I think that in Judaism, lineage and who someone is the "son of" was extremely important as seen in Jewish and Christian Scriptures. Jewish identity itself was/is very much bound to being a descendant of Abraham (although all are welcome to the Jewish faith of course).
Notice in the Christian...
Interesting and thoughtful topic. I believe in God and that we have free will. We can think and make a decision. I also think that our free will increases as we become more aware that we do have free will. Given that as a concept, I think that it's important to also be aware of the many factors...
I have surmised similar. Some Scriptures can be used to support the Trinity doctrine, but I have proposed that even these Scriptures themselves may have used terminology to relate God to pagans of the day.
(By the way, in regards to views of Catholicism and "Christendom", I don't have black and...
Pre-monotheistic Canaanites, Elohim refers to multiple gods, El as head of the Gods.
Monotheistic Judaism, Elohim refers to the one God.
To some Christians, Elohim refers to the Trinity.
I don't see any cement. :smiley:
This doesn't seem to agree with Christian Scripture:
Bible Gateway passage: John 4:22 - English Standard Version
If the Jews already know who they worship compared to pagans, why a whole new theology about God (Trinity) in early Christianity with a huge majority of recent pagan converts? I...
Why not simply say that God interprets your prayers? I don't understand the significance or purpose of using additional names for God.
Jesus is recorded as speaking of the Holy Spirit but Jewish people already spoke of the Spirit of God with no meaning of another Person of God. I have written...
Then I would say "us" and "our" are the ancient meaning. The current meaning is one God with awareness of the ancient literal meaning no longer applying. The passage not only tells us that we are made in the image of God but it's also a record of how ancient Canaanites once viewed and spoke of...
Hi, I propose that "Us" and "Our" is an interpretation based on a pre-monotheistic connotation of "Elohim".
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Elohim
Also, to say that God is saying "let us..." would mean that you are trying to say that God is talking to God. Many Trinitarians (probably you also) pray to...
Hi Wizanda, I don't say "made up" but I do wonder if John (a later Gospel) reflects a century or two of dealing with and adapting to Greco-Roman pagans.
Hmmmm, could that possibly be influenced by the Roman Empire trying to unite an empire under one religion after centuries of conflict with Jews who refused to worship Jupiter and the emperor as son of god (Divi Filius)? Perhaps a bit of Roman propaganda showing through?
...Or maybe you just believe what you've been told, originally due to dominant Roman Emperors. ;)
There's lots of that in religions you know, going with flow, believing what you're told, even when people deep down believe something may be nonsense.
Hi, you have asked who the us is.
https://outreachjudaism.org/elohim-plural/
"With these passages in mind, we have a deeper understanding of the name Elohim. The pagan mind ascribed a separate and distinct god for each of the powers in the world which it observed, "
That's the "us". That's who...
Hi, as I already said, the "us" is the "multiple gods" from pre-monotheistic beliefs which the Jews corrected at least theologically with the doctrine of belief in one God. I think that perhaps pagan "leftovers" may also be perpetuated in Christianity due to adaptations under a domineering...
Elohist - Wikipedia
Ancient for "the gods", probably of proto-monotheistic (what Christians would call "pagan") origin. Judaism itself is strictly monotheistic and the revelation that God is one, is one of the great revelations of Judaism so to try and promote concepts of plurality of "gods" to...
I think that Christian doctrine says this is the case in Christianity because God's Spirit (the same Spirit in Jesus in Christianity) lives on in the "Body" of Christians.
Hi, I come from a Trinitarian background but I have come to believe more in the oneness of God. :smiley: I am concerned that the Trinitarian Doctrine was largely a result of attempts to relate monotheism to Greco-Roman pagans in the Roman Empire.