Now in the 18th year to king Yarav?am, son of Nebat Reigned-as-king ?Aviyyam over Yehudah. Three years he reigned-as-king in Yerushalaim Now the name of his mother [was] Ma?akah daughter of Aviyshalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father which he did before him. But his heart was not . . . . Continue Reading »
INTRODUCTION Judah?s beginning is no better than Israel?s, but for David?s sake Yahweh keeps a light lit in Jerusalem (15:4) and sends a reforming king to turn back the evils of Rehoboam. Meanwhile, Israel dissolves into political chaos, and becomes a veritable Africa of revolving door regimes, . . . . Continue Reading »
Below are some notes for an introductory lecture on Christology. INTRODUCTION Christology is frequently divided into two sections, the first dealing with the person of Christ and the second dealing with the work of Christ. That division is far from sharp; Jesus?Ework depends on Jesus?Eidentity. But . . . . Continue Reading »
INTRODUCTION In style and form, Timon of Athens more resembles a medieval morality play than a Shakespearean tragedy. Timon is mentioned briefly in Plutarch?s life of Marc Antony and was the subject of a drama by Lucian, and by Shakespeare?s time was already a proverbial misanthrope. Shakespeare?s . . . . Continue Reading »
This is based on a lecture delivered at NSA several years ago. I have not been able to prepare this for publication, though I hope to do so someday. My title is ?Cross and Culture,?Ebut that needs to be made more specific. The cross is described in the New Testament in a variety of ways: It is a . . . . Continue Reading »
These comments reflect and build upon some private correspondence from James B. Jordan, August 2004. 1) Like many of Shakespeare plays, MSND works on an opposition between city and country, between the civilized world and a natural ?green world?E(Northrop Frye). Within the city, law rules, even . . . . Continue Reading »
In 1 Kings 14, Jeroboam’s wife goes disguised to visit a prophet from Shiloh, who announces the death of her son and the eventual destruction of his dynasty. Ahijah tells Jeroboam’s wife that another king will take the kingdom. In 1 Samuel 28, Saul goes disguised to visit a medium at . . . . Continue Reading »
1 Corinthians 5:7: Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us. Jeroboam?s dynasty, and the entire northern kingdom with it, was condemned from the beginning. No sooner had he led Israel out of the ?Egypt?Eof the house of David than he led them into an wilderness of idolatry. As we saw in the . . . . Continue Reading »
It looked like such a good idea. Jeroboam has been given ten tribes of Israel to rule, and he wants to keep them together. If the people of Israel continue to worship in the Jerusalem, their loyalties of his people will be divided and they might even plot to assassinate Jeroboam. The obvious . . . . Continue Reading »
A few notes from JE Phillips, The State in Shakespeare’s Greek and Roman Plays . 1) Phillips repeatedly points out that the play depicts corruption flowing from the highest reaches of society downward. The Senators and nobility of Athens are deeply corrupted, unable to recognize and honor . . . . Continue Reading »