June 2023 - The Bart Ehrman Blog

The Road from the “Duo of Philo” to the “Trinity of Nicaea”–Guest Post by Omar Robb

As you know, blog members at the Platinum level are allowed to publish posts on any topic of their choosing (related to blog interests!) to other Platinum members. After a month or so, the other Platinums vote on which one can appear on the blog at large. If you yourself are interested in getting in on that action -- reading the posts of other Platinum members, and on occasion coming up with one of your own (it DOESN'T need to be highly scholarly or scholarly at all -- it can be your own views or questoins about something blog-related!) -- think about upping your membership to the Platinum level (Register - The Bart Ehrman Blog). The most recent vote wenbt in favor of a post by Omar Robb, which gets into the world of Greek and early Christian thinking, especially as leading to the doctrine of the Trinity. Here it is. Feel free to comment and ask Omar any questions! ****************************** The road from the "Duo of Philo" to the "Trinity of Nicaea" Omar Abur-Robb [...]

Diane2023-06-24T09:53:51-04:00June 30th, 2023|Public Forum|

Did Paul Get Along with the Other Apostles?
Gallery
Did Paul Get Along with the Other Apostles?

Acts of the Apostles, Paul and His Letters

Did Paul Get Along with the Other Apostles?

I mentioned in my previous posts that there are discrepancies between Paul’s letters and the book of Acts in both major and minor ways, and in my last post I dealt with some differences that appear when one looks closely at the details (the issue I addressed: what does Paul do immediately upon his conversion). There are many instances like that throughout Acts: if you compare what Paul has to say with what Acts has to say, on the same topic or about the same event, you will find differences, and often these differences matter a lot to the overall narrative. There are also of differences that emerge from the overall portrayal of Paul and his Christian mission. In this post I’ll deal with one example, Paul's relationship with the other Apostles. In both Acts and Paul's letters its clear that Paul had relations those who were apostles before him, chiefly the former disciples of Jesus (Peter, John, etc.) and Jesus’ own brother James, who was to become the leader of the church in Jerusalem. [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-26T18:48:12-04:00June 29th, 2023|Acts of the Apostles, Paul and His Letters|

After Paul Converted… Does the Book of Acts Contradict Paul Himself?

Is the account of Paul's life in Acts at odds with what Paul says himself? If not, are the stories in Acts just invented out of whole cloth? Some people who responded to my previous post on the historical trustworthiness of the book of Acts suggested that maybe its author “Luke” (we don’t know the author’s real name, so we may as well call him this) wasn't just makin' stuff up, but had sources of information available to him for the book of Acts, just as he clearly did for the Gospel (e.g., the Gospels of Mark and Q). I think this is absolutely right, he almost certainly did have sources. It should be clear that he wasn't simply creating complete fictions about Paul: that there are numerous close parallels in Acts to what Paul has to say about himself. So there is a historical gist to his accounts on some level. At the same time, almost all these parallels also contain striking discrepancies from Paul. So Luke had sources, but the sources were not [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-16T11:35:37-04:00June 28th, 2023|Acts of the Apostles, Paul and His Letters|

Was Paul Authorized to Persecute Christians?

Who gave Paul the authority to persecute Christians? The book of Acts suggests it was the authorities in Jerusalem. Can that be right? In fact, is Acts right in what it says about Paul generally? The questions matter: Acts provides our oldest surviving narrative description of the first thirty years of Christianity, and the only narrative source of the life of Paul (before the legendary Acts of Paul from a century or so later). It's a terrifically interesting book. What can we say about its historical accuracy? I was browsing through posts from the good ole days of the blog "in the beginning," and came across a brief thread from, well, eleven years ago that addressed these kinds of questions. I thought would be worth reposting it here. My posts started in relation to a question I received. ****************************** QUESTION: You mention in your book "Did Jesus Exist?" that Paul started his persecution of Christians in the early 30s. If he was tasked with hunting down Christians by the Sanhedrin he must have had a [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-16T11:30:24-04:00June 27th, 2023|Acts of the Apostles, Paul and His Letters|

Was Abraham “Just Plain Nuts?” A Platinum Post by Douglas Wadeson MD

Here is an unusually challenging post that deals directly with one of the major religious/ethical problems of the entire Bible. The focus is Abraham, a central figure for the three major monotheistic religions of the world that are together followed by over half the humans on the planet. But is Abraham actually a commendable figure in the Scriptures. Or, not to put too fine a point on it -- is he nuts? Read the post and let Doug know your views of the matter! ****************************** One of my favorite Far Side cartoons by Gary Larson shows a man lying on the couch as the psychiatrist writes on his notepad, “Just plain nuts!” I suspect we have all encountered people that prompted such a thought to cross our minds. I realize it is difficult to make a psychiatric diagnosis on someone without a direct interview and observation, but I have a serious concern about one of the pivotal figures in the religious world. To make the situation more difficult there is no way to know how [...]

Diane2023-06-16T06:14:52-04:00June 26th, 2023|Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Public Forum|

Can the Qur’an and Early Islam Be Studied Critically (Like the NT and Early Christianity?) Guest Post by Stephen Shoemaker

Why don’t scholars engage in a historical-critical study of the Qur’an the way they do with the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible? I get asked this kind of thing all the time – with variations: “Where can I find a scholarly discussion the critical problems with the Qur’an like scholars publish about the Bible all the time?” or “I know Muslims claim the Qur’an is perfect, but what to critical scholars say about it?” or “Why don’t scholars take a historical to early Islam like they do with early Christianity?” For most of my career there really hasn’t been much out there to suggest, but in recent years that has begun to change. In large part that’s because of a former student of mine who is now a prominent scholar of early Christianity, Stephen Shoemaker, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Oregon. Stephen is an unusually productive scholar with a wide range of expertise (and a deep knowledge of a crazy number of ancient languages and obscure texts!). Check him out [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-30T11:59:26-04:00June 25th, 2023|Public Forum|

Did the Curtain in the Temple Really Rip in Half at Jesus’ Crucifixion?

Did the curtain in the temple really rip in half when Jesus died? That’s what the Gospels say. But can it be true? [[RECALL, in case you haven’t been reading each of the posts in this thread: I’ve been trying to show how experts in the phenomenon of “memory” can help us reflect on the Gospel traditions about Jesus. Memory is a much wider and more expansive phenomenon than most people imagine. Memories involve what we’ve done, what we’ve experienced, what we’ve learned, what we’ve heard, and what we simply recall about the past whether we ourselves experienced it and whether our recollections are just personal or collectively shared by a broader swath of our community (e.g., our “memories” of the Clinton presidency or of the Civil War) . When seen in this broader sense, the Gospels contain some “historically true” memories of Jesus but also some distorted or fake memories. In the current thread of posts I’ve been discussing key passages of the Passion narratives of the Gospels. All these are taken from my [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-13T11:16:12-04:00June 24th, 2023|Canonical Gospels, Historical Jesus, Memory Studies|

Was Jesus an Ascetic Street Preacher or a Man With a Plan? A Platinum Post From Omar Robb

In this post Platinum guest poster Omar Robb takes on one of the key questions anyone must grapple with in studying the New Testament: how are we to understand the activities and mission of Jesus? Feel free to comment with your own views! ****************************** I am going here to generate a story (a made-up story) that you should read as a fictional imaginary one. Just go with this story to the end. After that, we will start a serious discussion. ##### The start this imaginary built-up story: Jesus, John the Baptist, and Zechariah (John’s father) were relatives, and they originated from a noble family in the capital until they lost favor in the eyes of the authority many decades before the time of Jesus, and they were forced into exile in Galilee. Zechariah formed a secret political party with the objective of liberating Palestine from the Roman rule and their puppets in the capital. When Zechariah passed away, his son followed the plan. They (Zechariah and John) managed over the years to form a culture [...]

Diane2023-06-16T10:28:51-04:00June 23rd, 2023|Historical Jesus, Public Forum|

Did The Twelve Become Only Three? Platinum post by Douglas Wadeson MD

As you know, Platinum members on the blog are allowed to publish posts for other Platinum members, who then vote on one to be included on the entire blog. I'm pleased to publish this guest post by Douglas Wadeson, on an unusually intriguing and important topic. Did Jesus twelve disciples stay committed to the movement after his death, as everyone assumes? Or are there reasons to think that most of them actually abandoned the cause? Read this challenging post and let us know what you think! (And think about moving up to the Platinum level yourself: along with being allowed to publish your own posts, you will be invited to a special quarterly webinar with just the Platinums and me). ****************************** Early Christianity had many stories about the adventures of the Twelve Apostles after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Thomas is tricked into becoming a missionary to India.1 John travels about evangelizing while demonstrating control of bedbugs!2 Andrew was said to travel to the area now known as Ukraine to evangelize there – [...]

Diane2023-06-13T11:16:04-04:00June 22nd, 2023|Historical Jesus, Public Forum|

📢 Help Wanted: Join Bart Ehrman Professional Services as a Writer/Editor!

Are you a talented, educated, and skilled writer or editor with a passion for Biblical and Christian studies? We're excited to announce an opportunity to contribute to bartehrman.com, Bart’s other prominent website with thousands of readers. We're ramping up our content production and need your expertise! Bartehrman.com serves as Bart's professional website, offering online courses, books, and the possibility to hire Bart for speaking engagements. In order to drive traffic from Google search, the website also features a blog component where we regularly post articles. Instead of Bart himself, we enlist the expertise of capable and insightful authors like Keith Long. Here's an example of an article authored by Keith Long: For more examples of the types of articles we publish, please click here. Qualifications Needed: As we explore a wide range of topics related to the New Testament and early Christianity, we're looking for a writer to take the reins and bring fresh perspectives. You don't necessarily need a PhD, but some formal education in Biblical or Christian studies is desired. If you have [...]

Chrishuntley2023-06-20T15:13:30-04:00June 21st, 2023|Public Forum|

Did Pilate Really Release A Dangerous Criminal, Barabbas, at Jesus’ Trial?

Is it true that at Jesus’ trial, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate tried to get him off the hook by offering to let him loose, according to his annual custom, but that the Jewish crowd insist that he release to them Barabbas instead, a serious criminal? [[RECALL, in case you haven’t been reading each of the posts in this thread: I’ve been trying to show how experts in the phenomenon of “memory” can help us reflect on the Gospel traditions about Jesus. Memory is a much wider and more expansive phenomenon than most people imagine. Memories involve what we’ve done, what we’ve experienced, what we’ve learned, what we’ve heard, and what we simply recall about the past whether we ourselves experienced it and whether our recollections are just personal or collectively shared by a broader swath of our community (e.g., our “memories” of the Clinton presidency or of the Civil War) . When seen in this broader sense, the Gospels contain some “historically true” memories of Jesus but also some distorted or fake memories. In [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-12T11:02:32-04:00June 21st, 2023|Canonical Gospels, Historical Jesus, Memory Studies|

Were Jesus Followers Really Armed and Dangerous in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Gallery
Were Jesus Followers Really Armed and Dangerous in the Garden of Gethsemane?

Canonical Gospels, Historical Jesus, Memory Studies

Were Jesus Followers Really Armed and Dangerous in the Garden of Gethsemane?

Can it be true that Jesus’ followers were armed when Jesus was arrested, and that they put up a fight to defend him, as indicated in the Gospels? Did Jesus’ disciples believe in armed engagement with the enemy? Did Jesus??? [[RECALL, in case you haven’t been reading each of the posts in this thread: I’ve been trying to show how experts in the phenomenon of “memory” can help us reflect on the Gospel traditions about Jesus. Memory is a much wider and more expansive phenomenon than most people imagine. Memories involve what we’ve done, what we’ve experienced, what we’ve learned, what we’ve heard, and what we simply recall about the past whether we ourselves experienced it and whether our recollections are just personal or collectively shared by a broader swath of our community (e.g., our “memories” of the Clinton presidency or of the Civil War) . When seen in this broader sense, the Gospels contain some “historically true” memories of Jesus but also some distorted or fake memories. In the current thread of posts [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-22T09:51:14-04:00June 20th, 2023|Canonical Gospels, Historical Jesus, Memory Studies|

The Slippery Slope of Extreme DIAKRISIS (Discernment). A Platinum Post by Barry Haney

Here is a creative and imaginative Platinum guest post that explores key religious differences among various traditions in the early period of the church, through a plausible (fictional) conversation. So, in 200 CE, a pagan, a Jew, and a Christian come into a wine bar.... These are some intriguing reflections. What do you think? ****************************** I have a blog called, The Slippery Concept of Extreme Diakrisis. You might ask, what does diakrisis mean? Diakrisis is a Greek noun that occurs three times in the New Testament (Romans 14.1, 1 Corinthians 12:10, and Hebrews 5:14) and means distinction, explanation, discerning, or differentiation between good and bad. During my research of early Christianity, I imagined being a fly on the wall during an unlikely meeting between Bartholomew, a pagan, Serapion, a Christian, and Abraham, a Jew during the 2nd and third centuries CE, as they use the tool of diakrisis or discernment in their search for religious truth. My research led to me writing the following story, I will share with you. The Incredible Meeting! [...]

Diane2023-06-16T06:11:05-04:00June 19th, 2023|Greco-Roman Religions and Culture, History of Christianity (100-300CE), Jews and Christians in Antiquity, Public Forum|

Did Jesus Really Cleanse the Temple?

In all the Gospels Jesus enters into the temple in Jerusalem and becomes enraged by what he sees there. He overturns tables and drives merchants out and shuts down the operation. Could this actually have happened? Or is it an exaggerated – or completely invented – account? [[RECALL, in case you haven’t been reading each of the posts in this thread: I’ve been trying to show how experts in the phenomenon of “memory” can help us reflect on the Gospel traditions about Jesus. Memory is a much wider and more expansive phenomenon than most people imagine. Memories involve what we’ve done, what we’ve experienced, what we’ve learned, what we’ve heard, and what we simply recall about the past whether we ourselves experienced it and whether our recollections are just personal or collectively shared by a broader swath of our community (e.g., our “memories” of the Clinton presidency or of the Civil War) . When seen in this broader sense, the Gospels contain some “historically true” memories of Jesus but also some distorted or fake [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-12T11:11:09-04:00June 18th, 2023|Canonical Gospels, Historical Jesus, Memory Studies|

Away from life for a while

I'm sorry (well happy) to say that I'm on a meditation retreeat this week, until June 24, in a remote part of Merry Ole, walking (aka hiking) and thinking deep thoughts. I will be almost entirely incommunicado as I reflect on reality and try to figure out my life.... I've set up posts to run for the week, and all other blog functions should be running along as normal (including Support from Diane!). BUT, I will not be able to get to blog comments till I'm back. Apologies! But this too shall end (too soon, no doubt!) Please thrive and be happy in the meantime.

BDEhrman2023-06-17T13:15:04-04:00June 17th, 2023|Public Forum|

Did the Triumphal Entry Really Happen?

Did Jesus really come into Jerusalem on a donkey to the acclamations of the crowd welcoming him as the coming messiah? Or is that a distorted understanding of what happened? [[In this thread of posts I’ve been trying to show how experts in the phenomenon of “memory” can help us reflect on the Gospel traditions about Jesus. Memory is a much wider and more expansive phenomenon than most people imagine. Memories involve what we’ve done, what we’ve experienced, what we’ve learned, what we’ve heard, and what we simply recall about the past whether we ourselves experienced it and whether our recollections are just personal or collectively shared by a broader swath of our community (e.g., our “memories” of the Clinton presidency or of the Civil War) . When seen in this broader sense, the Gospels contain some “historically true” memories of Jesus but also some distorted or fake memories. In my previous two posts I talked about the “memories” about Jesus’ trial before Pilate. In the following posts I’ll discuss other key passages of [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-12T11:22:38-04:00June 17th, 2023|Canonical Gospels, Historical Jesus, Memory Studies|

June Gold Q&A

Dear Goldies & Plats, Our monthly Gold Q&A is coming upon us. DEADLINE for your question(s): Friday, June 23, midnight your time. Interested in anything I can deal with? Now's your chance: Ask away! I'm more likely to answer questions that are relatively short and to the point than those that go on for a long paragraph. So be concise. I'll answer as the spirit leads. To enter your question on to the list: send it to Diane at [email protected] My plan is to record the session sometime over the few days after that. I may send out a note indicating when that'll be a day or so ahead of time in case any of you want to listen in live. So, let me hear what you're curious about and I'll do my best to respond! BDE

Diane2023-06-15T12:36:44-04:00June 16th, 2023|Public Forum|

The Bart Ehrman Movie Club Presents: Life of Brian

Every year I teach an undergraduate course called “Jesus in Scholarship and Film.” In the class, students study about a dozen gospels (canonical and non-canonical), see what historians say about the historical Jesus, and watch/evaluate Jesus movies. The point is that every portrayal – ancient literary, modern scholarly, cinematic – has a slant and a perspective; every portrayal is different. At the beginning of the year I have students watch an interesting overview – with clips – of major portrayals of Jesus in film, called “Jesus Christ Moviestar,” which begins with the silents and goes up to the early 90s. Afterward, I ask the students which of those films (they’ve never seen any of them!) do you think would be most interesting to watch. The resounding answer, every time, is “Life of Brian.” It’s a FANTASTIC choice. Yes, it’s a Monty Python spoof. Yes, it’s meant to be (and is) very funny. Yes, it was attacked by conservative Christians as being blasphemous (the vast majority of them hadn’t actually seen it). BUT, yes, it is [...]

Diane2023-06-15T10:09:43-04:00June 15th, 2023|Public Forum|

Jesus’ Trial Before Pilate: Some of the Distorted Memories of the Gospels

In my previous post I discussed some of the important differences between our four Gospels in their accounts of Jesus' trial before Pilate. Just read them, carefully, compare them in detail with one another, and see for yourself! I continue with that discussion here, and then look to see what we can say are (certainly? probably?) "distorted memories" of the event in our accounts. This again is taken from my book Jesus Before the Gospels (HarperOne, 2016). ****************************** Another difference in John’s account is that Jesus and Pilate have several extended conversations. Jesus is not silent before the accusations, as in the other accounts. Instead, he uses the charges brought against him to speak to Pilate about himself, his identity, his kingdom, and the truth. As in Luke, Pilate tries to release Jesus three times, but “the Jews” will not hear of it: they insist that Jesus be executed. Pilate finally brings Jesus outside and shows him to the Jews and tells them to “Behold your King.” The Jews urge him to crucify Jesus. Pilate [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-14T10:32:27-04:00June 15th, 2023|Canonical Gospels, Historical Jesus, Memory Studies|

Jesus’ Trial Before Pilate: What Can We Actually Know?

In this post I shift from a general overview of what we can know about Jesus’ last days/hours to a specific instance. What can we actually know about his trial before Pontius Pilate, that led to his crucifixion? Do we know the details? Can we get the gist? Is there *anything* that is (relatively) certain? Or are all the things “remembered” in the Gospel writings distorted? From my book, Jesus Before the Gospels (HarperOne): An Illustration of the Method: Jesus’ Trial Before Pilate The biggest question we have to deal with at the outset is also the most obvious one. How do we know if a memory of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels is accurate, by which I mean that it is something that in fact did not actually take place? My analyses in this series of posts will be based on a premise that it is indeed possible to uncover a distorted recollection of Jesus’ life, and that it can be done in one of two ways. On one hand, there are some [...]

BDEhrman2023-06-11T08:24:40-04:00June 14th, 2023|Canonical Gospels, Historical Jesus|