The miracles that Moses performed were not the result of him being more than human. The metaphysical connection is the power of God.
This is not to say that some may have seen things differently. Judaism never had the dogmas and "official" doctrines that Christianity does. — Fooloso4
Angels as warriors
In the Bible there are some references to angels acting as warriors, and protectors of all that is good. One of these references is The Book of Daniel which contains four apocalyptic visions. However, in Daniel 10:13, it makes reference to a sort of battle between the prince of the kingdom of Persia and the speaker who is believed to be Gabriel. Here Gabriel tells Daniel that the chief of princes, Michael, helped him in the opposition he was facing from the prince of the kingdom of Persia. Thus, both angels are acting as warriors for the good against the bad opposition from the prince of the kingdom of Persia. In addition, in Daniel 12:1, the speaker, Gabriel says that the angel Michael is the protector of the Israelite people and is a great prince.[8]
Angels as teachers in Jewish apocalyptic literature
Angels in the roles of teachers become especially important in Jewish apocalyptic literature, in such books as Daniel, Zechariah, and 4 Ezra, which feature enigmatic and terrifying prophetic visions experienced by unknowing humans who need heavenly guidance to understand what they have witnessed; no longer does prophecy come with full or immediate understanding.[11] Rather, a type of commentary or explanation of the vision is provided through the figure of an interpreting angel, whose teachings dispel the ignorance of the prophet and allow him to better understand, and thus better propagate, the knowledge of the end times that his vision contains.[12]
Such knowledge of the apocalypse had both heavenly and earthly implications, and assumed a great deal of importance to the oppressed people of Israel at the time, who needed explanations for why God would let them go through so much hardship; thus, the knowledge was “good.”[13] Because of the bizarre features of the visions contained in such apocalyptic literature, interpreting angels assume the roles of teachers rather than just messengers; instead of just conveying information, they must explain it.[12]
As teachers, they convey the full might and authority of heaven, while being able to comfort their distressed human charges in a more relatable way than if the prophets were directly spoken to by God. Thus, angels as teachers function as relatable interpreters and testaments to God's power, while also increasing His transcendence.[12] Most of all, they were important in establishing human prophets in their proper role as comforters, with “good” knowledge, to the people of Israel.
In 4 Ezra, the interpreting or teaching angel is Uriel. When Ezra expresses his distress about issues that would be similarly preoccupying Jews of his time—namely, why God would allow His chosen people to suffer under the oppression of the Gentiles—Uriel is sent from heaven by God to help relieve his ignorance. In the passage, Ezra argues with Uriel about matters of justice in a way that he never could with God; however, the angel argues back with a series of riddles that eventually show Ezra the misguidedness of his thinking (4 Ezra 3:1-4:21). Importantly, Uriel does not simply transmit information or “speak at” Ezra; the two are engaged in an animated dialogue that reflects that of a teacher and a student, with the former guiding the latter to a realization.[12] Ezra could never argue with God the way he argues with Uriel; however, this argument and its accompanying emotional catharsis is partially what leads him to discover the truth and main message of the passage on his own.
In Daniel, angels also assume the roles of interpreters and teachers, notably in their abilities to explain visions concerning the eschaton, and help human prophets unknot knowledge from it. In Daniel, it is the archangel Gabriel who is sent down from heaven by God to explain Daniel's perplexing visions and help relieve some of his distress (Daniel 8:16-17). In Daniel 7-12, the good knowledge that is transmitted to Daniel and thus to the rest of the population, is that the earthly events that have been so oppressing the Jewish people are being mirrored in heaven, and that justice will eventually reign in the form of a final battle pitting the armies of heaven against evil forces, which will be vanquished.[14]
However, Daniel is only aware of this information due to the assistance of Gabriel, who teaches him the correct interpretation of his vision, and encouraging him when he falters (Daniel 8:15-27). This role of angels is mirrored in Zechariah, where angelic interpretation and teaching is necessary to unravel the bizarre visions that the prophet witnesses. In the passage, the angel literally walks through Zechariah's visions with him, explaining and teaching him as they go along so that Zechariah properly understands God's intended meaning (Zechariah 1:9-5:11).[9] — Angels in Judaism Wikipedia
Year 23, 1st month of the third season, day 19 - Proceeding northward by my majesty, carrying my father Amon-Re, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands (Upper and Lower Egypt), [that he might open the ways] before me, and my father Amon strengthened the arm [of my majesty] …
O Shamash, noblest and most lordly among the gods, sublime leader, guide, Judge of heaven and earth, not changing in his command, O Shamash, who controls darkness, who provides light for the people, O Shamash, when you set, the peoplesʼ light is darkened, O Shamash, when you rise, the four quarters brighten …
The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Is 2 a redaction reflecting later beliefs? — Fooloso4
“While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
9 “As I looked,
“thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow;
the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire,
and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing,
coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated,
and the books were opened.
11 “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,[a] coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
The Interpretation of the Dream
15 “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 16 I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this.
“So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. 18 But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’
19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.
23 “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.
26 “‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’
28 “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself.” — Daniel 7
[Chapter 48]
1 And in that place I saw the fountain of righteousness Which was inexhaustible: And around it were many fountains of wisdom: And all the thirsty drank of them, And were filled with wisdom, And their dwellings were with the righteous and holy and elect. 2 And at that hour that Son of Man was named In the presence of the Lord of Spirits, And his name before the Head of Days.
3 Yea, before the sun and the signs were created, Before the stars of the heaven were made, His name was named before the Lord of Spirits.
4 He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall, And he shall be the light of the Gentiles, And the hope of those who are troubled of heart.
5 All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him, And will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits.
6 And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him, Before the creation of the world and for evermore.
7 And the wisdom of the Lord of Spirits hath revealed him to the holy and righteous; For he hath preserved the lot of the righteous, Because they have hated and despised this world of unrighteousness, And have hated all its works and ways in the name of the Lord of Spirits: For in his name they are saved, And according to his good pleasure hath it been in regard to their life.
8 In these days downcast in countenance shall the kings of the earth have become, And the strong who possess the land because of the works of their hands, For on the day of their anguish and affliction they shall not (be able to) save themselves. And I will give them over into the hands of Mine elect: As straw in the fire so shall they burn before the face of the holy: As lead in the water shall they sink before the face of the righteous, And no trace of them shall any more be found. 10 And on the day of their affliction there shall be rest on the earth, And before them they shall fall and not rise again: And there shall be no one to take them with his hands and raise them: For they have denied the Lord of Spirits and His Anointed. The name of the Lord of Spirits be blessed. — Enoch
Rabbi Ishmael said :
(1) When I ascended on high to behold the vision of the Merkaba and had entered the six Halls, one
within the other:
(2) as soon as I reached the door of the seventh Hall I stood still in prayer before the Holy One,
blessed be He, and, lifting up my eyes on high (i.e. towards the Divine Majesty), I said :
(3) " Lord of the Universe, I pray thee, that the merit of Aaron, the son of Amram, the lover of peace
and pursuer of peace, who received the crown of priesthood from Thy Glory on the mount of Sinai,
be valid for me in this hour, so that Qafsiel*, the prince, and the angels with him may not get power
over me nor throw me down from the heavens ".
(4) Forthwith the Holy One, blessed be He, sent to me Metatron, his Servant ('Ebed) the angel, the
Prince of the Presence, and he, spreading his wings, with great joy came to meet me so as to save me
from their hand.
(5) And he took me by his hand in their sight, saying to me: "Enter in peace before the high and
exalted King3 and behold the picture of the Merkaba".
(6) Then I entered the seventh Hall, and he led me to the camp(s) of Shekina and placed me before
6the Holy One, blessed be He, to behold the Merkaba.
(7) As soon as the princes of the Merkaba and the flaming Seraphim perceived me, they fixed their
eyes upon me. Instantly trembling and shuddering seized me and I fell down and was benumbed by
the radiant image of their eyes and the splendid appearance of their faces; until the Holy One,
blessed be He, rebuked them, saying:
(8) "My servants, my Seraphim, my Kerubim and my 'Ophanniml Cover ye your eyes before
Ishmael, my son, my friend, my beloved one and my glory, that he tremble not nor shudder ! "
(9) Forthwith Metatron the Prince of the Presence, came and restored my spiritand put me upon my
feet. — Enoch 3
“covering himself with light as with a garment” — Apollodorus
In ancient religions, the Sun-God is often associated with a mountain (or pair of mountains) from which he is said to rise. For example, the Ancient Akkadian Sun-God Shamash rises from a great mountain and lights up the world. The God of Israel also resides on a hill, namely Mount Zion (Isaiah 8:18; Psalm 74:2). — Apollodorus
an Egyptian pharaoh called Thutmose (Twt-Ms, “son or heir of Twt) III whose name in Hebrew would be Dwd (Dawid/David). — Apollodorus
Thutmose I (sometimes read as Thutmosis or Tuthmosis I, Thothmes in older history works in Latinized Greek; Ancient Egyptian: ḏḥwtj-ms,[2] Tʼaḥawtī-mīsaw, pronounced [tʼaˈħawtij ˈmisˌaw] — Wiki
Therefore, it seems that the OT has preserved some of Thutmose's memory — Apollodorus
The Ark was reportedly brought to Jerusalem from a place called “House/Temple of the Sun” (1 Samuel 6). — Apollodorus
The First Temple was built by Solomon who was the son-in-law of the Egyptian pharaoh and who built shrines to the Sun-God. — Apollodorus
As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. — 1 Kings 11:4
The temple structure excavated at Tel Motza outside Jerusalem, which is from the period of Solomon, follows established pre-Israelite temple architecture with east-facing entrance to enable the rising sun to illumine the cult statue located in the interior. — Apollodorus
Indeed, even in later religion, the Sun in said to be under the control of God, which makes all its actions the actions of God. — Apollodorus
Whether the Sun acts independently as a deity in its own right or under the control of a higher deity, makes little difference to mankind in practical terms. — Apollodorus
All facts considered, I think it stands to reason — Apollodorus
In the final analysis, it is evident that much of the OT narrative cannot be taken at face value, and that, by comparison, the NT is more consistent and more credible. — Apollodorus
The word Canaanites serves as an ethnic catch-all term covering various indigenous populations—both settled and nomadic-pastoral groups—throughout the regions of the southern Levant or Canaan ... archaeological data suggests that the Israelite culture largely overlapped with and derived from Canaanite culture... In short, Israelite culture was largely Canaanite in nature
Excavations in Motza (2012) unearthed the Tel Motza temple, a large building revealing clear elements of ritual use, dated to the 9th century BCE. A rare cache of ritual objects found near the building included tiny ceramic figurines of men and animals. An analysis of animal bones found at the site indicated that they belonged only to kosher animals.
A wide, east-facing entrance in the wall of the public building is believed to have been built in accordance with temple construction traditions in the Ancient Near East: the sun rising in the east would illuminate an object placed inside the temple, symbolizing the divine presence
First you attempt to bypass Judaism and go straight from neoPlatonism to Jesus. When that failed you attempt to make Judaism indistinguishable from other religions. — Fooloso4
"Twt"/"Dḥwtj" (Thut) and "Dwd" (Dawid) are phonetically sufficiently close to represent distinct yet related pronunciations of the same name. — Apollodorus
Shall we receive the good from God and not receive the bad? — Job 2:10
According to Stavrakopoulou this overtly dualistic view was not widespread but developed within certain scribal circles, and was a prominent feature of apocalyptic groups convinced the end times were approaching, where the final battle between good and evil would be fought. By the end of the first century CE, these apocalyptic groups had come to include some of Jesus' devotees, many of whom held that humans were not only naturally inclined toward wrongdoing, but dangerously vulnerable to demon-induced sin, from which only Christ could deliver them. — Anatomy of God, p. 387
I am not going to bother addressing any of this again. — Fooloso4
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD (Adonai) of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness (Shemesh sadaqah) arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD (Adonai) of hosts (Malachi 4:1-3)
The winged solar disk appears on Hebrew seals connected to the royal house of the Kingdom of Judah. Many of these are seals and jar handles from Hezekiah's reign, together with the inscription l'melekh ("belonging to the king"). Typically, Hezekiah's royal seals feature two downward-pointing wings and six rays emanating from the central sun disk, and some are flanked on either side with the Egyptian ankh ("key of life") symbol. Prior to this, there are examples from the seals of servants of king Ahaz and of king Uzziah.
O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who maketh the clouds his chariot (Psalm 104) … Let God arise, Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens … O sing praises unto the Lord; To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens (Psalm 68:1-4, 32-33) … Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt … (Isaiah 19:1) … There is no one like the God of Jeshurun (Israel), Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds … (Deuteronomy 33:26)
Hellenistic Judaism was very different from the Rabbinic Judaism that would later supplant it. Prayer and reading of scripture was in Greek, not Hebrew. The practices and beliefs were also very different, if we take the writing of the first-century philosopher Philo as representative. Though lacking any central leadership, the rituals probably varied quite a bit from community to community. Also, a synagogue was headed not by a rabbi but by an archisynagogos (“head of the synagogue”) and a council of elders (presbyteroi).
This form of Judaism is alien to us because it did not last. After flowering in the fourth and fifth centuries – as attested by the synagogues built in this period – Hellenistic Judaism collapsed and disappeared, together with the Roman society in which it existed - Haaretz
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
Therefore we ought to try to escape from earth to the dwelling of the gods as quickly as we can; and to escape is to become like God, so far as this is possible; and to become like God is to become righteous and holy and wise (Theaetetus 176a-b).
And therefore it is just that the mind of the philosopher only has wings, for he is always, so far as he is able, in communion through memory with those things the communion with which causes God to be divine. Now a man who employs such memories rightly is always being initiated into perfect mysteries and he alone becomes truly perfect (Phaedrus 249c).
The question is to what extent the apocalyptic angels were widespread in all Jewish circles. — schopenhauer1
I think there has been a tendency in modern times to ensure that emphasis on angels were simply a Christian thing. — schopenhauer1
layer upon layer. — schopenhauer1
That is why they condemned the average person from speculating what is above and below and beginning and end of time. — schopenhauer1
In a way, Jesus is trying to check all the boxes that were popular at the time for what the messiah was to be.. — schopenhauer1
Of course, Jesus died and the End of Times did not occur and this posed an existential dillemma for a group centered around a charismatic leader. — schopenhauer1
I think it is an open question how much are things ascribed to him rather than things he took to be true of himself. — Fooloso4
Yep, you've already exposed your total ignorance of the subject, so there is no need do it again. — Apollodorus
However ... — Apollodorus
Obviously, the importance of the Sun in Jewish thought decreased over time ... — Apollodorus
(Yup, more stuff you skipped)“At the time, it was evidently considered permissible to use imagery of people, animals and even pagan godsas long as it was in the service of Jewish tradition and adopted Jewish meaning,” says Prof. Moti Aviam, an archaeologist at Kinneret College and an expert on ancient religious structures. (Emphasis added because of your deceptive habit of skipping the parts that run counter to your fabrications)
They would have presumably objected to representations of pagan gods, however, hence the solar deity in the synagogues was meant to represent the God of Israel, most scholars agree.
(Emphasis added)
Aviam suggests that Helios doesn’t represent Yahweh per se but the sun. “Together with the moon and stars, the 12 months and seasons, the image is representative of the power of god in the universe he created,” he says.
Given that Jewish religion was not very different from Greek religion at the time — Apollodorus
To strive to become perfect — Apollodorus
In Jewish scripture certain individuals such as Abraham and Noah are referred to as perfect because of their obedience to God. In these passages perfect is used as a synonym for complete, and perfect obedience to God is simply complete obedience to God./quote]
Now your game of word association may reveal something about your psychological make-up but says nothing about Judaism at the time of Jesus. — Wiki Matthew 5:48
So it is clear based on this evidence that the one like a son of man was indeed interpreted as the Messiah even in Rabbinical Judaism, as is shown in the Talmud and Rashi. — schopenhauer1
The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. — Genesis 18:22
The two angels arrived at Sodom ...
All of this stands in opposition to your claim that they worshipped the sun as a god. — Fooloso4
These shuls and their mosaics only seem strange when compared to the later synagogues of Rabbinic Judaism, but they are perfectly in line with the Roman cults of the period. Indeed, Hellenistic Judaism is best understood as a Roman cult.
So in this respect the existence of the zodiac and the portrayal of the Jewish god as a solar deity in synagogues was in line with the general thrust of Roman religion during the period.
The bottom line is that it’s hardly surprising that Roman-Byzantine synagogues portrayed the sun, or Yahweh as a solar deity: The Jews who prayed there were essentially Romans and this is how the Romans of the period envisioned and portrayed the supreme god.
It was not Rabbinic Judaism, which would eventually become Judaism as we know it but at the time was only taking shape on the sidelines of the Jewish world. The Jews who prayed in these and other synagogues belonged to what was then the mainstream of Judaism but is now long forgotten: Hellenistic Judaism.
No one is saying that the Jews worshiped the Greek or Greco-Roman Sun-God — Apollodorus
If the Egyptians, Babylonians, Canaanites, and Greeks, all saw the Sun as a deity, what are the chances of their Hebrew neighbors seeing it as a “metaphor”? Probably, zero. — Apollodorus
Judaism has many elements in common with Egyptian and other religions and cultures in the region, including the following ...God equated to the Sun — Apollodorus
Similarly, in the Hebrew Bible we find statements like “God is the Sun”: — Apollodorus
Given that Jewish religion was not very different from Greek religion at the time — Apollodorus
As Roman religion was changing, so too was the religion of Judea. Following the destruction of Second Temple Judaism in the disastrous anti-Roman revolts in the 60s and 130s C.E., the dominant form of Judaism practiced in Judea at the time, a Judaism centered around the Temple, disappeared. Hellenistic Judaism became the dominant form of Judaism in the Holy Land in the following centuries, as the mosaic-adorned synagogues attest.
I am not sure where you are going with this. Are you making a distinction between a son of god and a son of man? And/or between a son of man and one like a son of man? — Fooloso4
But this creates all kinds of problems if one also regards Jesus as the messiah and that he suffered and died on the cross. — Fooloso4
Then again, perhaps none of these issues was of much concern. What was of concern an anointed one who would save or redeem the righteous or the people. I think it is even possible that Jesus' disciples may have held differing beliefs and expectations of the kingdom at hand. — Fooloso4
Matthew 13:37,41-42
He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of man.... The Son of man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Luke 18:31-34, Mark 10:32-34, Matthew 20:17-19
Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.
Mark 14:62 (ESV), Matthew 26:64 (at his Trial before the Sanhedrin)
And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven
Matthew 24:30 states:
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Matthew 25:31-32 states:
But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goat
You are trying to backpedal on your claim that they worshipped the literal sun. — Fooloso4
The article places the rise of Hellenistic Judaism after the death of Jesus. — Fooloso4
All Judaism after the conquests of Alexander was Hellenistic Judaism. The Hellenistic period begins with the conquests of Alexander, but when did it end? In one sense, it continued under the Romans and even encompassed the Byzantine period, ending only with the Islamic conquest.
As to the Roman cult — Fooloso4
Indeed, Hellenistic Judaism is best understood as a Roman cult
The Jewish population, though not the Christian, was everywhere exempted from the loyal duty of emperor worship. Following the destruction of the Second Temple there was a tendency among the rabbis to mitigate various laws concerning idolatry, which was no longer considered a threat to the Jewish community. Nevertheless these same rabbis continued to reject any compliance with the imperial cult.
First they worshiped the Sun as God, then God as the Sun, and then God as God. — Apollodorus
Judaism has many elements in common with Egyptian and other religions and cultures in the region, including the following ...God equated to the Sun — Apollodorus
The article places the rise of Hellenistic Judaism after the death of Jesus.
— Fooloso4
Nonsense. — Apollodorus
After flowering in the fourth and fifth centuries – as attested by the synagogues built in this period
Nope. NOT "the Roman cult", but "a Roman cult" ... It was a form of the Roman cult. — Apollodorus
Nevertheless these same rabbis continued to reject any compliance with the imperial cult.
Though Jews adopted aspects of the Roman or Greco-Roman cult, it doesn't mean they adopted emperor worship. — Apollodorus
The more you attempt to dig yourself out of the hole you dug the deeper down you go. — Fooloso4
The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven (Melekheth ha-Shamayim), [i.e., sacrificial cakes in her image] and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods (Jeremiah 7:18).
We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm (Jeremiah 44:17).
Many Israelites incorporated these aspects of religious practice—a female consort, carved images of the divinity—into the worship of their god, Yahweh. They did this even long after Solomon is said by the Bible to have built an exclusive home in Jerusalem for Israel’s god.
The name Asherah appears forty times in the Hebrew Bible, but it is much reduced in English translations. The Vulgate in Latin provided lucus or nemus, a grove or a wood. From the Vulgate, the King James translation of the Bible uses grove or groves instead of Asherah's name. Non-scholarly English language readers of the Bible would not have read her name for more than 400 years afterward – Asherah Wikipedia
Hellenistic culture had a profound impact on the customs and practices of Jews, both in Judea and in the diaspora. These inroads into Judaism gave rise to Hellenistic Judaism which sought to establish a Hebraic-Jewish religious tradition within the culture and language of Hellenism - Wikipedia
Rabbi Hanina said: the month names came up with them from Babylon (Jerusalem Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 1:2, 56d).
In ancient Greek religion a number of men and women became physically immortal as they were resurrected from the dead. Asclepius was killed by Zeus, only to be resurrected and transformed into a major deity. According to Herodotus's Histories, the seventh century BC sage Aristeas of Proconnesus was first found dead, after which his body disappeared from a locked room. Later he found not only to have been resurrected but to have gained immortality - Wikipedia
When we say Jesus Christ, our teacher, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, we propose nothing different from what you believe regarding those whom you consider sons of Zeus (1 Apol. 21).
By “Judaism” I meant Judaism in its historical form in the period under discussion, i.e., from its beginnings in Ancient Canaan, not Modern Judaism which is a totally different story! — Apollodorus
“A Roman cult” can be ANY cult observed by inhabitants of the Roman Empire, e.g. the worship of a particular deity. “Imperial cult” is the worship of the emperor. They are two TOTALLY different things. — Apollodorus
Given that Jewish religion was not very different from Greek religion at the time, most Jews had no reason to resist Hellenistic influence ... But the Jewish God they worshiped was "portrayed as a solar deity", exactly as in the First Temple period and before, because that was how Hellenistic Judaism, the dominant form of the religion, conceived of God at the time.
Hellenistic Judaism “flowered” in the 4th and 5th centuries in the sense that it increased in influence and appeal, not that it started at that time! — Apollodorus
The rise of a movement or activity is an increase in its popularity or influence. — Rise
The Jewish religion did not accept the existence of men who become gods or gods who become men. They do not accept the idea that God impregnated a woman who gave birth to a man/god. — Fooloso4
You obviously have zero knowledge or understanding of textual criticism, archaeology, history, epigraphy, or anything else for that matter. — Apollodorus
I think I have demonstrated (1) that much of the OT narrative cannot be taken at face value ... — Apollodorus
If the Egyptians, Babylonians, Canaanites, and Greeks, all saw the Sun as a deity, what are the chances of their Hebrew neighbors seeing it as a “metaphor”? Probably, zero. — Apollodorus
that the notion that the Jews in general were resistant to Greek thought or impervious to its influence is total bogus. — Apollodorus
As per the OP, the issue at hand is Greek influence on Jesus. IMO Jesus' belief in moral and spiritual perfection (Matthew 5:48) — Apollodorus
In Jewish scripture certain individuals such as Abraham and Noah are referred to as perfect because of their obedience to God. In these passages perfect is used as a synonym for complete, and perfect obedience to God is simply complete obedience to God.
resurrection and immortality — Apollodorus
Hades — Apollodorus
Well, that's precisely why these beliefs must be assumed to be due to Greek influence on Jesus and other Christians!!! — Apollodorus
If Jesus preached strict adherence to the Laws and prophets he would not have accepted the existence of men who become gods or gods — Fooloso4
If Jesus had preached "strict adherence to the Laws and prophets" as understood by the religious authorities, he wouldn't have got killed by them in the first place — Apollodorus
He got killed by the Temple Taliban precisely because of his unorthodox teachings like being the Son of God and equal with God (John 5:18,10:25-38) — Apollodorus
As pointed out by Justin Martyr, such teachings were already found in Hellenistic tradition. — Apollodorus
more ancient than all those who are considered philosophers ... who alone saw an declared the truth to mankind — Dialogue with Trypho 7.1-2
I think it is evident from Jesus' statements that he was a pretty open-minded person — Apollodorus
Obviously, his teachings were rejected by Jewish fundamentalists and extremists, but they were accepted by sufficient numbers of Jews and non-Jews to start a religious movement that sought to unite all believers and establish a universal faith, which is exactly what Christianity became. — Apollodorus
(Matthew 10:5,6 ESV).Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritan’s, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. — Matthew 10:5-6
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. — Matthew 7
You refuse to accept this because, as a committed anti-Christian, you like to paint Jesus (and, presumably, all Jews) as a narrow-minded and petty fanatic who couldn't have been a Christian and who would have rejected everything "Pagan" or Greek including language, philosophy, and culture! — Apollodorus
It certainly doesn't make sense for Christians to have "falsified" and "Paganized" the teachings of some Jewish fundamentalist when many other religious teachers of all denominations and creeds were available for that purpose. — Apollodorus
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