Bible and Archaeology

The Star of Bethlehem is one of the most famous elements of Matthew’s Nativity story, but what could it actually have been? How could a star lead travelers, stop over a location, or identify a single house? This week, physicist Dr. Aaron Adair joins Bible & Archaeology to examine the most common scientific explanations for the Star of Bethlehem and why many of them fall apart. By looking at both the science and the ancient context, we ask what Matthew may have intended his readers to understand and why the Star functions the way it does in the Gospel narrative.👉 Dr. Adair helps us explore– Was Matthew using technical astronomical language?– How were astronomical phenomena understood in the ancient Mediterranean world?– Could Matthew’s star have been a comet, a supernova, or even a planet?📖 Reading Recommendations:The Star of Bethlehem: A Skeptical View by Aaron Adair"The Star of Christ in the Light of Astronomy" by Aaron Adair"A Critical Look at the History of Interpreting the Star of Bethlehem in Scientific Literature and Biblical Studies" by Aaron Adair in The Star of Bethlehem and the Magi✨ Become a Bible & Archaeology patron on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.✉️ Send us your questions: [email protected]🔗 Want to watch the show? Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see a video recording of this show.🌐 Everywhere you can find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Aaron AdairHosted and edited by Dr. Jordan JonesAdditional contributions by Mary Kathryn Lichty The Bible & Archaeology podcast is made with support from Amanda Stone

The Proto-Gospel of James is one of the most influential non-canonical texts in Christian history, especially when it comes to how Christians came to imagine Mary and the Nativity. This early Christian gospel focuses not on Jesus’ ministry, but on the miraculous birth and early life of Mary, her betrothal to Joseph, and the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth. In fact, many familiar Christmas traditions, like Mary’s perpetual virginity, Joseph’s age, and the detailed setting of the Nativity, trace back not to Matthew or Luke, but to this text. This week, Dr. Mark Goodacre joins us to explore what the Proto-Gospel of James aims to accomplish, why it became so influential, and how it addresses gaps and tensions in the canonical Nativity stories while creating new problems of its own.👉 Dr. Goodcare helps us explore:– Where did the Proto-Gospel of James come from?– What does it tell us about Mary?– What new problems does it create?– Why does the Proto-Gospel of James still matter?📖 Reading Recommendations:"The Protevangelium of James and the Creative Rewriting of Matthew and Luke" by Mark GoodacreThe Protevangelium of James in Papyrus Bodmer V: Titles, Genres, and Traditions in Transmission by Kimberley A. Fowler✨ Become a Bible & Archaeology patron on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.✉️ Send us your questions: [email protected]🔗 Want to watch the show? Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see a video recording of this show.🌐 Everywhere you can find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Mark GoodacreHosted and edited by Dr. Jordan JonesAdditional contributions by Mary Kathryn Lichty The Bible & Archaeology podcast is made with support from Amanda Stone

Many of the Christmas traditions we take for granted, like December 25th, the Nativity, Christmas trees, the Magi, the star of Bethlehem, and even Herod’s massacre, have complex histories that don’t always match the Bible or what we’ve been taught. This week, biblical scholar Dan McClellan joins us to explain the most common Christmas misconceptions and what the historical and textual evidence actually shows.👉 Dr. McClellan helps us explore:– When Christians started saying “put Christ back in Christmas”– Whether Christmas has pagan origins– The origins of the Nativity scene– How modern culture reshapes the Bible✨ Become a Bible & Archaeology patron on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.✉️ Send us your questions: [email protected]🔗 Want to watch the show? Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see a video recording of this show.🌐 Everywhere you can find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Dan McClellanHosted by Dr. Jordan JonesEdited by Mary Kathryn Lichty The Bible & Archaeology podcast is made with support from Amanda Stone

Ancient Egypt is far harder to reconstruct than most people imagine. Egyptologist Dr. Campbell Price joins us to explore how archaeologists and the Egypt Exploration Society pieced together Egypt’s past through 50 key discoveries. We look at the history of archaeological exploration in Egypt, how early excavations were shaped by biblical expectations and colonial agendas, and how those discoveries continue to influence what we think we know about Ancient Egypt today.👉 Dr. Price helps us explore:– What is the Egypt Exploration Society– How religious and colonial concerns shaped early archaeology– How did they settle on 50 discoveries?– What is next for the Egypt Exploration Society?📖 Check out the book: Ancient Egypt in 50 Discoveries📺 Watch more from Dr. Price on "After Dark"– Why Pharaohs Were More Sickening Than You Think! With Dr. Campbell Price– Ancient Egypt's Pyramids, Black Magic, And Execution Rituals✨ Become a Bible & Archaeology patron on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.✉️ Send us your questions: [email protected]🔗 Want to watch the show? Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see a video recording of this show.🌐 Everywhere you can find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Campbell PriceHosted by Dr. Jordan JonesAdditional contributions by Mary Kathryn Lichty The Bible & Archaeology podcast is made with support from Amanda Stone

What Mesopotamian texts influenced the Hebrew Bible? Dr. Joshua Bowen from Digital Hammurabi joins us to compare ancient Near Eastern literature—including the Atrahasis, the Code of Hammurabi, and other Mesopotamian myths—with the biblical text. We explore textual dependence, shared motifs, internal tensions, and what these parallels reveal about the Bible’s development.📺 Check out Digital Hammurabi on YouTube👉 Dr. Bowen helps us explore:– How to think about textual dependence– What kinds of Mesopotamian texts influenced the Bible– What questions you should ask about the Bible's use of other texts🔗 Resources & Links – ETCSL (The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature) – ORACC (Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus)– Learn to Read Ancient Hebrew: An Introduction for Complete Beginners by Joshua Bowen– Before the Muses: An Anthology of Akkadian Literature by Benjamin Foster (for Akkadian literature)– The Harps that Once...: Sumerian Poetry in Translation Paperback by Thorkild Jacobsen– The Literature of Ancient Sumer– Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others by Stephanie Dalley✨ Become a Bible & Archaeology patron on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.✉️ Send us your questions: [email protected]🔗 Want to watch the show? Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see a video recording of this show.🌐 Everywhere you can find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Joshua BowenHosted by Dr. Jordan JonesEdited by Mary Kathryn Lichty The Bible & Archaeology podcast is made with support from Amanda Stone