Corpus-Paul

["John Brand" <jbrand AT gvsd.mb.ca>]

From:                   "Tim Gallant" <tim AT rabbisaul.com>
To:                     "Corpus-Paul" <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject:                Re: [Corpus-Paul] Did Paul break the Law?

> Sorry, John, no, this does not help at all. Meshiach and Maitreya are
> not cognate words. They both begin with "m," but so do lots of other
> words. And your suggestion about "semantics" simply presupposes,
> rather than demonstrates, the connection between the concepts. All we
> need to in response is deny your presupposition and say: "No, Mashiach
> does not mean 'an anointed manifestation of Atman or the life
> principle.'"
>
> As I suggested in my previous post, go back to the Hebrew Scriptures.
> "Anointed one" refers to a person ordained to an office, particularly
> the kingship, but also priests and occasionally prophets. It can even
> have reference to ordaining a foreigner, in the case of God telling
> Elijah to anoint Hazael as king of Syria. I assure you, neither Yahweh
> nor Elijah had any illusions about Hazael embodying or manifesting any
> sort of "life principle"! In short, in the Hebrew concept of anointing
> generally, or Meshiach specifically, there is no. . . er, eastern
> mumbo-jumbo about "life principle" or "Atman."

John responds:
Thanks, Tim. I open to rethinking my position and interpretation. I
agree with the idea that there is something different in the approach
of the Deuteronomist and the approach of the mystic.

Did you have any comment on the devlopment in the Hebraic wisdom
tradition with regard to the comment I made in my earlier post from
today?

I wrote:
In Proverbs we see the contrast of Lady Wisdom (9:1-12) and Dame
Folly (9:13-18).  Lady Wisdom symbolizes purity and embracing her
brings  prosperity and life.  Tracing back to 8:12 we see Wisdom
personified as a  woman.  She is immanent (8:1ff); the source of all
just law (v15) [Natural  Law in Aristotle and Cicero et al]; coeval
with God (v22 cf. Cicero’s  ‘Laws’ ‘[Law] is coeval with that god who
watches over and rules heaven  and earth’ II.10]; and she is source
of justification (v35b) as well as  happiness (35a).

Thanks, Tim. This is helpful for me.

Regards

John Brand