Loading...I will be in Tampa next week and would like to do a Blog Dinner on Friday, January 17, with any blog members who happen to be around or can, well, get around. Probably around 6:30 or so for drinks to start (for whoever is interested in quenching thirst before satisfying hunger), and location TBD.
You interested? I’ll limit the table to 8, me and the perfect number 7. For those who come there are no obligations other than:
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- Being a blog member
- Showing up
- Talking
- Paying for whatever you ingest. Whatever you exgest is free.
If you’re interested, do NOT reply here as a comment. Send along an email at [email protected].
Hope some of you can come!
“the perfect number 7”
Not wishing to be pedantic (actually, I love being pedantic, I just don’t admit it…), but, if I am not mistaken, seven is a prime number, but not a perfect number.
Ah, I wasn’t speaking in mathematical but biblical terms. In the Bible (as in other ancient Jewish literature) “7” is considered the “perfect” number.
Dr. Ehrman,
I am disappointed in you.
I just learned that the Gospel of Matthew tells its readers Jesus’ God was not Yahweh but El.
1) Jesus’ name is Emmanu-EL not Emmanu-Yahweh
2) Eli Eli, lema sbachthani, not Yahweh, Yahweh, lema sabachthani.
3) Those who turned Jesus over to the Romans were Yahwists.
You are a textual critic. You never picked this up?
Steve Campbell
Author of Historical Accuracy
So we have El and Elyon vs the condensing of the Canaanite pantheon during the Assyrian period into a monotheistic Yahweh but somehow north of Judea where people were not taken into captivity and released by Cyrus and Yahwists claimed Yahweh made Cyrus do this, the Galileans did not buy into that.
I’m sorry to be so disappointing. But I have never ever said that Matthew identifies Jesus as Yahweh, so I’m not sure what of the many possible disappointing things about me you’re disappointed in….
(You may know, btw, that “textual criticism” is not about the interpretation of texts).
I love your answer Dr. Ehrman!! *muppet-like dancing for three seconds*
I know that Yahweh Elohim faded from being spoken aloud once the OT was committed to writing. To me it looks like that was an attempt to backcast monotheism. Maybe because syncretization is more obvious in writing, and syncretization was the absolute norm of the ANE.
As I’ve commented recently, I think Yahweh looks like Aramean Shepherd God Yah + Egyptian Desert Protector God Ha.
And I think it looks like Jesus got his paws on some Akkadian cuneiform. In the ancient Transjordan, it’s pretty established that gods were merged into the local language under their role:
Akkadian Roles:
•Creator God
formless, undivided (An)
•Son of God
Water Purification (Hayyi) + The Light (Samu). Think Canaanite theonym Samu-El.
•Father in Heaven
Sounds like an ancestor cult? I think the Transjordan royal household deity Dushara might be Arameanized “Of [the] Rightful King” Sargon of Akkad. It’s the “of the” that makes it an icon and not idol worship. Like how Jesus has statues.
My guess is 1rst CE Obodas Theos’ posthumous deification displayed a transmigration belief represented by Dushara. While I think Jesus democratized the People’s Transmigration, the Akkadian Eblaite (democratic) belief in rebirth, “womb burial’.
Steefen:
We’re in agreement: Matthew does not identify Jesus as Yahweh.
You wrote a book, How Jesus became God.
Yahweh became the the monotheistic God of Temple Judaism.
Through Moses, Yahweh introduced himself to the sons of Israel via Moses.
Yahweh commanded the Hebrews to be henotheistic.
King Josiah forbade the worship of any god but Yahweh.
The emblems of the worship of Baal and “the host of heaven” were removed from the Jerusalem Temple.
Yahweh was not the father of the Canaanite pantheon, El was.
Jesus broke with Josiah: Jesus broke with the evolution of God in Judaism.
We cannot say Jesus taught people to see the father nature of Yahweh, especially after Luke 11:11-13.
How Jesus became God?
1) He taught his Heavenly Father was God.
2) He taught he was one with God, his Heavenly Father.
The Pharisees and the Temple establishment did not see God as El and they did not see Yahweh as a beneficent father. If Yahweh came through as a responsible, fair, and protective father-god, Jewish Apocalypticism would have one less reason to develop.
Jesus taught people to pray to his Heavenly Father.
I am disappointed you did not make the distinction between Yahweh and the Father by whom Jesus became God.
Well, I’m sorry I ocntinue to disappoint. disabledupes{584ff1118ad7002220a87cda30f7f0e2}disabledupes
The New Testament only addresses the distinction between Yahweh and the Father slightly:
The religious authorities knew Jesus taught the Our Father prayer (God as Father); yet, they asked, Are you the son of the Blessed One?
With me thinking this through…
Jesus: I am (the son of the Blessed One) and whoever recites the Our Father Prayer are children of the Blessed One, even you.
AND, you will see the Son of Man (Enoch, not me) sitting at the right hand of Power.
Are you the Messiah?
I am
until I am killed and am replaced not by another Jewish messiah but until I am replaced by Gentiles according to the prophetic Parable of the Wicked Tenants, revealed to me.
So, the Tribulation will still take place in Jerusalem.
Judgement will not be in Jewish Apocalyptic terms but in Gentile terms–-
sheep, did you support the Jewish Revolt (no) and
goats, did you support the Jewish Revolt (yes).
And, the glorious kingdom of God will be the kingdom of the the Gentiles, the Roman empire.
Bart D. Ehrman:
Read my book carefully and you’ll see the clear distinctions.
Steefen:
How Jesus Became God – UCC Parts 1 through 3 of 3
on your YouTube channel should provide that.
I look forward to your treatment.
It may have been just a moment of conflation of textual critisicm and higher criticism for the sake of historical accuracy that evoked such disappointment in our brother. Just for the sake of clarification:
“Textual criticism, properly speaking, is an ancillary academic discipline designed to lay the foundations for the so-called higher criticism, which deals with questions of authenticity and attribution, of interpretation, and of literary and historical evaluation.”
My name is Palmer Avery.
I am writing because I heard you say you give memberships to your blog to those who can’t afford the donation. I’ve been housed now for 2 months after 3 years on the streets.
I have a podcast about homelessness, Home Free with Palmer Avery, on Spotify, Apple, Amazon.
May I request you listen to an episode and consider me as a possible guest on your show.
[email protected]
Thank you.
Please send me an email for your request.
https://www.quora.com/Wasn-t-Yahweh-God-the-father-and-Jesus-Christ-the-Son
Some guy said I am perverting the Jewish God & the perversion of the NT Christianity.
Some things just don’t mix
Alas, warm sunny Tampa where I grew up is a bit far these days. However, as a dedicated Epicurean foodie and 5th gen Floridian, may I recommend the Columbia Restaurant in bYbor City, Tampa at 2117 E. 7th Ave., Cuisine is old line Spanish and Cuban.
Thanks!