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The meaning of the expression 'hour of distress' in 'Targum Neofiti' is examined. Moreover, the Gospel of John is also explained to illustrate how its use of the term 'hour' parallels certain aspects of 'Targum Neofiti's 'hour of distress'.

Esther is a model text used for research, which clearly manifests novelistic features in the earliest layer. Both the Greeks and the Jews in the fourth century had an equal need to reimagine their identify in a changing world, while Esther and Ctesias reflects differing responses to the same basic need.

London, Lambeth Palace MS 546 is made of 81 vellum folios, measuring 6 x 4 1/4 inches with fourteen to seventeen lines per page. The MS dates from some time [...]

Beauty has not figured prominently in contemporary notions of human flourishing. This essay seeks to reclaim a notion of beauty that the Church and the academy can find valuable again. The question is engaged here specifically from the perspective of a biblical scholar using a biblical text--the poem in Song 4:1-7--to focus and source the discussion., Beauty is a topic that, while at the center of discussions about the arts and aesthetics for much of history (in the West), has mostly failed to fire the critical [...]

This essay is a study of the three-fold theme of nature, humanity, and love in Song of Songs and an investigation into the ways nature imagery is used to evoke human love. The work further examines the nature of the highly erotic yet restrained love that is evoked., The biblical book of love poetry called Song of Songs assigns arresting roles to nature, to humankind, and to love. The Song's poetic treatment of the physical world and of [...]

Abimelekh of Genesis 20 is typically read as simply a more righteous version of Pharaoh of Genesis 12. The current essay argues that Abimelekh is essentially a comic figure, as [...]

We share over 98 percent of our genetic material with the great apes, thus making us their closer kin. However, the wild, woolly days when men acted like homicidal apes using sex and violence to assert status are over.

The difference of opinion of Paul L. Maier with Stephen J. Patterson on trial regarding the death of Jesus is presented. Paul L. Maier feels that despite of the differences, they are in total agreement that there is no justification whatsoever for drawing anti-Semitic conclusions of what happened at the trial and death of Jesus.

The gospel accounts of Jesus' death has for centuries played a key role in fanning the flames of Christian anti-Semitism, an unfathomable evil that has claimed the lives of millions of innocent Jews. The death of Jesus was a history worth revising, for it has spawned a history one cannot risk repeating.

It is reported that all professions require patience. The patience required in different professions is discussed.

It is reported that Pontius Pilate, the magistrate who condemned Jesus under pressure from a Jewish prosecution in fact was the one who wanted Jesus on the cross. However, later it is suggested that if Pontius Pilate had been so, then he would have not remained in office for an entire decade that is the longest tenure of any Roman governor of Judea.

Delilah, one of the most scandalous biblical women uses her beauty and her wiles to ensnare the mighty Samson. The opera depicts Delilah as alluring and exotic evil and Samson as the tragic hero and thus shows conflict between faith and passion.

Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden serves as the foundation for Western theologies of the way we are sinful and guilty. The Jewish tales of Adam and Eve's traffic with Satan exerted significant influence on the Christian community, especially in the East.

Christianity's most famous and controversial relic, the Shroud of Turin is divulging more secrets. Two physicists from the University of Padua, Giulio Fanti and Roberto Maggiolo have reported to have discovered a second face on the shroud's reverse side.

The forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden gave the knowledge-of-good-and-evil fruit. The forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil was identified by the inner magic of words as the apple and this identification became the dominant interpretation in Christian tradition.

The biblical names, which have symbolic meaning, are criticized by narrating the CalebEs story, the name termed as a dog in Hebrew. It is reported that despite Caleb's name being termed as bad he was a good person who was favored and chosen by God.

A seventh century B.C.E author of Exodus uses Aaron's story to show the error of idolatrous kings of his own days. By narrating what really happened with the Golden calf and then telling Aaron's spurious account, the narrator tries to locate and criticize certain false notions held by idol worshippers.

Whereas moral evaluations presented by characters in biblical narrative have attracted some attention in the literature, other characters' reactions to such evaluations have not been dealt with. The present article [...]

Supported by an Akkadian parallel, a new rendering of 1 Kgs 20:27b is suggested: 'The Israelites encamped opposite them (covering) an area of the size of two clearings of goats, [...]

This article describes how the exhibition of ancient Assyrian antiquities in England fueled biblical studies. Topics include a definition of higher criticism, archaeological excavation, and ancient history research.

This article describes how historical evidence of the kingship of Saul lies in the Books of Samuel. Topics include apologetic literature, prophecy, and source analysis.

This essay discusses the religious origins of Robert Browning's poem 'A Death in the Desert.' Topics include the Gospel of John, the role of Jesus Christ as God's messenger, and Ernest Renan's text, 'The Life of Jesus.'

INTRODUCTION The Ukrainian thinker, Hryhorii Skovoroda (1722-94), produced a substantial body of philosophical and literary work between the late '50s and the early '90s of the eighteenth century. While there [...]

Over the past two decades, Robert Herrick's relationship to Stuart culture has been steadily reassessed. Literary scholars have firmly refuted the notion that Herrick was a jolly naif who frolicked [...]

The song of songs is a poem about the sexual awakening of a young woman and her lover. In a series of subtly articulated scenes, the two meet in an [...]

In the early 20th century, an 'old' historicism - derived from the Cambridge school of anthropology - sought to uncover layers of 'pre-rational' meaning in ancient Greek drama, especially in [...]

'But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first' (Mark 10:31). 'So the last will be first, and the first will be last' (Matt. 20:16). [...]

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12 Psalm 51:1-17 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 First Reading Joel precedes Isaiah as a prophet of Judah. Joel lived in the eighth century [...]

Numbers 21:4-9 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21 First Reading Numbers 21:4-9: The Serpent Lifted Up--Moses led the people out of slavery into freedom, but they would rather return [...]

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Psalm 22:23-31 Romans 4:13-25 Mark 8:31-38 First Reading Genesis: The Abrahamic Covenant. Last week we read the Noahic covenant. This week we hear Gods covenant with Abram [...]

Uncle Raymond has something important to say. He is the sweetest of the characters in the movie Moonstruck and he is sitting with the family at the dinner table. To [...]

WITH CONFIDENCE AND POETIC GRANDEUR, John relates the vision that he had had of a new heaven and a new earth. This vision is by far the most stunning of [...]

IN 2008, two former speakers of the house, Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich, made a commercial together, sponsored by former Vice President A] Gore's organization that is dedicated to solving [...]

The narrator of Luke's Gospel will not be ignored by his reader. The story he has to tell is one of the (now ancient) past, and the world of that [...]

O God, thy arm was here; And not to us, but to thy arm alone, Ascribe we all! Take it, God, For it is none but thine. King Henry V, [...]

At the climax of the spies episode in the Book of Numbers, Yahweh questions Moses in frustration: Yahweh spoke to Moses: Until where will this people scorn me? And until [...]

Someone speaks, someone speaks to me in the text, someone addresses himself or herself to me, a voice, which is of course an instance of the text, but which tells [...]