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Memra, Shekinah, and Yeqara

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Memra, Shekinah, and Yeqara Copyright © 2015 Adam Joseph Howell All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has the right to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction FINDING CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THROUGH THE ARAMAIC MEMRA, SHEKINAH, AND YEQARA OF THE TARGUMS __________________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________________ by Adam Joseph Howell May 2015 APPROVAL SHEET FINDING CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THROUGH THE ARAMAIC MEMRA, SHEKINAH, AND YEQARA OF THE TARGUMS Adam Joseph Howell Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ Russell T. Fuller (Chair) __________________________________________ Terry J. Betts __________________________________________ William F. Cook III Date______________________________ To Liz, my co-heir of the grace of life, my Beloved TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................ viii PREFACE ...................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 Thesis ............................................................................................................ 4 Methodology ................................................................................................. 4 Historical Background .................................................................................. 5 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 35 2. THE MEANING OF MEMRA, SHEKINAH, AND YEQARA AND THEIR THEOLOGICAL USE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ......................................................................................... 37 Introduction ................................................................................................... 37 Memra, Shekinah, and Yeqara: Meaning and Old Testament Theological Significance .............................................. 38 38 .................................................................................... (מימרא) Memra 41 .................................................. (יקרא) and Yeqara (שכינה) Shekinah Apostolic Use of Terms Similar to Memra, Shekinah, and Yeqara .............. 45 The Memra and Yeqara in John’s Prologue ......................................... 46 The Shekinah and Yeqara in John 1:14 ................................................ 49 The Memra in Revelation 19:13 ........................................................... 51 The Yeqara in John 12:41 ...................................................................... 58 The Yeqara in 2 Corinthians 4:4, 6 ....................................................... 59 The Yeqara in Hebrews 1:3 .................................................................. 60 Shekinah in the New Testament ........................................................... 61 iv Chapter Page The Targumic Concepts of Memra, Shekinah, and Yeqara Corresponding to the Offices and Roles of Jesus ................................. 63 Divine Agency ...................................................................................... 64 Divine Manifestation ............................................................................ 74 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 84 3. FINDING CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THROUGH THE ARAMAIC MEMRA ............................................................. 86 Occurrences of Memra That Certainly Refer to Christ ................................. 87 Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Numbers 21:8–9: God’s Agent as the Object of Faith .............................................. 87 Targum Neofiti Exodus 29:45: God’s Agent as Savior .................................................................. 91 Targum Isaiah 8:14: God’s Agent as a Stumbling Block .............................................. 95 Targum 2 Chronicles 7:12: God’s Manifestation and Mediating Intercessor .......................... 98 Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Deuteronomy 32:39: God’s manifest Agent as Redeemer and Giver of Life ............... 100 Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Deuteronomy 32:43: God’s Agent in Atonement .......................................................... 104 Targum Neofiti Deuteronomy 26:17–18: God’s Agent as King ................................................................... 107 Occurrences of Memra That Probably Refer to Christ ................................ 110 Targum Onqelos Genesis 3:8: God’s Manifestation .................................................................... 111 Targum Onqelos Exodus 32:13: God’s Agent is Closely Connected to the Covenants .................. 112 Targum Neofiti Genesis 26:5: Obedience to God’s Agent .......................................................... 114 Targum Psalms 19:3: Creation Speaks of God’s Agent .................................................. 116 Occurrences of Memra That Do Not Refer to Christ ................................... 118 v Chapter Page Targum 1 Samuel 15:1: “Word” as a Command ................................................................ 118 Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Deuteronomy 17:10–11: “Word” of the Torah .................................................................... 119 Targum Joshua 1:18: “Word” of a Human ..................................................................... 121 Targum Neofiti Exodus 34:27: The “Utterance” of the Covenant Law ......................................... 123 Targum Qoheleth 6:3: “Word” as Inner Deliberation ...................................................... 124 Targum Isaiah 40:10: Reward for Those Who Do His “Word” ...................................... 125 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 127 4. FINDING CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THROUGH THE ARAMAIC SHEKINAH AND YEQARA .......................................................... 128 Occurrences of Shekinah and Yeqara As a Manifestation of God ............... 131 Targum Psalms 36:10[9]: Manifestation as Light .................................................................. 131 Targum Onqelos Exodus 20:21[24]: Manifestation Requires Worship .................................................. 133 Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Deuteronomy 12:5: Manifestation in the Promised Land ............................................ 135 Targum Neofiti Exodus 40:34: Manifestation in the Tabernacle ................................................... 136 Targum Neofiti Deuteronomy 6:15–16: Israel Grumbled Against God’s Manifestation ............................ 138 Targum Zechariah 2:14–15: Manifestation as Eternal Presence ................................................ 141 Targum Neofiti Genesis 17:22: Manifestation as God’s Messenger .............................................. 143 Targum Isaiah 40:5: Manifestation of God’s Presence ................................................. 144 Targum Isaiah 12:6: Manifestation of the Holy One of God ......................................... 145 vi Page Targum Onqelos Deuteronomy 3:24: Divine Presence in Heaven .......................................................... 147 Occurrences of Shekinah and Yeqara Referring to God’s Manifestation with Agency ................................................................... 149 Targum Neofiti Deuteronomy 23:15: Manifestation as Savior ................................................................ 150 Targum 1 Kings 22:19: Manifestation as King .................................................................. 153 Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Deuteronomy 20:4: Manifestation as Warrior and Redeemer ...................................... 154 Targum Neofiti Numbers 11:25: Agent to Distribute the Holy Spirit .............................................. 156 Targum Isaiah 30:20: Manifestation as Teacher ............................................................. 157 Examples of Yeqara as a Literal Translation That Do Not Refer to Christ ......................................................................... 159 Targum Onqelos Exodus 34:35: The “Glory” of Moses’ Face ....................................................... 159 Targum Isaiah 11:10: The “Glory” of the Messianic Dwelling Place ............................ 160 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 161 5. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 163 Appendix CATEGORIZATION OF MEMRA AS JESUS, NOT JESUS, AND PROBABLY JESUS ............................................................................................. 168 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................... 178 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS General BDB Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, Charles Briggs, Edward Robinson, and Wilhelm Gesenius, eds. Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, With an Appendix Containing Biblical Aramaic Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1952. GCK E. Kautzsch, ed. Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar. Translated by A. E. Cowley. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 2006. JM Joüon,
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