Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Myshalom777 AT aol.com]

In a message dated 07/06/2004 11:19:08 GMT Daylight Time, 
vadim_lv AT center-tv.net writes:

> >I have run into Jews who are just as tied to theological assumptions that
> restrict their translations as the most unthinking Christian<
> I was talking of a different thing. Jews assume an axiom A (TNK). Christians
> assume axiom A (TNK) + axiom B (NT). Therefore, Christian approach requires
> more assumptions, and is weaker; that doesn't mean that Jewish
> interpretation is perfect.
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Vadim Cherny
> 


Vadim ... It can also be the case that the Christian approach requires fewer 
assumptions IF it is looked at from the standpoint that the Tanakh by itself 
looks like an 'incomplete' work pregnant for different things. No offense 
intended to Jewish scholars among us please. That is only my honest position 
as a 
Christian , i will admit.

I realise also that this is a philosophical approach and will also be 
rejected out of hand by the textualists out there ; nevertheless i hold it 
with the 
most sincere caveat that the Jewish approach or the Jewish "assumptions" not 
be 
so quickly dissmissed or ruled out . 

Such ,unfortunately, has been the lazy habit of Christian tradition for 1600 
years ( i date that from Augustine the first notoriously un-Hebraic 
replacementist theologian of widespread influence on the Christian 
tradition). This lazy 
or arrogant habit is still very much with us unfortunately, isn't it ? And it 
is strong but there are little things happening in the Christian theological 
horizon that are starting to chisel away at it. They are very very little 
things but it says somewhere "do not despise the day of little things". May 
the 
chiselling continue until we see the ugly statue fall in pieces like the 
statue 
of Nebuchadnezzar's dream [Daniel 2].

Shalom to all,
Celal Berker