Monday, March 31, 2014

What Darkened the Sky on the Day of Christ's Crucifixion?

Immediately before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Bible states, "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour" (Matthew 27:45 ESV). That same account is also identified in Mark 15:33 and Luke 23:44. Yet the Bible does not state what caused the sky to darken. Could it have been the moon, excessive darkness, or something else?

In an article published by Answers.com, I provide what I believe is the correct understanding of that passage. You may see that at: http://christianity.answers.com/jesus/what-darkened-the-sky-on-the-day-of-christs-crucifixion.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

How to Write HTML for Chiasms

This article in intended for those that post articles on the internet about literary structures such as chiasms.

I have struggled for years with how to display chiasms with the proper indentation. Here is how passages with chiastic structure should be presented:
A    Or do you not know that the unrighteous  (9a)
B    will not inherit the kingdom of God?  (9b)
X    Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers  (9c,10a)
B′   will inherit the kingdom of God.  (10b)
A′   And such were some of you.  (v11a)
(1 Cor 6:9-11a ESV)

Until I discovered this technique, the different levels in my chiasms always flowed improperly. So, for those few of you that are writing this type of HTML, here is my solution.
HTML for Matthew 11:28-30
Grace to you, Tom