BibleDudes Blog

There’s a new Dead Sea Scroll making the rounds in the news, but surprisingly darlings, it isn’t a scroll at all. Rather, it’s a stone. It’s a large tablet with two columns containing 87 lines of inked Hebrew, most likely from the Qumran vicinity, though we can’t be sure. Sadly, the find is out of context. It was “found” about 10 years ago and then an Israeli-Swiss collector bought it from a Jordanian antiquities dealer and kept it in his home in Zurich. What is remarkable for Bible scholars is that the text sheds light on the historical context of the New Testaments’ claims that Jesus died for three days and then was resurrected. The text, now known as “Gabriel’s Revelation,” is reported to be an apocalyptic message from the angel Gabriel. He announces to the “prince of princes” that he’ll die for three days and then live. The text was originally published about a year ago by Ada Yardeni and Binyamin Elitzur in a Hebrew Journal known as Cathedra. Another article by Israel Knohl is what appears to have attracted the press back to the text. Knohl published“‘By Three Days, Live’: Messiahs, Resurrection, and Ascent to Heaven in Hazon Gabriel” in the latest issue of The Journal of Religion. Knohl argues that this “Messiah” who dies and is resurrected might be Simon, a martyr mentioned in Josephus. We should keep in mind, darlings, that the 3 days of death motif also draws from Jonah spending 3 days in a big fish, as referenced Matthew 12:40.

The pyramid of King Menkauhor was rediscovered at Saqqara.

The Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, Jose Gabriel Funes, says that aliens are part of God’s creation. The Bibledudes agree, and we even once met an alien named Zmxq’q.

“Real” archaeologists think that Indiana Jones’ technique is as abrasive as a bull in a china shop. Ya think? What was your first clue?

Hey internet world, you can study Christianity online at Lund University. But be warned, I noticed the school was founded in 1666. Might be a human number.

David Noel Freedman, one of the most prolific and influential Bible scholars who ever lived, passed away yesterday. Jeff and I had the privilege of studying under Professor Freedman at the University of California, San Diego. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Bibledudes’ favorite Moses, and accomplished Ben-Hur chariot racer, Charlton Heston, passed away over the weekend. Thanks for the memories Mr Heston.

Darlings, the Bibledudes blog is mentioned in the Chronicle of Higher Education, and someone even comments that I’m as insidious as Camel Joe.

Donkeys might have been domesticated way back in ancient Egypt, really ancient, like 3,000 BCE according to Fionna Marshall. This seems to be based on the discovery of 10 donkey skeletons found near an Egyptian king’s tomb.

There’s some chatter relating to Benny Shanon’s theory that Exodus 19, with the thunder and noise at Mt. Sinai might have been caused by plants in the Sinai Desert that contained hallucinogens.
LINK.
The article’s subtitle says “but scholars scoff.” Listen closely, as I have something important to say Darlings: SSSSCCCOOOOOOFFFFFFFFF!