Well, I completed my first week of classes. They are all exceptionally interesting, I'll probably be posting some stuff from them on here from time to time.
Mondays 3.00-5.00
BI 586 - Jewish Literature at the Time of Jesus: An Introduction and Comparision with the New Testament
Tuesdays 6.00-8.00
NT 504 - Improving Greek Reading Skills
Wednesdays 6.00-10.00
BI 504 - Acts to Revelation
Also on Tuesdays we have a Greek Bible study on the gospel of John from 5.00-6.00. I can already tell it's going to be a very interesting semester all in all, and it's cool because I feel like all the classes mesh well and will reinforce one another. For Greek class we're translating Ephesians in class and Colossians for our individual project. It's nice to have a whole semester to spend on each of these books. For one of my papers in the Acts to Revelation survey class I'm thinking about writing on the definition and nature of the church, something that has been on my mind for some time now as many of you might know. I'd really like to investigate that topic in a more focused way.
Also, I'm not going to make fun of 4 Maccabees anymore--I used to ascribe all sorts of silly verses to it just cause it seemed so far removed from the canon, but now actually having read it I've found that it's got some pretty good stuff in it. Not Scripture, but certainly worthwhile reading on the level of Foxe's Book of Martyrs. More useful, actually, as it presents stuff that pertains to late 2nd Temple Judaism and even shows that there was an idea of one man's righteous suffering could be an atoning sacrifice for others. Plus it's just an edifying account of godly men and women who refused to disobey or dishonor God even in the face of torture and death. Not something to make fun of.
Here's a parting quote for you all to reflect on:
"I'm going to have to replace you as best friend with the new Battlestar Galactica because it's just that good." --Brian Dellisanti
1 comment:
I'll never stop making fun of the book of Phelgmion, in which Jesus is purported to have made magic tomato paste with his mind powers and painted the walls of Rome with it, scaring the wimpy Italian oppressors into thinking that it was the blood of their debaucherous emperor. And then there is also the part where he possesses a wild donkey and makes it talk to the saduccees and they think it's a demon and try to exorcise it, but can't, and are subsequently humiliated in front of all Jerusalem. I'll make fun of THAT book.
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