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Name: DavidB •
Title: Who was Maria, really? •
Date posted: 04/18/13 14:12
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Q: First, I must admit that I am probably the ultimate skeptic of the Christian message, this as a result of many years of research on the subject from the First and Second Century sources.
With that said, my question is do we have any definitive evidence from the First Century, outside of the Christian scriptures, which provides information into the family of Maria? Since the name is so rare, and especially since it was spelled with Hebrew letters, can we state with certainty that she was truly Jewish? Is Maria a name that was used within Jewish families in Judea and Galilee? Or is it likely that she was of either Roman or Greek descent from the forces who occupied, or were occupying in the region at the time?
If the only evidence we have of her grows from the "New Testament" and most other Second Century sources, I believe these are questions which require an answer.
Thank you.
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Name: QuebecIndieAnna •
Date: 04/20/13 14:11 |
A: .
Hello,
An article by James Tabor is one you have perhaps read.
Here is the link in case you have not.
http://jamestabor.com/2008/06/01/the-res-something-about-mariamne-with-an-n/
I-t- is on his blog.
Indie
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Name: DavidB •
Date: 04/22/13 1:31 |
A: Indie,
Please note I am asking about "Maria" and not "Mariamne," the woman thought to be the mother of Jesus.
The link you provided did not work.
Thanks,
David
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Name: QuebecIndieAnna •
Date: 04/23/13 3:28 |
A: .
Hello David,
Yes, of course. I did not read properly. The female epigrapher in the documentary by Jacobovici and Cameron explain that Maria is written in Hebrew, but it is the latinized form of Myriam ( M a r i a ).
Kind of like if I wrote George in Spanish, but instead of
spelling it Jorge, I wrote is Horhé. Really bad analogy.
I'll try to think of another example...
Ah : the French name Pierre written as Peeair:
It is still hard for us Occidentals to get the jist of the Maria
'difference, because we all use the same alphabet.
Hebrew characters and Latin characters are so different.
It is easier to see when a word in Hebrew has
a Latin form. Our Occidental ears are so accustomed to hearing Maria.
We do not always get that Myriam was the Hebrew form.
Historians hold that her name must have been Myriam and was Latinized by the Primitive church as converts from the Empire flooded the new faith.
Do I understand that you are wondering if Maria might have been not from Juda, but from somewhere in the Roman Empire and came by her Latinized name 'naturally'?
Her genealogy, is a literary device to establish her 'royal' line, in order to proclaim the priestly provenance of her blood. I think? I think there must have been more movement than is sometimes thought in the populations around the Mediterranean basin. Jews had been deported centuries before. I do not know what research has been done on the possible intercultural nature of the people of Juda.
The writings in the bone boxes, indeed, are a telephone book of sorts. I do not think we have finished hearing about all that can be extracted from the inscriptions on them.
I'd like to hear more about other inscriptions that have a Hebrew script but a sounding of names from Latin or Greek.
Indie
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Name: bonijean2 •
Date: 04/21/14 17:11 |
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A: Since the Hebrews had been captured and enslaved by the time of the first Fall of Jerusalem it would make sense that she could have been a descendant of the Desporia, and might this mean that her country of origin could have been one of many possibilities - Egypt, Syria, Roman Empire, British Isles, Greece, Juda, China (Han Dynasty) or even North America? It would seem all these countries had access to sea travel and most provide a wide array of ancient rock art.
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Name: QuebecIndieAnna •
Date: 04/21/14 23:54 |
A: .
Hello BoniJean2. I agree with you that Maria could have been from the diaspora. It can be assumed that a lot of people stayed put from birth to death and did not venture far from their home town. Conversely, it can also be assumed that the Mediterranean carried people from one place to another, Cyprus being but one example. Another example of a 1st century international jet-setter was Paul.
Indie
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Name: bonijean2 •
Date: 04/22/14 1:54 |
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A: Hi Indie - yes, there were many ways for people to get around two thousand years ago and I think the first thing we need to remember is that they did travel by sea (and not just across the Sea of Galilee). The "known world" back then was the whole world and ancient sea traders were everywhere trying to lay claim to every nook and cranny of it for power and wealth. Because modern society is still not willing to sanction this idea historians stumble around trying to piece together little bits of evidence here and there seeking historical truth but it is like a puppy chasing it's tail. Ancient sea merchants knew who had control of the various ocean waterways and they formed alliances with each other - And kept secrets amongst themselves. Archeologists really need to spend more time checking out the rock art in the Pacific Northwest and where it leads. I promise, it will turn their world around.
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Name: QuebecIndieAnna •
Date: 04/22/14 3:10 |
A: .
Hi again BJ2. I am very ignorant of the the Pacific North West. Do you mean Russia? Alaska? Or, if you are American, perhaps you mean the NW of the US? Rock art in western North America is something I know nothing of. Am very ignorant of ancient western North American Native rock art. Art you an art major?
Indie
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Name: bonijean2 •
Date: 04/22/14 14:13 |
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A: yes, in the Pacific Northwest in North America. There are many unique and unusual sites with art and inscriptions that tell the truth of our ancient history. Some sites are out in the open while others are hidden or hidden in plain sight. When hiking I have even seen what appear to be ancient tombs with ancient carved figures and inscriptions and a place referred to as the "OV". Hence the symbol of the large V shape over the small O as seen on the ancient tomb discovered in the Middle East. I truly believe the story begins here in North America though because there is just too much evidence. I have a background in art history and a MA in Education. I am a teacher here in Washington State.
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