Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Polycarp66 AT aol.com]

In a message dated 6/1/2002 11:05:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, cbrady AT tulane.edu writes:


> On 6/1/02 7:47 PM, "Lawrence May" <lgmay AT mindspring.com> wrote:
>
> > Jdg 11:29-40 - Several important lessons are to be learned from Jephthah's vow. 
> >     1. There may be remainders of distrust and doubting, even in the hearts of true and great believers. 
> >     2. Our vows to God should not be as a purchase of the favor we desire, but to express gratitude to him. 
> >     3. We need to be very well advised in making vows, lest we entangle ourselves. 
> >     4. What we have solemnly vowed to God, we must perform, if it be possible and lawful, though it be difficult and grievous to us. 
> >     5. It well becomes children, obediently and cheerfully to submit to their parents in the Lord. It is hard to say what Jephthah did in performance of his vow; but it is thought that he did not offer his daughter as a burnt offering. Such a sacrifice would have been an abomination to the Lord; it is supposed she was obliged to remain unmarried, and apart from her family. Concerning this and some other such passages in the sacred history, about which learned men are divided and in doubt, we need not perplex ourselves; what is necessary to our salvation, thanks be to God, is plain enough. If the reader recollects the promise of Christ concerning the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and places himself under this heavenly Teacher, the Holy Ghost will guide to all truth in every passage, so far as it is needful to be understood. 


I'm afraid I would not wish to have this man as my rector.  This is almost medieval in its moralism which is based on nothing more than his overly fertile imagination.  It is what has been termed eisegesis in its most blatant form.  To top it all off, in #5 we are completely transported from the situation of the OT to the NT church.  Now that's a real leap.

gfsomsel