Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 12-28-2009, 11:19 AM

The Restored New Testament: A New Translation with Commentary, Including the Gnostic Gospels Thomas, Mary, and Judas (or via: amazon.co.uk) by Willis Barnstone.

interview with the author: "Writer seeks to restore Bible's Jewish roots"

Quote:

The names have been changed, and not to protect the innocent. Other Bibles make it too easy to forget the fact that Jesus and his first 12 followers were Jews. This Bible starts by restoring the Jewish names of the purported authors of the familiar gospel stories. Matthew becomes Mattityahu. Mark morphs into Markos, Luke is Loukas. ...

Except that Marcos and Loukas are not Jewish names?

Quote:

Barnstone has published four other works of biblical commentary and translation, including "The New Covenant: Four Gospels (or via: amazon.co.uk)" and (with Marvin Meyer) "The Gnostic Bible (or via: amazon.co.uk)." Some of that work is repurposed in his new book.

He approaches the Bible as a scholar, not a believer. Barnstone describes himself as "a secular Jew" but insists he has no theological agenda. He rarely even eats bagels, he says.

A true theological test?

Quote:

His sharpest critique is saved for those parts of the gospel story that blame the Jews for the death of Jesus and attempt to portray Pontius Pilate and his officers as reluctant executioners. Centuries of pogroms and other persecution, Barnstone says, flow from the story of Pilate washing his hands of the blood of Jesus and the incongruous response of the Jewish mob. "Let his blood be upon us and upon our children!" (Matthew 27:25)

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