Septuagint Problems for the NT

[Richard Stanley]

Derek discusses problems with the Septuagint with Rabbi Tovia Singer. Singer knows the NT better than most Christians, even pastors. This is because he intimately knows the Hebrew of the OT, while the NT is generally claimed to be based upon the Greek Septuagint translation(s) from the original Hebrew. What happened is that the Septuagint(s) were bent to accommodate the 'prophetic' needs of the NT. As a result, one has to argue that 'God' wrongly informed the writing of the Hebrew OT for some reason, or decided to change the message for the NT's new revelation.

Such is how the basis of Christianity is just warmed over polytheistic paganism with the tarnished varnish of Judaism's monotheism. It is such problems which ultimately led the Protestant denominational 'liberal' churches to 'liberalize' and take a metaphorical approach, as there is no basis for literalist Xianity. Of course, Judaism had to undergo this process earlier, and this is why there are ultra-rationalist Jews, fundamentalists, and those like the Chassids which are yet of a supernaturalist leaning.

When one understands that all such religions, including Judaism, are formed for political expedience, then such literary machinations should not be suprising - except to their true believers.

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Part 2:

 

[Richard Stanley]

The following is a continuation from the prior two discussions. However, this one contains an interesting discussion of the difference between Paul's spiritual resurrection and Jewish notions of the physical resurrection. Yes, the physical resurrection of not one special god-man, but what is supposedly conditionally available to all (per the Hebrew wording of various OT texts discussed).

Several questions are raised in my mind, such as how this Jewish conception relates to reincarnation, as thought of by the Buddhists. In this regard, I have asked on another thread whether or not Christianity is bastardized Buddhism. Then there is a question of mentions of resurrections in the Christian corpus, such as in Revelation.

It is all rather head spinning, as Singer discusses why people should not have themselves cremated (because your bones are literaly reused), yet he otherwise presents himself as very rational. He did not offer a disclaimer in this regard. In any case, should we believe that Jews believe(d) they are (were) to hang around in Sheol ... until the time that they are restored to life? It does make sense that this might have seemed to be attractive to goyim considering conversion to Judaism, besides womens' desire for attaining monogamy.

But, Paul (the agent of Rome) is offering up a Greek version of spiritual resurrection, to the 'Greeks'. Obviously, Jews would reject this if understanding what Singer claims.