Bible, Myth, and History

Revue Biblique on The Case for a Proto-Gospel

This review, from one of the oldest academic biblical magazines, is in French. With the help of the editor, I had the following extract translated into English. The review uses traditional abbreviations for several terms. “A” is the author, i.e., Me.

It is clear that Jn is very different from the synoptics, and in particular from Mc, but the A. claims that Jn made changes because he disagreed. Still, they share many episodes, albeit without many verbal agreements. A first chapter is attached to Jn 6, which brings together elements dispersed in Mk 6 and 8 (multiplication of the loaves, walking on the waters, etc.); next, the story of the paralytic of Capernaum is compared to the story of the cripple of Bethzatha of Jn 5; then the discourse on the bread of life is related to the rejection of Jesus by his own; then, the episodes relating to the beginning of Jesus’ mission highlight the role of John the Baptist; then Jesus’ last visit to Jerusalem is examined, followed by the plot against Jesus, the account of the Eucharist, the Jewish trial of Jesus, the appearance before Pilate, the crucifixion, and finally the resurrection. Finally, the A. proposes a restoration of the supposed protevangel: it is essentially Mc, with some intrusions of Jn and Lc. The author considers that three criteria prove his thesis: a good number of John’s stories have parallels in Mark; the order of the pericopes is most often similar; John cannot have followed either Mark or Luke directly, which presupposes an earlier state.

This result has required long analyses and very ingenious considerations, which could be discussed in detail, but the overall remark to be made is that the interest of this research is not apparent.

Midwest Book Review on Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists, Volume II

Midwest Book Review October 2022

Willis Buhle’s Bookshelf

Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists
Gary Greenberg
Pereset Press
9781737308812, $36.95, HC, 428pp

Synopsis: Continuing his astonishing study of Egyptian influences on the Book of Genesis, Gary Greenberg moves from Egypt’s historical chronology to its mythological chronology, with the publication of “Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II: Egypt’s Mythological Period”.

In this latest volume Greenberg meticulously uncovers the biblical book’s deep dependence on Egyptian sources for some of its most famous stories, including the seven days of creation, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, and the family of nations descended from Ham, Shem, and Japheth.

Despite the biblical narrative showing that Israel’s formative period as a nation took place in Egypt, almost all biblical scholars and Egyptologists refuse to take such claims seriously, rarely looking at anything more than an occasional peripheral link. Greenberg’s thorough scholarly examination of the biblical and Egyptological sources tears through this “papyrus curtain” and presents clear and convincing evidence that the original authors of Genesis worked from a solid knowledge of Egypt’s literary and historical sources and used them as the basis of the Bible’s primeval history.

It was only long after, when Genesis source documents were significantly re-edited and heavily redacted during the Second Temple period, did the Hebrews lose touch with their Egyptian roots. Greenberg sets the record straight and the results are impressive.

Some of the stunning discoveries in “Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II Egypt’s Mythical Period” include:

How did the Genesis author determine in what year the first Patriarchs, from Adam to Jared, fathered their first son? Egypt’s mythical chronology holds the answers. That the story of Noah and the flood was the original Genesis creation story and it was based on Egypt’s most famous creation myths.

Who was the mysterious light that appeared on the first day of creation? (Yes, who, not what; No, it wasn’t Jesus.) – Who were the biblical generations of Heaven and Earth and who were these children? – Egyptian deities in the Garden of Eden? What is the hidden Egyptian secret behind the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life? – How long did the flood last and what does that have to do with the Egyptian calendar? – Were there seven days of creation or eight?

Critique: A work of impressively detailed analytical scholarship, “Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II: Egypt’s Mythological Period” is an informative, thought-provoking, iconoclastic, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college and university library Egyptology, Judaic, Old Testament, and Christian Biblical Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, Judaic/Christian theologians, Egyptologists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that “Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II: Egypt’s Mythological Period” is also available in a paperback edition (9781737308805, $26.95).

Editorial Note: President of the Biblical Archaeology Society of New York and a Fellow of the Jesus Project, an organization of biblical scholars concerned with issues related to the “historical” Jesus, Gary Greenberg is the author of several highly-praised books on biblical history, including the popular biblical classic “101 Myths of the Bible: How Ancient Scribes Invented Biblical History.” His works have been translated into many languages. He also has a dedicated website at http://biblemythhistory.com

Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer

Back Cover Copy for Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists, Volume II

If Volume I shocked you, wait until you read Volume II

Continuing his astonishing study of Egyptian influences on the Book of Genesis, Gary Greenberg moves from Egypt’s historical chronology to its mythological chronology, meticulously uncovering the biblical book’s deep dependence on Egyptian sources for some of its most famous stories, including the seven days of creation, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, and the family of nations descended from Ham, Shem, and Japheth.

Despite the biblical narrative showing that Israel’s formative period as a nation took place in Egypt, almost all biblical scholars and Egyptologists refuse to take such claims seriously, rarely looking at anything more than an occasional peripheral link. Greenberg’s thorough scholarly examination of the biblical and Egyptological sources tears through this “papyrus curtain” and presents clear and convincing evidence that the original authors of Genesis worked from a solid knowledge of Egypt’s literary and historical sources and used them as the basis of the Bible’s primeval history.

Press Release for Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists, Volume II.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Gary Greenberg

info@biblemythhistory.com

The Book of Genesis is based on Egyptian myths and literature, says bible historian

Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists:

The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II: Egypt’s Mythological Period

By Gary Greenberg

Renowned author Gary Greenberg returns with the second volume in his Egyptian Origins of Genesis History series. While Volume I focused on the historical chronology of Egypt, Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II: Egypt’s Mythological Period (September 5, 2022) takes a look into the mythological side of Egyptian history. Looking at many of the bible’s most famous stories in the Book of Genesis, Greenberg’s thorough scholarly examination of the biblical and Egyptological sources presents clear and convincing evidence that the original authors of Genesis worked from a solid knowledge of Egypt’s literary and historical sources, using that as the basis of the Bible’s primeval history. His work challenges many current widely held beliefs that these stories originated in Babylonian literature.

Greenberg observes that despite the biblical narrative showing that Israel’s formative period as a nation took place in Egypt, almost all biblical scholars and Egyptologists refuse to take such claims seriously, rarely looking at anything more than an occasional peripheral link. Greenberg’s very detailed examination of the biblical and Egyptological sources tears through this “papyrus curtain” and shows how biblical scribes relied on Egypt’s rich trove of myth and literature about primeval history to formulate their own monotheistic take on Israel’s earliest roots. In the course of his study he looks at such well-known biblical stories such as the seven days of creation, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the conflict between Cain and Able, Noah and the flood, and the rise of nations from Noah’s descendants. All, he says, have very strong narrative connections to well-known Egyptian traditions.

Only after the Babylonians and Assyrians exercised military control over Israel, did the Genesis scribes lose touch with their Egyptian roots. This resulted in literary attempts to modify and transform the earlier stories so that they harmonized with the cultural traditions of their conquerors. Greenberg traces many of the literary trails that led from stories with Egyptian origins to new versions based on Babylonian era modifications.

Greenberg has appeared on numerous radio, television, and podcast shows to discuss his works and is a lively speaker and engaging debater. He is available for interviews, Q and A’s, articles, guest lectures, and debates.

Praise for Greenberg’s Previous Books on the Bible

“[Greenberg] seems to delight in a game of scholarly ‘gotcha.’ ” – N. Y. Times

“Fascinating and thought provoking.” – Today’s Librarian

“Guaranteed to raise hackles and lively debate.” – Denver Post

“Ingenious.” – St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Intriguing and controversial.” – Multi-cultural Review

“A riveting read.” – Florence SC News

“A must read.” – The Tennessee Tribune

“Will make for lively dinner table discussions.” – Spokesman-Review

“Will make you think.” – Green Bay Press-Gazette

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gary Greenberg, former President of the Biblical Archaeology Society of New York, is the author of several books on biblical and Near Eastern history, including the biblical classics 101 Myths of the Bible and The Moses Mystery, as well as several peer-reviewed books about the Bible from academic presses. He is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the subject of Israel’s origins as an Egyptian people and its subsequent use of Egyptian history, literature and myth as the foundational source for its own origin stories. His books have been distributed worldwide in several non-English editions.

He has published articles in scholarly Egyptological journals and several essays on the academic web-site Bible and Interpretation He has also presented numerous papers at the annual conferences of several prestigious academic conferences, including the International Society of Biblical Literature, the International Congress of Egyptologists, the American Research Center in Egypt, and the American Society of Overseas Research. He served as a consultant to National Geographic Television’s documentary on Cain and Abel. He maintains a website at www.biblemythhistory.com.

Greenberg attended Brooklyn College, where he majored in Mathematics, and received a Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II: Egypt’s Mythological Period will be released September 5, 2022

REVIEW COPIES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

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A gift for my subscribers

Today is the official release day for my new book, Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II: Egypt’s Mythological Period. I have put a few complimentary copies aside for my subscribers, on a first come-first serve basis. If you would like to receive a copy, send me an email through this site with your name and mailing address. All I ask is that you commit to posting a review on Amazon with whatever your honest opinion of the book may be. Indicate in the email that you will post a review in return for receiving a copy.

Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists Volume II will be available for purchase beginning on September 5th, 2022.

For the first time in over 2,000 years, I have published the only complete and accurate account of Egypt’s mythological chronology.

Shu separating Heaven (Nut) and Earth (Geb)

In Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume II: Egypt’s Mythological Chronology (hereinafter GKL2), I move from Volume I’s examination of Egypt’s dynastic history and its corresponding chronology in Genesis to Egypt’s mythological chronology and its correspondences in Genesis. But there is a major problem that has to be solved before that can be done. What was Egypt’s mythological chronology?

I haven’t posted in a while because I have been quite busy trying to finish my follow-up to Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis History, Volume I: Egypt’s Historical Period. I published that in 2019. I had planned to write and release the second volume by mid-2021 at the latest. However, 2020 was taken up by completion of my 700-page treatise on the gospels, The Case for a Proto-Gospel, which carried me to the end of 2020.

When I began work on the second volume, I thought it would go rather quickly since it covered a much smaller portion of the Genesis chronology, and I assumed it would be a good bit shorter than the previous volume I. Instead, when I got to the formatting stage, it was shocked to discover that it was about 50 per cent longer than Volume I. In fact, it is the second longest book I have written, weighing in at over 400 pages.

Volume II, covering Egypt’s Mythological Chronology is now completed and, barring any more glitches (Microsoft Word can throw a lot your way) the book should be released by September 5th, in both hardcopy and paperback. I think it’s a terrific read if you’re into this aspect of Egyptian and biblical history. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised, perhaps shocked, by many of the revelations.

Over the next few days, I’ll post some further information on the book. I also plan to make a few complimentary copies available to my subscribers. Stay tuned for details of the offer.

Update: The Case for a Proto-Gospel

I have been advised by Peter Lang Publishers that a paperback version of “The Case for a Proto-Gospel”, my peer-reviewed treatise on the literary origins of the Gospels, should be at the printers by mid-June. Because this is an academic work from a scholarly publisher, it is not cheap, but the paperback edition will be substantially less expensive that the hardcover version.

Why Can’t We Date the Exodus? Part 9, My Take: The Parameters

Editorial note: I originally intended to wrap up this series with the present post, but it was becoming far longer than I expected. So, I am publishing it in at least three parts. The present essay is “My Take: the Parameters.” The follow-up post will be My Take: a Proposed Date for the Exodus. The final post, I hope, will be My Take: the Exodus in its Historical Context.

The Egyptian god Thoth, watching over a scribe

For Part 1, Introduction go here

For Part 2, Merneptah and the Book of Judges go here

For Part 3, The Problem of Solomon’s Chronology go here

For Part 4, The 430-year Sojourn go here

For Part 5, The 400 years of slavery go here

For Part 6, The Hyksos Theory go here

For Part 7, The Osarseph Theory, go here

For Part 8, The Chaeremon Theory, go here

To establish a plausible date for the Exodus, we need to find a balance among four different parameters. (1) Do we date biblical events using the traditional Jewish date of Creation at 3761 BCE, or do we have to move the Creation date back to an earlier time? (2) Do we use biblical dating or historical dating? (3) Do we date events in Egypt based on the High Chronology or the Low Chronology? (4) Does the chosen Exodus date show a parallel relationship between the events in the biblical account and events in Egypt?

Because of potential plausibility issues in the biblical story, such as miracles, conflicts within the biblical chronological data, and conflicts over the Egyptian chronology, there may not be a perfect solution that precisely aligns all four factors. However, whatever date presents the best balance among these four parameters is likely to be the best solution.

In my book, Genesis Chronology and Egyptian King-Lists: The Egyptian Origins of Genesis Chronology, Volume I, Egypt’s Dynastic Period, I examined the relationship between Genesis Chronology and Egyptian Chronology. Genesis has a chronology that provides a continuous record of Patriarchal birth and death dates running through twenty-three generations, beginning with the birth of Adam and ending with the death of Joseph. If one had a fixed date for any of these births or deaths, one could establish a set of dates for each birth and death in the sequence. Using the traditional Jewish date of Creation, I calculated each of these birth and death dates.

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