Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Ron Rhoades <rrhoades AT jps.net>]

>John Ronning wrote: 
>I see no reason to shy away from the conclusion that the NT views Jesus
>as Yhwh.  
>Rolf wrote:
>What is written above shows that *no* example where OT words applied to 
>>YHWH, are applied to Jesus in the NT, can be used as proof that Jesus *is* 
>>YHWH.

As an example to support Rolf's statement we have prophecies that are
originally applied to Jesus in OT but then reapplied to Christians in
the NT. This does not mean he is Jehovah any more than Christians are
Christ: cf. Ac. 13:47 with Isa.42:6; 49:6. 

So a Bible writer could quote from a passage that originally applied to
one person and then apply it to another person because they have
characteristics or actions in common. Yet they are not the same, and the
surrounding context of the original quote may have nothing to do with
the way the quote is reapplied to the second person.

The following quote is pertinent:

"Hebrew's author saw the lines, *'You are my son...,'* actually written
of King David (Psalms 2:7), and *'I will be a father to him...,'*
written of King Solomon (2 Samuel 7:14), as messianic and therefore
applicable to Jesus. He made Jesus, alone of all men, outrank the
angels. But he also, as his reference to Yahweh's *many sons* made
clear, saw Jesus' special sonship as unique only in degree." - William
Harwood, *Mythologies Last Gods: Yahweh and Jesus*

Also from my common-place book the following is interesting:

There is some support in the Targum for Paul's misquotation. The ruler
doesn't keep all the spoils but redistributes them to all his people.
... SR Driver, /Sermons on the O.T./, 1892, pp 197f, writes "St Paul is
not here following the genuine text of the Psalm, but is in all
probability guided by an old Jewish interpretation with which he was
familiar, and which, instead of /received gifts among men/, paraphrased
/gave gifts to men/. The Targum on the Psalms renders: 'Thou ascendedst
up to the firmament, O prophet Moses, thou tookest captives captive,
thou didst teach the words of the Law, thou gavest them as gifts to the
children of men'.". JA Robinson, quoting the foregoing in /St Paul's
Epistle to the Ephesians/, reprint, James Clark, London, ND, p 180,
adds: "The Peshito Syriac likewise has: 'Thou didst ascend on high and
lead captivity captive, and didst give gifts to the sons of men'."

Ron Rhoades
Nevada City, Ca.