09-27-23 Trinity - The Word

Trinity 3: The Word Rev. Noelle Huether REFERENCES USED: Michael L. Brown, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, Volume 2: Theological Objections Dr. Michael Heiser, Unseen Realm, www.DrMSH.com The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Lexham Dictionary English Standard Version Singer, I., ed. (1901-1906). The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. Funk & Wagnalls. LAST WEEK: We saw 'echad' which means 'one' used in - Physical examples in Biblical text of bringing many into one complete unit - Numerical uses of echad as compound plural - Comparative uses of echad as 'only' and as the 'highest, most, or greatest' TODAY: The 'Word of God' in the Old Testament was not only that which God had spoken, but it was also God manifesting Himself in Human Form. - Writings and Explanations by Jewish Rabbis - Examples in the Old Testament - New Testament writers' understanding of the Word of God VOCAB: Word Hebrew, davar; Aramaic, memraʾ; Greek, logos Memra' MEMRA (= "Ma'amar" or "Dibbur." "Logos"): "The Word," in the sense of the creative or directive word or speech of God manifesting His power in the world of matter or mind; a term used especially in the Targum as a substitute for "the Lord" when an anthropomorphic expression is to be avoided. (Singer, I., ed. (1901-1906). In The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, 12 Volumes (Vol. 8, p. 464). Funk & Wagnalls.) Targum The Aramaic translation of the Bible. It forms a part of the Jewish traditional literature, and in its inception is as early as the time of the Second Temple. (Singer, I., ed. (1901-1906). In The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, 12 Volumes (Vol. 12, p. 57). Funk & Wagnalls.) WORD OF GOD AS VISIBLE MANIFESTATION OF THE LORD IS A JEWISH CONCEPT Brown, M. L. (2000). Answering Jewish objections to Jesus: Theological objections (Vol. 2, pp. 18-21). Baker Books. Since God was often perceived as somehow "untouchable," it was necessary to provide some kind of link between the Lord and his earthly creation. One of the important links in Rabbinic thought was "the Word," called memraʾ in Aramaic (from the Hebrew and Aramaic root, "to say" [ʾmr], the root used throughout the creation account in Genesis 1, when God said and the material world came into existence). We find this memraʾ concept hundreds of times in the Aramaic Targums, the translations and paraphrases of the Hebrew Scriptures that were read in the synagogues before, during, and after the time of Jesus. These Targums arose because, in some locations, many of the Jewish people no longer understood Hebrew. Instead, they grew up speaking and reading Aramaic, so they could follow the public reading of the Scripture only with Aramaic translation. To use Genesis 3:8 as an example, most of the people who were listening to the public reading of the Scriptures would not have understood the Hebrew, which said, "And they heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden." Rather, they would have understood the Targum, which said, "And they heard the sound of the Word of the LORD God walking in the midst of the garden." What a difference an extra "word" makes! To speak of the Lord walking in the garden seemed too familiar, too down to earth. So the Targum made an adjustment: It was not the Lord who was walking in the garden, it was the memraʾ (Word) of the Lord! This Word was not just an "it"; this Word was a him. Now, I want you to look carefully at the following verses. The translation of the Hebrew text is followed immediately by the translation of the Aramaic Targum. Keep in mind when reading that these Targums were the official translations used in the synagogues. Therefore, the Targums took on great significance in the religious life of the people, just as English versions of the Bible take on great significance for English speakers today. Here are several examples: 31 Cf. Yeyn HaTob, 1:351, which simply notes here (as it does elsewhere in similar contexts), "to remove personification [hagshamah]," i.e., of the Deity; cf. the discussion of Ezra Zion Melammed. Bible Commentators (Jerusalem: Magnes, 1978) As if these examples aren't enough (and there are many more), just consider Genesis 28:20-21, Jacob's vow. In Hebrew, it reads, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God." The Targum says, "If the Word of the LORD will be with me ... then the Word of the LORD will be my God." The Word of the Lord will be Jacob's God! And this was read in the synagogues for decades, if not centuries. Week in and week out, the people heard about this walking, talking, creating, saving, delivering Word, this Word who was Jacob's God. MEMRA -In Apocryphal and Rabbinical Literature, Personification of the Word Especially strong is the personification of the word in Wisdom 18:15: "Thine Almighty Word leaped down from heaven out of Thy royal throne as a fierce man of war." The Mishnah, with reference to the ten passages in Genesis (ch. 1) beginning with "And God said," speaks of the ten "ma'amarot" (="speeches") by which the world was created (Abot v. 1; comp. Gen. R. iv. 2: "The upper heavens are held in suspense by the creative Ma'amar"). Out of every speech ["dibbur"] which emanated from God an angel was created (Ḥag. 14a). "The Word ["dibbur"] called none but Moses" (Lev. R. i. 4, 5). "The Word ["dibbur"] went forth from the right hand of God and made a circuit around the camp of Israel" (Cant. R. i. 13). Singer, I., ed. (1901-1906). In The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, 12 Volumes (Vol. 8, p. 464). Funk & Wagnalls. WORD OF GOD AS VISIBLE IS AN OLD TESTAMENT IDEA "Word of the Lord" used over 250 times in ESV, as spoken and as human form as well as at times embodied. Jeremiah 1 Gen 15:1-6 1 Samuel 3:1-11, 19-21 WORD OF GOD AS UNDERSTOOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IN CONTEXT OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES John 1:1-18 Try rereading this with "the memraʾ" in place of "the Word" and "him." It becomes even clearer. John 17:17-19 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. MEMRA' AS LOGOS Dr Brown continues: Of course, even though John as a Galillean Jew would have been completely familiar with the Aramaic concept of the memraʾ, he wrote his Gospel in Greek, and the Greek expression he used for "word" was logos. Interestingly, Philo of Alexandria, the greatest Jewish philosopher of the day and a man who was, roughly speaking, a contemporary of Jesus, had much to say about the logos. As explained in The Oxford Dictionary of Jewish Religion: Although in a sense an aspect of the Divine, the Logos often appears as a separate entity, namely, a half-personal emanation of God. The concept was appropriated by Philo in order to bridge the gap between the transcendent God of Judaism and the divine principle experienced by human beings. This view of the Logos as a mediating principle between God and material creation could link up with biblical references to the creative "Word of God," by which the heavens were made (Ps. 33:6) and with the concept of meimra (Aram.; "word") in Targum literature (especially as it appears in Targum Onkelos). Why is this so important? Revelation 19:11-16 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Physical manifestations of the LORD in the Old Testament text were known as: The Word of God, one who is separate and yet who is YHWH - Jews Christophanies - Christians