Results 1 - 4 of 4
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | WHERE TO FIND ALL THE NAMES OF GOD | Ps 83:18 | Truthfinder | 76241 | ||
(Part 2) The plural form, ´e·lim´, is used when referring to other gods, such as at Exodus 15:11 (“gods”). It is also used as the plural of majesty and excellence, as in Psalm 89:6: “Who can resemble Jehovah among the sons of God [bi·beneh´ ´E·lim´]?” That the plural form is used to denote a single individual here and in a number of other places is supported by the translation of ´E·lim´ by the singular form The·os´ in the Greek Septuagint; likewise by Deus in the Latin Vulgate. The Hebrew word ´elo·him´ (gods) appears to be from a root meaning “be strong.” ´Elo·him´ is the plural of ´eloh´ah (god). Sometimes this plural refers to a number of gods (Ge 31:30, 32; 35:2), but more often it is used as a plural of majesty, dignity, or excellence. ´Elo·him´ is used in the Scriptures with reference to Jehovah himself, to angels, to idol gods (singular and plural), and to men. So the scriptures clearly tell us that there are many Gods but “to us one God the Father.” Could it be then in the since of “to us one (Almighty, Omnipotent, having always existed) God the Father”? Well let’s see. If applying to Jehovah, ´Elo·him´ is used as a plural of majesty, dignity, or excellence. (Ge 1:1) Regarding this, Aaron Ember wrote: “That the language of the O[ld] T[estament] has entirely given up the idea of plurality in . . . [´Elo·him´] (as applied to the God of Israel) is especially shown by the fact that it is almost invariably construed with a singular verbal predicate, and takes a singular adjectival attribute. . . . [´Elo·him´] must rather be explained as an intensive plural, denoting greatness and majesty, being equal to The Great God.”—The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Vol. XXI, 1905, p. 208. The title ´Elo·him´ draws attention to Jehovah’s strength as the Creator. It appears 35 times by itself in the account of creation, and every time the verb describing what he said and did is in the singular number, even though ´Elo·him´ is the Hebrew plural. (Ge 1:1–2:4) In him resides the sum and substance of infinite forces. At Psalm 8:5, the angels are also referred to as ´elo·him´, as is confirmed by Paul’s quotation of the passage at Hebrews 2:6-8. They are called beneh´ ha·´Elo·him´, “sons of God” (KJ); “sons of the true God” (NW), at Genesis 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1. Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros, by Koehler and Baumgartner (1958), page 134, says: “(individual) divine beings, gods.” And page 51 says: “the (single) gods,” and it cites Genesis 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7. Hence, at Psalm 8:5 ´elo·him´ is rendered “angels” (LXX); “godlike ones” (NW). The word ´elo·him´ is also used when referring to idol gods. Sometimes this plural form means simply “gods.” (Ex 12:12; 20:23) At other times it is the plural of excellence and only one god (or goddess) is referred to. However, these gods were clearly not trinities.—1Sa 5:7b (Dagon); 1Ki 11:5 (“goddess” Ashtoreth); Da 1:2b (Marduk). At Psalm 82:1, 6, ´elo·him´ is used of men, human judges in Israel. Jesus quoted from this Psalm at John 10:34, 35. They were gods in their capacity as representatives of and spokesmen for Jehovah. Similarly Moses was told that he was to serve as “God” to Aaron and to Pharaoh.—Ex 4:16 In many places in the Scriptures ´Elo·him´ is also found preceded by the definite article ha. (Ge 5:22) Concerning the use of ha·´Elo·him´, F. Zorell says: “In the Holy Scriptures especially the one true God, Jahve, is designated by this word; . . . ‘Jahve is the [one true] God’ De 4:35; 4:39; Jos 22:34; 2Sa 7:28; 1Ki 8:60 etc.”—Lexicon Hebraicum Veteris Testamenti, Rome, 1984, p. 54. The 1956 edition of The Encyclopedia Americana (Vol. XII, p. 743) commented under the heading “God”: “In the Christian, Mohammedan, and Jewish sense, the Supreme Being, the First Cause, and in a general sense, as considered nowadays throughout the civilized world, a spiritual being, self-existent, eternal and absolutely free and all-powerful, distinct from the matter which he has created in many forms, and which he conserves and controls. There does not seem to have been a period of history where mankind was without belief in a supernatural author and governor of the universe.” Conclusion: Substituting the Greek “theos” for what it’s meaning is, then we will not misunderstand texts referencing Jesus as God. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with “The Supreme Being” and the Word was the “Mighty God”. See Is. 9:6 (even though this is an anarthrous noun). Griffiths, “A Note on the Anarthrous Predicate in Hellenistic Greek, “ p. 315, argues that the rendition “a god” might catch the adjectival force of the anarthrous theos: “Taken by itself, the sentence (kai theos ain ha logos) could admittedly bear either of two meanings: 1) ‘And the Word was (the) God” or 2) ‘and the Word was (a) God. “ It is possible to argue that translation 2) brings the predicative noun nearer to the position of an adjective.” End quote. Truthfinder |
||||||
2 | WHERE TO FIND ALL THE NAMES OF GOD | Ps 83:18 | flinkywood | 76316 | ||
Truthfinder, this is a re-posting of what I asked you twice over the last 8 months, for which I haven't received your reply: A little while back I asked you to compare Abraham's faith to God's; you never responded to that particular question. To wit: Whereas the JW's state that Jesus is really the archangel Michael, a creation, and whereas Abraham was poised to sacrifice his own son, and God only a proxy creation (Michael-Jesus), not even so much as His own flesh and blood, who, therefore, has greater faith, Abraham, the father of Issac, or God, the father of...Michael the archangel?" Is Michael the real Son of God? Does Abraham have more faith than God? I also understand the JW's don't believe in hell, which is particularly handy when you don't believe in Jesus. If there ain't no hell, then what's Jesus-Michael saving us from? It's the pointless sacrifice of an angel, which probably nails the JW position on Jesus' true identity right to the wood: God's not fool enough to waste His blood on us. What a mess this JW thing is. The subject is faith and whether you got it, whether you got Jesus. Ask Jesus Himself who He is. All your Pharisitical JW word whacking is bloodless jive. |
||||||
3 | WHERE TO FIND ALL THE NAMES OF GOD | Ps 83:18 | Truthfinder | 76327 | ||
Hi “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all.”—1 Timothy 2:5, 6. Paul’s words refer to the Father as the “one God” and then says that there is also “one mediator” who is Jesus, and it was this “son” that gave himself "willingly" a “corresponding” ransom for all. Jesus, no more and no less than a perfect human, became a ransom that compensated exactly for what Adam lost—the right to perfect human life on earth. So Jesus could rightly be called “the last Adam” by the apostle Paul, who said in the same context: “Just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45) The perfect human life of Jesus was the “corresponding ransom” required by divine justice—no more, no less. A basic principle even of human justice is that the price paid should fit the wrong committed. If Jesus, however, were part of a Godhead, the ransom price would have been infinitely higher than what God’s own Law required. (Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:19-21) It was only a perfect human, Adam, who sinned in Eden, not God. So the ransom, to be truly in line with God’s justice, had to be strictly an equivalent—a perfect human, “the last Adam.” Thus, when God sent Jesus to earth as the ransom, he made Jesus to be what would satisfy justice, not an incarnation, not a god-man, but a perfect man, “lower than angels.” (Hebrews 2:9; compare Psalm 8:5, 6.) How could any part of an almighty Godhead—Father, Son, or holy spirit—ever be lower than angels? Truthfinder |
||||||
4 | WHERE TO FIND ALL THE NAMES OF GOD | Ps 83:18 | flinkywood | 76340 | ||
Truthfinder, Paul was a believer; you are not. Don't twist his words. You don't believe in Christ and you don't believe in hell: no judgement, no atonement. Do you imagine these wordsprays of yours will defend you on that day? You have evaded both questions and are a perfect watchtower soldier. No matter. I won't correspond with you again. |
||||||