Experts Question Authenticity of the “Gospel of Jesus’s Wife”

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

Karen King’s recent revelation of a fragment she calls the Gospel of Jesus’s Wife has certainly made headlines. But her presentation in Rome to expert scholars of the Coptic language (the language of the fragment) has also generated a fair amount of skepticism among those scholars. Here are some excerpts from an AP story by Nicole Winfield: Scholars on Wednesday questioned the much-publicized discovery by a Harvard scholar that a 4th century fragment of papyrus provided the first evidence that... Read more

Was Jesus Married? Does New Evidence Say “Yes”?

Last updated on: May 11, 2016 at 6:48 pm By Mark D. Roberts

Did Jesus have a wife, after all? Major news outlets, such as the New York Times, are reporting on the discovery of a new document that refers to Jesus’ wife. More precisely, a small fragment from a previously unknown document contains a statement by a character named “Jesus” referring to “my wife.” Does this give us new historical evidence for the literal marriage of Jesus of Nazareth to some woman, perhaps Mary Magdalene? No, says Karen L. King, the scholar... Read more

Got a Few Extra Days With Nothing To Do? How About Waiting in Line for an iPhone 5!

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

Last night, I was walking along Fifth Avenue in New York. As I came upon the flagship Apple Store near Central Park, I notice that several people are already camping out to get first dibs on the iPhone 5 . . . which comes out on Friday morning at 8:00. That’s more than three days from now. Now, I’m a fan of the iPhone. And I hope to upgrade my phone before too long. But, honestly, I’m not inclined to... Read more

Avoiding the Influence of Mockers – Inspiration from the High Calling

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

Psalm 1:1-6 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. Psalm 1:1 We live in a society of mockers. People who mock consider themselves better than others. They do not enter into serious engagement with people or ideas when these people or ideas are not to their liking. They do not offer others the respect implicit in genuine debate. Rather, they seek to elevate... Read more

New York Limits Big Drinks . . . What’s Next?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

As expected, the New York City Board of Health approved the recommendation of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, banning the sale of oversized sugary drinks. This means that in some restaurants and other venues, you will no longer be able to purchase a sugary soda larger than 16 ounces. Now, for the sake of clarity, this also means that: • You can still buy a 64 ounce Big Gulp at 7/11 because convenience stores are exempt. • You can still buy a... Read more

Existential Questions: On Stuffed Napkin Dispensers

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

Okay, so I’m in my local coffee place and I need a napkin. I find the dispenser and reach for a single napkin. But the napkin doesn’t budge because the dispenser is jammed with napkins. When I pull a little harder, my napkin tears and I end up with a quarter-sized piece of useless paper. So I spend a few second trying to get the rest of the napkin out, but to no avail. Finally, in frustration, I jam my... Read more

Holy Mohawk, Batman!

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

Some people aspire to greatness in athletics. Others reach for the pinnacle of achievement in the arts. Kazuhiro Watanabe has the world record for the tallest mohawk. A couple of days ago, Mr. Wantanabe appeared in Washington Square Park in New York City, the geographical and emotional center of NYU, where my son is a sophomore. Wantanabe was displaying his 3-foot, 8.6-inch tall mohawk, while also promoting the release of the newest version of the Guinness Book of World Records,... Read more

In a Digital Age, Is There a Place for Pen and Paper?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

Like most people I know, my interaction with words happens mostly through keyboards, both real (computer) and virtual (iPad, iPhone). Sometimes, I transfer words from my mind to a digital device by way of a stylus, working on an iPad. I would guess that less than 1% of the words I record these days come from the tip of a pen. Does this mean pens are soon to become obsolete? Will paper for writing become a thing of the past?... Read more

Why We Praise the Lord – Inspiration from the High Calling

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Psalm 150:2 Each week, millions of Christians throughout the world gather together in order to offer praise to God. Moreover, we praise God in our private devotions and, in many cases, throughout the day as we celebrate God’s goodness to us. I figure that I have spent over five months of my waking life speaking or singing praise to God. Why? Why is it so important to praise the Lord?... Read more

Strong Recommendation for a Great Book

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm By Mark D. Roberts

A few weeks ago, I blogged on the strong connection between The Dark Knight Rises and Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities. When I saw the movie, I was unaware of this connection. Ironically, I had just begun my second time through the novel. I finished A Tale of Two Cities a few days ago. Though I had read it maybe fifteen years earlier, and though I remembered the main plot line, I was astounded once again by... Read more