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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!mcnc!duke!phs!lisa
From: lisa@phs.UUCP (Jeff Gillette)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Jesus, ...  A RECANTATION and a Biographical Footnote
Message-ID: <943@phs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 1-Oct-84 22:03:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: phs.943
Posted: Mon Oct  1 22:03:09 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 3-Oct-84 07:21:45 EDT
Organization: Duke Physiology
Lines: 38



			A RECANTATION

In the first part of my posting on Jesus and the N'tzarim I quoted 
Yirmiyahu Ben David's reconstruction of Jesus and his first followers.
I'm afraid my lack of divine infallibility came to light yet once more
when I made the comment that I saw "little value in historical recon-
struction".  Really I do see a lot of value in historical reconstruction
(I've spent the last eight years of my life studying the history of the
New Testament).  What I meant to say, but got lost somewhere between
my head and my fingers, was that I saw little value in *that* historical
reconstruction I had just quoted.  The rest of the article constituted
my argument for that claim.

			A BIOGRAPHICAL FOOTNOTE

And since the question of credentials has entered this little discussion,
let me mention my own claim to speak on the subject.  I have not pursued
the writings of early Christianity as a hobby for 20 years as has 
Yirmiyahu Ben David.  I have, however, spent the last eight years in
formal (academic) study of the New Testament.  I have a Master's degree
in the New Testament, and am a doctoral student at Duke University
in early Christianity.  I do not have 12 notebooks full of material,
but I do have several thousand dollars of scholarly commentaries on 
the wall, and two file cabinets filled with my research and writings.  
Oh, by the way, I also read Hebrew and Aramaic, and the pages of my 
Greek New Testament are falling apart from use.  I might add that 
most (all?) translations in my articles are my own.  I hope that these
modest credentials will recommend my suggestions to Mr. Ben David's
serious consideration and rational/reasoned rebuttal.

	Jeff Gillette		...!duke!phs!lisa
	The Divinity School
	Duke University