As the following graphic shows, the tombs we are examining were dug into the left side of the hill…. There were other graves but not any of great significance for our purposes. Basically, Philip went through the same process of the bathing of the body, then the funeral pyre, then the gathering of the burnt remains and ashes, then the burial. Below is a picture of the huge bronze bathing bowl and related items, used with Philip… Here are some... Read more
The gold laurel wreath of Alexander IV and the urn for Alexander’s ashes. Alexander IV was the only child of Alexander the Great, and his wife Roxanna. She was pregnant with him when Alexander the Great unexpectedly prematurely died June 11th 323 B.C. Alas there were massive power struggles after Alexander the Great died, and one of the major figures was Cassander who, when Alexander the IV was of age to ascend the throne at 14, had him poisoned so... Read more
Manolis Andronikos (1919-92) was a Greek archaeologist. The crowning achievement of his long work life, was the discovery of Philip’s tomb and that of his family. He was a also professor of archaeology at Thessaloniki for many years, the closest large city. It was a chilly Nov. 8th day in 1977 when he discovered this tomb in Vergina and he is the one who identified it as Philip’s tomb. Here was the site before his exploration…. There are many such... Read more
There are not many important sites in Greece I have missed over the years, but somehow, someway I missed the town of Veria near Berea because it was not a Biblical site on my tour list. Not this year. This year we went to Veria after a brief stop in Berea towards the end of May and I was left with my jaw hanging open. Somehow, this tomb had escaped grave robbing, and I am not exaggerating in saying that... Read more
LIFE LONG/ LONG LIFE (for family and friends) Sadness sinks in, With the passing of the past Great ones Their voices are not silenced Since they are on record and records But there is no fresh work No new thing to bring the Spring Of the heart The elation of creation The thrill of live and embodied The erection of connection Between artist and audience Between musician and the music Between time and eternity. Sometimes the sounds... Read more
Q. Finally, knowing what we know about the importance of the apostolic tradition, and the later attempt to link so many early Christian Gospels to the Twelve or apostles, even late in the second century (Gospel of Peter, etc.) it seems unlikely to me that anyone would invent the notion of Mark being an author of a Gospel never mind the first Gospel. He was neither one of the Twelve nor an apostle, and if he is the John Mark... Read more
Q. I was a bit surprised that there was not more emphasis on the Son of Man material in Mark, especially since it seems so clearly grounded in Dan. 7.13-14, and all the more so since the Gospel has an apocalyptic tone, and a direct citation of that text at the trial in Mk. 14. What I mean by this is the figure ‘one like a son of man’ is both a human and also yet a divine figure who... Read more
Q. While there are not a lot of major differences I have with your reading of Mark, I am quite unconvinced with the idea that the original ending is found in 16.8, despite the later attempts to add a longer or shorter conclusion. I say this for a lot of reasons: 1). ‘ephobounto gar’ is not a proper ending to anything— a Greek sentence, a paragraph, much less a biography. This doesn’t work at the grammar or syntax level; 2)... Read more
(Spoiler Alert: Don’t read this if you’ve not seen the movie yet) Like various other long running movie series (like Star Wars or James Bond), it has taken a long long time to get to the final episode. Was it worth it? Well yes… and no. The movie begins near the end of WWII, and once again the bad guys in this movie are Nazis, a safe choice in this day and age since they are overwhelmingly, and... Read more
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