NT Blog: John the Baptist's Bones have been found -- again!

NT Blog: John the Baptist's Bones have been found -- again!:

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John the Baptist's Bones have been found -- again!

This morning's papers are full of another new story about the discovery of a Biblical figure's bones.  This time it is John the Baptist's bones and the story has the standard marks of modern-day relic hunting according to which some detail will in some way link the relic(s) to the first century.

The story appears in several news sources, e.g. MSNBC's Science pages and Live Science, but a nicely illustrated version is the Daily Mail's one here:

'Found', bones of John the Baptist: Tests on knucklebone provide support to extraordinary claim
By Chris Brooke

When archaeologists claimed to have found the bones of John the Baptist amid the ruins of an ancient Bulgarian monastery experts were understandably sceptical. 

But carbon dating tests carried out at Oxford University have provided scientific evidence to support the extraordinary claim. 

A knucklebone has been dated to the 1st Century AD - a time when the revered Jewish prophet is believed to have lived.

If the story sounds familiar, it may be because it had an earlier incarnation in 2010, e.g. onDiscovery News (see Robert Cargill's post).  What is new is some carbon dating of one of the bones, carbon dating that dates the bones to the first century.

How, though, do the researchers know that these are the bones of the baptist?  According to the Daily Mail article:

The ‘key’ clue to the relics’ origins was a tiny sandstone box found alongside the reliquary with a Greek inscription: ‘God, save your servant Thomas. To St John. June 24.’ The date is believed to be John the Baptist’s birthday.

Well, that's the date of his feast day.  We have no idea when his birthday was.  I'd like to see the actual Greek inscription, but I can't find any pictures of it on the web at present and so, of course, any remarks are provisional.  From the translation here, the only thing that would connect these bones to John the Baptist (rather than any other St John) is the feast day.  However, that is probably too late to provide any serious link to the first century.

According to the article, the radiocarbon research was carried out by Oxford professors Thomas Higham and Christopher Ramsey.  Also mentioned is "Dr Hannes Schroeder, who carried out the research", who is quoted as saying, "Of course, this does not prove that these were the remains of John the Baptist but nor does it refute that theory."

I will watch the story with my usual mixture of interest and scepticism.  It may perhaps be worth mentioning that the only reports we have about John's body post-mortem is the report of his disciples burying his body (Mark 6.29).  Perhaps later on, after his secondary burial, some of the same disciples saved a few bones for posterity to be carried half way across Europe a few centuries later, no doubt leaving a few bones in each of several other countries too, Egypt, Turkey, Greece and Italy.

Oh, and it's all connected, of course, to a National Geographic TV documentary this weekend.

Update (10.18): Comments from Michael Heiser on PaleoBabble, John Byron on The Biblical World (very funny) and Jim West on Zwinglius Redivivus.

Update (13.30): See now the superb and authoritative response by Christopher Rollston, John the Baptist and the Reliquary of ‘Sveti Ivan’ : Methodological Reflections.

Before You Send That Angry E-mail | Michael Hyatt

Before You Send That Angry E-mail | Michael Hyatt:

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Over the course of my career, I have fired off my share of angry letters and e-mail. However, I cannot think of a single time when these communiques had a positive effect. Usually, they only served to escalate the conflict and alienate the recipient.

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/clintspencer

Several years ago, I wrote a fourteen-page diatribe to a business associate. I skewered him. I was right. He was wrong. And I had the proof.

I laid it out in meticulous detail. I prosecuted my case like a lawyer before the bar. I sent it off with fire in my eyes and a healthy dose of self-satisfaction in my heart. That’ll show him,I thought.

I eagerly waited for his response. After a few weeks, I still hadn’t heard a word. So I re-read the letter and was embarrassed. My response was way out of proportion to the stimulus that provoked it. While I was technically right, I was relationally wrong. I never should have sent the letter. I regretted that I had acted so childishly.

Thankfully, the recipient never did respond to the letter—ever. The next time I saw him (several months later), he embraced me and acted like nothing had ever happened. That day, I got a little taste of grace. I also purposed that I would never send another letter like that. I had dodged a bullet.

In any relationship, you are going to experience times when you feel angry. It happens at home, at work, at church, and in countless other situations.

Next time it happens to you, I suggest you do the following:

1. Cool down. Put some space between the stimulus and the response. Little offenses look much bigger the closer you are to them. If you let a little time pass, you will see them in their proper context and respond appropriately. This is what makes you different from the animals. You have the choice—the freedom—to chose how you will respond.
2. Talk it out. I have a lot of close business associates and friends whom I trust. They are committed to saving me from myself. My wife, Gail, is, of course, the best. She helps me regain my perspective and gently asks, “Now, what are you really trying to accomplish here?” This is a great question which helps me consider the bigger picture.
3. Write a response. If you want to write an angry e-mail, do it. Just don’t send it. I often do this, and it helps me process my feelings. It also helps me get a grip on reality. One word of caution: don’t fill in the “To:” field in the e-mail. I have seen people accidentally hit the “Send” button and regret it. Instead, write it and save it as a draft. After you have cooled down, you can delete it.
4. Do your homework. Sometimes you think you are right, but upon further investigation, you may discover that you contributed to the problem or aggravated the situation. The question I increasingly like to ask is this: What was it in my leadership that contributed to this outcome? This helps me move from being the victim to being an active participant in finding a solution.
5. Schedule a meeting. I recently heard John Eldredge make the point that it’s easy to be brave when you are sitting in the safety of your own office. You can hurl digital spears at your adversaries without without the risk of a real, live encounter. But confronting people face-to-face—or even over the telephone—is a different matter. That takes real guts. But it can also lead to real solutions. The real question is whether we want to merely make a point or solve the problem.
6. Admit your mistakes. If you slip up and send off an angry e-mail or letter, then acknowledge it. I will never forget getting an angry e-mail from one of our authors. He lambasted one of our VPs, going into great detail about how he had screwed up an important project. Unfortunately, he unintentionally copied the VP in the e-mail. Oops. Once he realized it, he was mortified. With great humility, he called the VP, admitted that he was way out of line, and then asked his forgiveness. Then he sent a formal apology to each of us. We took the time to rebuild the relationships and, in the process, further endeared himself to us.

As long as we have to deal with people, we are going to be disappointed, get frustrated, and react in anger. But we have to know how to channel these emotions in productive ways. Sending an e-mail or writing a letter is almost never the appropriate or most effective way. If you get angry, resist the temptation to respond in anger.

The 1 lie the devil always tells. | Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff

The 1 lie the devil always tells. | Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff:

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Since the dawn of time, the enemy has tried to play just one trick.

Though it has a thousand different variations and a million different manifestations, it boils down to the same lie every time.

God is not good.

He is holding out on you.

There is something more you are missing.

Time and time again, this is the trick the enemy comes back to.

It is what he said to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The garden is not enough. God is holding back on you. There’s something more you are missing and here is what it is. And we believed and so we ate and we found it to be a lie.

Years later, satan would attempt the same trick on Christ. When he tempted him, in Matthew 4, satan showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor and said, “All this I will give you, if you bow down and worship me.”

God is holding back on you. There’s something more you are missing and here is what it is. You are lacking this kingdom and this splendor.

Do you see the absurdity of offering a kingdom to the God who made the whole universe? Can you see the foolishness of offering a plot of land to the God who made the entire planet?

It’s ridiculous, but the enemy is very limited in his ability to create new tricks. He’s the enemy of truth, not the equal. He’s the enemy of God, not the peer. He’s the enemy of light, not the contemporary.

So he returns to his trick and it continues to work. We keep trading our birthrights for a bowl of stew. Even in a world where God has already proven there is nothing he will hold back. How could we ever assume a God who gave his only son for us would hold back? How could we ever assume a God who sent his son to the cross for our freedom was not good?

But we do. I’ve seen this a thousand times in the last year as I’ve talked to people about my book Quitter and what it means to do what you’re called to do.

A common fear, and one that I know all too well in my own life, is that if you surrender your whole life to God, you know exactly what will happen next. He will make you sell everything you own and move to Africa to become a missionary. You’ll go t0 a hut in 4.2 seconds.

But what that fear reveals is that we’re still falling for the same trick. Because if the first thing we imagine God doing with our lives is the worst thing we can imagine, what a miserable God we serve. If in your heart you love writing, God will call you to be a math teacher. If you love people, he will call you to work in a job without any human interaction. If you don’t feel called to mission work, he will send you to Guam on the next boat out of town.

He’s holding back on us. If we surrender, we’ll get something worse in return. If we give up our lives, we’ll get a pocket full of misery in exchange. The piece of fruit is the better choice. The kingdom is what matters. The stew is the best option.

It’s a lie.

God is not holding back on us.

When he sent his son, he was not holding back on us.

God is good.

When he revealed himself to Moses, that was the one thing he chose to show, his goodness.

There is not something missing that the enemy can provide.

He always takes, he never gives.

At the end of the day, the devil is a one trick pony. He has but one drum to beat. One lie to dress up.

Don’t believe it.

Grocery store Pharisee. | Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff

Grocery store Pharisee. | Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff:

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I like to make fun of the Pharisees sometimes. They’re a fairly easy target, always in the background of New Testament stories saying ridiculously unkind things.

I even have a joke I do sometimes from stage about how the Pharisees would have loved the phrase, “Just saying.”

Can’t you see them saying that constantly in the Bible?

“Whoa, Jesus. Healed a guy on the Sabbath! That’s great, I mean he can walk again. It’s against the law though, just saying.”

It’s fun to pick on the Pharisees right up until the moment I become one at the supermarket. This happened the other day when I was in the 10 items or less check out line.

I respect that line. I don’t casually stand in it. If I have 11 items in my basket I either go to a different line or I vote off one item Survivor style. “OK ketchup, why don’t you feel like the bread deserves to be in this line with us? Why should it be sent back home to the bread aisle?”

And last week, when I had but one item in my hands, the lady in front of me had 21. How do I know? Because I counted them. With my crazy fast Pharisee eyesight. I then started to think the following:

1. Maybe she can’t count to ten? Maybe I need to give her the benefit of the doubt?

2. I don’t know. She has a kid with her who is old enough to know how to count to ten and if she was able to put on her own pants and drive a car here, she can probably count to ten.

3. Let’s be honest, the sign doesn’t say, “A x B – 12 to the power of 4 = the number of items you can have in this line.” It says “10 or fewer.” It’s a pretty simple math challenge that even I can figure out. And I’m horrible at math.

4. Maybe she’s really busy and there’s someone at home who has the flu and she needs to get back as soon as possible.

5. Except she’s buying those little Greek yogurt containers that have the blueberry or honey things attached. I love those. They look like they were designed by IKEA.

6. Easy Jon, you’re getting distracted. The point about the yogurt is that no one who is sick or throwing up sends their mom or wife to the store to buy them Greek yogurt.

7. The other checkout lines are pretty short right now. This place is not crowded. This is a showboat move. This lady is the Terrell Owens of the grocery store.

8. She didn’t even do the courtesy, “Oh, you only have one item, you tall blogger, go ahead of me,” move. Do I still live in the south? She should have said that and offered me some grits. Where am I?

9. What am I the grocery store police? Good grief, you could carry around the grace I have most days in a thimble.

10. Is this going to be a post on Stuff Christians Like? Probably. I’m so meta. Or postmodern. Or some word like that.

And then she left.

I asked the two people who were running the cash register if they ever noticed people had more than 10 items in this line. They laughed and said, “All the time, but we have to let them in. That’s our policy.”

Then they said, “But we have more grace than you since Christ died for us.”

OK, they didn’t say that, but I felt like they probably could have.

So the lesson I learned that day in the grocery store is two fold:

1. Next time I want to make fun of the speck in the Pharisees’ eyes I need to remember the grocery store sized plank in my own.

2. Take as many items as you want into the 10 items or fewer line. Nobody is going to stop you. This is thunderdome.

Question:Do you ever catch yourself getting worked up about silly rules like this?

Development of the English Bible – The King James Version

Archbishop Richard Bancroft

It was to an emotionally charged hall that King James I of England banged a gavel that would change the course of the Church of England and set on course what has been one of the longest runs of printed Bible.  James succeeded Elizabeth I, the last of the Tudors as King of All Britain, Scotland and Ireland in 1603. His rule was fraught with difficulties, and the religious side had its turmoil as well.  Just two years into his reign, a plot was discovered to kill the King and Parliament and was thwarted. However, James in retaliation sanctioned harsh measures for controlling “non-conforming” English Catholics. In May 1606, Parliament passed the Popish Recusants Act which could require any citizen to take an Oath of Allegiance denying the Pope's authority over the king. James was conciliatory towards Catholics who took the Oath of Allegiance and tolerated crypto-Catholicism even at court, but took harsh measures to insurrectionists.  Puritans on the other hand, demanded, among other things, the abolition of confirmation, wedding rings, and the term "priest", and that the wearing of cap and surplice become optional.  James was at first strict in enforcing conformity, inducing a sense of persecution among many Puritans. In January of 1604, James convened a conference with representatives of the Church of England and the Puritans at Hampton Court Palace.  One of the outcomes of this meeting was James's commissioning of a translation of the Christian Bible into the English vernacular to resolve issues with different translations then being used that was said to be causing discord. It was to this atmosphere that the task of translation was undertaken by 47 scholars, although 54 were originally approved.  All were members of the Church of England and all except Sir Henry Savile were clergy. The scholars worked in six committees, two based in each of the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and Westminster. The committees included scholars with Puritan sympathies, as well as High Churchmen. Yes, it was a translation endeavor; however, James wanted to have a translation that would help him to control that church and the people because of the turmoil.  Thus, the KJV was produced "at his majesty's special command" - for his goals and purposes. To this end, there were fifteen general rules advanced by the King and his Archbishop Richard Bancroft for the guidance of the translators:

1. The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as the Truth of the original will permit. (As the first rule indicates, the King James Version is not a fresh word for word translation from original languages, but a revision made of the Bishop’s Bible, using the Greek and Hebrew (and other translations) as guides. Note the list of English translations to be consulted in the fourteenth rule. In point of fact, all the translations mentioned (and the Bishop’s Bible itself) are derived from William Tyndale’s translation of 1526.  Most of the wording of the King James Bible, and of the New Testament in particular, is due to Tyndale. As will be seen in Rule #3, the Bishop’s Bible precluded “a tendency to use the hierarchical terminology of the Anglican Church”)
2. The names of the Prophets, and the Holy Writers, with the other Names of the Text, to be retained, as nigh as may be, accordingly as they were vulgarly used.
3. The Old Ecclesiastical Words to be kept ( viz. the Word Church not to be translated Congregation, etc.  The reason behind this was for the support for ecclesiastical hierarchies to be written into the KJV bible (through the unbiblical concepts 'ranks' and 'ordination' were "written in", without any basis for that in the Hebrew or Greek text).  As “Divine Head” of the Church of England,  James wanted the control of “church” and subjects to be controlled by a hierarchical system and therefore subject to the laws of England and could not have a translation that allowed people to believe that any authority belonged to the common people.  As such, ”Church” was used in place of Congregation or Assembly, “Pastor” was used in place of Shepherd, the transliteration “Baptize” is used in place of Immerse , Hell is used indiscriminately in places where the original languages used “Grave”, “Realm of the Dead” etc. King James I in effect directed “that the translation adopt language supportive of episcopacy” (Historical Dictionary, p. 174). )
4. When a Word hath divers Significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most of the Ancient Fathers, being agreeable to the Propriety of the Place, and the Analogy of the Faith.
5. The Division of the Chapters to be altered, either not at all, or as little as may be, if Necessity so require.
6. No Marginal Notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek Words, which cannot without some circumlocution, so briefly and fitly be expressed in the Text.  (The King James translators avoided including interpretive marginal notes, but did include marginal notes with alternative translations of Greek words that have a range of possible meanings, but only so far as to not pose any contradiction to rule #3.)
7. Such Quotations of Places to be marginally set down as shall serve for the fit Reference of one Scripture to another.
8. Every particular Man of each Company, to take the same Chapter or Chapters, and having translated or amended them severally by himself, where he thinketh good, all to meet together, confer what they have done, and agree for their Parts what shall stand. 
9. As any one Company hath dispatched any one Book in this Manner they shall send it to the rest, to be considered of seriously and judiciously, for His Majesty is very careful in this Point.  (James saw himself as a "heavenly king" with a "divine right" to rule and as such was "not answerable to any man." This belief was first established in England with Henry VIII. In the dedication to King James in the 1611, Thomas Bilson referred to him as “the Most High and Mighty Prince.“   Thus, if upon review the King decided that something was to be changed or altered, then there was to be no question with regard to the change to be made and was to be implemented forthwith.)
10. If any Company, upon the Review of the Book so sent, doubt or differ upon any Place, to send them Word thereof; note the Place, and withal send the Reasons, to which if they consent not, the Difference to be compounded at the general Meeting, which is to be of the chief Persons of each Company, at the end of the Work.
11. When any Place of special Obscurity is doubted of, Letters to be directed by Authority, to send to any Learned Man in the Land, for his Judgment of such a Place.
12. Letters to be sent from every Bishop to the rest of his Clergy, admonishing them of this Translation in hand; and to move and charge as many skillful in the Tongues; and having taken pains in that kind, to send his particular Observations to the Company, either at Westminster, Cambridge, or Oxford.
13. The Directors in each Company are to be the Deans of Westminster, and Chester for that Place; and the King's Professors in the Hebrew or Greek in either University.
14. These translations to be used when they agree better with the Text than the Bishops Bible: Tyndale's, Matthew's, Coverdale's, Whitchurch's, Geneva.
15. Besides the said Directors before mentioned, three or four of the most Ancient and Grave Divines, in either of the Universities, not employed in Translating, to be assigned by the vice-Chancellor, upon Conference with the rest of the Heads, to be Overseers of the Translations as well Hebrew as Greek, for the better observation of the 4th Rule above specified.

The work of the KJV began in 1607 and was finally published in 1611 by the King’s Printer Robert Barker.  For the next 270 years, it had no peer in acceptance among theologians or commoners. In its day, it could be used by Anglicans and Puritans alike. However, it must be noted that while it seems to have been a collaborative effort, this seems to have been a front for the King to attempt to influence peace through an effort of diplomacy to a group that he would then try to force conformity.  Henry Clark noted: “Orders were sent across the country that all the clergy must formally accept the established order of things, from the Royal Supremacy down to the latest item in the Canons of 1604: every precaution was taken to prevent anything in the nature of procrastination or evasion” (History, I, p. 248). Inaccuracies and prejudices would be pointed out to several of those who served on the committees. The Puritan (predominantly Calvinist) movement co-existed with the conforming Church of England in what was generally an accepted form of episcopal Protestant religion. However, the tensions grew and became one of the largest migrations to the New World (America).

It is the most widely read Bible in existence. While not totally accurate to the original Hebrew and Greek, and with written bias, it was the closest of its day. 

Jim

Why You Aren’t Dead Yet | Michael Hyatt

Why You Aren’t Dead Yet | Michael Hyatt:

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WHY YOU AREN’T DEAD YET

Several weeks ago, I had lunch with a friend I hadn’t seen in years. He had just turned eighty years old. His mind was as sharp as ever—witty, inquisitive, and focused. He was also a great listener. When he did speak, wisdom dripped from his lips like honey.

After reading this blog post, Greg Surrant, Senior Pastor of Seacoast Church, decided to preach a sermon series on the topic. His creative team produced the video above to promote the series.

In a point of genuine humility but uncertainty he asked me, “Michael, do you think I have anything left to contribute? Are my best days over?” Tears welled up in his eyes.

I admit, his question caught me off-guard. I thought to myself, Here I am with one of the wisest men I have ever met. He is a living treasure. I would pay for the privilege of sitting at his feet and listening to his stories. And he is asking me whether or not he has anything left to contribute? I was flabbergasted.

I leaned in, grasped his hand with mine, and said, “Jimmy, listen to me carefully: your best days are ahead of you. I am not saying this just because I like you—and I do like you—but because it is the truth. I can prove it to you.”

I then began to make an argument that I first learned in The Noticer by Andy Andrews. In the book, Jones, the personification of wisdom, makes six points to Willow, a seventy-six year old lady, who had given up hope that she had anything left to contribute. (see chapter 6, pp. 83–85).

1. God has a purpose for every single person.
2. You won’t die until that purpose is fulfilled.
3. If you are still alive, then you haven’t completed what you were put on earth to do.
4. If you haven’t completed what you were put on earth to do, then your very purpose hasn’t been fulfilled.
5. If your purpose hasn’t been fulfilled, then the most important part of your life is still ahead.
6. You have yet to make your most important contribution.

Jones goes on to say,

If the most important part of your life is ahead of you, then even during the worst times, one can be assured that there is more laughter ahead, more success to look forward to, more children to teach and help, more friends to touch and influence. There is proof of hope . . . for more.” (p. 85)

My friend, Jimmy, sat back in his chair and was silent for a full minute. I could tell he was taking it all in. Finally, he said, “Then I better get busy. It sounds like I have a lot of work to do.”

You may be old. You may be sick. You may be divorced. Your kids may not be speaking to you. You may be out of work. You may be broke. You may be discouraged.

But you’re not dead yet.

And that’s proof that you still have not completed what you were put on earth to do.

Four Bible Passages to Read When Life Overwhelms You | Bible Gateway Blog

Four Bible Passages to Read When Life Overwhelms You | Bible Gateway Blog:

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Four Bible Passages to Read When Life Overwhelms You

When you’re grieving or going through hardship, do you turn to the Bible for help? When we reach out to God’s Word to help us through difficult times, it’s a comfort to learn that many heroes of the faith faced the same sorts of pain, loss, and grief—and record promises and truths that we can apply to our own situations.

I’ve chosen four Bible passages below that communicate a simple but powerful truth: God will not and does not forget us. It’s easy to slip into despair and loneliness when life overwhelms, but the writers of the Bible repeatedly remind us that God is always there.

1. Matthew 10:29-30

For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. — Matthew 10:29-30 (GNT)

Have you ever wondered how an infinite God could possibly care about a single person? In this passage, Jesus confirms that God does care about us. God cares actively about every corner of His Creation; if he keeps tabs on every sparrow, how much more would He care about a person made in His own image?

2. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace. — Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT)

There’s a reason behind everything that happens, good or ill—and God understands our pain and sorrow from a perspective that we don’t always perceive until after the fact (if ever). We should fully expect to live through “seasons” of grief… and we should remember that they’re passing storms.

3. Psalm 30:8-12

I cried out to you, Lord.
I begged my Lord for mercy:
“What is to be gained by my spilled blood,
by my going down into the pit?
Does dust thank you?
Does it proclaim your faithfulness?
Lord, listen and have mercy on me!
Lord, be my helper!”
You changed my mourning into dancing.
You took off my funeral clothes
and dressed me up in joy
so that my whole being
might sing praises to you and never stop.
Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever. — Psalm 30:8-12 (CEB)

The Psalms are filled with desperate pleas to God to remember His people in their distress. Here, the psalmist testifies to God’s healing power: he turned “mourning into dancing.” Have you ever experienced a transformation so profound?

4. Deuteronomy 31:8

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. —Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)

What could anyone add to this promise? God is with us; He sees despair, and He promises to be with us throughout our seasons of grief.