CADRE Comments

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.) Due to plot complexities and subtleties, I will need to give more overt plotnotes (not just parenthetical helps like this) as things progress. This plot tracking won't really kick in until the end begins in Gethsemane, but I thought I'd mention it now since I'll have to include more notes than usual in this entry today. The title of today's entry comes from a portion of the seder service where the burn-striped unleavened bread is hidden for a time. A turn of phrase used by the Evangelist, and the fact that the seder meal is being prepared for in this chapter, suggested the title to me. The Hiding of the Bread (the day before the end...) Then (say the Scholar, Disciple and Follower) was coming the first day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover (lamb) must be sacrifice...

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 entry is the second part of what would be one of the longest chapters in a book. The Greater Condemnations (Part 2 of 2) -- 2 days until the end Now as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives (probably later that night while they were camping in the groves), the disciples Peter and James and John and Andrew privately came to Him, saying, "Tell us... when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your arrival [on the throne], and of the finishing of all things of the age?" And Jesus began to say to them in answer: "Be sure that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Anointed King', and 'The time is at hand!'--and will mislead many. "And you will be hearing of wars, and rumors of wars--be sure that you are not frig...

From yesterday's Albuquerque Tribune: "The Creationists aren’t going away. They’re just getting sneakier". Thus Dave Thomas ended his commentary in The Tribune ("Intelligent design supporters find new, creative ways to get their message out", Insight & Opinion, March 13) which warned of yet another assault on evolutionary theory by the creationist, this time in the form of academic freedom legislation. The principle objectives of this legislation are to "give teachers the right and freedom, when a theory of biological origins is taught, to objectively inform students of scientific information relevant to the strengths and weaknesses of that theory and protect teachers from reassignment, termination, discipline or other discrimination for doing so," and give students the "right and freedom to reach their own conclusions about biological origins". Thomas warns that while the bill is about academic freedom, its intent is to teach creat...

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.) Normally I would put all this material into one book-chapter; but seeing as how it would then be even more lengthy than my other entries before now, I have made provisions to divide it into two uneven halves for posting. The Greater Condemnations (2 days until the end...) (The Follower and the Scholar relate what happened Wednesday in the Temple...) Now Jesus sat down across from the treasury (in the Temple), and looking up He started to watch how the crowds were putting money into the treasury. Now many rich people were putting large sums in as gifts. Yet a poor widow came, and put in two lepta, amounting to a quadran. (1 quadran == 1/64 of a 'daywage' denarius.) And calling His disciples to Him, He is saying to them: "Truly I tell you--this poor widow put in more than all the...

This post represents the second in a series of responses to an article entitled Biblical authority reveals little-known facts about Jesus which is available through the online edition of the Wilmington Star . The first can be found here . The article features nine little-known facts about Jesus as revealed by John Dominic Crossan, one of the founding members and best known stars of the Jesus Seminar . As will be seen, several of the "facts" when taken at face-value are, in fact, true about Jesus or Christianity. However, many of Dr. Crossan’s quotes following the facts show that Dr. Crossan doesn’t quite have a firm grasp on why they are true. Fact 4. John the Baptist was more important to Jesus than just as his baptizer. This is obviously true, but not for the reason that Crossan states. First, John the Baptist (or "John the Baptizer" as he is called by people who want to avoid suggesting that John the Baptist had a denominational affiliation with the Baptist Chu...

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.) Btw, keep an eye out for the lawyer in the last exchange--for I suspect we have seen him twice before already, in related circumstances! Notice that the previous time the wedding feast parable is told (not quite as ramped up), it happens during a dinner party with Pharisees where a lawyer stands up to give Jesus a similar test, receiving the Good Samaritan parable in reply: a story set near Jericho. Then later, several days before this incident, as Jesus is passing through Jericho, a young chief is asking a similar question again more desperately. Third time's a charm, though... {s!} With All His Understanding... (3 days until the end...) Now (tell the Disciple, the Scholar and the Follower), it happened on one of the days when He had come into the Temple, and was walking through it, th...

Who knows more about the history of Jesus Christ than John Dominic Crossan? So begins an article entitled Biblical authority reveals little-known facts about Jesus which is available through the online edition of the Wilmington Star . Personally, I think that the quick answer to her question would be that anyone who understands that the miracles described in the Bible are the result of God's miraculous intervention into our human world and not the result of the early Christians making up stories about Jesus knows more about Jesus than John Dominic Crossan. Crossan, who is one of the founding members and best known stars of the Jesus Seminar (a group who I personally find to be bent upon the destruction of Biblical Christianity while pretending to be Christian), is one of my least favorite expositors of the Bible because of his faulty assumptions (many of which are spelled out in articles that are linked to the CADRE Jesus Seminar page ). Despite the fact that the interview was wit...

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 these next two 'chapters' are relatively short, I am presenting them both together, so that later I can divide the longest remaining 'chapter' into two entries. The King's Triumphant Entry (5 days until the end...) Now on the next day... Jesus was passing through one city and village to another (around Jerusalem?), teaching and proceeding, going in toward Jerusalem. [See first comment below for a footnote here.] And someone said to Him, "Master, are there only a few who are being saved?" And He said to them: "Struggle to enter through the short and narrow door; for I tell you, many will seek to enter and will not be strong enough, once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door. "But you will be standing outside, beginning to knock on the...