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Religions of the Middle East. Tuesday October 8 , 2013. The Tetragrammaton. Four letters YHWH Probably “ Yahweh ” God ’ s personal name Mistranslated “ Lord ” or “ God ” Overly zealous interpretation of 3rd commandment led to disuse
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Religions of theMiddle East Tuesday October 8, 2013
The Tetragrammaton • Four letters YHWH • Probably “Yahweh” • God’s personal name • Mistranslated “Lord” or “God” • Overly zealous interpretation of 3rd commandment led to disuse • Mistake by translator seeing vowel signs for Adonia (Lord) under YHWH as cue to reader led to mangled version “Jehovah”
Students for Liberty Wednesday 3:30 CEN 407 Thursday 11:30 – Building 1, Room 212
Documentary Hypothesis • Applies only to Pentateuch • JEPD - separate sources combined by editors (“redactors”) • J = Jahwist - Gen 1, early simple style • E = Elohist - Gen 2-3, late, high style • D = Deuteronomist - focus on Law • P = Priestly source - Leviticus - focus on ritual
Genesis 1-2:3 • Majestic, abstract, poetic style • Uses “God” (Elohim) • Creation in stages • No Fall story
Genesis 2:4-3 • Concrete, folklorish style • Uses Yahweh or Yahweh Elohim (the God Yahweh) • God plants a garden & creates man to tend it • Fall story attached
Genesis 1-2:3 Order • Light • Sky • Sea, land & plants • Sun, moon & stars • Fish & birds • Land animals • Man (male & female)
Genesis 2:4-3 Order • Heaven & earth (no plants yet) • Man • Garden planted in Eden (modern Iraq) • Animals • Woman created from Man’s rib
Etiological Elements • An etiological story explains how things got to be this way. • What are some etiological elements of Gen 2-3?
The Fall • Modesty • Patriarchy • Why childbirth is so painful • Fear of snakes • Why snakes slither • Work • Sin • Death
Other Etiological Stories Noah and the Ark • Why doesn’t God just start over? • Why are there rainbows? • Why are the Canaanites cursed? The Tower of Babel • Why do people speak different languages? • Where did different nations come from?
The Patriarchs • “Father-rulers” • Abraham • Isaac • Jacob (Israel) • Abram - Exalted Father • Abraham - Father of Many
Abraham • Covenant of Circumcision • Ishmael - settled in N. Arabia - Islam • Sodom & Gomorrah • Lot - Abraham’s nephew • Abe’s visitors: Yahweh + 2 angels • Sodom’s sin - homosexuality • Haggling over S&G’s fate • Why does Yahweh need angel intel? • Pillars of salt - dead sea stalagmites
Sacrifice of Isaac • Seed of mighty nation • Beloved son • If Yahweh is omniscient, why does he need a loyalty test? • Ethical questions • Kierkegaard’s “Fear and Trembling” • God’s will trumps human conceptions of right and wrong • Emphasis on Obedience
Jacob & Esau Why isn’t he the God of Abraham, Isaac and ESAU? Esau • Big strong, man’s man • Hairy • Hunts • Dad’s favorite • Dim
Jacob & Esau Jacob • Mamma’s boy • Little body hair • Likes to cook • Clever • Sneaky, conniving • Ambitious from the womb
Jacob & Esau Jacob becomes “first-born” • Tricks Esau into trading birthright for bowl of soup • Tricks Isaac out of Esau’s blessing • Jacob renamed Israel (he who wrestles with God)