What do you know about the Septuagint (also call LXX)? The Septuagint is often used to refer to a Greek language version of the Old Testament used by What do you know about the Septuagint (also call LXX)? The Septuagint is often used to refer to a Greek language version of the Old Testament used by Jews and early Christians which is still used in some parts of the world today. Edmon Gallagher provides a detailed examination of the origin, importance, and use made of this translation of the Bible.
Gallagher divides the book into three sections - Starting Points, Cannon and Text in Early Judaism and Earliest Christianity, and The Text of the Septuagint among the Fathers. Each section has three or four chapters.
Section 1: Starting Points provides the history of the Septuagint and what ancient Jewish authorities and modern scholars think of the origins of LXX. It is called the Septuagint because Ptolemy II of Egypt wanted a copy of the Jewish Law for his Alexandrian Library, but since he could not read Hebrew, he commissioned a translation team of seventy-two men. Early Christians by tradition refer to the Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures as the Septuagint whereas the Jews use that only for the translation of the Pentateuch.
Section 2: Canon and Text in Early Judaism and Earliest Christianity delves into the role the LXX played in shaping what books to include as canon in the Christian Bible. A chapter looks at the LXX in relation to other Jewish texts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and the Masoretic Text. A third chapter looks at how the LXX is quoted in the New Testament.
Section 3: The Text of the Septuagint among the Fathers looks at how early Christian authors used and viewed the LXX. There are two chapters dealing with Greek Christian Fathers including Justin Martyr, Origen, and Irenaeus among others. Then there are two chapters for Latin Christian Fathers - specifically one for Jerome who translated the Bible into Latin and one for Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo.
If you have an interest in Biblical scholarship or the history of Biblical translations, you ought to take the time to read this title. Edmon Gallagher has take great care to make this title readable and interesting for all readers....more
On September 18, 2012, in Rome near the Vatican, Prof. Karen King of the Harvard University Divinity School proclaimed the finding of a scrap of parchOn September 18, 2012, in Rome near the Vatican, Prof. Karen King of the Harvard University Divinity School proclaimed the finding of a scrap of parchment that she dubbed, just for "reference purposes," the Gospel of Jesus's Wife. Veritas explores what led up to this presentation and the fallout afterwards.
Ariel Sabar covered the Rome conference for Smithsonian Magazine in 2012. He later wrote an article on the results of physical examination of the parchment in The Atlantic in 2016. He has continued to dig into this story resulting in Veritas which walks the reader though the story in five acts. Act I is Discovery with the presentation and early reception of the parchment. Act II is Doubt where people outside Karen King's group raise questions on the dating of the manuscript and what she claims it means. Act III is Proofs, proof of forgery in regard to an accompanying parchment and then proof in regard to the Gospel of Jesus's Wife. Act IV is The Stranger, an investigation into Walter Fritz who provided Prof. King the parchment. Sabar investigates Fritz's background, history, and possible motives for the forgery. Act V is The Downturned Book of Revelations which is an inquiry into why Prof. King was so eager to proclaim the forgery as genuine.
In Veritas, Ariel Sabar provides a detailed investigation of the whole Gospel of Jesus's Wife controversy from the beginning until now. If you have an interest in early Biblical texts, forgery, and/or academic dishonesty, Veritas would be a good read for you....more
Commentaries are by nature books written about other books. While many works of literature have commentaries (think of all that has been written discuCommentaries are by nature books written about other books. While many works of literature have commentaries (think of all that has been written discussing Shakespeare or Chaucer), when you think of individual commentaries, you are likely thinking of a book on individual books of the Bible. That is the case here. Peter Oakes has written a commentary on Galatians that works on many levels. He provides a nice overview of the book, highlights the major themes that he sees in Paul's letter, and then he digs into the individual chapters and verses.
Peter Oaks does a very credible job of setting Galatians in context of its time and location while relating the letter to the rest of Paul's letters. He provides his own translation of the text and setts the major themes in relation to each other. He works on developing the reader's understanding of how each part of the letter interacts and reflects with the rest of the letter. He syntheses and documents other commentaries on Galatians without losing his own vision of the book. The major quibble I have with Oakes' commentary is the abrupt ending. An afterword would have been a nice addition. Otherwise, a good choice for developing your understanding of Paul's Letter to the Galatians. ...more
Anyone who has read through the whole Bible knows that books are mentioned that are not available today. Anyone who has looked at various versions of Anyone who has read through the whole Bible knows that books are mentioned that are not available today. Anyone who has looked at various versions of the Bible has encountered books such as the Maccabees that appear in Catholic Bibles, but not Protestant Bibles. If you have read about the extended process of creating the Bible, you would know that not all books that some believed to be scripture made it into the Biblical canon.
Readers may find the subtitle (The Holy Scriptures Missing From Your Bible) to be misleading as this book does not provide a listing of scriptures missing from the Bible. Rather, Joel Hoffman provides, in the first chapter, background on the social/political and cultural milieu during the writing of Scripture. He next provides a chapters on locating the Dead Sea Scrolls and the impact on Biblical understanding. This is followed by a chapter on the Septuagint and its influence on the Bible we have. He does a similar examination on how Josephus' writings interact with Scripture. Joel Hoffman then has three chapters that critique The Life of Adam and Eve, The Apocalypse of Abraham, and The Book of Enoch in relation to what these titles reveal that is not found in the rest of Scripture. He finishes with a look at the big picture of missing Scripture. He also includes an appendix of recommended sources for further investigation
Overall, the book is worth reading more for the broad picture Joe Hoffman paints regarding the multiple sources that inter-played in the creation of the scriptural canon than the look at individual books. ...more
I would give 3 stars (at least for the first 3 chapters where the author lays out a reasonable plan for studying the Bible), but the examples she usesI would give 3 stars (at least for the first 3 chapters where the author lays out a reasonable plan for studying the Bible), but the examples she uses in latter chapters are superficial, not insightful and she does not cover all relevant passages, thus the 2 stars.. ...more
Interesting look at specific passages in Mark and Matthew from a Jewish scholarly (i.e. footnotes)historical viewpoint. Provides a different reading tInteresting look at specific passages in Mark and Matthew from a Jewish scholarly (i.e. footnotes)historical viewpoint. Provides a different reading then most commonly found in study Bibles/scholarship without rantings....more
Melvyn Bragg looks at what he sees as the impact the KJV of the Bible had on the world. In many instances he reveals his (almost disdain) opinions of Melvyn Bragg looks at what he sees as the impact the KJV of the Bible had on the world. In many instances he reveals his (almost disdain) opinions of the impact rating according to his standards. I would rather have had more emphasis on the translation process which is only briefly covered....more
The author provides plenty to think regarding how the Bible may have come to be in the form we know. He also provides insight in how other generationsThe author provides plenty to think regarding how the Bible may have come to be in the form we know. He also provides insight in how other generations thought about the Bible and its place in their beliefs. ...more
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