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The Bible has been the most influential text in all of Western culture. It's difficult to understand medieval or early modern or much of modern literature without knowing it...

Prof. Barbara Newman, Northwestern University
from 2006 Bible Literary project

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It's not that it's impossible to read some writers without a Biblical background, but that you would miss a whole dimension to their work.

Prof. Steven Goldsmith, University of California at Berkeley
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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I can only say that if a student doesn't know any Bible literature, he or she will simply not understand whole elements of Shakespeare, Sidney, Spenser, Milton, Pope, Wordsworth

Prof. Robert Kiely, Harvard University
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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...there is truth in the remark. "without Tyndale[Bible translator], no Shakespeare"...

Prof. David Daniell, University College London
from The Bible in English

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You can't really study Western literature intelligently or coherently without starting with the Bible.

Prof. Gerald L. Bruns, University of Notre Dame
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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...a familiar understanding of Christian doctrine in historical perspective thus contributes to a fuller appreciation of Shakespeare's art, but Shakespeare's art

Prof. Roland M. Frye
from Shakespeare and the Christian Doctrine

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In English tradition and also for an American tradition begun by Puritan writers, a knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament is even more crucial than classical references.

Prof. Ulrich Knoefplmacher, Princeton University
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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There is no book more important for our culture than the Bible, and it is fundametal to the study of English literature and language.

Prof. David Jasper and Prof. Stephen Prickett
from the Bible and literature

Bethany

Picture description: Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus
Picture copyright: V. Gilbert and Arlisle F. Beers

Bible Verse

Matthew 21:17

Meaning

It is of Hebrew origin, meaning “house of figs”. As recounted in the New Testament, the village of Bethany was situated two miles from Jerusalem and on the slope of the Mount of Olives. It was also the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and Jesus was anointed by a woman with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made of pure nard.

Gender

Female

Example

Keywords

Bethany    Jesus    Lazarus    Martha    Mary    Mount of Olives    perfume   

Related Information

NIV official site
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