Mt 1:24f;12:46-50/13:55/Mk 6:3/Jn 2:12 – Did Mary bear other children?

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Mt 1:24f  ‘He took his wife, but did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus.’

Mt 12:46–50 — While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.” 48 To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?”…

Mt 21/Mk 11/Lk 19/Jn 2 – When (and how many times) did Jesus cleanse the Temple?

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According to John 2:12-22, Jesus cleansed the Temple near the beginning of his public ministry.  The Synoptists, however, record a cleansing during the last week of his earthly ministry (Mt 21:10–17; Mk 11:15–19; Lk 19:45–46).

So, was there one cleansing (and, if so, was it at the beginning or the close of his ministry)?  Or were there two cleansings?

Here are the main alternatives:-

(a) Some think that John’s chronology is correct.  The Synoptic writers could not include the account earlier, because they do not record Jesus’ earlier visits to Jerusalem, and only mention the Passover during which he was crucified.…

John 2:6 – Six jars – symbol or history?

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John 2:1 Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2:2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. 2:3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine left.” 2:4 Jesus replied, “Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come.” 2:5 His mother told the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.”…

John 1:1 – ‘The Word was God’

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John 1:1 ‘…and the Word was God’ (NIV)

The New World Translation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses translates this verse idiosyncratically: “In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.”

‘Their explanation for this is that in the Greek there is no definite article before ‘God’, whereas if God (theos) were meant in the full and absolute sense it should be ho theos: ‘God’ with the definite article.

…

The Parable of the Sower – return from exile?

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Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, Luke 8:4-15

For N.T. Wright (Jesus and the Victory of God), this parable ‘tells the story of Israel, particularly the return from exile, with a paradoxical conclusion, and it tells the story of Jesus’ ministry, as the fulfilment of that larger story, with a paradoxical outcome.’  Wright notes

(a) the similarity in form to Dan 2:31-45, where the different parts of a statue represent the various stages of earthly kingdoms.  …

Luke 2:8 – Shepherds: a despised class?

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It is sometimes thought (and said, by preachers) that shepherds were a despised class in Israel at this time.

This opinion has been voiced by scholars both old and new.  For example, Butler (2000) wrote,

‘Shepherding had changed from a family business as in David’s time to a despised occupation.’

Stein (1992), wrote:

‘In general, shepherds were dishonest and unclean according to the standards of the law. They represent the outcasts and sinners for whom Jesus came.’

…

Luke 4:16-19 – An incomplete quotation?

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Luke 4:16 Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 4:17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
…

Luke 2:7 – ‘No place in the inn’

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Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

So translated by AV, ESV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, God’s Word, Good News.

NIV – ‘…because there was no guest room available for them.’

New Living Translation – ‘…because there was no lodging available for them.’

Unravelling fact and fancy

The traditional translation (‘No room at the inn’) has become engraved in the popular mind and, along with an unfriendly inn-keeper, in many a nativity scene.…

Luke 2:1-4 – Quirinius and ‘the first registration’

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‘Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire for taxes. This was the first registration, taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David.’

This passage presents a number of historical challenges.…

Matthew 11:12 – “The kingdom of heaven has suffered violence”

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Matthew 11:12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it.”

(a) Forceful entry?

The NIV translation links this difficult saying with Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it.”  But it is not at all certain that both sayings are teaching the same thing.…