MysteryProf

I'd recommend Richard Carrier's paper on the date of Jesus' birth in Luke. It's in the library somewhere. I remember thinking it was very good.

~MysteryProf

Sparrow

Perhaps you would be happier if the text stated that the circumference was 220 cubits divided by 7. Not happy mind you, but happier.

Check your dictionary for the definition of 'diameter' again. It is not necessarily restricted to circular (spherical) objects. Perhaps you missed some parts of my post. I agree it is an error, but it is not a egregious one. It might make an inerrantist look bad, but there are worse examples for them. For those theists who admit the babble has errors, this issue is a non starter and is easily explained as a (poor) approximation, sloppy measurement, translation artifact, copyist error or something even stranger.

If one can ignore all the other problems objective readers might have with the babble and rest your case against it on these measurements, you're not going to win that argument anyway.

Vinnie

Neither is your potential error "until you prove it". Unless you use double standards then you should drop it in light of your on comments which concede the issue.

One shouldn't need to use double standards to point out Biblical errors.

Vinnie

Vinnie

Luke conflates two sets of riots as far as I am aware and actually agrees with Matthew. Of course this is an actual error in the text and this then is major to fundibots but to historians, its a minor slip on Luke's part.

Vinnie

Goliath

No, I wouldn't be happier. If the bible had said that the circumference was APPROXIMATELY 30 cubits and the diameter was APPROXIMATELY 30 cubits, then I would be happy.

Draw an oval (that is not a circle) on a piece of paper, and tell me what its diameter is. You can't, because it isn't well defined.

The diameter of a circle is defined to be twice its radius. If a closed curve is not a circle, then it doesn't have a radius, and therefore does not have a diameter.

Sincerely,

Goliath

Goliath

The proof of the error rests in the reading of the text. A circular pool is described with a circumference of 30 cubits and a diameter of 10 cubits. But pi is not 3. This is a contradiction. QED.

Sincerely,

Goliath

GakuseiDon

For that to work, the diameter and the circumference need to be taken from the same point. The bath was shaped like a lily, so the lips at the top of the bath were slightly wider than the body. The diameter was measured "from lip to lip". If the circumference was taken of the body of the bath (which seems reasonable) then there is no problem.

rlogan

The bath is on the edge of a black hole. As such, it is curved through space-time, and the diameter becomes a chord through another dimension. Less than Pi.

Madkins007

OK, so if the word 'naar' is used in places as young child, and other places as man (2 Kings 9:4 "So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead" to use an example from the same book) based on context, what context would indicate that these 42+ are little kids?

Even as a group of 13-15 year olds, it could be a formidible group, and one has to wonder about a group that large following him outside the city (although we don't know how far outside, I would assume that the bears would not be at the edge of the city).

And, by the way, I DO apologize for the 'angry' bit- that was an outgrowth of a scenario, not- as you pointed out- based on the text!

Now... just last night, I have found, my daughter and 4 friends were assaulted for no reason by a group of 5 kids (possibly gang wanna bes out doing grafitti, etc.). Of the group, most were 15 and 16 with a 19 as well. Right now, I would be hard pressed not to wish for a similar attack on this group. Not much to do with the discussion, but thanks for letting me vent a bit!

Madkins007

According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, "He possessed, according to his own request, "a double portion" of Elijah's spirit (2 Kings 2:9); and for the long period of about sixty years (B.C. 892-832) held the office of "prophet in Israel" (2 Kings 5:8).", but I can't tell at which point in the 60 years the bear story happens, nor how old he was before filling the office.