The Narrow Path Ministries

Interesting book review about "Jesus in the Talmud":

http://www.powells.com/review/2007_08_02

Homer,

Just to let you know I read this review...a few weeks ago actually.

Several years back (in about 2001) I began a study of the virginal conception of Jesus referencing the Talmud and reading a few books about it. I also found various modern-day Jewish views online; what Jews say today about Jesus in the Talmud: There's a wide range of differences of opinion among them and they sometimes very strongly disagree....

This week I took up my study again -- which I do on & off -- and emailed a leading textual critic, Dan Wallace, asking some questions about an ancient manuscript of Matthew in Syriac which is very early in date, possibly pre-dating most, if not all, Greek NT mss. This ms actually has Joseph as the human father of Jesus, I should (or will) mention. But I'm not really ready to say much more on that right now: am waiting to hear from Dr. Dan, a nice guy: A link to his and some other peoples' excellent interviews on Converse With Scholars (when you listen "live" you can ask questions! I've asked several of the guests stuff...but my computer is too old to get into Paltalk, hope to resolve this soon):
http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/cws/home

Anyway.

Other FBFF members have wanted to discuss this (the virginal conception) with me. But till I get a reply from Dan Wallace I'm still "compiling notes" (and recently lost all of them due to my computer crashing...though I have some notes in posts on various forums and could look them up)....

I may comment on this review soon. A couple things came to mind when I first read it but I've been busy lately. Thanks for posting it, though, Brother Homer! (because you got me to thinking about getting back to work on my study),
God bless you,
Rick

P.S. You probably know that ms = "manuscript" and mss = in the plural.
Just to clarify.

P.S.S. Paidion........That Calvin 'quote', I found out, was actually a paraphrase. So you may want to delete your post. Sorry about that.

Paraphrase of Calvin

"If you are slaves to sin, why boast of free will?" -- Calvin
Uhhhhhm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What????

"What????" is a most appropriate question. I have never been able to understand the idea that Calvin and his followers promoted in suggesting that because one is a slave, he has no free will.

The black slaves of America did not lose their free will. They lost their ability to act.

I may want to raise my arms and fly up into the air. This may be my wish ---- my will. But, unlike the birds, I just can't do it. My free will is not less because of it.

Perhaps Calvin et al, are using "free will" in a broader sense. Perhaps they mean not only "free will" in the usual sense, but also the ability to carry out one's willful intentions.