#bibles

[whencyclopedia]

The Letters of Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles

Paul was a member of the Jewish Pharisees in the 1st century CE, who experienced a revelation of the resurrected Jesus Christ. In this vision, Jesus commissioned him to be the apostle (herald) to the Gentiles (non-Jews). After this experience, he traveled widely throughout the Roman Empire, spreading the "good news" that Jesus would soon return from heaven and usher in the kingdom of God on earth.

In the New Testament, we have 14 letters traditionally assigned to Paul, but the scholarly consensus now recognizes that of the 14, seven were written by Paul:

1 Thessalonians

Galatians

Philemon

Philippians

1 & 2 Corinthians

Romans

2 Thessalonians, Ephesians, and Colossians remain debatable among some scholars. The other major letters (1 &2 Timothy and Titus) were most likely written by disciples of Paul��s, using his name to carry authority. The letters that have survived range between 52 and 60 CE, and although we cannot pinpoint when Paul’s letters were collected, Clement, a bishop in Rome in the 90s CE, quoted from 1 Corinthians.

The Nature of the Letters

We understand these letters to be circumstantial. They were not written as systematic theology or as treatises on Christianity. The letters are responses to specific problems and circumstances as they arose in his communities. Paul spent time in cities establishing a group and then moved on. He received letters and sometimes reports with detailed questions or advice on how to settle conflicts. Unfortunately, when Paul’s letters were saved and circulated, the original letters from the communities were not preserved. The reconstruction of the original problems can only be determined by Paul’s responses.

Known as the most famous convert in history (from the Acts of the Apostles), Paul did not actually undergo conversion. Conversion assumes changing from one religious system to another, but at the time, there was no Christian system for him to convert to. Paul himself was ambiguous when it came to his self-identity:

To the Jews I became like a Jew... To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) ... To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) ... I have become all things to all people. (1 Corinthians 9:20-22)

In relation to what happened to Paul, it is better to follow what he says, in that he was 'called'. This is the tradition of the way in which the Prophets of Israel were called to their individual missions.

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12).

Paul argued that this experience gave him as much authority as the original circle in Jerusalem (Peter, James, and John). Paul’s call to be the Apostle to the Gentiles was shocking because, as he freely admitted, he had previously "persecuted the church of God" (Galatians 1:13). He never really explained what he did, nor why he did it. It is in Paul’s letters that the name Jesus is combined with Christ, the Greek for the Hebrew messiah ("anointed one"). Understood as a title, "Jesus the Christ", it became common as a phrase that indicated his identity and function.

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[animentality]

[thingstrumperssay]

Fun fact: Oklahoma's education rank is 49 as of 2024. Right in front of Mississippi. So the lack of proper grammar for a superintendent isn't surprising in the least.

Also forcing prayer in public school is against the constitution, for the record.

[hdslibrary]

Off with his Head

We recently hosted a class session where students explored English bibles and their illustrations. One image in particular was reproduced in a multitude of variations: the heroine Judith slaying enemy general, Holofernes. Depictions of this scene from the book of Judith have been popular for many centuries, with varying levels of gruesomeness.

This image, from an 18th century narrative version of the bible features a calm and smiling Judith handing the head to her equally unbothered maid, while the neck of Holofernes gushes gore.

Clarke, Laurence. A Compleat history of the holy Bible, contained in the Old and New Testament : in which are inserted the occurrences that happened during the space of four hundred years, from the days of the prophet Malachi to the birth of our blessed Saviour ... London : Printed for the author ... , 1739-1740.

[x-heesy]

𝙰𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚣𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚙𝚜 (17𝚡𝚡)

#vintagebooks

#bookstagram #book #books #bookstagrammer #bookclub #booklover #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddict #bookphotography #bookish #booklove #bookcommunity #booklovers #bookobsessed #bookgram #bookporn #buch #bucharest #bücherliebe #bücher #buchliebe #bücherwurm #büchersüchtig #buchverrückt #bucharestmyhome #büchersucht #bücherwelt #librarylovers #librarynerd #libraryart #librarylove #librarybooks #libraryporn #librarylover #libraryofsouls #librarydesign #libraryofbookstagram #librarytime #libraryofinstagram #libraryprogram #librarygram #booksbooksbooks #bookslove #booksaremylife #booksandbooks #booksaddict #bookslover #booksforever #bücherliebe #bücherwurm #büchersucht #büchernerd #bücherverrückt

𝚂𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔: 𝙵𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜 & 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜 - 𝙳𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚣 𝙺𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚡 𝚋𝚢 𝙽/𝚊, 𝚁𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚊

[byfaithmedia]

Pray for Israel 🇮🇱

[cryoverkiltmilk]

Another post I refuse to acknowledge posting limits of.

[shiftythrifting]

cork birdhouse, vase full of seashells, and the most 2000s Disney Channel-looking Bible I’ve ever seen in my life

[whatareyoureallyafraidof]

[socialjusticefail]

This article is about a state superintendent ordering bibles for AP US Government class.

I would say other good texts that should be ordered for the US Government class are the Federalist Papers that were published, the treaty that mentioned the US is not Christian, and other writing by early politicians in the US on how our government is suppose to work.

[ausetkmt]

More INCORRECT White Interpretations of Black Culture

they again admit that they are not initiatied and in their opinion there is no requirement to be a part of an ancestral Religion, yet this is all about Ancestors Working For You - so NO,

Stop This and Learn about your Ancestors if you were not born with African ancestors, because your ancestors will be waiting for you wherever you may choose to worship them. Just Leave ATR Out of it.

[holybibleverse]

Read the Bible: beblia.com 🙏

Say Amen if you Agree

Hebrews 5:5

beblia.com

[hdslibrary]

Framed

We found a glittering surprise when we opened this volume from 1501/02. The book contains the Latin text of the biblical book of Ezekiel, along with commentary by the 13th century Dominican priest, Hugh of St. Cher.

The decorated letter here (the only one found in this volume) has a frame border which itself echoes the framing of the biblical text by its commentary.

Biblia latina cum postillis Hugonis de s. Charo. [Basel : Johann Amerbach for Anton Koberger, 1498-1502]. (v.5)

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Rolling Stone:

Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, but the idea that he has a broad “mandate” to do whatever he wants is pretty dubious given that as of Monday he didn’t even crack 50 percent of the popular vote. Nevertheless, the president-elect’s elected followers are behaving as if the rules no longer apply — from Republican senators readying themselves to punt on their “advice and consent” role in vetting Cabinet nominations, to Oklahoma Ryan Walters Superintendent Ryan Walters ordering the state’s schools to play students a bizarre video of himself railing against the “radical left” and praying for Trump.

“President Trump has a clear mandate,” Walters told CNN on Monday when asked what gives him authority to order the video played. “He wants prayer back in school. He wants radical leftism out of the classroom. He wants our kids to be patriotic. He wants parents back in charge with school choice. We’re enacting upon that agenda here in Oklahoma.”

The video — in which Walters tells students that “woke teachers unions” are pushing “a hatred for this country” before bowing his head and praying for “President Donald Trump and his team as they continue to bring about change to the country” — has elicited outrage in Oklahoma. At least seven superintendents are refusing to play the video, and Genter Drummond, the state’s Republican attorney general, has said Walters cannot mandate schools play the video for students.

“There is no statutory authority for the state schools superintendent to require all students to watch a specific video,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement. “Not only is this edict unenforceable, it is contrary to parents’ rights, local control, and individual free-exercise rights.”

CNN’s Pamela Brown also asked Walters about a petition to impeach him that has been signed by nearly 15,000 people. Walters attacked her for “pushing a left-wing narrative” before claiming he gets his authority to order schools to show the video from the Constitution.