Since Lebanon has never been... more
The word χαλκολιβανον (chalcolibanon) in Revelation 1:15, describing the feet of a visionary presence, which appears nowhere else in classical literature, is usually explained as meaning “brass of Lebanon”. Since Lebanon has never been renowned for its brass or copper, this text, from a to-be-published restoration-translation of the Aramaic Revelation, proposes an alternate reading and translation of the phrase.
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Standard Christian Trinitarian theology dictates that in John 8:58 Jesus proclaims his eternal existence as part of the Trinity. Do the early texts in Greek and Aramaic support this dogma, much later in time to develop, or do they suggest... more
Standard Christian Trinitarian theology dictates that in John 8:58 Jesus proclaims his eternal existence as part of the Trinity. Do the early texts in Greek and Aramaic support this dogma, much later in time to develop, or do they suggest Jesus was saying something else entirely?