It’s well known that the Greek word for “honor” (timi, often spelled timē) also means “price.” This is why timi is used to translate both the Hebrew kavod (“honor”) and the Hebrew m’chir (“price”). It’s also why timi in Matthew 27:6 is translated as “price,” while in Hebrews 2:7, it’s “honor.” Indeed, lexicons often have…
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From my personal blog: It gives me great pleasure to announce the publication of “Revenge,” the second story in my thriller series, “The Warwick Files.” In “Revenge,” a woman breaks off an affair with the governor, pitting Police Chief Kai Goodman against the State Police. Like the first story, “Revenge” features Coyote “Kai” Goodman, whose…
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Earlier this week I posted a piece on the Huffington Post about different biblical writing styles. In particular, I claim that the exaggerated ages in Genesis served to notify the ancient reader that the stories weren’t meant to be taken literally. In other words, there are at least two different kinds of stories in the…
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Being “in Christ” (en christo) is one of Paul’s central themes. Romans 8:1 is a good example: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (NRSV). But it’s a tricky phrase. The Greek work en, like its English translation “in,” is what linguists call a “light” preposition, that is, one…
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Bible translation seems plagued by a few myths that won’t let go. One of them was recently repeated by Dr. Eugene Merrill in the Christian Post when he said that “if you want a more contemporary […] translation, you’re going to have to give up some accuracy.” I don’t think it’s true. Dr. Merrill was…
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In a recent piece on the BBC, interviewer Nicky Campbell spoke with Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. Responding to a question about the virgin birth, Dr. Stavrakopoulou said that, “basically, the virgin birth idea is a mistranslation.” I think she’s wrong.
I’m pleased to announce the publication of “Checkpoint,” the first story in my new thriller series: The Warwick Files. The stories feature Police Chief Coyote “Kai” Goodman, whose past is so secret that even his cover story is classified. The setting is Warwick, NY, where, according to the official count, there are no spies. In…
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One of the commonly suggested solutions for overcoming bad Bible translations is to “learn Hebrew and Greek” and “read the Bible in the original.” While there are many good reasons to learn biblical Hebrew and Greek, I don’t think that better insight into the original meaning of the Bible is one of them. This came…
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Recent posts from my Ancient Wisdom, Modern Lives:
