Superbowl Sunday

Today is Superbowl Sunday. It has special meaning for those of us living in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. It has been 24 years since a major professional league team from Philadelphia has won a championship. This weekend the clergy agonized on the appropriate sermon reference to the event of the day. The program was in green and the clergy wore the appropriate green vestment for this special Sunday and the closing hymn was “On eagle’s wings” sung to the tune of fly eagles fly. And if you followed the angst of Eagles fans, you know that after the last championship game twenty four years ago, the ban on buildings in the vicinity of city hall, not to be higher than the statute of that great patriot, William Penn, was violated. This is the unofficial explanation for the curse. Two weeks ago a falcon was seen perched on city hall just prior to the conference championship game. This was viewed as a bad omen with front-page newspaper coverage including a photograph of the falcon. Fortunately the Eagles won two weeks ago and now have the opportunity to win it all. People have rented large screen television for sidewalk and block parties being held throughout the city. Tomorrow like last Friday has been acknowledged as an official day of rest. Anyway that what is happening in Philadelphia.

I have been thinking about a number of subjects that I will discuss briefly. I am creating a synoptic approach to Antiquities 18-20. Already I am realizing how dependent Josephus was on War 2 Sections 117-283. For instance, Josephus repeats the material he provided in War on the establishement of the city of Caesarea by Philip near Paneas. No mention is made in War 2 or Antiquities 18 that Philip named this city Caesarea Philippi after himself and to distinquish it from other Caesarea. Caesarea Philippi is the spot that Matthew and Mark say is where Jesus asked his disciples “who do the people say am I?” The first mention by Josephus of Caesarea Philippi in Antiquities 20 when Josephus is discussing Herod Antipas II. Caesarea Philippi is conspicuously missing from the Gospel of Luke.

There are two theories why Luke omits mention of Caesarea Philippi. Hans Conzelmann proposed that Luke as part of his theology presents Jesus and his ministry as taking place only in Jewish areas and thus Luke omits all mention of non-Jewish territories and communities including Caesarea Philippi. The second theory advanced by John Lupia states: Although Luke mentions Caesarea 15 times in Acts he has no mention of Caesarea-Philippi (Mt 16:13, Mk 8:27) since it was not given that eponym until sometime after the death of Philip the Tetrarch in c. 34/36 CE.

Since I still trying to figure the reason for the Philadelphia curse, I have been unable to focus on blogging. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

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