“But what does it mean?”
How often have you tried to read an ancient text only to find things that just don’t make sense? If only you could find someone who really knows the text and knows how to take you on a bit of a guided tour.
Well, now you do.
We have invited some Bible and Beyond experts to take us beyond the surface of some of their favorite ancient texts and to show us what to look for, what’s happening behind the scenes, and why these writings can be so meaningful to us today. Some texts are obscure, and few people know about them. Others are well known, but their meaning remains a mystery.
We invite you to enjoy the beauty and inspiration hidden beneath the surface of these remarkable early Christian texts, here in our Bible and Beyond Articles section.
Don’t forget to check out the Bible and Beyond Substack publication. You’ll find the latest scholarly article summaries, book reviews, who’s doing what in the field of early texts, and more.
Articles by Bible and Beyond Contributors on this Website
Marcus Borg: A Transforming View of Christianity with Healing at Its Heart
“Borg seems to pause at this line of inquiry, remarking that explaining how Jesus’ healings occurred is ‘beyond our purpose and probably impossible.’ While this may be a responsible scholarly posture, I believe he was on the threshold of a theology that could have made healing a centerpiece of Christian understanding.”
The Shepherd of Hermas: All Slaves of God
"For Hermas, self-control meant a redirection of desire by taking pleasure in the joy of helping the poor. Such redirection was a means to overcome double-mindedness by reorienting wealthier members to focus on the community rather than themselves."
The Odes of Solomon: Jewish Wisdom and Christian Worship
"Virtually unknown until ancient manuscripts began to surface in 1785, this surprising and superlative collection of odes offers a rare glimpse into the unbridled spirituality of early Eastern followers of Jesus."
What 1 Timothy Says about Women
"[The text] prohibited women from teaching only in that time because it was important that they first learn and only then begin to teach."
The Thunder: Perfect Mind
She has much power, speaks her own truth even when it is not easy, brings different persons and characteristics together in herself, and enacts surprising connections.
Articles by Bible and Beyond Contributors on Other Websites
Some, but not all, of these articles will require access through a library, a journal subscription, or payment. These are marked with an *.
Illuminating the Secret Revelation of John: Catching the Light — An Interview with the author by Deborah Saxon
Deborah Saxon interviews Shirley Paulson about her interest in extra-canonical writings (Published in the Fourth R, 2023)
(Click here to access.)
“Mary Magdalene is a good example. She is clearly animportant figure in the canonical gospels, but she is a shadowy one also. She was an acclaimed witness to Jesus’resurrection, but for centuries afterward stories emerged to discredit her, presenting her as sexually deviant and valued only as a repentant sinner. ”
A Path to Hope from a Mysterious Ancient Text: Gems within the Secret Revelation of John
By Shirley Paulson (Published in the Fourth R, 2022)
(Click here to access.)
“There’s something about the Secret Revelation of John (SRJ) that still rings true and brings profound hope. It also challenges us in any age.”
Apostolic Lists as Sources for, and Transmitters of, Apocryphal Traditions about the Apostles
by Tony Burke (Published in Apocryphicity: A Blog Devoted to the Study of Christian Apocrypha, 2023 )
(Click here to access.)
“The exploits of the apostles are documented in a wide assortment of apocryphal acts composed between the second and sixth centuries, with expansions and transformations made in the centuries thereafter.”
See also our recording of the Bible and Beyond Discussion with Dr. Burke.
The Leap of the Soul in Manichaeism
by Jason BeDuhn (2001)
(Click to access.)
“Now that we have first hand material from the Manichaeans themselves, we are able to understand both how the Manichaeans saw the actions of the Primal Man as a victory and how their opponents could take the liberty of characterizing those same actions as a defeat.”
See also our Bible and Beyond podcast about this research.
The Meaning of “Magdalene”: A Review of Literary Evidence*
by Elizabeth Schrader and Joan E. Taylor (Published in the Journal of Biblical Literature, 2021)
(Click here to access.)
“While Mary sometimes was believed to come from a place called ‘Magdala’ or ‘Magdalene,’ the assumption was that it was a small and obscure village … However, Jerome thought that the epithet was a reward for Mary’s faith and actions, not something indicative of provenance: Mary ‘of the Tower’.”
See also our Bible and Beyond podcast interview with Elizabeth Schrader Polczer about her research.
Was Martha of Bethany Added to the Fourth Gospel in the Second Century?*
by Elizabeth Schrader Polczer (Published in the Harvard Theological Review, 2017)
(Click here to access.)
See also our Bible and Beyond Podcast about this research.
Questions or suggestions for future articles?
Have a question or suggestion you’d like to be addressed in a future article? Here’s the form for you!
For longer comments or questions, it will be easier to use the contact form here.