The Bible and the Nature of Man

24 December 201114 October 2023 ~ MD Harris Institute ~ 1 Comment

No form of government, no powerful leader, no set of laws, and no group of social programs will fix our shattered world. The Bible has much to say about the nature of man.

By Mark D. Harris

Man is a magnificent and tortured creature. He is capable of the brilliance of Newton, the dedication of Paul, and the courage of Shackleton. He is also capable of the stupidity of the Three Stooges, the wavering of Congress, and the cowardice of Pontius Pilate. The same race that produced Washington and Lincoln also produced Mao Tse Tung and Shaka Zulu. We are industrious and lazy, courageous and cowardly, selfless and selfish, and clear headed and confused. The Bible has much to say about the character of man.

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Spiritual Formation and the Nature of Man

23 December 201114 October 2023 ~ MD Harris Institute

“Pseudonymity”, “Pseudepigraphy” and the New Testament

19 December 201114 October 2023 ~ MD Harris Institute ~ Leave a comment

Learn a little about how the New Testament was actually written, and by whom. Pseudepigraphy refers to false authors, while pseudonymity means unknown authors.

By Mark D. Harris

Letters were a common way of communicating in the first century. The vast Roman Empire, with its excellent roads, efficient administration, reliable seaborne trade and generally peaceful interior made travel easy, and made mail both necessary and possible.

Papyrus, a paper made from the reeds in Egypt, was the favored vehicle for written communication. Parchment, made from sheep and goat skins, and vellum, made from calves, was also available but much more expensive. The scroll was the most common form, but occasionally books with bound pages (called codexes) were produced. An author would usually dictate his book to a scribe called an amanuensis. The ink was atramentum, based on carbon black (soot), gum and water. Quills served as good implements. Letters typically contained a greeting, address, a body, and a farewell.

Pseudonymity

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Paul’s Life Background and Chronology

19 December 201114 October 2023 ~ MD Harris Institute ~ Leave a comment

The Pharisee Saul, better known as Paul, laid the foundation for the Church. Paul’s life background is important. What can we learn from him?

By Mark D. Harris

Paul, possibly the most famous of the apostles of Jesus Christ, was a scion of Jews of the Diaspora. Until the Babylonian exile beginning in 605-586 BC, Israelites of the tribe of Judah were concentrated in Southern Palestine. Afterwards, they were scattered all over the ancient Near East, with large communities thriving in Alexandria and Rome. A sizeable community arose in Tarsus of Cilicia, a province in what is now southeastern Turkey close to the border of Syria. Tarsus was a major Roman city of trade and learning, and Cilicia was famous for its cloth products. Both influences can be clearly seen in Paul’s later life as an educated traveler and scholar who made tents to support himself.

Jews of the Diaspora formed communities wherever they lived and so were able to maintain much of their religion and culture, including attending synagogues and observing dietary laws. Paul, the son of observant Jewish parents, was raised as a “Hebrews of Hebrews” in this environment. Paul’s parents were also Roman citizens, a rare honor, and so Paul inherited citizenship, which greatly helped his ministry. At some point in his childhood he traveled to Jerusalem and learned Judaism at the feet of Gamaliel, the famous 1^st century Jewish teacher. Passionate for his Hebrew faith, Paul became a Pharisee, and excelled among his peers in every way.