Posts by Doug Mason

18

El, Baal and JHVH

by Doug Mason in

one of the most important sources that we have for the most ancient stages of the religion of israel are some epic texts about the gods of canaan that were found in an archaeological excavation in a place called ras shamra (ancient ugarit) early in the twentieth century.

these epics reveal a very rich ancient canaanite mythology, especially in the elaborated stories of the gods el and baal and their rivals and consorts.

while, of course, the israelite branch of the canaanite group partly defined itself through the rejection of this mythology, much of the imagery and narrative allusions that we find in the works of the israelite prophets, the psalms, and other biblical poetic texts are best illuminated through comparison with these ancient texts.

Doug Mason

Hairtrigger,

This book challenges, so only read it if that does not worry you.

I believe it is important to read a range of material and to develop a personal position that is open to growth and change.

Doug

18

El, Baal and JHVH

by Doug Mason in

one of the most important sources that we have for the most ancient stages of the religion of israel are some epic texts about the gods of canaan that were found in an archaeological excavation in a place called ras shamra (ancient ugarit) early in the twentieth century.

these epics reveal a very rich ancient canaanite mythology, especially in the elaborated stories of the gods el and baal and their rivals and consorts.

while, of course, the israelite branch of the canaanite group partly defined itself through the rejection of this mythology, much of the imagery and narrative allusions that we find in the works of the israelite prophets, the psalms, and other biblical poetic texts are best illuminated through comparison with these ancient texts.

Doug Mason

One of the most important sources that we have for the most ancient stages of the religion of Israel are some epic texts about the gods of Canaan that were found in an archaeological excavation in a place called Ras Shamra (ancient Ugarit) early in the twentieth century. These epics reveal a very rich ancient Canaanite mythology, especially in the elaborated stories of the gods ’El and Ba‘al and their rivals and consorts. While, of course, the Israelite branch of the Canaanite group partly defined itself through the rejection of this mythology, much of the imagery and narrative allusions that we find in the works of the Israelite prophets, the Psalms, and other biblical poetic texts are best illuminated through comparison with these ancient texts. These fragments of reused ancient epic material within the Bible reveal also the existence of an ancient Israelite version of these epics and the mythology that they enact. …

The most persuasive reconstruction from the evidence we have shows that in the ancient religion of Israel, ’El was the general Canaanite high divinity while YHVH was the Ba‘al-like divinity of a small group of southern Canaanites, the Hebrews, with ’El a very distant absence for these Hebrews. When the groups merged and emerged as Israel, YHVH, the Israelite version of Ba‘al, became assimilated to ’El as the high God and their attributes largely merged into one doubled God, with ’El receiving his warlike stormgod characteristics from YHVH. Thus, to restate the point, the ancient ’El and YHVH … apparently merged at some early point in Israelo-Canaanite history, thus producing a rather tense and unstable monotheism. This merger was not by any means a perfect union. ’El and YHVH had very different and in some ways antithetical functions, and I propose that this left a residue in which some of the characteristics of the young divinity always had the potential to split off again in a hypostasis (or even separate god) of their own. …

This merger, if indeed it occurred, must have happened very early on, for the worship of only one God characterizes Israel, at least in aspiration, from the time of Josiah (sixth century B.C.) and the Deuteronomist revolution, if not much earlier. This merger leaves its marks right on the surface of the text, where the ’El-YHVH combination can still be detected in the tensions and doublings of the biblical text. …

The general outlines of a theology of a young God subordinated to an old God are present in the throne vision of Daniel 7, however much the author of Daniel labored to suppress this. In place of notions of ’El and YHVH as the two Gods of Israel, the pattern of an older god and a younger one—a god of wise judgment and a god of war and punishment—has been transferred from older forms of Israelite/Canaanite religion to new forms. Here, the older god is now entirely named by the tetragrammaton YHVH (and his supremacy is not in question), while the functions of the younger god have been in part taken by supreme angels or other sorts of divine beings, Redeemer figures, at least in the “official” religion of the biblical text. Once YHVH absorbs ’El, the younger god has no name of his own but presumably is identified at different times with the archangels or other versions of the Great Angel, Michael, as well as with Enoch, Christ, and later Metatron as well.

The Jewish Gospels: The Story of the Jewish Christ, by Daniel Boyarin (Taubman Professor of Talmudic Culture and rhetoric at the University of California Berkeley), pages 47 - 51

4

Reflection about Matthew 18:1-4

by Mr Fool in

in matthew 18:1-4: who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?.

1. is it an open-minded little child who is still free from opinions and beliefs?.

2. or a little child with the same opinions, denials and convictions as any hard core jw?.

Doug Mason

Always keep in mind what the "kingdom of Heaven" meant to them. Do not allow the WTS's depiction colour your thinking.

For Jesus, the Kingdom was an imminent, practical, visible era that had already commenced. The kingdom was totally fixated on the Jews, which would see them released from subservience and they would be restored to their rightful position.

For Matthew 18 in particular, keep in mind that the purpose of the Gospel is to prove to (other) Jews that Jesus was indeed their promised Messiah; and for Jews this meant a strong warrior king who would overthrow their enemies. The problem for the Jews was that rather than defeating the Romans oppressors, Jesus was killed by them.

The sole message of the Gospel of Matthew was to prove to Jews that Jesus fulfilled the expectations set out in their own writings. The only requirement of doctrinal belief set out in that Gospel is the need to completely observe all of the (OT) Law and Prophets to the letter (and beyond), driven from within, not for reasons of external show.

Doug

2

Jesus' verdict on John

by Doug Mason in

jesus verdict on john (matthew 11:7-17).. 7-9. johns preaching had created a sensation.

... jesus now show(s) the real significance of john.

10. john is not just a prophet, but the messenger of malachi 3:1.

Doug Mason

Jesus’ verdict on John (Matthew 11:7-17).

7-9. John’s preaching had created a sensation. … Jesus now show(s) the real significance of John. 10. John is not just a prophet, but the messenger of Malachi 3:1. …

11. John is thus the greatest of prophets, indeed of all men up to his time — great, that is, in his place in God’s purpose, not necessarily in his personal worth. But that purpose was leading to a new order, the kingdom of heaven, of which John was only the herald, and which is the fulfilment of all that went before. To be in that kingdom, even as the least, is to be greater (in the same sense) than the great man who proclaimed its coming, but remained as yet outside it. …

John is thus seen, in his capacity as the forerunner, as standing outside the kingdom of heaven. He is the last of the old order, as the subsequent identification with Elijah (v. 14) will make clear. In v. 12 his ‘days’ are seen as the time when God’s kingdom begins to be a reality, but his own place is rather with the Old Testament (v. 13). It was not his privilege to be involved in the ministry of Jesus, with its new perspective and dynamic. To speak of him as ‘outside the kingdom of heaven’ in this sense is not of course to pronounce on his personal salvation (any more than that of any of the Old Testament saints), but on his place in the development of God’s plan.

Verse 11 suggests, as v. 12 will make explicit, that now with the ministry of Jesus the kingdom of heaven which John proclaimed is already a reality. The old order has been superseded.

12. John’s coming precipitated a new situation, described here in terms of violence. … This violence began with the time of John’s preaching, because that was when the kingdom of heaven began to be proclaimed, even if John himself was not ‘in’ it. … v 11 showed his exclusion from the subsequent kingdom of heaven. He belongs to the forward-looking (prophesied)era of the Old Testament. (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: Matthew, R.T. France, pages 197, 198, 199)

21

Jan 15, 2015 - Why We Observe the Lords Evening Meal

by berrygerry in

shouldn't this be titled:.

why are we observing the lords evening meal again(wasn't 2014 supposed to be the very last memorial - we really mean it this time?)?.

.

Doug Mason

Bobcat,

These passages you cite are interesting. Chronologically, the earliest writing is at 1 Cor 11, from Paul, where he says that he received the information directly from the lips of Jesus. Paul did not get the idea from any human. He says so.

The other passages were written after Paul's death, and they follow his words, almost verbatim. Where did they get these words? Neither Mark nor Luke was present and it is not possible that the Gospel according to Matthew was written by Jesus' disciple.

The Gospel of John also records these sentiments, but this time Jesus is in the synagogue at Capernaum (John 6:50 ff). Many doubt that the passage and its context are words actually spoken by Jesus.

Doug

8

can someone give me thier opinion on matt 11 11?

by sowhatnow in

i dont get it.. who is being spoken about?

first of all wouldnt moses be greater that john the baptist?

and yet im greater than john?

Doug Mason

Keep in mind that when Jesus preached the "Kingdom", he meant its tangible, imminent appearance in his own time. Jesus continued the work of his cousin John, even following John's example of baptising people.

This passage depicts Jesus as a cutting, critical, cynical person, including towards John's followers. Jesus criticises them for doubting him and he criticises the people in no uncertain terms for their attitudes.

Doug

11

Monotheists my ass!!!

by Crazyguy in

we have been taught that the hebrews were monotheists believing and worshiping in only one god, except for those times when they sinned and worship pagan idol gods.

their one true god is yahweh / jehovah.

comparing the book of genesis with older sumerian and babylonian writings what do we find?

Doug Mason

"Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan" by John Day, Sheffield Academic Press (2000, 2002)

Doug

52

Changed: Head coverings for sisters, w15 2/15 QFR

by wifibandit in

does a female kingdom publisher need to wear a head covering if she conducts a bible study in the presence of a male publisher?.

in a questions from readers item published in the watchtower of july 15, 2002, it was stated that a sister should cover her head if she conducts a bible study in the presence of a male publisher, whether he is baptized or not.

further consideration of the matter suggests that a modification to this direction is appropriate.. if the male publisher who accompanies the sister while she conducts an established bible study is baptized, the sister would certainly want to wear a head covering.

Doug Mason

Civilised peoples are moving away from the mysoginist attitudes that pervade the Bible and are leaving them in the dustbin of history. Those attitudes belonged to cultures of the past and have no place in today's societies.

Doug

32

Books about early Christianity

by EdenOne in

i've just finished reading two (imo) great books:.

"a history of christianity - the first three thousand years", by diarmaid macculloch.

"misquoting jesus", by bart ehrman.

Doug Mason

Eden,

I agree that Paul invented Christianity. He said he owed nothing to the Jerusalem Church. His writings were first and the others copied ideas from him, such as Jesus' words at the institution of the eucharist; he was not there and neither was any of the Gospel writers.

However, I think that the Jerusalem Church is represented in the NT Canon by Mark (follower of Peter) and by Matthew (given its Jewish focus, character and culture). The Matthew Gospel does give priority to Peter (as against Paul) as having the "keys to the kingdom".

As an aside, it is interesting to see how much use the NT writers made of the Jewish writings that are now considered apocryphal. And 2 Peter, which was written by a Pauline about 150 CE, is a commentary on Jude, which you say is Jewish Christian.

Doug

30

The Mosaic Law (Is it still Valid)

by objectivetruth in

i'm interested to know of some of your view points out this.. is the mosaic law still valid, and should it be followed.

or as many claim was it done away with?.

from my examination of scripture, i feel that it is still valid, and christ did not do away with it.. briefly here are the primary reasons i feel this way :.

Doug Mason

Pterist,

Where does the Bible use the expession "ten commandments"?

Why do some people say that the words at Exodus 20 were engraved on tablets of stone?

Doug