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September 2025 Gold Q&A

Scheduling note: The Q&A was originally scheduled at 2pm Eastern on 9/14. It has been rescheduled to 6pm Eastern on 9/14. Golds & Platinums, Our next Gold Q&A with Bart is coming up on Sunday, September 14 at 6 PM Eastern and it’s your chance to ask whatever’s been on your mind. Have a question you’ve been waiting to ask?Email it to Jen at: [email protected] Quick tips for getting your question answered: Keep it clear and concise—short, focused questions are prioritized. Can’t attend live? No problem. We’ll send out the full recording a day or two after. Looking forward to another thoughtful round of questions. Question deadline: End of day Thursday September 11th. Here’s the Zoom link to join the Q&A on 9/14: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83564698628?pwd=1X4eY1QtU9FTxBwmNQt4witIveVMZl.1 Meeting ID: 835 6469 8628 Passcode: 667511 Get your question in now and see what Bart has to say. See you there!

jennao2025-09-10T13:13:06-04:00August 22nd, 2025|Public Forum|

Platinum Repost: The Death and Afterlife of Jesus: A Historical Reconstruction Part II – Guest Post by Platinum Member Mark Reichert

We recently shared part one of a post written by Platinum blog member, Mark Reichert. You can find the first part here. Here now is the second part of his two-part reflections in which he offers his own reconstruction of what might have happened after the crucifixion. So what do I think really happened? There is no way to know for sure but I can put together a story that seems plausible and makes sense to me. I believe Jesus and his following traveled to Jerusalem for Passover during the governorship of Pontius Pilate. How large a following I do not know though enough for it to be considered a “following.” Once there, he came to the attention of Roman and/or Jewish authorities in a negative way. Either he said, or someone accused him of saying, that he was “King of the Jews.” I highly doubt the account in Mark that states Jesus was bound by Jewish priests and elders and brought before Pilate. This would be like Palestinian authorities turning a [...]

jennao2025-09-10T13:13:05-04:00August 21st, 2025|Public Forum|

Is 1 Peter More Like 1 Paul?

In my previous post I started explaining that if you were to read 1 Peter, and didn't see his name as the first word, you would probably never suspect it was written by Jesus' disciple; on the contrary, it sounds a lot like something Paul wold have written. (All this is taken, in edited form, from my book Forgery and Counterforgery [Oxford University Press]; this is an academic book, but I've tried to make it completely legible to non-scholars.) It has nonetheless become virtually de rigueur among scholars to discount the Paulinisms of 1 Peter, as evidenced in such major commentaries as those of Goppelt, Achtemeier, and Elliott, and especially in such a full-length study as that of German scholar Jens Herzer. It should be pointed out that a book like Herzer's Petrus oder Paulus was perceived to be necessary precisely because 1 Peter does bear so many resemblances to a (deutero)Pauline letter, as we will see. Herzer’s lengthy analysis shows that the structure of the letter and the individual terms and phrases [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:13:06-04:00August 17th, 2025|Catholic Epistles, Public Forum|

The Death and Afterlife of Jesus: A Historical Reconstruction Part I – by Mark Reichert (Platinum Member Winner)
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The Death and Afterlife of Jesus: A Historical Reconstruction Part I – by Mark Reichert (Platinum Member Winner)

Historical Jesus, Public Forum

The Death and Afterlife of Jesus: A Historical Reconstruction Part I – by Mark Reichert (Platinum Member Winner)

As you know, the Platinum Members of the blog are invited to submit their own posts to be considered for publication on the blog. After we've published four of these posts, Platinum members are asked to vote for one to be published to the entire blog. Today, we have a post for you from Platinum blog member Mark Reichert. He offers the first part of a compelling two-part reflection on one of the most well-known—and debated—stories in history. It’s part historical reconstruction, part personal inquiry, and entirely worth the read. According to the Gospel of Mark, the Jewish preacher Jesus was crucified by Roman Governor Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem the day before the Sabbath (Friday) during the holiday period of Passover. After about 9 hours on the cross Jesus “gave up the ghost.” The Roman centurion in charge of the crucifixion said “truly this man was the son of God.” A supporter and onlooker, Joseph of Arimathaea, asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. After consulting with the centurion, Pilate relented and Jesus was removed [...]

admin2025-09-09T20:23:54-04:00August 12th, 2025|Historical Jesus, Public Forum|

Q3 2025 Platinum Webinar – September 9th

Platinum Members: You’re InvitedJoin Bart for our next Platinum-Only Webinar on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00 PM ET. This quarter’s topic is a big one:Biblical Explanations for SufferingWhy does suffering exist, and how did early Christians attempt to explain it? Bart will explore the range of answers offered in the Bible and what they reveal about the people and times that produced them. As always, there will be plenty of time for your questions at the end. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81833322504?pwd=2KKsI8XPhqfCzhhkNKxyna8tSwXNIa.1 Meeting ID: 818 3332 2504 Passcode: 854127 (Don’t worry—we’ll send out the recording afterward, so you won’t miss out if you can’t join live.)

jennao2025-09-10T13:13:05-04:00August 8th, 2025|Public Forum|

1 and 2 Corinthians “At a Glance,” and Questions for Reflection

In earlier posts I provided discussions of both 1 and 2 Corinthians: their major emphases and themes, what we know about their context, when they were written, and why. Check them out here: 1 Corinthians in a Nutshell 1 Corinthians: Who, When, and Why? 2 Corinthians in a Nutshell 2 Corinthians: Who Wrote It, When, and Why? Below is a concise summary of both discussions (each book “At a Glance”), taken from my book The New Testament: A Historical Introduction (Oxford University Press) and some questions for reflection to help you think through some of the issues that the books (and scholarship on them) raise. 1 Corinthians at a Glance First Corinthians is written to a church located in Corinth, in the Roman province of Achaia, a city with a reputation for dubious morals in antiquity. Paul had established the church by converting former pagans to faith in Jesus; most of his converts were poor and uneducated, but some came from the upper classes. The different socioeconomic levels of the Corinthian Christians may [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:50-04:00July 31st, 2025|Public Forum|

Can You “Lose Your Salvation”?

Does the New Testament teach that a person can lose their salvation? It depends whom you ask. And possibly which New Testament books you read. I have been discussing the letter to the Hebrews, and a couple of passages there are some of the key texts for discussing the issue. First, some background: Since the 16th century, many protestants have believed that that once a person has become a committed follower of Jesus and is therefore bound for heaven it is literally impossible for her/him to lose their salvation. In modern lingo, this is often expressed by the phrase “once saved/always saved.” The idea stems from the teachings of John Calvin (1509-1564), who, among other things, believed that people were “predestined” for salvation by God. Being saved was not based on a person’s choice/decision. It was determined by God, from the beginning. There was a clear logic to this view. In simple terms, if God is ultimately sovereign in every way, then he is the one who determines what happens in the world. [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:50-04:00July 27th, 2025|Catholic Epistles, Early Christian Doctrine, Public Forum|

Does the Book of Hebrews Indicate Jesus Ever Came To Earth? A Response to Richard Carrier.

In an earlier post I indicated that I have difficulty responding to writings of mythicists, largely because they often say things that I think are dead wrong, but it would take so much time and effort to explain why. This morning I did think I should at least give one example of the sort of thing I mean, and I have chosen (just) one of the claims made several times by one of the mythicists’ leading spokespersons, Richard Carrier. Carrier argues that the earliest Christians did not believe Jesus ever came to earth but was a god who ministered and crucified in the heavenly realms. He also claims this view is supported by a close reading of the early New Testament writings themselves. He lists a number of them and discusses them all. I am here simply picking one example, the book of Hebrews. I could do the same thing with others (he equally surprisingly includes the letters of Paul and the non-canonical book of 1 Clement, for example) but my idea is not to [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:50-04:00July 26th, 2025|Catholic Epistles, Historical Jesus, Mythicism, Public Forum|

August 2025 Gold Q&A

Hey Gold & Platinum Members, It’s that time again—our monthly Gold Q&A is coming up, and Bart’s ready to take on your burning questions. The August Q&A will take place on Wednesday August 20th at at 7 PM Eastern. Have something you’ve been dying to ask? Send your question to: [email protected] (Please don’t drop it in the comments—only emailed questions make it into the Q&A!) A few notes: Keep it short and sharp—quick, focused questions are more likely to be answered. Can’t join us live? No worries—we’ll send you the recording a day or two later. Question deadline: End of day Monday August 18th. Here's the Zoom link to join the Q&A on 8/20: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84583907692?pwd=D8hgIOKkreczJBGUHavoAnWHNn9rI8.1 Get your question in now and see what Bart has to say. See you there!

jennao2025-09-10T13:12:52-04:00July 25th, 2025|Public Forum|

The Letter to the Hebrews: For Further Reading

Here is a list of readings of relevance to the book of Hebrews. Some of the books, as you will see, are just on Hebrews itself; more are on the broader topic that Hebrews addresses, the relationship of Jews and Christians in early Christianity. This is a fraught topic: the first two on the list more or less argue that it’s not right to consider Judaism and Christianity as separate religions (!); the others address the question of how they became separate and how that led to the history of anti-Judaism and then, eventually, anti-Semitism. I include a a couple of important commentaries specifically on Hebrews. One benefit of serious commentaries is that they always begin by discussing major critical issues in understanding a book: authorship, date, historical context, major themes, disputed issues, and so on. Stand-alone books Beker, Adam, and Annette Yoshiko Reed. The Ways That Never Parted: Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2007. A collection of essays by leading scholars [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:49-04:00July 24th, 2025|Catholic Epistles, Public Forum|

The Book of Hebrews: Who Wrote It, When, and Why?

Now that I have discussed the overarching themes and emphases of the letter to the Hebrews, I can turn to the historical question of who actually wrote it, when, and why. ****************************** The authorship of the book has been debated for nearly as long as the book has been in circulation; and part of that question involves the issue of what kind of writing it actually is. Although Hebrews is normally labeled an epistle, this designation is not particularly apt. The book has an epistolary closing – where the author gives a final exhortation, gives some personal greetings, and signs off by wishing his readers the best (Heb 13:20–25). That is, it ends the way letters tend to end. But there is no epistolary prescript. That is, in the opening the author never names himself nor his addressees, he nor does he include an opening prayer, benediction, or thanksgiving on their behalf (check out Paul’s letters, which always begin that way). So is it really a “letter”? Scholars have long been [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:50-04:00July 23rd, 2025|Catholic Epistles, Public Forum|

A Hiatus in My Responses

Dear Fellow Bloggers! I want to let you know that I will not be able to respond to comments this week (or a bit more: July 21-28). BUT, the blog itself will be going along swimmingly. I've queued up all the posts for the week , you can make all the comments you want as normal, Jen will be on top of all things as usual, and all else will be AOK, likely even thriving. I just won't be around and will not be able to respond to comments. So sorry! But, well, not totally. I'm off for the week on a meditation retreat -- not, as normally happens, with others but all by my lonesome, living the life of the anchorite. Kind of. I'll be in a reasonably remote place in a nice part of the world where I can meditate, read, hike, think deep thoughts, figure out my life (and all things of universal significance), recharge my depleted batteries, and hope they don't need to be replaced. I did something [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:52-04:00July 20th, 2025|Public Forum|

The Death of Paul

I sometimes get asked (once just a few days ago) about what we can say about Paul's death. We don't have any historical records (i.e., historically reliable accounts), but there is one relatively early reference to it and an intriguing legend from about a century after the event, whenever and however it happened. Here is what I say about it in my book Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene. ****************************** The Martyrdom of Paul We do not have any contemporary accounts of Paul’s death, although traditions from several decades afterwards indicate that he was martyred. The earliest reference comes in the letter from the church of Rome to the church of Corinth known as 1 Clement, written around 95 CE, some thirty years after Paul’s death. This anonymous author refers to the “pillars” of the Christian faith who were persecuted for their faith, “even to death.” He refers especially to the apostles Peter and Paul. About Paul, he states: Because of jealousy and strife Paul pointed the way to the prize for endurance. [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:36-04:00July 19th, 2025|Paul and His Letters, Public Forum|

Unusual Fundraiser: Want to Read the Pre-Published Manuscript of my New Book?

I'm just about finished (finally) with a reasonably polished draft of my next book, The Origins of Altruism: How the Teachings of Jesus Transformed the Moral Conscience of the West. We have decided to turn the moment into a fund-raising opportunity for the blog. Unlike our other fundraisers, where we suggest an amount but accept whatever you can pay, for this one we are asking for set donation amounts for anyone who can and wants to participate. If you can't afford this, no fears! The book itself will eventually be published and you can read it to your heart's content. But if you want to see it in its prepublished state, make comments on it for me, and be acknowledged by name in the Preface (if you choose; this is not a requirement!), then this is the fundraiser for you! I will also be sending it out to colleagues in the field who are expert in one or another of the areas I cover in my discussions (there are a lot of them). But since it [...]

admin2025-07-16T17:50:57-04:00July 16th, 2025|Public Forum|

Explaining the Triumph of Christianity

The ancient triumph of Christianity proved to be the single greatest cultural transformation our world has ever seen. Without it the entire history of Late Antiquity would not have happened as it did. We would never have had the Middle Ages, the Reformation, the Renaissance, or modernity as we know it. There could never have been a Matthew Arnold. Or of any of the Victorian poets. Or of any of the other authors of our canon: no Milton, no Shakespeare, no Chaucer. We would have had none of our revered artists: Michelangelo, Leonardo, or Rembrandt. And none of our brilliant composers: Mozart, Handel, or Bach. To be sure, we would have had other Miltons, Michelanglos, and Mozarts in their place, and it is impossible to know whether these would have been better or worse. But they would have been incalculably different. By conquering the Roman world, and then the entire West, Christianity not only gave rise to a vast and awe-inspiring set of cultural artifacts, it also changed the way people look at the world [...]

admin2026-05-20T08:45:57-04:00July 16th, 2025|Public Forum|

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Diane2025-09-10T13:04:11-04:00July 16th, 2025|Public Forum|

Did Jesus Exist? Why I Don’t Enjoy Reading the Mythicists

I’ve been doing some reading in preparation for a two-lecture on-line course called “Did Jesus Really Exist” scheduled for July 19. You can find out about it here: https://courses.bartehrman.com/did-jesus-really-exist. It’s a freebie, so, well, feel free to get it for free! Even though I'm pumped to do this course, and I don’t really much enjoy reading about it (that is, reading the work books that argue Jesus did not exist). I once did, back when I wrote my book Did Jesus Exist. But unlike most issues I deal with, I don’t find it very interesting or intellectually challenging. Still it’s a topic that comes up a lot among lay people, especially over the past 20 years or so, and so I feel a need to address it, and will do so with vigor. In preparation, Ive been rereading some of the work of one of the leading spokespersons among the “mythicists." In this view, it’s not just that Jesus did not do and say a number of things recorded of him in [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:35-04:00July 12th, 2025|Historical Jesus, Mythicism, Public Forum|

July 2025 Gold Q&A

Gold & Platinum Members, As you know, one of your membership perks is the ability to submit your questions to Bart for him to answer in a live monthly Q&A. So...what's on your mind? Send in your questions at: [email protected] (Don’t ask them in the comments of this post – they won’t be included!) Remember, short, to-the-point questions will be given preference. We have limited time for Q&A, so do what you can to keep things concise. The July Q&A is scheduled for Sunday July 20th at 1pm EDT. Can't make it live? We've got you covered. We always record these sessions, and a link to the recording will be emailed out within a day or two. The deadline for your question submission is Thursday July 17th, at 11:59pm (whenever that happens to land for you). Zoom Link to join the Q&A on July 20th: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82628640509?pwd=9Hrcgg0em1OrYd0z2q89hw29JiXoXQ.1 Hope to see you there!

jennao2025-09-10T13:12:49-04:00July 11th, 2025|Public Forum|

Submit Your Platinum Post Vote!

Platinum Members, It’s time once again to cast your vote. One of the great perks of Platinum membership is the chance to shape what the whole blog community reads. Below, you’ll find four thought-provoking guest posts written by fellow Platinum members. Read through, reflect, and choose the one you believe deserves the spotlight. The winning post will be featured on the public blog, reaching thousands of readers and sparking wider conversation. Your vote helps decide which voice gets heard next. To vote, make your selection below and click 'Vote'. Voting will be open through Thursday July 17th. Here are your four candidates (links below): Here are links to the posts, in case you want to refresh your memory--then vote! Materialism, Personal Identity, and Resurrection: Part 1 – Platinum Post by Dennis J. Folds, Ph.D. Did Jesus Have a Near-Death Experience? – Platinum Post by Douglas Wadeson MD Do We Have the Lord’s Supper All Wrong? Platinum Post by Douglas Wadeson MD The Death and Afterlife of Jesus: A Historical Reconstruction Part I – [...]

jennao2025-09-10T13:12:49-04:00July 11th, 2025|Public Forum|

Should We Keep “Slaves” in the New Testament?

I’ve been talking about Paul’s view of slavery, in light of the book of Philemon; this seems to be a good time to talk about a very big issue connected with translating the New Testament from Greek into English. It may seem fairly straightforward, but in fact it is incredibly thorny: what English word is best to use for the Greek word that refers to a person who is owned by another and compelled (on every level) to do what the owner requires? It’s “slave,” right? How can it be complicated? Let me put it in a bigger picture. For a very long time I’ve been interested in the question of how to translate ancient texts, such as the Greek New Testament, into modern languages. Early in my scholarly career my interest was piqued by the work I did as a graduate student working as a research grunt for the translation committee for the New Revised Standard Version. My Doktorvater, Bruce Metzger, was the chair of the committee and he asked me, [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:12:34-04:00July 6th, 2025|Paul and His Letters, Public Forum, Reflections and Ruminations|

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