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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Almah vs. Bethulah in Isaiah 7

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • To: Evgeny Ivanov <evi7538 AT yahoo.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Almah vs. Bethulah in Isaiah 7
  • Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 15:51:56 +0100

On 02/04/2005 15:15, Evgeny Ivanov wrote:

It's interesting that the argument of early christians
was exactly the opposite - the Is.7.14 is a message of
prophesy.

It is certainly a prophecy, but of events to occur within the next five years or so.

As for how Matthew used this verse in the New Testament, and the subsequent Christian use of this verse: In Matthew chapters 1-2 Matthew uses several Hebrew Bible passages e.g. Hosea 11:1, Jeremiah 31:15 in ways which sometimes cannot possibly be the original prophet's intention when writing. And I am sure that Matthew did not intend to indicate the original meaning of the prophecy; for example, surely he understood that in 11:1 Hosea was referring to the nation of Israel rather than to the Messiah. Rather, when Matthew writes e.g. "All this took place to fulfil what the Lord has said through the prophet", his concept of "fulfil" was much richer than that a specific prediction had come true, but rather that some deeper underlying significance of the prophecy had been fulfilled in the coming (as he saw it) of the Messiah.

In other words, in the Jewish terminology which John Leys used, Matthew's use of these passages is more drash than pshat.


However, the author draws no particular
attention to this amazing fact


"For this reason the sovereign master himself will
give you a confirming sign". If the message is just a
routine birth by a young women, then what is this
phophesy about, what is the sign?


The sign, surely, is that a particular young women will have a son - not in itself miraculous, but perhaps noteworthy. And the prophecy is not only this but that before the child grows up the land of two kings will be laid waste.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



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