Aion in Micah 5:2 (5:1 LXX) Does Not Refer to Eternity (Glenny)

 

Source: Glenny, W. Edward. Micah: A Commentary based on Micah in Codex Vaticanus, 2015.

James Barr's Remarks Pertaining to Olam in the Hebrew Bible (Screenshot)

 

Translating Mark 15:39

It is interesting how many different ways that Mark 15:39 is translated:

"Surely this man was the Son of God!" (NIV)

"Truly this man was a son of God" (BBE).

"Truly this man was Son of God" (Darby).

"This man positively was the son of God" (Byington).

"Truly, this man, was God's son!" (Rotherham EB)

“Certainly this man was God’s Son.” (NWT 2013)

Compare NET Bible.

Darrell D. Hannah and Angels As Mediators in Ancient Judaism

From the book, Michael and Christ: Michael Traditions and Angel Christology in Early Christianity. Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1999 (Wissenschaftlicbe Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament: Reihe 2; 109), ISBN 3-16-147054-0.

Page 18: While it is not a common motif in OT angelology we do on occasion encounter angelic intercessors and mediators on behalf of humanity (Job 5.1, 16.19, 33.23-28; Zech. 1.12-13). This also seems to fit the royal court pattern; angels intercede for men and women just as members of the
royal court could intercede with the Monarch for those outside the court (cf. Esther 4). This theme will find a great deal of development in later, especially apocalyptic, literature.20 On the other hand, just as an ancient court might contain those who would intercede and defend commoners, so
they could also include those who would serve as public accusers. We find this reflected in the folk tale which frames the book Job (1-2 and 42.7-17). The "Accuser" or "Adversary" here will later develop into the embodiment of evil known as Satan or the Devil, a process already under way in Zech. 3 and 1 Chron. 21.1.21

Page 44: In a related passage, the patriarch Dan instructs his children concerning, apparently, the same angel: "Draw near to God and to the angel who intercedes for you, because he is the mediator between God and men for the peace of Israel. He shall stand in opposition to the kingdom of the enemy" (TDan. 6.2). Three verses later this angel is further identified as ό αγγβλος της ειρήνης. Some have thought this passage suspect. It certainly is very similar to I Tim. 2.5: Έΐς yáp θεός, εις και μεσίτης θεού και ανθρώτων, άνθρωτος Χριστός ' Ιησούς. Hollander and de Jonge‚ who believe the Testaments is essentially a Christian work, view this passage as evidence of a primitive angel Christology.88 Hurtado would rather describe the phrase which parallels 1 Tim. 2.5 as a Christian interpolation. While this is certainly possible, there is nothing specifically Christian about the passage. As we have seen, an angelic mediator between God and humanity could appear in Jewish as well as Christian works.89 If the phrase "mediator between God and men" is not rejected as an interpolation, then it may reflect the tradition that Michael was a heavenly mediator for humanity in general.90

Morphe in the Septuagint (LXX)

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς Ζεβεε καὶ Σαλμανα ποῦ οἱ ἄνδρες οὓς ἀπεκτείνατε ἐν Θαβωρ καὶ εἶπαν ὡσεὶ σύ ὅμοιος σοί ὅμοιος αὐτῶν ὡς εἶδος μορφὴ υἱῶν βασιλέων. (Judges 8:18)

ἀνέστην καὶ οὐκ ἐπέγνων εἶδον καὶ οὐκ ἦν μορφὴ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου ἀλλ᾽ ἢ αὔραν καὶ φωνὴν ἤκουον (Job 4:16)

τέκτων ξύλον ἔστησεν αὐτὸ ἐν μέτρῳ καὶ ἐν κόλλῃ ἐρρύθμισεν αὐτό ἐποίησεν αὐτὸ ὡς μορφὴν ἀνδρὸς καὶ ὡς ὡραιότητα ἀνθρώπου στῆσαι αὐτὸ ἐν οἴκῳ (Isaiah 44:13)

τότε Ναβουχοδονοσορ ἐπλήσθη θυµοῦ, καὶ ἡ µορφὴ τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἠãοιώθη, καὶ ἐπέταξε καῆναι

τὴν κάµινον ἑπταπλασίως παρ’ ὃ ἔδει αὐτὴν καῆναι·  (Daniel 3:19 Rahlfs)

Aquila includes morphe in Isaiah 52:14. Compare Tobit 1:13.

C.H. Talbert writes: "It is perhaps significant that Aquila reads μορφή in Isa 52 14 (Hatch and Redpath, 11, p. 934)."

See Talbert, "The Problem of Pre-Existence in Philippians 2:6-11." Journal of Biblical Literature (1967) 86 (2): 141–153. 

2 Corinthians 11:14-15-μετασχηματίζεται (BDAG Screenshot)

Greek: καὶ οὐ θαῦμα, αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ Σατανᾶς μετασχηματίζεται εἰς ἄγγελον φωτός·

There are five GNT occurrences of μετασχηματίζω. The form that appears in 2 Corinthians 11:14 (μετασχηματίζεται) is present middle indicative 3rd person singular.

Psalm 69 and the Messiah of God (Modified Talk)

One way to identify a person is by obtaining his or her fingerprint--we even see this technology with phones. In a similar manner, we can identify God's Anointed One or Messiah by the unique way in which he fulfilled Bible prophecies: that Messiah is Jesus Christ.

While various texts in the Pentateuch, the prophets, and the Psalms bear witness about Christ, we're going to consider a few verses from Psalm 69 in order to see what they tell us about Jehovah's chosen Messiah (Luke 24:44).

1) Psalm 69:4-this verse initially applied to King David. His enemies wanted to kill him without cause. 

John 15:24-25-Christ was hated without cause, yet he showed courage to the point of putting his life on the line. Jesus riled up the religious leaders of his day by doing God's will. What an example that he set for us as Witnesses of Jehovah since we're often hated without cause too.

2) A second event foretold can be found in Psalm 69:9. 

"For jealousy for your house has eaten me up" (Byington)

Notice how Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in John 2:13-17-(show picture)

Godly jealously or zeal consumed Jesus; it was like fire in his bones. Jesus could not tolerate people making a mockery of God's house. In his day, things had devolved to such a point that Israelites who offered sacrifices were being charged excessive prices by the religious leaders and exploitation took place with the money changers. Again, Jesus sets an example for us. Are we similarly jealous for Jehovah's interests?

3) The prophecies about Jesus were not vague but offered numerous specifics. We find one example of this point in Psalm 69:20-21. Jesus felt deep emotional agony/heartbreak and was offered wine mixed with gall. As we know, Jesus refused the poisonous drink because he evidently wanted to be alert while accomplishing Jehovah's will.

Insight Book: "In recording the fulfillment of this prophecy, Matthew (27:34) employed the Greek word kho·leʹ (gall), the same term found in the Greek Septuagint at Psalm 69:21. However, Mark’s Gospel account mentions myrrh (Mark 15:23), and this has given rise to the view that in this case the 'poisonous plant' or 'gall' was 'myrrh.' Another possibility is that the drugged drink contained both gall and myrrh."

These three points from Psalm 69 are a mere snapshot of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. However, they contain abundant meaning for us and strengthen our conviction that Jesus is the true Messiah by means of whom Jehovah's promises become yes (2 Corinthians 1:20).

God, Jesus, Sleep, and the Trinity

 I know what the Trinitarian "response" will be, but here it goes:

Jehovah God doesn't need sleep: "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4 KJV).

Jesus, however, apparently did need sleep: "And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?" (Mark 4:38 KJV)

God doesn't need food or drink: "Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?" (Psalm 50:13 KJV)

But Jesus evidently did need food to live: "The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children" (Matthew 11:19 KJV).

It's hard to understand how one person can both need sleep/food qua human, but not need sleep/food or drink qua divinity. I would also argue that some things we do as humans do not befit the dignity of God and I'm not talking about sinful acts but simply things associated with being biological entities like expelling waste products.

Words of the Month (September 2024)

1) Paradoxical:

Main Entry: par·a·dox·i·cal Pronunciation: \ˌper-ə-ˈdäk-si-kəl, ˌpa-rə-\Function:  adjective
Date: 1598
1 a : of the nature of a paradox b : inclined to paradoxes
2 : not being the normal or usual kind <a paradoxical pulse> <paradoxical drug reactions>

[From Merriam-Webster online]

2) The German term "Welterfahrendesleben" which can be translated "life-experiencing-the-world."

3) ignoratio elenchi-"an ignorance of proof"

See https://www.thefreedictionary.com/ignoratio+elenchi?fbclid=IwY2xjawE3a2RleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYnfpp993oFMjFN0RvPCrVJdvy6ZGO7wPoC6N2NyzP7zzleIuPMDLh4PBQ_aem_D-2QRQMq-R2u91ZJjHmbpA