On Fri, 1 Dec 1995, Dennis L. Durst wrote:
> Reflectorites:
>
> Either with or without a knowledge of Hebrew (I had one year of it
> in seminary, and survived!),
Nothing like it, eh? It is the toughest subject I have ever taken at
university.
>I think that placing the weight of a "new"
> interpretation of the 'adam vocabulary on the presence or absence of a
> definite article is pretty risky stuff.
Yes, sir. But this will always be one of the problems with reading a
dead language. And not only that, but the LXX is a woody (literal)
translation skewed by Hellenistic categories, and the MT is
rather late with vowel pointing added well after the writing of the
originals. So yes, we've got some tough textual and exegetical
decisions to make.
Moreover, what may be grammatical subtleties to us, may well
jump out in the ANE mind. For example, the disjunctive waw in Gen 1:2
clear sets this verse aside to the Hebrews, but to those not sensitive to
its actual impact they translate it as just another "and" (eg, KJV).
> You must ask yourself if the
> average ancient Hebrew, listening to the reading of the Pentateuch, would
> have caught from such a subtlety the message: "Ah, here God is referring
> to some creature much more primitive than I existing milllions of years
> ago, and HERE God is referring to my great, great, great (etc.) grand-
> father Adam, who had the capability of naming the animals and of under-
> standing the difference between obedience and disobedience to a divine
> command." Sorry, I ain't buying it.
I completely agree. ANE thought had no such anthroplogical dichotomy,
and neither did the Hebrews.
The first step in hermeneutics is
> to consider the range of possible meanings a text COULD HAVE CONCEIVABLY
> HELD for its original hearers.
Amen! And that implies leaving the 20th century baggage back in the 20th
century. Yes, we can certainly sup with Moses, enjoy numerous
theological, ethical and social discussions, but leave the VCRs and tapes
behind--there are no plug-ins in his tent!
In Christ,
Denis
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Denis O. Lamoureux DDS PhD PhD (cand)
Department of Oral Biology Residence:
Faculty of Dentistry # 1908
University of Alberta 8515-112 Street
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CANADA CANADA
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E-mail: dlamoure@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca
"In all debates, let truth be thy aim, and endeavor to gain
rather than expose thy opponent."
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