From: PASAlist@aol.com
Date: Wed Jan 29 2003 - 14:32:22 EST
To Jonathan's statement about Jesus and the mustard seed:
<< I see the smallest seed as an example of error introduced by
>>misinterpretation. The intent of the statement is that a proverbially
tiny seed grows into one of the biggest familiar garden plants. To claim
that the statement is
incorrect requires the initial misinterpretation. >>
Burgy replied,
<< I understand. I see your position to be one of special pleading of course.
I
have no problems with assuming that Jesus held the common knowledge of his
times. But some folks do have a problem with that. >>
While I certainly see Jesus as always accommodating his revelation to the
science of the times, I must agree with Jonathan here. The smallness of the
mustard seed was proverbial [sinapi, Theological Dictionary of the New
Testament 7:288-9 and Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud und Midrasch
1:669] like our "clean as a whistle" or "big as a barn," statements we would
hardly expect to be held accountable for as scientifically accurate. Even if
the superlative "smallest of all seeds" is pressed, I think it only fair to
understand the startement in terms of the seeds known to his hearers.
Paul
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Wed Jan 29 2003 - 14:33:40 EST