Historical context matters. I can think of many instances when learning the “rest of the story” is of immense help in understanding the current context. A social gathering gets suddenly awkward when Yuri enters the room; Boris, next to you, leans over to whisper, “He and Sasha used to date.”* A particular church’s dynamics seem […]
The Value of the Apocrypha: 1 Maccabees and Jesus
December 3, 2015 By Rich Herbster
Filed Under: Bulletin Board, Rich's Blog Tagged With: 1 Maccabees, Apocrypha, Hammer, King, Kingdom of God
Books that Didn’t Make the Cut: The Value of the Apocrypha
November 19, 2015 By Rich Herbster
We don’t determine the value of something generally based on its lack of value for a particular purpose. If I need a hammer for a particular job for which my screwdriver is not helpful, it doesn’t therefore follow that my screwdriver is worthless and should be thrown away. If I want to play football, I […]
Filed Under: Bulletin Board, Rich's Blog Tagged With: 1 Maccabees, 2 Esdras, Apocrypha, Canon, genre, historical context