Bible Review

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090[?]–1153) was a French churchman, author of theological works, and founder of the Cistercian Order.

St. Ambrose (340[?]–397) was a well-liked governor in Milan who was made bishop by popular demand in 374. He wrote many theological works, and his preaching helped convert St. Augustine.

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are named in Isaiah 11:1–3 and are wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, piety, and the fear of the Lord. See also Revelation 5:6.

Cf. Dennis Nineham, Mark, Pelican Gospel Commentaries (Baltimore: Penguin, 1963), pp. 146–147; Albrecht Oepke, “kaqeuvdw” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. G. Kittel (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964), vol. 3, p. 436; Eduard Schweizer, The Good News According to Mark (Atlanta: John Knox, 1970), p. 109.

Cf. Alfred Plummer, An Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to Matthew, International Critical Commentary (New York: Scribner’s, 1910), p. 130; Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, New International Commentary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1979), pp. 251–252.

For a recent, particularly comprehensive treatment, see John Heil, Jesus Walking on the Sea: Meaning and Gospel Functions of Matt 14:22–33, Mark 6:45–52 and John 6:15b–21, Analecta Biblica 87 (Rome: Biblical Institute, 1981).

Enuma Elish, VI.8, 36, 131.

Alternatively, “When the gods (still were) human….” For a survey of the scholarly debate over this controversial line and important observations on its implications, see Robert Oden, Jr., “Divine Aspirations in Atrahasis and in Genesis 1–11, ” Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 93 (1981) pp. 197–216, esp. 199–200.

For a more detailed discussion on this topic see my two articles, “Red Sea or Reed Sea?” BAR 10:04 and “The Reed Sea: Requiescat in Pace,” Journal of Biblical Literature 102 (1983), pp. 27–35.