Biblical Studies Commons^™

Review Of The Evolution Of Adam: What The Bible Does And Doesn’T Say About Human Origins, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Article reviews the book "The Evolution of Adam: What the Bible Does and Doesn’t Say about Human Origins," by Peter Enns.

Obedient Unto Death: Philippians 2:8, Gethsemane, And The Historical Jesus, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

How Jesus Became God: One Scholar’S View, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Dr. James McGrath's brief analysis of early Christology. Originally presented as a seminar paper at the University of Michigan, March 19, 2015.

Forward To The Son Of God: Three Views Of The Identity Of Jesus, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

James McGrath's Forward to: The Son of God: Three Views of the Identity of Jesus, by Charles Lee Irons, Danny Andre Dixon, and Dustin R. Smith. Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2015.

Woman At The Well, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Dr. James McGrath's contribution to Bible Odyssey, a Society of Biblical Literature initiative.

Revisiting The Mandaeans And The New Testament, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

The Mandaeans have been known to scholars for as long as there has been modern scholarship. Thanks to advances in technology, you can now find some of their ancient texts online, and videos of their baptismal rituals on YouTube. Yet as fascinating as the Mandaeans are, and as much as modern technologies can facilitate greater familiarity with them, the amount of attention that they receive is surprisingly sparse – although there are encouraging signs that that is at least beginning to change.

“Did Jesus Die In Outer Space? Evaluating A Key Claim In Richard Carrier’S On The Historicity Of Jesus, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

The attempt to use later sources, interpreted in ways that are at best open to dispute, in an attempt to argue against what generations of skeptical scholars have concluded to be likely with respect to the early Christian sources, is never going to make mythicism seem more probable than the hard-earned and intensely-researched consensus of historians and scholars, namely that there was a historical Jesus of Nazareth.

Which John? The Elder, The Seer, And The Apostle, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Dr. James McGrath's contribution to Bible Odyssey, a Society of Biblical Literature initiative.

Jesus And The Money Changers (John 2:13-16), James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Dr. James F. McGrath's Contribution to Bible Odyssey, a Society of Biblical Literature initiative.

Mark’S Missing Ending: Clues From The Gospel Of John And The Gospel Of Peter, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

The Gospel of Peter may be unique among early Christian Gospels in its embracing of those details towards the end of Mark’s story that other readers and authors both ancient and modern have found to be problematic, in particular the fear of the women and their failure to say anything to anyone.

Mythicism And The Making Of Mark, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Carrier’s approach allows him to say that every single thing he finds in the relevant sources is “exactly what we’d expect” if mythicism is true – “as symbolic myth, every oddity is explained, and indeed expected.” This is because “they made this up” is compatible with everything that any text says – especially if one excludes in advance the possibility of using traditional critical methods and criteria for determining that some details may reflect actual historical events.

He Shall Be Called A Nazorean: Intertextuality Without An Intertext?, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Inexact quotations are a common phenomenon in Biblical intertextuality, and some suspected allusions are so fleeting and/or imprecise as to leave interpreters wondering whether an allusion was intended or not. But in at least one instance, Matthew 2:23, we have a reference to something unspecified prophets are supposed to have said, namely that “He shall be called a Nazorean,” which may not in fact have any intertext at all.

He Shall Be Called A Nazorean: Intertextuality Without An Intertext?, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Inexact quotations are a common phenomenon in Biblical intertextuality, and some suspected allusions are so fleeting and/or imprecise as to leave interpreters wondering whether an allusion was intended or not. But in at least one instance, Matthew 2:23, we have a reference to something unspecified prophets are supposed to have said, namely that “He shall be called a Nazorean,” which may not in fact have any intertext at all.

Reading The Story Of Miriai On Two Levels: Evidence From Mandaean Anti-Jewish Polemic About The Origins And Setting Of Early Mandaeism, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

New Testament scholars, drawing on Mandaean sources to shed light on the Gospel of John, may have done more harm than good to both Johannine and Mandaean studies. Nonetheless, approaches to the Gospel of John developed over the past 50 years have shed light on the Gospel’s Jewish context and the clues its polemical emphases can provide about the time and setting in which it was written. J. L. Martyn’s suggestion that the Gospel of John can be read on “two levels”, telling us about the context in which it was written while telling a story set in the time …

On Hearing (Rather Than Reading) Intertextual Echoes: Christology And Monotheistic Scriptures In An Oral Context, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

While recent studies of the New Testament have found the methods of intertextuality and orality studies to be fruitful approaches, there has been insufficient interplay between the two. This article explores the capacity of hearers of texts to pick up on echoes of familiar texts, stories, and songs. Using as an example Paul’s interpretation of Scripture in connection with the topics of monotheism and Christology, the article suggests that, in the absence of explicit and emphatic statements of the difference or distinctiveness of his views, Paul’s allusions to key monotheistic texts would have been understood to indicate Paul’s agreement with …

On Hearing (Rather Than Reading) Intertextual Echoes: Christology And Monotheistic Scriptures In An Oral Context, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

While recent studies of the New Testament have found the methods of intertextuality and orality studies to be fruitful approaches, there has been insufficient interplay between the two. This article explores the capacity of hearers of texts to pick up on echoes of familiar texts, stories, and songs. Using as an example Paul’s interpretation of Scripture in connection with the topics of monotheism and Christology, the article suggests that, in the absence of explicit and emphatic statements of the difference or distinctiveness of his views, Paul’s allusions to key monotheistic texts would have been understood to indicate Paul’s agreement with …

Was Jesus Illegitimate? The Evidence Of His Social Interactions, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

This article examines the social status of the historical Jesus in relation to recent studies that place Jesus into the social category of an illegitimate child. After surveying the evidence with respect to the situation of such individuals in first century Mediterranean and Jewish society, we shall proceed to examine whether Jesus' implied social status (as evidenced by accounts of his adult social interactions) coheres with what one would expect in the case of someone who bore the stigma of that status. Our study suggests that the scandal caused by Jesus' association with the marginalized clearly implies that he did …

Was Jesus Illegitimate? The Evidence Of His Social Interactions, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

This article examines the social status of the historical Jesus in relation to recent studies that place Jesus into the social category of an illegitimate child. After surveying the evidence with respect to the situation of such individuals in first century Mediterranean and Jewish society, we shall proceed to examine whether Jesus' implied social status (as evidenced by accounts of his adult social interactions) coheres with what one would expect in the case of someone who bore the stigma of that status. Our study suggests that the scandal caused by Jesus' association with the marginalized clearly implies that he did …

Two Powers’ And Early Jewish And Christian Monotheism, James F. Mcgrath, Jerry Truex

James F. McGrath

Our understanding of early Judaism and its relationship to Christianity has been significantly advanced by Alan Segal’s formative work on the two powers heresy. This work demonstrated that belief in two heavenly powers was considered an intolerable heresy by the rabbis and that Christians were among those indicted. Furthermore, Segal argued that the two powers debate could be traced back to the first century, as evidenced by certain christological passages of the NT4 and by Philo's writings.

The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism In Its Jewish Context, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Chapter 5: "Monotheism and Worship in the Book of Revelation" is an excerpt from The Only True God. Copyright 2009 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Used with permission of the University of Illinois Press. This excerpt, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, distributed, photocopied or posted on-line without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Prologue As Legitimation: Christological Controversy And The Interpretation Of John 1:1-18, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Recent scholarship on the Fourth Gospel has suggested that this document was produced by a Christian community which was involved in an intense conflict with a local synagogue, the focus of which was christology. This study attempts to relate the Johannine prologue to this context, using Berger and Luckmann's model of legitimation . John's christological portrait of Jesus in the prologue is best understood in terms of the author's use of traditions and imagery which were authoritative to both him and his opponents, in order to defend the legitimacy of his and his community's beliefs. By looking at the prologue …

The Dead Sea Scrolls Today, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

James McGrath's review of James C. VanderKam, The Dead Sea Scrolls Today

Change In Christology: New Testament Models And The Contemporary Task, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

The purpose of this paper is to review different models of development which have been suggested, and to suggest a way out of the impasse between the two major views which have predominated this field of study.

Uncontrived Messiah Or Passover Plot? A Study Of A Johannine Apologetic Motif, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

The aim of this article is not to weigh the merits of Schonfield's thesis in relation to the historical Jesus, but to suggest that the author of the Fourth Gospel was concerned to argue against similar claims being made by some of his Jewish contemporaries.

A Rebellious Son? Hugo Odeberg And The Interpretation Of John 5.18, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

A solution to the difficult question of how to interpret John 5.18 appeared to have been provided with the publication of Hugo Odeberg's monumental work, The Fourth Gospel, published in 1929. Odeberg cited a rabbinic expression which characterized a rebellious son as one who 'makes himself equal with his father, and thus suggested that 'the Jews' are here making a similar accusation: they regard Jesus as rebelling against the divine authority. Subsequent scholarship for a long time cited Odeberg as a definitive demonstration of the background and meaning of John 5.18, and thus of the entire passage.

Going Up And Coming Down In Johannine Legitimation, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

In his study of Johannine christology Wayne Meeks stressed the importance of understanding the ascent·descent schema in any attempt to understand this christology or explain its origin. The work of sociologists Berger and Luckmann on legitimation has the potential to shed light on an ear her stage in this development. Key passages in John show that ascent-descent language is linked to the motifs of the Son of man and wisdom, and suggest that John has developed these two traditional aspects of christology in response to objections and conflict over Jesus' qualifications to be the revealer, and his relationship to God …

Johannine Christianity: Jewish Christianity?, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

Since the publication of J. Louis Martyn's Decisive Study, History and Theology in the in the Fourth Gospel (1979), there has been a growing consensus among Johannine scholars that the Gospel of John was composed in the context of conflict with the synagogue, and that it is thus best understood and interpreted against the background of Judaism and Jewish Christianity'. However, several recent studies have sought to challenge this position, primarily on two fronts: Johannine Christology (Casey 1991 :23-38) and the Johannine attitude towards the Torah (Schnelle 1992:31-36). These recent challenges to the growing consensus have also pointed to the …

Review Of Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies In The Gospels, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

In his latest book, Kenneth Bailey provides further study of the New Testament Gospels from the perspective that has been his own unique contribution over the past three decades or so.

Review Of Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies In The Gospels, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

In his latest book, Kenneth Bailey provides further study of the New Testament Gospels from the perspective that has been his own unique contribution over the past three decades or so.

History And Fiction In The Acts Of Thomas: The State Of The Question, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

The Acts of Thomas has not yet received as much attention as the Gospel associated with the same individual, and this is understandable. Current students of this early Christian work, however, are in danger of missing out on the discussions and differing perspectives long offered by scholars of the Indian church and Indian history on this work. The current study suggests that, while the Acts of Thomas is almost certainly a work of novelistic fiction, this should not lead us to ignore the instances of confirmable historical information embedded therein, as in many other works of historical fiction. The Acts …