Post by schooldad3 on Aug 17, 2023 18:29:21 GMT -6
Understanding the world of the Bible and the culture it was written in goes a long way towards understanding what it is telling us. The world of the Bible was a world where-in the pagan myths and Idolatry formed the linguistic nuances and cultural norms by which people thought and spoke. For instance, the Sumerian God of the sun (Shemesh) became the Hebrew word שֶׁמֶשׁ (also pronounced Shemesh) for the same. The story of the birth of Sargon the Great (arriving in a basket and floating down the Euphrates) was designed to demonstrate that he was one who had a divine purpose. That story was used by the Lord to communicate the same regarding Moses. However, unlike Sargon whose story was depicted years after his death, the account of Moses actually occurred. In addition, the plagues of Egypt where a demonstration of the power of God over the realms of the different gods of Egypt. What the alleged gods were supposed to be able to do the Lord actually did.
In his book titled “Against The Gods” John D. Currid lists many of the polemics of the Bible. What is noteworthy is that not only does the Lord appropriate the powers and acts of the pagan deities to himself and at times to his people; he actually does what the supposed pagan deities were only alleged to be able to do. In other words, the Biblical concept of polemics means actually doing it. However, what is somewhat unfortunate is that as Christianity began to have an impact society and culture the significance of the polemics began to be lost as paganism wanned over the centuries. Only by reading and careful research can we better understand the powerful statements made by biblical polemics.
A very powerful polemic is depicted in the Baptism of Jesus. The account is found in all four Gospels. Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:21, and John 1:32. While Matthew, Mark, and John say that the Spirit descended like a dove, Luke says that the “Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove”. This is incredibly important due to the fact that from ancient times the dove was used to both identify and represent the divine.
“Since ancient times the dove was used to identify and represent the divine. It then helped countless peoples to envision and understand the many aspects of a God who could not be embodied by an idol or statue. It continues to be a favorite way to show the hand and presence of God in the world and remains one of our most enduring symbols.”
www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/daily-life-and-practice/the-enduring-symbolism-of-doves/
One of the oldest and most powerful gods of the Mesopotamian gods was Inanna. She was the God of war, love, fertility, the morning star, and associated with the sun and moon. She was often thought of as none other than Lord of heaven and earth. She would evolve over time and eventually be demoted. She was known in Greek and Roman times as Aphrodite’s and or Dianna. She is often depicted with or in the Prescence of a dove. See image below.
Early fifth-century BC statue of Aphrodite from Cyprus, showing her wearing a cylinder crown and holding a dove.
The polemic of Jesus baptism is very clear. The Spirit taking the form of a dove is telling us of Jesus divine origins. But Jesus Baptism goes even further. The voice of God himself says “this is my Son listen to him”. Not only do we have the culturally accepted norm for Identifying a deity we have the added statement where God says he is descended from me. In what way is he descended? Hebrews 1:3 “the express image of his person”, Philippians 2:6 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:”
Here is the stunning conclusion. Within the first 1-3 chapters of each of the Gospels we a have what would have been a clear and concise culturally appropriated unequivocal statement (by way of polemics) that Jesus was none other than God himself. Every other N.T. statement regarding His deity is predicated on the above polemic.
Brad Hurst 8/17/2023
In his book titled “Against The Gods” John D. Currid lists many of the polemics of the Bible. What is noteworthy is that not only does the Lord appropriate the powers and acts of the pagan deities to himself and at times to his people; he actually does what the supposed pagan deities were only alleged to be able to do. In other words, the Biblical concept of polemics means actually doing it. However, what is somewhat unfortunate is that as Christianity began to have an impact society and culture the significance of the polemics began to be lost as paganism wanned over the centuries. Only by reading and careful research can we better understand the powerful statements made by biblical polemics.
A very powerful polemic is depicted in the Baptism of Jesus. The account is found in all four Gospels. Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:21, and John 1:32. While Matthew, Mark, and John say that the Spirit descended like a dove, Luke says that the “Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove”. This is incredibly important due to the fact that from ancient times the dove was used to both identify and represent the divine.
“Since ancient times the dove was used to identify and represent the divine. It then helped countless peoples to envision and understand the many aspects of a God who could not be embodied by an idol or statue. It continues to be a favorite way to show the hand and presence of God in the world and remains one of our most enduring symbols.”
www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/daily-life-and-practice/the-enduring-symbolism-of-doves/
One of the oldest and most powerful gods of the Mesopotamian gods was Inanna. She was the God of war, love, fertility, the morning star, and associated with the sun and moon. She was often thought of as none other than Lord of heaven and earth. She would evolve over time and eventually be demoted. She was known in Greek and Roman times as Aphrodite’s and or Dianna. She is often depicted with or in the Prescence of a dove. See image below.
Early fifth-century BC statue of Aphrodite from Cyprus, showing her wearing a cylinder crown and holding a dove.
The polemic of Jesus baptism is very clear. The Spirit taking the form of a dove is telling us of Jesus divine origins. But Jesus Baptism goes even further. The voice of God himself says “this is my Son listen to him”. Not only do we have the culturally accepted norm for Identifying a deity we have the added statement where God says he is descended from me. In what way is he descended? Hebrews 1:3 “the express image of his person”, Philippians 2:6 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:”
Here is the stunning conclusion. Within the first 1-3 chapters of each of the Gospels we a have what would have been a clear and concise culturally appropriated unequivocal statement (by way of polemics) that Jesus was none other than God himself. Every other N.T. statement regarding His deity is predicated on the above polemic.
Brad Hurst 8/17/2023