BEN: In general I think your approach to elders and deacons works, though it’s putting a lot on the little word ’tis’ to assume it means both men and women. Does your evidence suggest it always implies a gender inclusive audience? On another front I’m a little surprised you didn’t at least mention things like univera from the Latin grave inscriptions. If anything there was more stress on women remaining monogamous, and indeed only being married once. Remember the... Read more
Ben: I liked the mention of Priscilla likely being present in Ephesus when Paul writes the Pastorals. This helps with the context. I was surprised you didn’t deal with the fact that Paul is clearly dealing with women of some monetary means, surely socially high status women, and you did not deal with Gary Hogue’s evidence that these women likely had prominent roles previously in the cult of Artemis. In other words Paul is correcting a particular problem, not laying... Read more
By now, you will likely know the drill. A truly weird team of humans, aliens and animals and a talking tree team up to ‘guard the galaxy’ which at times needs guarding from them!. This third and apparently final episode is 2 hours and 30 minutes long, which by the way is too long, with long dragged out blow em up scenes, and frankly doesn’t have the same verve and humor for the most part as the first two. And... Read more
Ben: Wish the chapter on Gal. 3.28 was longer. I wondered if you had read my NTS article on this verse. I don’t think it’s sufficient to simply equate what’s going on with ‘no male and female’ with the other two pairs which are neither/nor contrasts. Surely the reason there is not exact parallelism is because there is an allusion to the creation story in Gen. 1, and that text is about coupling, or marriage. But Paul’s view, like that... Read more
Ben: One last comment on 1 Cor. 11– I don’t see any good reason why, if Paul was referring to ‘long hair’ he would use the phrase ‘down from the head’ since it is perfectly possible to say long hair in Greek. COM: Do you see any good reason why, if Paul was referring to a garment covering, he would not use the phrase ‘down from the head’ since it is perfectly possible to say garment covering (such as kalluma or himation) in Greek?... Read more
Ben : Firstly, do you have or have you consulted the massive Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek? The entry on kephale is interesting. COM: I have consulted The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek by Montanari, but have not seen the K volume. If you are able to send me an image of the entry on κεφαλή, that would be most welcome. Ben: Source is a small minority reading in those sources, but nevertheless I think you are right... Read more
Hot off the press from Zondervan is Philip Payne’s revised and updated, but also simplified version of his important monograph Man and Woman One in Christ (2009 is the latest iteration of this study). The title of the new study is The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood. How God’s Word consistently Affirms Gender Equality, and while much of it is a distillation of that earlier study there is some fresh evidence and material in this latest publication. If you know anything about Philip... Read more
This little book (176 pages) is hot off the press, and it deals with some pressing and impressive issues, not the least of which is how did Paul and how do and how should Christians today view Israel? One of the more contentious issues in NT studies over the past 20 years is the issue of Paul and supersessionism, the latter of which has been defined in a various ways, but at its basis the term asks and answers the... Read more
Campbell admits that Paul identifies with the strong who have less scruples about food etc. This is mentioned only once at 15.1—and the only stricture he puts on the weak is that they recognize that there are other acceptable ways to practice the faith so they should not be judging people who do not have all their scruples. The major exhortation, including Scripture is that the strong should bear with the weak, and not separate from this but encourage them.... Read more
Campbell’s discussion of Rom. 13 is interesting. Campbell rightly notes the connection with the previous chapter, namely the imperatives about non-resistance, overcoming evil with good etc. And he sees Chapter 13 as an extension of that –submitting to, respecting the authorities and giving honor to whom it is due, and paying taxes to whom it is due. There is no authority except from God. On the Jewish view of the Biblical God authorizing kings and other authorities— see Prov. 8.15,LX... Read more
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