Category Archives: Scripture

The Jewish Legends of Jacob vs. Esau: The Birthright and the Blessing

I have had a crazy week, so all I have to offer on this week’s Old Testament Lesson 10 (“Birthright Blessings; Marriage in the Covenant) is two excerpts from Ginzberg’s Legends of the Jews. Now I realize that this work is not the best resource for reliable or primary-source material, but it is very interesting [...]
Also posted in Doctrinal Issues, LDS Interest, Priesthood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“God Will Provide Himself a Lamb” (Old Testament Lesson 9)

The Aqedah (“binding”) of Isaac was an important part of both early Jewish and early Christian understanding of God’s plan for mankind’s salvation. Although the biblical version of the story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac is told in a way in which the similarities to Christ’s atoning sacrifice are only subtle, many ancient traditions, including [...]
Also posted in Doctrinal Issues, Early Christianity, Early Judaism, LDS Interest | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on Melchizedek and Abraham and More Old Testament Resources

Sorry about the odd title, but I just wanted to post some further musings I had on the hypothesis that Melchizedek, as a translated being, could have been (along with two others) the visitor to Abraham at Mamre. I would also like to alert you to some great resources that I have found to augment [...]
Also posted in Doctrinal Issues, LDS Interest | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Three Men Who Appeared to Abraham: The Godhead, Angels, or Human Beings? (Old Testament Lesson 8)

In Genesis 18, we read that the Lord appeared to Abraham in Mamre, and also, in the same verse, that three “men” visited him.  This has to be one of the most debated passages of all time.  The big question is whether these three were divine beings (and if one of the three was the [...]
Also posted in Doctrinal Issues, Early Christianity, Early Judaism, LDS Interest | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

On Corruptions in the Biblical Text: Ancient and Modern

I have recently been sitting in on a postgraduate course taught by Kristin de Troyer that deals with textual criticism of the Bible.  Professor de Troyer is excellent and has opened my eyes considerably as to the complexity of the history of the development of our biblical texts.  Instead of trying to explain it all [...]
Also posted in Religious Scholars | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments