Bible Background

In 2008 Bill Maher produced a comedy documentary called Religulous, a play on the word “ridiculous.” He ridicules religious faith, especially his own distorted understanding of what constitutes Christian faith. Maher’s critique lacks integrity. For example, as Chris Sinkinson points out, Maher makes utterly bogus claims about the Egyptian sky god Horus presenting him as [...]

One might say that Irenaeus employed a “below the belt” tactic in exposing the folly of Gnosticism. The Gnostics taught, among other things, that it was from the tears of Achamoth that “the seas and fountains and rivers, and every liquid substance” flowed. Against this, Irenaeus pointed out that because tears are saline it doesnt [...]

Hermeneutics, the study of interpretation theory, may be limited to literary texts or widened to embrace verbal and non-verbal forms of communication. Biblical hermeneutics is sometimes referred to as a science because it involves using a prescribed set of rules for the interpretation of biblical texts. However, hermeneutics is also an art, since understanding the meaning of the [...]

As part of my studies in apocalyptic literature I have summarised this second century AD document. As will be evident, this expresses "Christian" perspectives which violate biblical thought, e.g. salvation through merit-earning good works. 3 Apocalypse of Baruch summarised

This is a summary of the longer recension, which Nickelsburg considers to be more original. Various speculations as to the date of composition range from first century BC to fifth or sixth centuries AD. Although the work has been transmitted by Christian scribes – see, for example, the Trinitarian ending – many scholars, like Nickelsburg, argue [...]

Nadav Na’aman shows how the Amarna letters challenge archaeology. He acknowledges that archaeology illuminates not only the material culture of the site concerned, but also its economy, social relations, trade, religion and cult. However, he points out: …in regard to political relations in a broader territory, the relative status of cities vis-a-vis their neighbors, as [...]

The military and political achievements of Babylon and its kings was celebrated in the famous Enuma Elish Stories, compiled from different Sumerian and Amorite stories around 1100 BCE. This is a classic case of the divine being made in man’s image in contrast to the biblical portrayal of people created in God’s image. For example, [...]

A hymn to Atum, the sun god, honouring him as their creator and ruler, was sung by Egyptians in various forms from the time of the Old Kingdom (2575-2134 BCE) in Heliopolis to 400 BCE in Thebes. Genesis 1 is polemical in nature and stresses against such worldviews that God creates light and that he created the [...]

The Book of Genesis, recording what happened before the Exodus, is written for a people who have already experienced the Exodus. Consequently, the creation account in Genesis 1 is written with prior knowledge of Egyptian thought and culture. It is therefore not surprising that when we read Genesis 1 we find forms of expression used that [...]

In the Sinai desert are to be found Bedouin tribes. Their nomadic practices mirror many of those practised by the Israelites when they wandered through the wilderness. Apparently Bedouin tribes still observe the following practices: Slaughtering a goat for the spring sacrifice and smearing its blood as protection Eating unleavened bread baked quickly on open [...]