Monolatry is the recognition of the existence of many gods, but with the consistent worship of only one. There is evidence from biblical sources that the earliest authors of the Jewish Bible […]
Early Jewish Monolatry in the Old Testament
Does the Ipuwer Papyrus Refer to the Biblical Exodus Account?
The Admonitions of Ipuwer (or the Ipuwer papyrus) is an ancient Egyptian poem and lamentation recording several dramatic scenes, some of which appear to parallel the biblical account of Moses and the […]
Why Isaiah 7:14 Is Not A Prophecy of Jesus’ Virgin Birth.
Many Christians believe/argue that Isaiah 7:14 is a prophecy of the coming Messiah (Jesus) who will be born of a virgin. The Isaiah passage says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you […]
Marcus Borg on Prophets and Prophecy Historicized
Borg reiterates much of what we have learned as biblical students this semester. He does a fantastic job of separating the prophets into the Latter and Former categories (Borg, 2002: 111-112). He […]
The Warfare Ideology of “Herem” in Ancient Israel and The Ancient Near East
Susan Niditch’s analysis of warfare ideology in Ancient Israel in the Old Testament is thorough and therefore suggestive of her sophisticated knowledge of the topic. This essay will examine chapter 1 of […]
Divine Violence and Genocide in the Book of Joshua
Introduction The ethical and theological difficulties brought to fruition by the conquest narratives in the book of Joshua are several. I will argue why from questions of historicity of the biblical texts, […]
The Challenge of God’s Violence in the Old Testament to Christianity
In his work renowned Old Testament scholar Walter Breuggemann explains that there is a “troublesome question” that continues to cause significant discomfort for Christians seeking to take the Bible seriously, namely “What […]
Understanding the Bible’s Flood Myth.
Christians, independent of their interpretations of the Genesis flood, “view the story of Noah’s ark and the Flood an essential part of the Bible’s divine teaching about God, his relationship to creation, […]
Child Sacrifice in the Mosaic Law (Exo. 22:29).
Exodus 22:29 represents the ancient Israelite practice of human sacrifice quite plainly: “Your firstborn sons you shall give to me.” According to Christian biblical scholar Stark “The demand is unequivocal. The traditional […]
Child Sacrifice in Ancient Israel (Micah 6:6-8).
An analysis of Micah 6:6-8 suggests that child sacrifice was practiced in ancient Israel: “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before […]
