Corpus-Paul

["Mark D. Nanos" <nanosmd AT comcast.net>]

on 9/17/02 8:12 PM, Billy Evans at biblewje AT comcast.net wrote:

> Charles and specifically Mark:
> 
> I refer you to my earlier response today.  And Mark, logically, if Jewish
> Christians were not removing their marks why would Paul address it?

Rhetoric is/was a funny animal. Are you familiar with Eric Gruen, Heritage
and Hellenism, U. of California? I highly recommend it for the kind of
"rhetorical" question you pose.

>  Of
> course, the literature is quite full of such examples as I said earlier as
> well as are rabbinic literatures which addresses it.  I might add that this
> issue was addressed (early Jewish Christians removing their mark) at Hebrew
> Union, in embarassment I should add.  I believe my friend Richard Oster even
> documents such practices found on iconographies (but I am not certain on
> this fact).

I still remain unaware of any references, much less many references to early
Jewish Christians receiving epispasm. I do not doubt some cases, but I do
doubt it represented the ideological convictions of the kind of Jewish
believers in Christ of which we read in the NT. Please provide some evidence
to the contrary that may be evaluated. I also do not understand the comment
about embarrassment at Hebrew U regarding this historical question; please
explain.

Regards,
Mark
-- 
Mark D. Nanos, Ph.D.
313 NE Landings Dr.
Lee's Summit, MO 64064
USA
nanosmd AT comcast.net