The first is the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, which interprets the suffering servant passage of Isa 52-53 as a messianic prophecy. Two pre-Christian texts are relevant here. The question is, did any pre-Christian Jews believe in a dying messiah? And the answer, as most of us know already, but in case you have any doubts explained at length by Thom Stark, is none that we know of. Stark: It is Finished for Richard Carrier's Dying Messiah (I) and (II) Stark: The Death of Richard Carrier's Dying Messiah (I) and (II) For instance, I've disputed Carrier's take on the resurrection view of I Cor 15, just as I've taken Stark to task over his claim that Paul was calling for grassroots political activism. Both Carrier and Stark are shrewd thinkers, and I always enjoy reading their work, even in disagreement. Those entertained by heavy-handed debates won't want to miss the to-and-fro between Richard Carrier and Thom Stark in the following series of blogposts.

Quote for the Day: On 'Playing Safe' with Biblical.

Sex, Wives, and Warriors: Reading Biblical Narrati.

Middle-Earth Retrospectives Rangers of the Northĭoctor Who The Best and Worst of the New Series (1-7) Pedophiles & Ephebophiles Blogs Biblical Studies Carnivalĭiscussion Groups XTalk (Historical Jesus) Subjective Genitive? Special/Series Shogun

(Plutarch, 'On Being a Busybody') Special Guest Posts Life after Death (Alan Segal)īest Biblical Related Posts Jesus and Divorce

Just as cooks pray for a good crop of young animals and fishermen for a good haul of fish, in the same way busybodies pray for a good crop of calamities or a good haul of difficulties that they, like cooks and fishermen, may always have something to fish out and butcher.

May Day by Thom Stark