https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/02/14/arizona-woman-woke-up-with-british-accent.hln I regularly have students praying fervently that they will wake up one morning being fluent in a Biblical language, but I had never heard of ‘foreign language syndrome’ until now. A person has a stroke or the like, and wakes up with a different accent, in this case, a British accent. Weird, but somehow wonderful. What sayeth thou brain scientists??? BW3 Read more
Here is an excellent post by Philip Jenkins. See what you think. I have posted several times on issues of translation, specifically about the New Testament. Today I want to address the Curse of Quotations. Recently, my church read 1 Corinthians 8, which in the NIV begins with the verse Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up (8.1) Please note the quotes around “We all possess... Read more
Behold a piece of papyrus dating, conservatively to about 175 A.D. (based on epigraphy etc). It includes the very ending of the Gospel of Luke (notice as well the reference to what precedes being by Luke towards the middle of the document. This is the way a syllabus also worked— a toe tag that originally would be added to the scroll at its end to identify its contents or author or both). Now notice that what follows the identifier is... Read more
Here is a very helpful recent post by Larry Hurtado, which I am recycling here. We are learning more and more about the process as well as the product of copying of early Christian manuscripts, and the information is revealing. For instance, we learn from this post that manuscripts were not just copied in scriptoriums or formal church settings. BW3 —— A Splendid Study of P47: Papyrus Copy of Revelation by larryhurtado I’ve just finished an initial reading of a... Read more
Writer’s Reckoning When all the ink runs out Like a river that runs dry Will we wonder at the well spring And ask the reason why? When words fail to come And thoughts are jumbled too Will we blame a lack of inspiration, Or say our job is through? What will a greater Thinker think Of all those words and books Will we seek exoneration Avoid His seering looks? What sort of rationalization Or learned interpretation Will serve as vindication... Read more
There are of course some archaeological sites that are ‘no doubters’, for example the site of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. But it’s a whole different story when it comes to excavating tiny Galilean villages near the sea of Galilee. Recently, we have been told that the ancient Roman city of Julia has been found which is said to be the successor on the same site to the Biblical city of Bethsaida, home to Peter and Andrew, and perhaps other... Read more
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The Truth Will Make You Free To see how this applies in the practical process of translation, John 8 contains a much-quoted dialogue between Jesus and the Jews, Ioudaioi (and that is another word that needs unpacking, but not right now). As he tells them, “you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free [eleutherosei]” (8. 32). The text is so familiar that we miss its meaning. Anyone hearing this at the time would note the key... Read more
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