anthrakia
Column by Ben Witherington III on "The Beloved Disciple"
The new issue of Biblical Archaeology Review (March/April) arrived this week with a columy by Asbury faculty member Ben Witherington III. The column looks at the mystery of who was "the disciple whom Jesus loved," that is to say, who was the author of the Gospel of John. Candidates for this honor have ranged from John the son of Zebedee to Mary Magdalene. Dr. Withrington does an interesting bit of detective work and suggests that the mystery author was Lazarus the brother of Mary and Martha. After all, who better to beome a true believer than a man who has been rescued from the grave by Jesus?
The argument is too complex to repeat here, but it's well done (and well written, as always).
I found Dr. Witherington's work a refreshing change from some of the speculative archaeological books I've been looking at over the past few weeks--wannabe Indiana Jones characters who claim to have found Noah's Ark, or the shipwreck of St. Paul on Malta, or the exact location of the Ark of the Covenant. How much better (and more compelling) is an argument from the texts of scripture, and one that suggests a relationship we never noticed before?
By the way, the Biblical Archaeology Review has been redesigned for a much more modern look and expanded coverage.
Best wishes,
Mason Smith
The new issue of Biblical Archaeology Review (March/April) arrived this week with a columy by Asbury faculty member Ben Witherington III. The column looks at the mystery of who was "the disciple whom Jesus loved," that is to say, who was the author of the Gospel of John. Candidates for this honor have ranged from John the son of Zebedee to Mary Magdalene. Dr. Withrington does an interesting bit of detective work and suggests that the mystery author was Lazarus the brother of Mary and Martha. After all, who better to beome a true believer than a man who has been rescued from the grave by Jesus?
The argument is too complex to repeat here, but it's well done (and well written, as always).
I found Dr. Witherington's work a refreshing change from some of the speculative archaeological books I've been looking at over the past few weeks--wannabe Indiana Jones characters who claim to have found Noah's Ark, or the shipwreck of St. Paul on Malta, or the exact location of the Ark of the Covenant. How much better (and more compelling) is an argument from the texts of scripture, and one that suggests a relationship we never noticed before?
By the way, the Biblical Archaeology Review has been redesigned for a much more modern look and expanded coverage.
Best wishes,
Mason Smith
posted by Mason Smith at Tuesday, February 14, 2006
1 Comments:
Mason, thanks for pointing out the article! I received my copy of BAV several days ago and had not gotten around to reading it. Now I will, especially Witherington's "The Last Man Standing," the article you recommend. By the way, if any of you reading this comment want a copy of the article, both Mason and I will be happy to supply you with a copy, either in person or by mail (sorry, no email forwarding because BAV does publish its articles online.
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