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STORIES OF
JEWISH CHRIST
Jewish Logos and Son of Man Traditions
IN THIS LECTURE:
1. Greek Logos and Aramaic Memra
IN THIS LECTURE:
1. Greek Logos and Aramaic Memra
2. Son of Man in Daniel and 1st Enoch
IN THIS LECTURE:
1. Greek Logos and Aramaic Memra
2. Son of Man in Daniel and 1st Enoch
3. Son of Man in the 4th Ezra
IN THIS LECTURE:
1. Greek Logos and Aramaic Memra
2. Son of Man in Daniel and 1st Enoch
3. Son of Man in the 4th Ezra
4. Metatron in 3rd Enoch
Greek Logos and Aramaic Memra
It is a commonly known fact that Jewish theological thinking is based on monotheistic ideas. In Judaism God is one, God is a spirit, boundless, unlimited, without form, yet somehow tangible and real. In contrast, in pagan and Greek thought there are many deities, there are full gods and demi-gods. This is typically called polytheism.
When it comes to the Christian proclamation of Jesus as divine most Jews and Muslims fail to see how that is possible. If God is one then either Jesus is that one God, or he is not divine at all. It is a simple choice.
When it comes to the Christian proclamation of Jesus as divine most Jews and Muslims fail to see how that is possible. If God is one then either Jesus is that one God, or he is not divine at all. It is a simple choice.
Because it is a fact that Jesus appeared in a human form people dismiss the notion of his divine nature as some polytheistic confusion. After all, historically-speaking most Christians came from polytheistic thinking, from the Greek world with legends of men becoming gods. Thinking logically it seems impossible to be unlimited, boundless, infinite being, in control of all space and time and then to be confined to a mere human form. And who did Jesus pray to while he was on earth, certainly not to himself?
This logic of course is based on the assumption that first century Jews thought about God the same way modern Jews and Muslims do. Yet many who study Israelite perspectives on the nature of God that belong to the Second Temple period come to a conclusion that Jews were actually henotheistic, rather then monotheistic as most people of the near east.
The understanding of who God is was quite diverse among many Jewish groups of the second Temple era. Early Christians inherited some of those diverse ideas and later developed and formulated their own theology on the foundations of pre-existing non-mainstream Jewish and not necessarily Hellenistic pagan ideas.
The understanding of who God is was quite diverse among many Jewish groups of the second Temple era. Early Christians inherited some of those diverse ideas and later developed and formulated their own theology on the foundations of pre-existing non-mainstream Jewish and not necessarily Hellenistic pagan ideas.
Thus the Christian understanding of Jesus’ divine nature is owed not to polytheistic thinking of former pagans but to nuanced Israelite ideas about God and his heavenly realm.
“1 In the beginning was the Word (LOGOS), and the Word (LOGOS) was with God, and the Word (LOGOS) was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1-3)
“1 In the beginning was the Word (LOGOS), and the Word (LOGOS) was with God, and the Word (LOGOS) was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1-3)
Is John’s prologue a new and unique Christian way to see God as being one with Logos? God and his Word (Logos) are distinct, yet both are somehow God. How can this be? Is this a Greek philosophical idea of Logos? Is this thinking even Jewish at all?
Is John’s LOGOS a Greek idea? The concept of Logos is a very developed idea in Greek philosophy. Heraclitus, Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, all contributed to the formulations of Logos.
Λόγοςlogos
word, utterance, account, matter,
principle, revelation, absolute…
Is John’s LOGOS a Greek idea? The concept of Logos is a very developed idea in Greek philosophy. Heraclitus, Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, all contributed to the formulations of Logos.
Besides that, the Greek thought tended to be dualistic. The Divine is spiritual, perfect transcendent, unreachable. The world we live in is material, fleshly, corruptible. Thus a perfect deity cannot be involved in the creation of the physical and imperfect world.
Λόγοςlogos
word, utterance, account, matter,
principle, revelation, absolute…
Instead the imperfect material world had to be created by an intermediary called Logos or Logoi(plural), later called Demiurges.
This Logos is the eternal principle, divine reason, the very base element, the order, and foundation of all created things in Greek thought. The Logos is connected to a supreme God but is distinct. So is this Greek thinking we see in John? Are there other Jewish writers that talk about Logos this way?
Λόγοςlogos
word, utterance, account, matter,
principle, revelation, absolute…
Philo of Alexandria (Egypt) was a 1st century Jewish writer and a philosopher. Alexandria had a large Greek-speaking Jewish community. Philo often expressed his Jewish ideas in very Greek terms.
Philo of Alexandria (Egypt) was a 1st century Jewish writer and a philosopher. Alexandria had a large Greek-speaking Jewish community. Philo often expressed his Jewish ideas in very Greek terms.
“…the most universal of all things is God; and in the second place the Word (Logos) of God” (Philo, Allegorical Interpretation, II, 86)
“Now Bezalel, being interpreted, means God in his shadow. But the shadow of God is His Word (Logos), which He used like an instrument when He was making the world…” (Philo, Allegorical Interpretation, II, 96)
“Now Bezalel, being interpreted, means God in his shadow. But the shadow of God is His Word (Logos), which He used like an instrument when He was making the world…” (Philo, Allegorical Interpretation, II, 96)
These statements in Philo seem to reflect a view of Logos that harmonizes very well with the Greek perspectives on the world but there is more…
For Philo the Logos (Word) is not just some obscure, impersonal abstract concept of Greek philosophers.
Philo knows Hebrew (as seen from his explanation of “Bezalel”) and no doubt he was familiar with the traditional Jewish Memra ideas that come from his ancestral tradition. Memra is Aramic for “Word” and it appears that Philo was aware of the Logos or Memra ideas in the Targums.
“Father who created the universe has given to his archangelic and most ancient Word (Logos) a pre-eminent gift, to stand on the confines of both, and separated that which had been created from the Creator...”
“Father who created the universe has given to his archangelic and most ancient Word (Logos) a pre-eminent gift, to stand on the confines of both, and separated that which had been created from the Creator...”
Look how Philo describes Logos. First of all, God is “father” in his own words. That is a very personal and relational title. Second, for Philo, the Logos is both worldly and otherworldly. God’s Word has a dual nature and stands on the confines of both worlds. Logos stands in between God and creation. This sounds almost Christian, though we know Philo was not a follower of Jesus.
“…And this same Word is continually a suppliant to the immortal God on behalf of the mortal race, which is exposed to affliction and misery; and is also the ambassador, sent by the Ruler of all, to the subject race… neither being uncreated as God, nor yet created as you, but being in the midst between these two extremities…” (Philo, Who is the Heir of Divine Things, 205-6)
“…And this same Word is continually a suppliant to the immortal God on behalf of the mortal race, which is exposed to affliction and misery; and is also the ambassador, sent by the Ruler of all, to the subject race… neither being uncreated as God, nor yet created as you, but being in the midst between these two extremities…” (Philo, Who is the Heir of Divine Things, 205-6)
To Philo, the Logos is between two absolutes, between things created (world) and things uncreated (God). Logos is not uncreated as God, but Logos is also not created as humans. The Logos appears to represent the created world to God. Once again Philo sounds like the church fathers. Are these strange ideas for the 1st century monotheistic (henotheistic) Jew?
The way Philo speaks about Logos makes the Word seem personal. And he is not alone. The same idea of God’s Word personified exists in Aramaic Jewish writings we call Targums. The word “targum” means translation in Hebrew. And this is what translations of the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic are called. What we want to compare is the Jerusalem Targum (Pseudo Jonathan) - a translation of Torah produced in Israel in 7th-8th century CE and a translation of the Masoretic Hebrew text that stands behind most Bibles today.
Genesis 3:8 “They heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of the day; and the man and his wife hid from the LORD God among the trees in the garden” (The Bible)
Genesis 3:8 “They heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of the day; and the man and his wife hid from the LORD God among the trees in the garden” (The Bible)
Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the voice of the Word (Memra) of the Lord God walking in the garden in the repose of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from before the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Jerusalem Targum)
Genesis 19:24 – “As the sun rose upon the earth and Lot entered Zoar, the LORD rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire from the LORD out of heaven” (The Bible)
Genesis 19:24 – “As the sun rose upon the earth and Lot entered Zoar, the LORD rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire from the LORD out of heaven” (The Bible)
Genesis 19:24 – “And the Word (Memra) of the Lord Himself had made to descend upon the people of Sodom and Gomorrah… fire from before the Lord from the heavens” (Jerusalem Targum)
In John, the LXX and in Philo LOGOS is an agent and an instrument of God’s creation. LOGOS is both divine and created. That matches the Greek thought. However in Jewish works LOGOS is also painted as personal (just like God in the Bible), as a ruler, heir, revealer, ambassador. He walks and talks, he has a will, he becomes flesh in John. This does not line up with Greek thought at all.
ר ב דdavar
Λόγοςlogos
א מימרmeimra
word, utterance, account, matter,
principle, revelation, absolute…
In the Septuagint LOGOS is the direct equivalent of DAVAR – God’s word, speech or principle in the Hebrew Bible. In the Targums, MEMRA expresses the same idea of God’s word but goes beyond simple translation. In TargumsMEMRA is used in place of God as a euphemism. Numerous times MEMRA is not just an agent of creation, but as an active agent of all God’s activity.
ר ב דdavar
Λόγοςlogos
א מימרmeimra
word, utterance, account, matter,
principle, revelation, absolute…
The LOGOS of John is not a new idea. John relies on the knowledge of the Greek LOGOS, however he does not limit his LOGOS to Greek thought alone and uses a very Jewish concept of LOGOS present in the LXX, Targums, Philo, Rabbinic works and broader literature of the Second Temple period. This lays in the foundation of Jewish Logos Theology.
“The Fourth Gospel is not a new departure in the history of Judaism in its use of Logos theology, but only, if even this, in its incarnational Christology… Until vs. 14, the Johannine prologue is a piece of perfectly unexceptional non-Christian Jewish thought that has been seamlessly woven into the Christological narrative of the JohnannineCommunity.” – Prof. Daniel Boyarin, UC Berkley.
There is an phenomenon to which scholars refer as “Jewish Logos theology” It is largely unknown in a Jewish realm because it was actively suppressed during the rabbinic period. The idea of two powers in heaven, the concepts of the divine Logos, of Memra as God’s agent, the Son of Man and angels equated with God himself are all manifestations of this type of Jewish thinking.
Son of Man in Daniel
and 1 Enoch
13 In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)
The Son of Man is distinct from the Ancient of Days. Being distinct he still receives the power, glory, eternal kingdom and the worship of people.
The Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13) is the biblical image of Messiah that Jesus applies to himself standing before Caiaphas, “…and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62)
The image of the Son of Man is not confined to Daniel. It is colorfully expressed in non-canonical Jewish writings such as Enoch. Many Jews of Jesus’ day were quite familiar with Enoch. As a good example of Merkavah literature the 1st Book of Enoch speaks about visions of God’s domain that captivate people’s imagination. Some parts of this apocalyptic book go back to the 3rd century BCE and some sections to the 1st century BCE.
“And in that place I saw the fountain of righteousness which was inexhaustible: and around it were many fountains of wisdom; and all the thirsty drank of them, and were filled with wisdom, fountains of wisdom; the righteous and holy and elect. And at that hour that Son of Man was named in the presence of the Lord of Spirits, and his name before the Head of Days.” (1 Enoch 48)
The Son of Man and the Lord of Spirits (Head of Days) are clearly distinct in this passage.
“Yea, before the sun and the signs were created, before the stars of the heaven were made, His name was named before the Lord of Spirits. He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall, and he shall be the light of the Gentiles…” (1 Enoch 48)
“Yea, before the sun and the signs were created, before the stars of the heaven were made, His name was named before the Lord of Spirits. He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall, and he shall be the light of the Gentiles…” (1 Enoch 48)
The Son of Man was named before creation (pre-existent Logos?). Light of the Gentiles (Is. 49:6) is a term applied to Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:32).
“All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him, and will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits. And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him, before the creation of the world and for evermore.” (1 Enoch 48)
“All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him, and will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits. And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him, before the creation of the world and for evermore.” (1 Enoch 48)
The Son of Man is worshipped (just as in Daniel 7) but here together with the Lord of Spirits. He was chosen and hidden (purposefully concealed) before the creation of the world.
“And the wisdom of the Lord of Spirits hath revealed him to the holy and righteous; for he hath preserved the lot of the righteous, because they have hated and despised this world of unrighteousness, and have hated all its works and ways in the name of the Lord of Spirits” (1 Enoch 48)
“And the wisdom of the Lord of Spirits hath revealed him to the holy and righteous; for he hath preserved the lot of the righteous, because they have hated and despised this world of unrighteousness, and have hated all its works and ways in the name of the Lord of Spirits” (1 Enoch 48)
The concept of Wisdom (Hochmah/Sofia) is sometimes personified in the Second Temple literature and often connected to the Logos and the Messiah.
“And there was great joy amongst them, and they blessed and glorified and extolled because the name of that Son of Man had been revealed unto them. And he sat on the throne of his glory, and the sum of judgment was given unto the Son of Man, and he caused the sinners to pass away and be destroyed from off the face of the earth, and those who have led the world astray.” (1 Enoch 69)
“And there was great joy amongst them, and they blessed and glorified and extolled because the name of that Son of Man had been revealed unto them. And he sat on the throne of his glory, and the sum of judgment was given unto the Son of Man, and he caused the sinners to pass away and be destroyed from off the face of the earth, and those who have led the world astray.” (1 Enoch 69)
The Son of Man becomes known (his name/nature is revealed). He sits on the throne of glory in heaven. The Son of Man is given all authority to judge mankind and to sentence sinners.
“With chains shall they be bound, and in their assemblage-place of destruction shall they be imprisoned, and all their works vanish from the face of the earth. And from henceforth there shall be nothing corruptible; for that Son of Man has appeared, and has seated himself on the throne of his glory, and all evil shall pass away before his face, and the word of that Son of Man shall go forth and be strong before the Lord of Spirits.” (1 Enoch 69)
“With chains shall they be bound, and in their assemblage-place of destruction shall they be imprisoned, and all their works vanish from the face of the earth. And from henceforth there shall be nothing corruptible; for that Son of Man has appeared, and has seated himself on the throne of his glory, and all evil shall pass away before his face, and the word of that Son of Man shall go forth and be strong before the Lord of Spirits.” (1 Enoch 69)
The Son of Man has ultimate power, he judges as God does, and even has a throne in heaven.
Son of Man in 4th Ezra
“Behold, a wind arose from the sea and stirred up all its waves. And I looked, and behold, this wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. And I looked, and behold, that man flew with the clouds of heaven…” (4 Ezra 13)
“…and wherever he turned his face to look, everything under his gaze trembled, and whenever his voice issued from his mouth, all who heard his voice melted as wax melts when it feels the fire…” (4 Ezra 13)
The 4th Book of Ezra sometimes called 2nd Esdras was written at the end of the 1st century CE. As in other books a human-looking figure comes from the sea and flies on the clouds. This Son of Man figure is fearsome, he uses the power of his voice as if it was fire.
After this I looked, and behold, an innumerable multitude of men were gathered together from the four winds of heaven to make war against the man who came up out of the sea. And I looked, and behold, he carved out for himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it… (4 Ezra 13)
A great army of men come against the Son of Man, but he carves out a mountain and uses it as a flying vehicle.
…when he saw the onrush of the approaching multitude, he neither lifted his hand nor held a spear or any weapon of war… but I saw only how he sent forth from his mouth as it were a stream of fire. All these were mingled together, the stream of fire and the flaming breath and the great storm, and fell on the onrushing multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned them all up. (4 Ezra 13)
…when he saw the onrush of the approaching multitude, he neither lifted his hand nor held a spear or any weapon of war… but I saw only how he sent forth from his mouth as it were a stream of fire. All these were mingled together, the stream of fire and the flaming breath and the great storm, and fell on the onrushing multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned them all up. (4 Ezra 13)
The Son of Man fights with his mouth (word). As if with a stream of fire he burns up his enemies and destroys them.
And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. (Isaiah 11:3-4)
And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. (Isaiah 11:3-4)
The biblical image of Messiah in Isaiah is the one who judges in righteousness. He does not use weapons to fight the wicked, but his breath and his mouth are deadly weapons.
Metatronin 3rd Enoch
The 3rd Book of Enoch is another mystical Jewish book. It belongs to the 2nd century CE but portions of this work may have been written as late as 5th century CE.
The 3rd Book of Enoch is another mystical Jewish book. It belongs to the 2nd century CE but portions of this work may have been written as late as 5th century CE.
Metratron is a mighty archangel in Jewish lore. He is called the angel of God’s presence and the angel of the Lord. His unusual name comes from Greek μετὰ θρóνος (meta thronos) meaning “beyond or besides the throne”.
Rabbi Ishmael asks Metatron, “What is your name?” He replies, “I have seventy names, corresponding to the seventy nations of the world, and all of them are based on the name of the King of the kings of kings; however, my King calls me ‘Youth.’” (3 Enoch 3:1-2)
Rabbi Ishmael asks Metatron, “What is your name?” He replies, “I have seventy names, corresponding to the seventy nations of the world, and all of them are based on the name of the King of the kings of kings; however, my King calls me ‘Youth.’” (3 Enoch 3:1-2)
Rabbi Ishmael (1st century CE sage) reaches heaven and has an amazing conversation with the angel Metatron. He asks him about his name and the answer he hears in return amazes him. Metatron’s 70 names are all based on God’s name.
Rabbi Ishmael then asked Metatron, “Why are you called by the name of your Creator with seventy names? You are greater than all the princes, more exalted than all the angels, more beloved than all the ministers, more honored than all the hosts, and elevated over all potentates in sovereignty, greatness, and glory…” (3 Enoch 4:1)
Rabbi Ishmael then asked Metatron, “Why are you called by the name of your Creator with seventy names? You are greater than all the princes, more exalted than all the angels, more beloved than all the ministers, more honored than all the hosts, and elevated over all potentates in sovereignty, greatness, and glory…” (3 Enoch 4:1)
The Rabbi questions why Metatron needs so many names and why all of them derive from God’s name. It seems unnecessary. Metatron is a glorious angel already.
Metatron said to Rabbi Ishmael, “Out of the love which he had for me, more than for all the denizens of the heights, the Holy One, blessed be he, fashioned for me a majestic robe… He fashioned for me a kingly crown… He set it upon my head, and He called me, ‘The lesser YHWH’ in the presence of his whole household in the height, as it is written, ‘My name is in him’” (3 Enoch 12:1-5)
Metatron said to Rabbi Ishmael, “Out of the love which he had for me, more than for all the denizens of the heights, the Holy One, blessed be he, fashioned for me a majestic robe… He fashioned for me a kingly crown… He set it upon my head, and He called me, ‘The lesser YHWH’ in the presence of his whole household in the height, as it is written, ‘My name is in him’” (3 Enoch 12:1-5)
Metatron is most beloved by God. He was given a robe, a crown and was called a lesser YHWH (LORD/ADONAI) before all in heaven. God’s very name is in him.
An angel who bears God’s name appears in Exodus. He is given unusual power, to lead but also to judge and to punish Israelites, because God’s name is in him.
“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him. (Ex. 23:20-21)
Metatron’s claim of the “Lesser YHWH” name is because God placed his name in him 70 times. God’s name gives him God’s very glory and authority. He speaks for God and acts for God. It may be hard to reconcile how an angel can be seen as a “lesser God” but that is how he is presented in 3rd Enoch.
The beliefs of the early Jewish followers of Jesus about their Master being human yet divine at the same time came out of the broader Jewish understanding of God. Whether Jesus was seen as the Logos - the beginning and order, the pre-existing agent of creation who became flesh.
The beliefs of the early Jewish followers of Jesus about their Master being human yet divine at the same time came out of the broader Jewish understanding of God. Whether Jesus was seen as the Logos - the beginning and order, the pre-existing agent of creation who became flesh.
Whether he was imagined as Memra - the mysterious agent of God that intersected with this world, Jesus was often seen in light of these pre-existing ideas of God in the 1st century Jewish world.
“It can be readily seen that early Christians applied to Jesus all the well-established and well-organized characteristics of the unique divine identity in order, quite clearly and precisely, to include Jesus in the unique identity of the one God of Israel.”
- Prof. Richard Bauckham, Cambridge University.
The eschatological image of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, the Son of God who shares God’s glory, sits on the throne, and has all the authority to judge goes way beyond a few biblical texts. The idea of Two Powers in Heaven was real in the Jewish thought world of the 1st
century. The Son of Man who smites his enemies with his breath was the hope of some Jews in the 1st century. For others the Second Power was an exalted angel, who was given authority since God’s very name was in him.
The Logos of John’s gospel (through written in Greek) is connected to a view of God that is clearly Jewish. The notions of Logos’ shared nature with the Creator of the Universe are actually present in non-Christian writings of the era. The fact that Jesus’ followers understood him in this light makes sense in light of the Jewish Logos theology.
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