Review of Van Maaren, The Gospel of Mark’s Judaism ....

BOOK REVIEW: The Gospel of Mark’s Judaism and the Death of Christ as a Ransom for Many (R. B. JAMIESON, Themelios).

Many monographs proclaim their ambition to shift a paradigm; few do. In my opinion, this volume stands a better chance than most. This monograph is the second to develop from the author’s doctoral dissertation at McMaster University; the first was published as The Boundaries of Jewishness in the Southern Levant: 200 BCE–132 CE (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2022). The present work applies a nuanced, textured set of conceptualities for discerning and situating the “Jewishness” of an ancient religious text such as the Gospel of Mark, which it employs to undermine the reigning scholarly paradigm, which the author calls “Gentile Mark.”

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For more on the book, see here and here.

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Josephus' effeminizing propaganda?

THE CLASSICAL QUARTERLY:

SELF-MADE ‘MEN’: THE PROGRESSIVE EMASCULATION OF THE BROTHERS ASINAEUS AND ANILAEUS IN JOSEPHUS, ANTIQUITIES 18

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 April 2026

The Classical Quarterly , First View , pp. 1 - 15
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0009838826101190
Open Access

Joseph Scales and Isaac T. Soon

Abstract

This article analyses how Flavius Josephus presents the conquests of Asinaeus and Anilaeus, two robber-bandits who established a fiefdom in first-century Babylonia. In dialogue with common Roman tropes about gender and his previous writings on the notable physical features of men in times of war, this article focusses on how Josephus progressively effeminizes Asinaeus and Anilaeus. Although their military feats abound, their increasingly risky behaviour and their growing neglect of Jewish ways of life jeopardize their own character and the safety of their Jewish kin. With this strategy of emasculation, Josephus undermines those who self-interestedly seek power and influence.

Follow the link for the full text of this open-access article.

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Narsai: The Homilies. Volume 2 (Peeters)

NEW BOOK FROM PEETERS PUBLISHERS:

Narsai: The Homilies. Volume 2

Series:
Eastern Christian Texts in Translation, 7

Author:
Becker A.H.

Price: 65 euro
Year: 2026
ISBN: 9789042954250
Pages: XIV-203 p.

Summary:

Narsai, who is variously called “the tongue of the East” and “the harp of the Spirit”, is among the most important and influential Syriac authors. His life spanned the fifth century, which was a tumultuous time for Christians following the controversies surrounding the First Council of Ephesus, the Second Council of Ephesus, and the Council of Chalcedon. Playing a crucial role at this critical juncture, Narsai would ultimately be remembered as one of the foundational figures of the Church of the East. This volume, the second in the series Narsai: The Homilies, offers translations of several of Narsai’s homilies that focus on Lent and moral reform. The homilies translated in this volume are “On Lent I” (20), “On Lent III” (23), “On Lent IV” (24), “On Lent V” (26), “On Reproof” (25), “On Reproof of the Clergy” (78), and “On Reproof” (79).

I noted the publication of volume one here. Cross-file under Syriac Watch.

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