How Much is Enough?

Recently, I purchased a copy of C.S. Lewis’s book The Weight of Glory. I thoroughly enjoyed Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters, so I was interested when I learned that The Weight of the Glory focuses on “some of the most difficult issues we face in our day-to-day lives.”

One quote is particularly powerful: “Have we never risen from our knees in haste for fear God’s will should become too unmistakable if we prayed longer?” (p. 186).

The point is: how much of God is enough for us? Are we only concerned with a moderate, half-hearted Christianity that does not demand too much of us, or do we trust God enough to allow Him full control of our lives regardless of the cost? Are we afraid that complete surrender to Christ will change our plans, or are we comfortable with His plans becoming our plans?

May we learn that we can never have too much of God or His plans for our lives!

Recommended Reading

Lewis, C.S., The Weight of Glory. HarperCollins, 2001. ISBN: 978-0-06-065320-0

An Outline of Job and Some Applications

An Outline of the Book of Job

   I. Prologue (1:1-2:13)

       A. Job's Character and Wealth 

            (1:1-5)

       B. The Removal of Job's 

            Possessions  (1:6-22)

       C. The Removal of Job's Health 

            (2:1-13)

 II. The First Cycle of Speeches (3:1-14:22)

       A. Job's Lament (3:1-26)

       B. Eliphaz's Reply and Job's Response (4:1-7:21)

            1. Eliphaz's reply (4:1-5:27)

            2. Job's response (6:1-7:21)

       C. Bildad's Reply and Job's Response (8:1-10:22)

            1. Bildad's reply (8:1-22)

            2. Job's response (9:1-10:22)

       D. Zophar's Reply and Job's Response (11:1-14:22)

            1. Zophar's reply (11:1-20)

            2. Job's response (12:1-14:22)

III. The Second Cycle of Speeches (15:1-21:34)

       A. Eliphaz's Reply and Job's Response (15:1-17:16)

            1. Eliphaz's reply (15:1-35)

            2. Job's response (16:1-17:16)

       B. Bildad's Reply and Job's Response (18:1-19:29)

            1. Bildad's reply (18:1-21)

            2. Job's response (19:1-29)

       C. Zophar's Reply and Job's Response (20:1-21:34)

            1. Zophar's reply (20:1-29)

            2. Job's response (21:1-34)

 IV. The Third Cycle of Speeches (22:1-37:24)

       A. Eliphaz's Reply and Job's Response (22:1-24:25)

            1. Eliphaz's reply (22:1-30)

            2. Job's response (23:1-24:25)

       B. Bildad's Reply and Job's Response (25:1-31:40)

            1. Bildad's reply (25:1-6)

            2. Job's response (26:1-31:40)

       C. Elihu's Reply (32:1-37:24)

            1. Elihu's first speech (32:1-33:33)

            2. Elihu's second speech (34:1-37)

            3. Elihu's third speech (35:1-16)

            4. Elihu's fourth speech (36:1-37:24)

   V. God's Speeches (38:1-42:6)

        A. God's First Speech (38:1-40:5)

        B. God's Second Speech (40:6-41:34)

        C. Job's Response (42:1-6)

 VI. Epilogue (42:7-17)

        A. God Reprimands Job's Friends (42:7-9)

        B. God Restores Job's Health and Wealth (42:10-17) 

Some Applications of the Book of Job

1. Every problem is not the source of sin.

2. The existence of problems in one's life is not a measure of personal holiness.

3. Some traditional wisdom is good, but not all of it!

4. It is possible to apply good teaching to the wrong situation.

5. It is possible to be self-righteous without being righteous.

6. One might never receive the answer in this life as to why one suffers.

7. God is worthy of worship regardless of one's situation in life.

Some Helpful Hebrew Resources

You might find the following list helpful. The description of each resource originates from the companies' websites:

Beckman, John C. Williams’ Hebrew Syntax. 3d ed. University of Toronto Press. 2007. ISBN 9780802094292

Although the morphology and lexicon of Hebrew are reasonably well understood, its syntax has long been a neglected area of study. Syntax, the relationship of words to one another, forms, together with morphology, the material of grammar. Its relative importance varies according to the language considered. This is particularly true of word order, for when an inflected language loses its case endings, word order assumes many of the functions of the former cases. This outline by Professor Williams re-emphasizes the significance of word order in Hebrew. Developed over fifteen years in a formal course on Hebrew syntax at the University of Toronto, it treats the syntax of the noun, the verb, particles and clauses, with a selection of illustrative examples. Its contents are based on classical Hebrew prose, but some account is also taken of the deviations in later prose and poetry. In this new edition English translations have been provided for all Hebrew phrases and sentences, and the bibliography has been expanded.

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: Wide Margin Edition. German Bible Society. 2007. ISBN: 9781598561999

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS) Wide Margin Edition is identical in content to the Standard Edition but is larger in size and priced lower. The Wide Margin Edition gives professors and students the opportunity to make notes in their Bible as they translate the Hebrew Scriptures.

Blau, Joshua. Phonology and Morphology of Biblical Hebrew: An Introduction. Eisenbrauns. May 2010. ISBN: 1-57506-129-5

More than 80 years have passed since Bauer and Leander's historical grammar of Biblical Hebrew was published, and many advances in comparative historical grammar have been made during the interim. Blau's recognized preeminence as a Hebraist and Arabist as well as his understanding of language change make this volume a valuable contribution to the comparative and historical explanation of Biblical Hebrew phonology and morphology. This book is an extensive revision and translation of Blau's original work, which was first published in Hebrew. 

Brown, A. Philip, Bryan W. Smith, Richard J. Goodrich, and Albert L. Lukaszewski. A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible. Zondervan, 2010. ISBN: 0310325897

Ideal for students, pastors, and instructors familiar with the biblical languages, A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible saves time and effort in studying the Bible. Definitions for Greek and Hebrew words that occur less frequently appear as footnotes on every page, allowing the user to read the text quickly and to focus on parsing and grammatical issues (rather than paging through lexicons).

• Complete text of the Hebrew and Aramaic Bible, using the Westminister Leningrad Codex

• Footnoted definitions of all Hebrew words occurring 100 times or less—twenty-five or less for Aramaic words—with context-specific glosses.

de Waard, Jan. Biblia Hebraica Quinta: Proverbs. German Bible Society. 2009. ISBN: 9781598563092

BHQ is the new (fifth) edition of the Biblia Hebraica. It is being published in parts (fascicles) by the German Bible Society.

• Diplomatic text of the Leningrad Codex, cited from new color photographs. As the oldest complete manuscript of the Hebrew Bible, it serves as the base text against which other witnesses are collated.
• Masorah magna and parva of the Leningrad Codex are included with the text.
• Layout of poetic texts corresponds as closely as possible to Masoretic accentuation.
• Indications of parallel texts are given on the page.
• A single apparatus is found at the foot of the page.
• Text critical cases are generated and noted in the apparatus when a pre-Tiberian witness arguably, but not necessarily witnesses a Hebrew text that differs from the Tiberian text.
• Two other Tiberian codices are collated for each book.
• Qumran and Judean Desert fragments are collated.
• All available pre-Tiberian witnesses for each textual case are noted.
• A general introduction presents the edition, characterizes the text and masorah of the base text, the particular use of resources, the relation of BHQ to BHS and previous editions etc.

Gelston, Anthony. Biblia Hebraica Quinta: Minor Prophets. German Bible Society. June 2010. ISBN: 9781598563863

            See notes for the Biblia Hebraica Quinta: Proverbs.

Hackett, Jo Ann. A Basic Introduction to Biblical Hebrew. Henrickson, 2010. ISBN:  9781598560282

Linguistics expert and long-time educator Hackett offers a robust introduction to biblical Hebrew grammar and the Masoretic text. The graded exercises from Hebrew to English are intended to introduce the student to the many possibilities of biblical Hebrew prose. Later lessons include texts taken from the Masoretic text of the Old Testament with footnotes to explain unusual or advanced formations. Classroom tested and suitable for self-study as well, this quick-moving one-semester course (30 lessons) features clear, readable explanations, exercises, and examples that provide students with an effective foundation in original language usage. This textbook is also suitable for an entire first-year’s study of Biblical Hebrew conducted at a slower pace.

Course work includes an overview of the history of the Hebrew Bible; deductive lessons on recognition, drawing, and pronunciation of consonants and vowels; memorization and recitation of the alphabet; and proper spelling of words; as well inductive experience in translating biblical passages. The accompanying CD includes:

AUDIO FILES
• Vocabulary lists for each of the 30 chapters
• Hebrew-to-English portions of exercises for all chapters
• Major paradigms for the whole book (nouns, pronouns, verbs in all their various
stems)
• A reading of Genesis 22:1-19 (Appendix C)

TEXT FILES
• Vocabulary lists
• Printable Hebrew-to-English exercises
• Appendix A: Consonants of Biblical Hebrew
• Appendix B: Vowels of Biblical Hebrew
• Appendix C: Genesis 22:1-19 (conversationally paced reading)

• Appendix D: Chart and flow sheet for finding the root of weak verbs
• Verbal paradigms
• Complete answer key for English-to-Hebrew and Hebrew-to English exercises

Van Pelt, Miles, V., and Gary D. Pratico. Charts of Biblical Hebrew. Zondervan, 2007. ISBN: 0310275091

Two resources in one make this a vital study aid. Over 100 of the most vital charts appear in print, and a CD offers over 450 charts. All charts are referenced to Pratico and Van Pelt’s Basics of Biblical Hebrew and may be used with other leading beginning texts. Also ideal for review by advanced students. The book also contains a CD-ROM offers a complete collection of over 450 charts.

________. Graded Reader of Biblical Hebrew: A Guide to Reading the Biblical Hebrew. Zondervan, 2006. ISBN: 0310251575

This graded reader introduces the second-year Hebrew student to various types of biblical Hebrew literature and contains various notations to assist him or her in the further advancement of Hebrew translation and exegesis. The readings chosen for inclusion, which are arranged generally in order of increasing difficulty, span the whole of the Old Testament and represent some of the most important Old Testament texts from the standpoint of biblical history, theology, and exegesis. Parsing exercises are included with each reading, and there is room for one to write one’s own English translation.

Webster, Brian L. The Cambridge Introduction to Biblical Hebrew with CD-ROM. Cambridge University Press, 2009. ISBN: 9780521885423)

The Cambridge Introduction to Biblical Hebrew is designed for anyone studying biblical Hebrew for the first time. It is well suited for students enrolled in introductory-level courses as well as clergy and laity engaged in self-study. The accompanying CD (suitable for Mac and PC) includes the workbook, answers, paradigms, and the interactive program TekScroll. TekScroll greatly facilitates learning through grammar illustrations with moving graphics, interactive parsing programs, translation practice items, and a vocabulary program. The grammar illustrations demonstrate key grammatical points. The parsing programs provide feedback, hints, and corrections. Translation practice comes primarily from biblical verses. The vocabulary quizzing program includes audio of the vocabulary words. The textbook is designed for a two-semester course covering one chapter of grammar per week (22 chapters) and then turning to select syntactical items. Each chapter begins with a Focus section, identifying key elements, and is followed by a summary, vocabulary list, and description of the learning activities on the CD. The practice translation items and workbook exercises use only vocabulary from previous chapters (with few exceptions), so that they can be used immediately in classroom instruction.

• Interactive program TekScroll illustrates important grammatical concepts with moving graphics and provides practice items for recognizing forms (parsing) and translation and studying vocabulary                                                                                                                

• Exercises and practice items build on vocabulary from previous chapters, allowing immediate in-class practice without the burden of learning new vocabulary first                

 • Cross-referenced to the second-year textbook, A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax by Bill T. Arnold and John Choi, with additional pointers on how to use reference works on syntax.

Some Helpful Greek Resources

You might find the following list helpful. The description of each resource originates from the companies' websites:

Aland, Barbara, et. al. eds. The UBS Greek New Testament: A Reader’s Edition. Hendrickson, 2008. ISBN: 3438051494

The Readers Edition combines the Bible text of the latest edition of the UBS4 Greek New Testament, edited by Barbara Aland, et. al., with a running Greek-English Dictionary, compiled by Barclay M. Newman. Features:

· Running dictionary providing translations of all vocabulary items occurring 30 times or less in the New Testament at the bottom of each page

· Translations given according to context

· Definitions of idiomatic word combinations

· Grammatical analysis of all difficult verb forms

· Reader-friendly layout enabling the reader to transfer easily from text to dictionary and vice versa

· An appendix providing translations of all vocabulary items occurring more than 30 times in the New Testament

________. The Greek New Testament (UBS4) with Greek-English Dictionary, Looseleaf  Edition. Hendrickson, 2007. ISBN: 1598562010

A handy pages-only edition that features a large font, English subheads, and space for note-taking! Designed for translators and students, this Greek-English dictionary includes the same text as the NA27 but with fewer variants, added manuscript evidence for each, and some differences in paragraphing and punctuation. 600 five-hole-punched pages, from Hendrickson.

Brown, A. Philip, II., Bryan W. Smith, Richard J. Goodrich. A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible. Zondervan, 2010. ISBN: 0310325897

Ideal for students, pastors, and instructors familiar with the biblical languages, A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible saves time and effort in studying the Bible. Definitions for Greek and Hebrew words that occur less frequently appear as footnotes on every page, allowing the user to read the text quickly and to focus on parsing and grammatical issues (rather than paging through lexicons!). Presented in beautiful fine-grain black European leather.

Campbell, Constantine. Basics of Verbal Aspect in Greek. Zondervan, 2008. ISBN: 031029083X

Simplifying the linguistic differences between the quality of an action and its sequence in time, Campbell investigates and clarifies the function of verbal aspect within the New Testament Greek narrative. Includes exercises; an answer key; a glossary; an appendix covering space and time; and an index to Scripture cited. For introductory and advanced courses.

Codex Sinaiticus, Facismile Edition. Hendrickson, 2010. 159856577X

Produced in the fourth century, Codex Sinaiticus featured the full canon of the Christian Bible---and more. This magnificent digitally replicated edition displays the extant original leaves, making it a stunning addition to church and academic libraries; or museum and personal collections. Includes a 32-page explanatory booklet. 828 pages, 13.5" x 16.5" slipcased hardcover from Hendrickson.

Danove, Paul. A Grammatical and Exegetical Study of New Testament Verbs of Transference. Curriculum International, 2009. ISBN: 0567031160

Case-frame analysis sorts words into predicators (which require completion by other words for their correct grammatical usage) and non-predicators. This rigorous way of describing syntactical, semantic, and lexical elements can yield richer linguistic comparisons. Danove is one of the leading practitioners.

Decker, Rodney J. Koine Greek Reader: Selections from the New Testament, Septuagint, and Early Christian Writers. Kregel Academic, 2007. ISBN: 0825424429

Providing graded readings in Koine Greek from the New Testament, Septuagint, Apostolic Fathers, and early creeds, this unique text integrates the full range of materials needed by intermediate Greek students. Its many features include four helpful vocabulary lists, numerous references to other resources, assorted translation helps, a review of basic grammar and syntax, and an introduction to BDAG, the standard Greek lexicon.

Fullmer, Paul, and Robert Smith. Greek Grammar at a Glance: Summary Reference Sheets for Readers of the Bible. Wipf & Stock, 2007. ISBN: 1556351011

Greek at a Glance displays the basic forms encountered in reading the New Testament in Greek, and it does so in a handy booklet of 20 easy-to-reference pages. These pages are designed to offer quick assistance to readers of the Greek New Testament. The pamphlet would serve students in a variety of settings, supplementing any Greek texts used as part of: 1) a regular seminary curriculum, 2) an intensive seminary program, 3) a Greek course at a Christian college or high school, or 4) an individual's personal development.

Goodrich, Richard J., and David Diewert. A Summer Greek Reader: A Workbook for Maintaining Your Biblical Greek. Zondervan, 2001. ISBN: 0310236606

An excellent tool for students of New Testament Greek to maintain the skills taught in first-year Greek.

Hurtado, Larry W. The Earliest Christian Artifacts: Manuscripts and Christian Origins. Eerdmans, 2006. ISBN: 0802828957

In this insightful study, Larry Hurtado tells the story of the physical early Christian canonical texts. He introduces readers to the staurogram, possibly the first representation of the cross, the nomina sacra, a textual abbreviation system, and the puzzling Christian preference for book-like texts over scrolls as well as other scribal features. Hurtado uses studies by papyrologists and palaeographers as well as New Testament scholars, and includes photographic plates of selected manuscripts to support his findings.

Mounce, William D. Basics of Biblical Greek. 3d ed.  Zondervan, 2009. ISBN: 0310287685

This new user friendly 3rd edition of William Mounce's classic Greek textbook Basics of Biblical Greek is fully updated using feedback from classrooms across the country, and now provides comprehensive online access through Teknia. Now in standard text book size, it combines helpful outtakes and informative footnotes to aid in learning Greek.

________. Zondervan Get an A! Study Guides, Biblical Greek, Laminated Sheet. Zondervan, 2005. ISBN: 0310262941

 

Whether studying for exams or translating passages of Scripture, students of biblical Greek and Hebrew need critical information at their fingertips. This handy, at-a-glance study aid is ideal for last minute review, a quick overview of grammar, or as an aid in translation or sermon preparation. Contains four information-packed sheet that are laminated and three-hole-punched, making them both durable and portable.

Omanson, Roger L., ed. A Textual Guide to the Greek New Testament: An Adaption of. B. Metzger’s Textual Commentary. Henrickson, 2007. 1598562029

This edition is based on the widely known Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament by the late Dr. Bruce M. Metzger. It was especially designed for translators who have not received formal training in textual criticism. It enables them, and other people interested in the initial text of the Greek New Testament, to discover more easily the reasons that certain variant readings in the NT are more likely to be original than others. Therefore the notes of Metzger have been simplified and expanded. Included are discussions of significant differences in divisions and punctuation where those involve differences in meaning. Technical matters are explained in non-technical language. An easy-to-read introduction provides a brief overview of textual criticism, including explanations of key terms, a history of the text, and methods that are used by scholars to arrive at their conclusions.

Nelson, E., and Barbara Aland, and Kurt Aland. Novum Testamentum Graece (NA 27), Wide-Margin Edition. Hendrickson, 2007. ISBN: 1598562002

In keeping with the goals of serious and advanced New Testament scholars, the revised critical apparatus shows a nearly exhaustive list of variants but includes only the most significant witnesses for each variant. The Greek text has paragraph and section breaks. Cross-references in the margins are extensive and include synoptic parallels. Five appendices offer in-depth information for further understanding of passages. 

The introduction appears in both English and German. Text, notes, and critical apparatus appear in a clear font throughout the volume.

Larger in size but priced lower than the large print edition, this user-friendly edition gives professors and students the opportunity to make notes in their Bible as they translate the New Testament.

Parker, D. C. Codex Sinaiticus: The Story of the World’s Oldest Bible. Hedrickson, Nov. 2010. ISBN: 1598565761

Produced in the fourth century, Codex Sinaiticus is a handwritten Greek copy of the Septuagint, the New Testament, and two early Christian works. How did it originate? Parker offers a fascinating look at the task of compiling a Bible in A.D. 350; the roles of scribes; and details of its 21st-century electronic publication. 208 pages, hardcover from Hendrickson.

Stevens, Gerald. New Testament Greek Intermediate: From Morphology to Translation. Cascade Books, 2008: ISBN: 1556355807

New Testament Greek Intermediate is the companion volume to New Testament Greek Primer. The Intermediate text reviews grammar, expands vocabulary, and exposes the student to more New Testament context. The grammar review will help consolidate the student's knowledge by deepening the discussion, adding more illustrative paradigms and introducing new syntax. New vocabulary is explained and divided by frequency into seven vocabulary lists for the respective vocabulary exams. New exercises challenge the students and increase their fluency in translation. In addition, the text includes informative illustrations and graphics, thoughtful layout, full indexes, a glossary, charts and new paradigms. By the end of this course, the student is thoroughly prepared for Greek exegesis and advanced courses on Greek syntax.

Taylor, Bernard. Analytical Lexicon to the Septuagint, expanded edition. Hendrickson, 2009. ISBN: 1565635167

Bernard Taylor's Analytical Lexicon of the Septuagint is an indispensable tool for students of the Septuagint. Taylor's lexicon includes every Greek word found in the Rahlfs LXX text (the scholarly standard) in fully parsed form. This expanded edition also features complete definitions for each Greek word taken from Lust, Eynikel, and Hauspie's A Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint, the standard LXX reference lexicon.

This Lexicon is perfect for quick referencing obscure words and their meaning, and although exhaustive, it is also a portable resource that is excellent for courses that emphasize large amounts of translation.

Taylor, Bernard, et. al, eds. Biblical Greek Languages and Lexicography. Eerdmans, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-8028-6335-5

Biblical Greek Language and Lexicography celebrates the life and work of Professor Danker. In character with his contribution to Greek scholarship, the essays have been chosen to assist biblical Greek students and their teachers to develop a deeper understanding of aspects of Greek language and lexicography. Among the topics of discussion are the way one discovers the meaning of words, current tools available to students of language, and the approach being used in the latest New Testament and Septuagint Greek dictionaries. The book also features rich footnotes directing students to important Greek language resources, a selected bibliography of Danker’s publications, an appendix listing BDAG precursors, and four indexes — biblical references, Greek words, Hebrew forms, and grammatical and lexicographical terms.

Whitacre, Rodney, A. A Patristic Greek Reader. Hendrickson, 2007. ISBN: 1598560433

This book is a selection of Greek texts of varying styles and levels of difficulty from early Christian writers, accompanied by notes. Basic translations of the texts are also provided so that readers can check their work and a list of words used 50+ times in the New Testament and the principal parts of several verbs is included. Passages that have played a major role in the history of Christian thought are included; as well as passages that contribute to matters of spirituality and pastoral care. Several passages are of more purely historical interest.

The author includes an introduction to the writings of the early Church to help orient readers to the writings of the Fathers in general and also give the rationale for the particular selections included in the book. Each selection also has a brief introduction discussing its historical setting and content. A brief bibliography is included for the particular selections included and for the Greek reference works cited. However, the book would also be of interest to those studying the Classics and could be used by anyone as a brief introduction to some samples of early Christian thought. This may be the only book available that provides such translation notes for selections from the Greek fathers.

Imitators

You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit . . .     

(1 Thessalonians 1:6)

The Thessalonians were Imitators of Paul and Jesus Christ. They had learned to imitate Paul's lifestyle, and by doing so had become imitators of Jesus Christ. The ultimate goal of every believer is to become more like Jesus Christ, and this occurs through discipleship: Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith (Heb. 13:7). For this reason, we must take seriously Jesus' command to disciple spiritually younger believers (Matt. 28:18-20).

Although the Thessalonians experienced intense persecution because of their faith, they learned that the one who obeys Christ receives the joy of the Holy Spirit. Obedience is the only source of true joy!

5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

5:4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Rom. 5:3-5)

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

A Plea for Proper Bible Interpretation: An Allegory

Read the following allegory, which makes the point that proper Bible interpretation is necessary to understand the message of the Bible properly. Comments are welcome!

"What is Yemes?" 

O’Brien-Kawaguchi, Hernando. “What is ‘[Y]EMES’?” Journal of Twenty-First Century      Archaeology 256, no. 2 (Spring A.D. 3468): 417-19.

During a recent excavation near the ancient metropolis of Memphis, Tennessee, a graduate student unearthed a rather peculiar object that appears to originate from the Late Presidential Era of the Omirago (ancient spelling: America) Kingdom. Dated between 1957 and 2064, the rare find is composed of iron. It possesses a circumference of .7 meters, a thickness of 9 centimeters, and weighs approximately one stone.  Although broken into pieces, four of the five fragments were recovered (see the artist’s rendering at right). Five characters are imprinted on the top of the disc, but only four are legible. The first letter of the inscription is only partially preserved because the missing portion of the disc has not yet been salvaged.

The markings on the disc are composed in the Roman script that the Omiragons utilized, and the inscription reads [?]EMES. Oddly enough, each “E” appears as a mirror image of its usual form, a detail which has led to a number of theories. Some, such as Stephven Smithez, Chairman of Ancient Dialects at the Oxford 3.1 University in New Mecksiko City, believes that retrograde “E’s” must be influenced by the Cyrillic letter Э. Others, such as linguist Skot Rimun, hold that the “E’s” are phonetic cues. At roughly the same time period as the disc’s composition, there was a phonetic symbol represented as ɘ. In my opinion, however, it appears that the English abecedary was more flexible than previously believed. Perhaps the Omiragons considered both ways of rendering “E” as perfectly good twenty-first century English.

As to the identity of the partial character, it is almost universally accepted to be “Y,” which leaves us with the reading “YEMES.” Who, or what, was Yemes? The English language of the twenty-first century has proven to be a conglomeration of tongues from all over the world of its day, which in effect deposited a number of borrowed words similar to the term “YEMES” into English. The following almost certainly are false etymologies: 

1) Yama: A Vedic god that presided over the underworld.

2) Yamen: A residence or office belonging to a Chinese public official.

3) Yemen: An ancient country located in South Arabia.

4) Yima: A legendary Zoroastrian king.

5) Yom: A Hebrew term for "day."

6) Yuma: An ancient Native America tribe as well as a twenty-first century city

To my knowledge, no scholar of repute holds any of these theories, rather wishing to claim ignorance of the inscription’s meaning. The typical sentiment is that a future dig will unearth some scrap of information that may further illuminate the Yemes inscription. In my opinion, however, enough evidence already exists to unravel the heretofore unresolved mystery.

            As a matter of fact, “YEMES” almost certainly is an alternate spelling of “Yam,” an ancient Canaanite god of the sea. At the time of discovery, the disc lay half buried in an irrigation canal that led to the Mississippi’s River’s onetime channel (before the earthquake of 2115 changed its course). The association of the “YEMES” inscription with water proves that the disc is dedicated to Yam. For this reason, I suspect that “Yemphis” or “Yamphis” was the original name of Memphis, and that the inhabitants modified its name after the decline of the Yam cult, which must have existed in the region. Perhaps the earthquake of 2115 disillusioned the participants of the religion.

            Scholars inform us that at least 400 or so more years are necessary to excavate Memphis. For this reason, my contention is that more references to “YEMES” will be recovered in the future. Time will present a fuller, more colorful representation of this intriguing puzzle.

§§§§§§§

Madden, Bobert. “A Note Concerning Hernando O’Brien-Kawaguchi’s Article on ‘Yemes.’” The New Newyork University Journal 782.5 (May A.D. 3468): 69.

            O’Brien-Kawaguchi’s bold and speculative article concerning the large metallic disc uncovered within the perimeter of the ancient city of Memphis, Tennessee, demonstrates why he is one of the top archaeologists in the field. Most researchers do not possess the sufficient background in ancient cultures to have noticed the relationship of “YEMES” (pronounced either “Yaems,” “Yay-mays,” or “Yee-mees”) to Yam, the ancient Canaanite god. Now, however, there is no doubt that the god of the sea must have been the patron of Memphis (or “Yamphis” as O’Brien-Kawaguchi believes that it was originally named).

            To this outstanding study I desire only to address the issue of the four small cavities in the disc, each with a diameter about the circumference of a thumb. The holes are original to the disc, which signifies that they must have served some special purpose for the object’s creator(s). O’Brien-Kawaguchi never addressed this aspect of the find, but this writer believes that the feature relates to the way that the Memphians understood the god Yam.

            It is common knowledge that residents of earlier periods made a habit of using the phrase “the four corners of the world” well after Colombus’s discovery of the Omiragos demonstrated that the earth is round. Most likely, then, the four holes in the Yemes Disc represent the four corners of the sea, a detail that points to the Memphians’ belief that Yam was the supreme controller of all salty waters. Thus, another piece of evidence supports O’Brien-Kawaguchi’s ingenious hypothesis.

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Lewis, Ron. “The Yemes Disc Refers to ‘Kemes’! The Case for a Retrograde ‘K.’” Journal of Twenty-First Century Archaeology 257, no. 3 (Summer A.D. 3469): 756-7.

            Last year, Dr. O’Brien-Kawaguchi hypothesized that the inscription on the “Yemes” Disc (in my opinion, inappropriately named) was a reference to the sea-god Yam. Although an intriguing suggestion, this analysis is dubious. I find the idea that the metallic object somehow is a carryover from Canaanite mythology to be a tremendous stretch since the religion went extinct two and a half thousand years before the construction of the “Yemes” disc. The evidence that links “Yemes” to “Yam” is at best circumstantial. Granted, the disc happened to be found near an ancient riverbed, but the Mississippi of course was a freshwater river unlike the saltwater domain of the god Yam.

            At first blush, O’Brien-Kawaguchi’s supposition that the [?] of [?]EMES equals “Y” is attractive because “Y” appears to be the only character of the Omiragon alphabet that fits the missing portion of the inscription. But there is another possibility - - [?] undoubtedly is the letter “K” (see my depiction at the right). Lest the observant scholar protests my rendering due to the fact that the prongs of [?] are pointing in the wrong direction to be a “K,” allow me to present the evidence.

            First, the inscription contains two E’s that are retrograde. Second, the “M,” based on the evidence of the E’s, also must be written in reverse. This detail of the inscription had not been realized earlier because a regular “M” and a backwards “M” look exactly the same. Therefore, this evidence means that the “S” also must be written in reverse although it appears to be normal. I suspect that at the time in which the inscription was composed that what we consider to be a retrograde “S” actually was the standard form, so a regular looking “S” actually would be the alternate form. Therefore, a backward “K” should be expected as the first letter of the inscription. This leaves us with the word “Kemes.”

            I must admit that the significance of the term “Kemes” has alluded me, so I will leave this work to an expert of ancient English. For the present, however, I believe that I have demonstrated that the so-called “Yemes” Disc actually should be referred to as the “Kemes” Disc.” Perhaps this important clue will be the one that eventually helps to unravel the mystery of the object’s purpose.

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Monotoli, Richareaux. “‘Kemes,’ Certainly, Possibly ‘Kemes[?].” Ancient Scripts and Inscriptions 416 (October A.D. 3474): 514.

            Since Professor Ron Lewis penned his controversial article in the Journal of Twenty-First Century Archaeology over five years ago, the battle has raged over whether the inscription should read “Yemes” or “Kemes.” Countless reports and papers have circulated since that time. My holofile contains all of sixty-two separate entries published by forty-seven authors. Now that the dust has settled, the majority of historians and scholars concede that the disc indeed reads “Kemes.” Interestingly, Dr. O’Brien-Kawaguchi himself shifted to this position last year. Researchers have made no progress in identifying the significance of “Kemes,” and I believe that I know why. Because of the disc’s extensive corrosion to the right of the letters, there is a possibility that an unknown letter should appear after the “S.” This addition would cause the mystery word to be read as “KEMES[?].” Thus, another wrinkle has been added to an already complicated issue.

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Sanchez, Yefim. “In Which Direction should the ‘Yemes’ Inscription be Read?” The New Newyork University Journal 791.9 (September A.D. 3477): 513. 

            In the last nine years, scholars have put forth three options for the reading of the circular iron object discovered in the ancient city of Memphis, Tennessee. Originally, Dr. O’Brien-Kawaguchi suggested that the inscription contains the term “Yemes” before making an abrupt turn-around. Professor Ron Lewis popularized the theory that “Kemes” is the correct reading of the inscription, and most scholars agree with him. Richareaux Monotoli argued that another, unidentifiable letter appears at the end of “Kemes,” but his hypothesis never has enjoyed widespread support.

            My question to my fellow researchers is: Why must we read the inscription from left to right? The speakers of several languages of the twenty-first century read from right to left. The most well-known examples include Hebrew, Arabic, and Yiddish. Chinese and Japanese could be written in either direction. If I am correct, “Kemes” actually should be rendered “Semek,” and is a variation of the Hebrew letter samek.

            In Hebrew, letters also possess numerical values, and samek represents the number “sixty.” As anticlimactic as it may sound, “sixty” appears to be shorthand for the year A.D. 1960, which was the year that the metallic disc likely was created. The “Yemes” Disc evidently was part of a larger monument that may have commemorated either a celebrated leader or a historic event. I believe that the “Yemes” Disc memorializes one of the two events: 1) the election of President Kennedy in Omirago; or 2) “the Year of Africa,” as 1960 was known (Memphis was named after an African city in Egypt). My soon to be published dissertation will explore these theories in more detail.

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Oliver, Stanley. “Topsy-Turvy: The Tale of the Upside-Down Inscription.” Tokyo Journal of Western History 93.1 (February A.D. 3480): 9.

            Centuries ago, the sagacious poets of Engle-Land composed the gripping tragedy of Höm-tömptî, a great man who fell from a turret and found himself shattered to pieces. The healers of the realm sought to restore him, but to no avail. Unlike the ill-fated noble in the legend of Höm-tömptî, archaeologists were able to reassemble the shattered pieces of the “Yemes” Disc (except for one unrecovered segment). Questions still persist, however, regarding the ancient metallic object. In this brief article, I mean to solve the enigma.

            The confusion that surrounds the “Yemes” Disc is the result of an almost laughable mistake that occurred twelve years ago when a graduate student discovered the item in a centuries-old drainage ditch. The error was an understandable one given the more limited technology available at the time, but recent advances in the field have shown that scholars were reading the “Yemes” Disc upside-down all along! “Yemes” actually is “Sewek,” and experts of the era are researching the languages of Memphis in order to discover what the term means.  

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Leonard, Pradeep. “The ‘Yemes’ Disc—Its Missing Piece Found!” Journal of Twenty-First Century Archaeology 271, no. 2 (Summer A.D. 3483): 383-4.

            Several weeks ago, the unbelievable occurred. Against all odds, an archaeological team painstakingly unearthing layer by layer the ancient city of Memphis, Tennessee stumbled upon an amazing discovery. Fifteen years ago, the “Yemes” Disc, as it came to be called, saw the light of day for the first time after being buried in the ground for centuries.

            At the time, archaeologists recovered only four of the five pieces of the object, and the missing portion affected the readability of the inscription. Scholars suggested a number of alternate readings, all of which have proven to be wrong. The discovery of the wayward segment in May turned our understanding of Omiragon archaeology on its head. The heretofore illegible letter now is known to be an “R,” meaning that the “Yemes” Disc contains the unexpected word “SEWER.”

            Once more, archaeologists have learned the all-to-important lesson of jumping to conclusions based on too little evidence. As a result of shoddy scholarship, the Omiragon period has been greatly misunderstood during the last decade and a half. Thankfully, the recent find has ensured that misinterpretation of the “Yemes” Disc will not continue for another fifteen years. We are now certain of the intention for which this ancient iron object was created.

            Near the site at which archaeologists came upon the “Yemes” Disc, two similar metallic objects were unearthed. While one reads “Water Line” the other contains the word “Electric.” When one considers these three items together, the conclusion is unquestionable: the owners of the “Yemes” Disc used the object to serve food on special occasions because: 1) “Water Line” represents the cleaning and preparation of food; and 2) “Electric” refers to the cooking of said food. The four cavities, in the disc, therefore, must originally have held candles in order to spruce up the meal. I will discuss all of these details in more depth in my soon to be published book, Sewer: The Eating Practices of Ancient Memphis.