I am more or less willing to be a polytheist. Trinitarianism gives me a headache. I’m not quite sure how anyone deduced monotheism from, HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE HaShem (yehôvâh, יהוה) OUR GOD (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהינו), THE HaShem (yehôvâh, יהוה) IS ONE[1] anyway. The Hebrew word אלהינו (ʼĕlôhı̂ym), as I understand it, is a plural noun treated as a singular (i.e., the Gods is).
If the oneness of the אלהינו (ʼĕlôhı̂ym) meant that they were not warring among themselves, constantly working at cross-purposes like the gods of the pagan myths, then trinitarianism would be an unnecessary complication. But the impact the quotation of Psalm 110:1 in Hebrews had on me as I read it this time compels me to consider something much closer to trinitarianism than polytheism: The LORD (yehôvâh, יהוה) said unto my Lord (ʼâdôn, לאדני), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.[2]
But when this priest[3] had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, the anonymous author of Hebrews wrote, he sat down at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet.[4] This made it obvious that the resurrected and ascended Jesus was signified by לאדני (ʼâdôn) in Psalm 110:1, not יהוה (yehôvâh). As a Bible-believing polytheist I would be forced to accept that Jesus is not יהוה (yehôvâh) according to this Psalm.
The insight that Jesus is יהוה (yehôvâh) come in human flesh has revolutionized my thinking about, not to mention my feeling for, יהוה (yehôvâh). I won’t give it up easily. If I can believe, for instance, that the him in Yet it pleased the LORD (yehôvâh, ויהוה) to bruise him[5] was effectively Himself, it presages Jesus’ own words: I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will.[6] If, however, I must believe that him was someone else יהוה (yehôvâh) abused, an only begotten Son in fact, and He wants to treat me as a son…well, those are fighting words.
As I think of it now, for foolish Gentiles to see one like the Son of man [returning] with the clouds of heaven[7] and then follow their desperate leaders in a short-lived insurrection will require a hardening much like the hardening that fortified religious minds in Jerusalem to seek the death of a man who healed the sick and raised the dead. So rather than be hardened by a simplistic polytheism I plan to endure the headache of something more like trinitarianism.
The first occurrence of ואדני (ʼâdôn) in Genesis was from the lips of Sarah: After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?[8] Husband (ʼâdôn, ואדני) was lord in the Tanakh and κύριός in the Septuagint. Peter made much of this single occurrence of ʼâdôn (1 Peter 3:5, 6 NET):
For in the same way the holy women who hoped in[9] God[10] long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands, like Sarah who obeyed Abraham, calling him lord (κύριον, a form of κύριος). You become her children when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so.
Surely the relevant relationship in Sarah’s mind as she laughed, contemplated, probably doubted the possibility of having her first child in her old age was that of husband as the NET translators suggested. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.[11]
The Hebrew word translated LORD here was יהוה (yehôvâh), κύριος in Greek in the Septuagint. The Hebrew word translated for I am married was בעלתי (bâʽal). Like אדני (ʼâdôn) בעלתי (bâʽal) can mean master. This is what the rabbis keyed on when they chose κατακυριεύσω (a form of κατακυριεύω) to translate בעלתי (bâʽal) into Greek. But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over (κατακυριεύουσιν, another form of κατακυριεύω) them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. It[12] must not be this way among you!”[13] In fact, the man who beat [some Jewish exorcists] into submission[14] (κατακυριεύσας, another form of κατακυριεύω)…was possessed by [an] evil spirit,[15] not the Spirit of God.
I think the translators of the Tanakh keyed on the relevant relationship the Holy Spirit intended, for later the same passage reads: Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.[16] Again, LORD was the translation of יהוה (yehôvâh), κύριος in the Septuagint. The word translated husband was מרעה (rêaʽ). It was translated συνόντα (a form of σύνειμι) by the rabbis in the Septuagint (Luke 9:18-22 NET).
Once when Jesus was praying by himself, and his disciples were nearby (συνῆσαν, another form of σύνειμι), he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered,[17] “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter[18] answered, “The Christ of God.” But he forcefully commanded them not to tell[19] this to anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”[20]
The LORD was determined to do good (Jeremiah 3:16-18) to Israel but questioned how since they had treacherously departed from Him: But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? [21] Jesus explained His answer—and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me[22]—to Nicodemus (John 3:5-7 NET).
I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, “You must all be born from above.”
So, how is one born from above? Receive Jesus. Actually, him in to all who have received him referred back to the Word. I was among the slowest of the slow to realize that the Word was Jesus. Here is John’s description of Jesus as the Word of God (John 1:1-5, 10-13 NET):
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it…
He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name – he has given the right to become God’s children – children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.
So, how does the right (John 8:40-45) to become God’s children, the fact that Thou shalt call [Him], My father ensure that thou shalt not turn away from him? Therefore, Peter concluded his first Gospel proclamation, let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ[23] (Acts 2:37, 38 NET).
Now when they heard this, they were acutely distressed and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We know that everyone fathered by God does not sin, John wrote those who had received Jesus, but God protects the one he has fathered, and the evil one cannot touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one is the true God and eternal life.[24]
So then, brothers and sisters, Paul wrote to those in Rome who believed that God has made this Jesus whom [they] crucified both Lord and Christ, who had repented and been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of [their] sins, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.”[25]
This explains why the ark of the covenant of the Lord will no longer come to mind (Jeremiah 3:16-18 Tanakh):
And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:[26]
Here again, husband was בעלתי (bâʽal) and LORD was יהוה (yehôvâh) in the Hebrew (Masoretic text), but the rabbis chose ἠμέλησα (a form of ἀμελέω) in the Septuagint. The author of Hebrews quoted it (Hebrews 8:9 NET):
It will not be like the covenant that I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I had no regard (ἠμέλησα, a form of ἀμελέω) for them, says the Lord.
The NET parallel Greek text, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text were identical here.
| Hebrews 8:9 (NET Parallel Greek) | Hebrews 8:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus) | |
| οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν ἐποίησα τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Ἀιγύπτου, ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου, καγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν, λέγει κύριος | ου κατα την διαθηκην ην εποιησα τοις πατρασιν αυτων εν ημερα επιλαβομενου μου της χειρος αυτων εξαγαγειν αυτους εκ γης αιγυπτου οτι αυτοι ουκ ενεμειναν εν τη διαθηκη μου καγω ημελησα αυτων λεγει κυριος | ου κατα την διαθηκην ην εποιησα τοις πατρασιν αυτων εν ημερα επιλαβομενου μου της χειρος αυτων εξαγαγειν αυτους εκ γης αιγυπτου οτι αυτοι ουκ ενεμειναν εν τη διαθηκη μου καγω ημελησα αυτων λεγει κυριος |
There were three relatively insignificant differences compared to the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint.
| Jeremiah 31:32 (Septuagint BLB) | ||
| οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν ἐποίησα τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Ἀιγύπτου, ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου, καγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν, λέγει κύριος | οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην ἣν διεθέμην τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου καὶ ἐγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν φησὶν κύριος | οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν διεθέμην τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου, καὶ ἐγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν, φησὶ Κύριος |
If בעלתי (bâʽal) was not original in Jeremiah 31:32, it was found in Isaiah, though again it was translated κύριος (Lord) in the Septuagint (Isaiah 54:4-7 Tanakh):
Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband (bâʽal, בעליך); the LORD (yehôvâh, יהוה) of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the LORD (yehôvâh, יהוה) hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD (yehôvâh, יהוה), that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali (baʽălı̂y, בעלי). For I will take away the names of Baalim (baʽal, הבעלים) out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.[27]
Here the Hebrew word אישי (ʼı̂ysh) was transliterated as a proper name Ishi (also in the KJV). The rabbis translated it ἀνήρ in the Septuagint. And the man (ʼâdâm, האדם; Septuagint: Αδαμ) said: ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man (ʼı̂ysh, מאיש; Septuagint: ἀνδρὸς, a form of ἀνήρ).’ Therefore shall a man (ʼı̂ysh, איש; Septuagint: ἄνθρωπος) leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh [Table].[28] Most English Bibles that translate rather than transliterate Ishi render it my husband, including the New English Translation of the Septuagint.
Matthew (9:15), Mark (2:19, 20) and Luke (5:34, 35) all recounted Jesus reference to Himself as the bridegroom (νυμφίος). John (3:25-30) recalled that John the Baptist also called Jesus the bridegroom. The prophet Hosea continued quoting yehôvâh (Hosea 2:18-23 Tanakh):
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth (ʼâraś, וארשׁתיך; Septuagint: μνηστεύσομαί, a form of μνηστεύω) thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth (ʼâraś, וארשׁתיך; Septuagint: μνηστεύσομαί, a form of μνηστεύω) thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth (ʼâraś, וארשׁתיך; Septuagint: μνηστεύσομαί, a form of μνηστεύω) thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD (yehôvâh, יהוה).
And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD (yehôvâh, יהוה), I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Tables comparing Hebrews 10:12; 1 Peter 3:5; Matthew 20:26; Acts 19:16 and Luke 9:19-22 in the NET and KJV follow.
|
Hebrews 10:12 (KJV) |
|
| But when this priest had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God, | But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| οὗτος δὲ μίαν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν προσενέγκας θυσίαν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ | αυτος δε μιαν υπερ αμαρτιων προσενεγκας θυσιαν εις το διηνεκες εκαθισεν εν δεξια του θεου | αυτος δε μιαν υπερ αμαρτιων προσενεγκας θυσιαν εις το διηνεκες εκαθισεν εν δεξια του θεου |
|
1 Peter 3:5 (KJV) |
|
| For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands, | For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: |
| NET Parallel Greek | Stephanus Textus Receptus | |
| οὕτως γάρ ποτε καὶ αἱ ἅγιαι γυναῖκες αἱ ἐλπίζουσαι εἰς θεὸν ἐκόσμουν ἑαυτάς ὑποτασσόμεναι τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν | ουτως γαρ ποτε και αι αγιαι γυναικες αι ελπιζουσαι επι τον θεον εκοσμουν εαυτας υποτασσομεναι τοις ιδιοις ανδρασιν | ουτως γαρ ποτε και αι αγιαι γυναικες αι ελπιζουσαι επι θεον εκοσμουν εαυτας υποτασσομεναι τοις ιδιοις ανδρασιν |
|
Matthew 20:26 (KJV) |
|
| It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, | But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| οὐχ οὕτως |ἔσται| ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ὃς |ἐὰν| θέλῃ ἐν ὑμῖν μέγας γενέσθαι ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος | ουχ ουτως δε εσται εν υμιν αλλ ος εαν θελη εν υμιν μεγας γενεσθαι εστω υμων διακονος | ουχ ουτως δε εσται εν υμιν αλλ ος εαν θελη εν υμιν μεγας γενεσθαι εσται υμων διακονος |
| NET Parallel Greek | Stephanus Textus Receptus | |
| καὶ ἐφαλόμενος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἐν ᾧ ἦν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ πονηρόν, κατακυριεύσας ἀμφοτέρων ἴσχυσεν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ὥστε γυμνοὺς καὶ τετραυματισμένους ἐκφυγεῖν ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου ἐκείνου | και εφαλλομενος επ αυτους ο ανθρωπος εν ω ην το πνευμα το πονηρον και κατακυριευσας αυτων ισχυσεν κατ αυτων ωστε γυμνους και τετραυματισμενους εκφυγειν εκ του οικου εκεινου | και εφαλλομενος επ αυτους ο ανθρωπος εν ω ην το πνευμα το πονηρον και κατακυριευσαν αυτων ισχυσεν κατ αυτων ωστε γυμνους και τετραυματισμενους εκφυγειν εκ του οικου εκεινου |
| NET Parallel Greek | Stephanus Textus Receptus | |
| οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν, ἄλλοι δὲ Ἠλίαν, ἄλλοι δὲ ὅτι προφήτης τις τῶν ἀρχαίων ἀνέστη | οι δε αποκριθεντες ειπον ιωαννην τον βαπτιστην αλλοι δε ηλιαν αλλοι δε οτι προφητης τις των αρχαιων ανεστη | οι δε αποκριθεντες ειπον ιωαννην τον βαπτιστην αλλοι δε ηλιαν αλλοι δε οτι προφητης τις των αρχαιων ανεστη |
| Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” | He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· ὑμεῖς δὲ τίνα με λέγετε εἶναι; Πέτρος δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· τὸν χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ | ειπεν δε αυτοις υμεις δε τινα με λεγετε ειναι αποκριθεις δε ο πετρος ειπεν τον χριστον του θεου | ειπεν δε αυτοις υμεις δε τινα με λεγετε ειναι αποκριθεις δε ο πετρος ειπεν τον χριστον του θεου |
| But he forcefully commanded them not to tell this to anyone, | And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας αὐτοῖς παρήγγειλεν μηδενὶ λέγειν τοῦτο | ο δε επιτιμησας αυτοις παρηγγειλεν μηδενι ειπειν τουτο | ο δε επιτιμησας αυτοις παρηγγειλεν μηδενι ειπειν τουτο |
| saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” | Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. |
| NET Parallel Greek | Stephanus Textus Receptus | Byzantine Majority Text |
| εἰπων ὅτι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πολλὰ παθεῖν καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ ἀρχιερέων καὶ γραμματέων καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναι καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθῆναι | ειπων οτι δει τον υιον του ανθρωπου πολλα παθειν και αποδοκιμασθηναι απο των πρεσβυτερων και αρχιερεων και γραμματεων και αποκτανθηναι και τη τριτη ημερα εγερθηναι | ειπων οτι δει τον υιον του ανθρωπου πολλα παθειν και αποδοκιμασθηναι απο των πρεσβυτερων και αρχιερεων και γραμματεων και αποκτανθηναι και τη τριτη ημερα αναστηναι |
[3] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οὗτος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτος (KJV: this man).
[7] Daniel 7:13b (Tanakh) The Greek word translated returning in Revelation 1:7 (NET) was ἔρχεται, while the Hebrew word translated came in Daniel 7:13 (Tanakh) was translated ἐρχόμενος in the Septuagint. Both are forms of ἔρχομαι. ἐρχόμενος: Matthew 3:11; 11:2-6; 21:6-11; 23:37-39.
[9] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἰς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επι.
[10] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article τον preceding God. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.
[11] Jeremiah 3:14, 15 (Tanakh)
[12] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: But). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
[14] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had κατακυριεύσας here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had κατακυριευσαν.
[17] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον (KJV: said).
[18] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding Peter. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
[19] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had λέγειν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπειν.
[20] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἐγερθῆναι here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had αναστηναι.
[24] 1 John 5:18-20 (NET) Table1, Table2
[26] Jeremiah 31:31, 32 (Tanakh)