(September 30, 2014 at 2:46 pm)bladevalant546 Wrote: I did find a rather interesting article here. I wanted to know you alls thoughts on it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pete-enns/...lp00000592
My 9 cents.
1) Jesus used the Bible creatively The example given (Exodus 3:6) is poorly chosen, because Jesus is actually using the text to win the debate on resurrection. Looking at the competing theological systems on offer in the discussion: the Pharisees believed in a two stage resurrection (disembodied immortality then resurrection), and the Sadducees a no stage view (when you're gone, you're gone). By quoting a passage which showed the patriarchs were still alive (“I am the God of Abraham”), Jesus has shown the Sadducees view to be wrong, and since the Pharisees view was the only other option available to the discussion, gives them the win.
Jesus approach to the OT was to explain its meaning rather than creatively invent new meanings.
2) Jesus picked and chose from the OT What Jesus is doing here is indeed the sort of thing pastors would be well advised not to do, as he is announcing serious changes to how God wants things done. In some respects (anger) there is intensification of the Torah standard, in others (food) there is redundancy of Torah. Jesus is also moving to new definitions of God's people, role of the Jewish nation, need for the Temple etc that were massive.
However it's seriously misleading to describe things as 'picking and choosing'. Certain things became optional in the new situation , but this was because things were changing, not because they were in any sense “wrong”.
3) Jesus was Jewish rather than Xian Oh dear. The early church would be horrified to think that there was a choice to be made between being a Christian and being a Jew. Christianity was Judaism, to their mind. Judaism seriously modified, to be sure, but Judaism was the roots, without which the tree dies.
Just read the Christmas accounts. The Jewish OT referencing is massive, making this supposedly most “Christian” event clearly a Jewish one.
