Loading...Here is a list of readings on Philemon, all of which are relevant to all the undisputed Pauline epistles, with a couple of commentaries specifically on this significant, short letter. 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.
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Hello Prof. Ehrman,
I was very interested in your new video “Did Christianity Make the World More Moral”. I was struck e.g. by the leap made by Judaism, long before Jesus, to a religion that taught ethics/morals. I have a thought about that.
This change apparently began with the ten commandments. What caused this? I have a conjecture in two parts. First, the Jews were being led out of slavery, under which ordinary social norms may have broken down. They may have needed to be told how to behave in their families and tribe in ways that came instinctively to more settled people. Second, this need was urgent since the tribe was moving into a challenging environment in which it would be essential for everyone to get along and pull together effectively.
I would be interest in your reaction if you have time.
Hello Dr.Bart Erhman
Did Luke make up a lot of stories about the apostles or is he just writting oral tradision?
It’s rarely possible to know for certain, but it appears he’s basing his accounts on what he has heard from others. (that would explain some of the internal discrepancies within the account, e.g., the different details in the four versions of Paul’s conversion)
Hello Dr.Bart Erhman
A lot of christians say that the early storytellers of jesus used different techniques to make sure the message would not change in time but i am highly skeptical, what do you think?
I think it’s clearly not true. I discuss that at length with evidence and argument in my book Jesus BEfore the Gospels.
Another off topic question, please Dr Ehrman. Is there any connection whatsoever (geographically, theologically) between the community that produced the Gospel and letters of John and John of Patmos who wrote the Book of Revelation (other than having the same name)? Could John have been a member of that community or was he in an entirely separate Christian milieu?
There’s no way to be certainly, but neither the Gospel nor the letters claim to be written by someone named John (unlike Revelation) and their theology is radically different (especially their views of eternal life, judgment, Christ, etc.) so my sense is that they authors were not connected.