Biblical Criticism & History Forum - earlywritings.com

I wonder if the fact that Jesus is taken down from the cross right away is a clue to it's production nature. Moves the scene right along. Mmm.... could be. But explaining a passage of time is pretty basic theater, too. Although... If the cross scene was on the upper level and the open tomb was on t...

Ok. You may not listen to me on the other things. But this time it has to be different. There are LOTS of examples of this happening in early Christianity. For one 'unspeakable things' is usually a reference to Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 12:4: For gods’ sake S.A. if you want me to respond to...

LOL, identifying Paul with historical figures is exactly where I I start laughing at the conspiracy theorists. Was this in response to my comment? No, I believe it was in response to mine. Just to be clear, by more satisfied I only mean more entertained. I did not mean to suggest that I believe Pau...

By "the subject" do you mean the content of Secret Mark? If so, then I would disagree, since by my reading Clement (or the author, if you prefer) is concerned rather with silencing "the unspeakable teachings of the Carpocratians." As Clement goes on to say about these teachings:...

You've never had something weird happen out of the blue? I've experienced it before. Hi DCH, Thank you for your response and input. Yes, I have definitely had weird things happen. None quite as chilling as yours! I should point out though that by Reasonable Person I mean we assume an ordinary perso...

It depends in part on what threshold you want for something to qualify as a "play." My instinct says a fairly full production. For instance: the juxtaposition I mentioned above would have to have a main floor and upper level. It would have to have Jesus and at least one accuser above, Pet...

Edit: An empty tomb with a narrator is easier than an ex machina. Can you imagine how difficult it would have been to stage the Gospel of Peter version? All that rigging and fly space for the talking cross. Would've made a pretty cool Lloyd Webber moment, though. More seriously: if it was a play, w...

I really believe that the passion in Mark is a play, perhaps as early as Paul's time. "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified ." Mark may just have been the first to add the other material (or, more likely imo, a...

I know the idea that Mark - or at least The Passion - was originally a play is nothing new. Parts of it certainly strike me that way, like the very visual juxtaposition of Jesus’ affirmation above against Peter’s denial below. The moment I am curious about, though, is when the Mary’s are headed for ...

For anyone who is troubled by what I am asking, let me try by example: I happen to overhear two strangers in a coffee shop. I don’t know who they are, or anything about them. John Dee: Oh, hi John Cee! What’s new? John Cee: Nothing much. Except my company is about to announce the release of a produc...