CADRE Comments

A few days ago, Bill posted an article here on the Cadre (or just beneath this one if you're reading this on the index page) discussing the claim announced by some archaeologists earlier in June this year that they may have found the site of Dalmanutha on the shore of Lake Galilee, one of the few remaining Biblical references for the region that doesn't have at least a plausible archaeological identification. Bill (BK's) article wasn't mostly about the details of this tentative possible identification, but about the subsequent rejection by a radical hypersceptic who thinks GosMark was merely literary fiction so there's no reason to go looking for Dalmanutha to begin with. Details of all this can be found (with further links) in Bill's article. While we're on the topic, I thought I'd write up a slightly expanded (and corrected) version of a couple of footnotes I supplied to that scene in my "To The Puppies!" harmonzation entry in March of 2...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Lots of plotnotes to this entry, for various reasons; starting with some observations helpful in understanding what happens up in Syro-Phoenicia. Tyre and Sidon were two major port cities of the old Phoenician Empire, along the southern Syrian coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Galilee region of Palestine. The cities were under Roman Empire rule at that time, of course, along with everything else around "the Sea Amid the Land". These cities still exist and are still major ports for the nation of Syria. In deep antiquity, traders from Phoenicia established port cities further south along the Mediterranean Coast, forming the semi-independent territory of Canaan (Hebrew for 'trader'); often warring with the Hebrews, and eventually defeated and assimilated. At the ti...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) This chapter was longer than usual, so I'm presenting it in two parts. The scripture references will be given at the end of this part. Passings Over (Part 2 of 2) On that morning (tells the Evangelist, alone for this part of the story), the crowds standing over on the other side of the lake (where Jesus had taught the day before) saw there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not gotten into this boat with His disciples but had gone away alone. Other small boats from Tiberias (about 3-1/2 miles across the lake from Bethsaida-Julias, in the southwest quarter of Lake Galilee, by which the Romans named the lake 'Tiberius' as the Evangelist says) came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. When the crowds therefore saw th...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) This chapter is longer than usual, so I'm presenting it in two parts. The scripture references will be given at the end of part 2. Passings Over (Part 1) Now the birthday of Herod (Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee) had come (tells the Follower, with the Disciple--sometime in early spring, based on various implications); and for his birthday he made a feast inviting his captains and magnates and other foremost men of Galilee. And at the feast, the daughter of (his wife) Herodias enters and dances in their midst, pleasing Herod and those who lay back with him (at the dinner table). Now the king said to the maiden, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you!" And he (even) swears an oath to her: "Whatever you may be asking of me, I will give you--up to half my kingdom!...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Knights and King, Errant Now getting into the boat, Jesus and His disciples crossed over again and came to His own city (Capernaum). And the crowd (whom He had given the slip by departing in the middle of the night before) welcomed His return, for they had all been hoping He would! And Jesus, standing beside the lake, sees the crowd as they gather to Him; and He has compassion on them, for they are harassed and thrown down, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He is saying to His disciples: "The harvest is vast; but the workers are few. Therefore implore the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest!" Now calling together the twelve apostles, He gives them authority over all the demons in order to cast them out, and to be curing every disease and every disability! Je...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Enemy Forces Now on that day (the Follower says, followed by the Disciple and the Scholar), when the evening had come, He said to them, "Let us go across the lake, to the other side." So He and His disciples stepped into boats, and leaving the crowds His disciples brought Him along, as He was; for as they sailed He fell asleep. Now it happens, a tornado (a 'whirl of wind') descends on the lake!--and the sea is shaking and billows dash into the boat, so that it already fills to the brim!--and they are in danger of foundering! But He is asleep on the cushion in the aft of the ship! And they are rousing Him saying to Him: "Rabbi! Do you not care that we are about to die!?! Save us, Master!!" Now He, being roused, rebukes the wind and the surging water, saying: ...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Knights Now Jesus withdraws from there (i.e. from Judea) with His disciples, toward the Lake (of Galilee, says the Follower with the Disciple); and great crowds from the Galilee region followed with Him--also people from Judea and over beyond the Jordan, from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from the Decapolis, even from the district of Sidon and Tyre! They all had heard of what He was doing, and came to Him; and He is healing them all. And whenever the unclean spirits beheld Him (adds the Follower), they would fall down before Him and cry out saying, "You are the Son of God!" But He strictly warns them, that they should not reveal Him--so that (adds the Disciple) the declaration through Isaiah the prophet might be filled: Look here! My Boy Whom I have chosen! My beloved, in Whom My soul d...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Since some of the later chapters are long enough that I'll want to break them into two parts, I'm taking the opportunity to consolidate some shorter chapters here. The Nobleman and the King When Jesus went on up into Galilee (says the Evangelist; meaning from Sychar in Samaria, via Nazareth as implied the Evangelist’s peculiar callback to Luke 4:16-30), the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He had done in Jerusalem at the (Passover) Feast; for they themselves had also gone to the festival. And what He preached in Galilee (adds the Follower)--after leaving Nazareth (adds the Disciple)--was: "The time is now fulfilled; the kingdom of God is near! Commit to doing better, and trust in this good news!" ....... Thus He came again (from Nazareth) to Cana of Galil...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) The next several 'chapters' are relatively short, but also footnote heavy; so watch for indications where I've left notes in the comments that I thought would be unwieldy to mention within the narrative. Also, since some of the chapters are long enough that I'll want to break them into two parts, I'm taking the opportunity to consolidate some short chapters here. First Disciples The next day (says the Evangelist), John (the Baptist) again was standing with two of his disciples (one of whom remains unnamed); and seeing Jesus as He walked (passing nearby), he says: "Behold! The Lamb of God!" Now the two disciples, hearing him say this, follow after Jesus. Jesus, turning and having seen them as they follow, is saying to them: "What are you seeking?" They...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) The Salting In Capernaum Now from there (the mountain country near Caesarea Philippi, where the Transfiguration occurred), they went out and began to pass through Galilee; but He was unwilling for anyone to know about it. And while they were conspiring into Galilee, Jesus said to them: "The Son of Man will soon be given up into the hands of men; and they will kill Him; but when He has been killed, then on the third day He will be raised up." [See first comment below for a footnote here.] But this word they did not understand; and they feared to ask Him of it--and were deeply grieved. ....... Now they came into Capernaum. And when they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the double-drachma came to Peter and said, "Does your Rabbi not pay the double-drachma?” (i.e. the t...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) I originally posted this entry and all subsequent ones, from Lent to just after Easter of 2007. My original rationale for choosing to begin posting these entries to the Cadre Journal, has been moved to a comment below, for archiving purposes. The Resolution of the King Now some people are coming into Bethsaida (says the Follower, meaning Bethsaida-Julias on the northern side of Galilee lake--Jesus is going back for a while to where the His opponents among the Jewish religious authorities wouldn't be normally following.) And they are bringing to Him a blind man, pleading that He should be touching him. Now taking hold of the blind man's hand, He brings him out of the village; and, spitting into his eyes, placing hands on him, He asked him, "Are you seeing anything?" But loo...