"In the beginning was the word" (Jn 1:1a) <LYR324-39855-2000.02.22-21.24.26--x99swain#wmich.edu at franklin.oit.unc.edu>

Numberup at worldnet.att.net Numberup at worldnet.att.net
Wed Feb 23 15:19:02 EST 2000


The Targumim do indeed employ "memra" [Aramaic: word, command] as the creative Word
of God, and I personally think more study needs to be done on this, rather than the
current dismissive thought that "memra" was merely a substitute for using the name
YHWH.  Especially in Targum Neofiti 1, "memra" is used along with the name YHWH, not
in substitution of it.  And at times, the "memra" acts the same way as does the
"angel of the LORD."

Perhaps, indeed, the writer of John 1:1a was weaving many strands into his tapestry,
which would clearly resonate with his original audience.

Solomon Landers
Memra Institute for Biblical Research
http://www.memrain.org

x99swain at wmich.edu wrote:

>
> <snipped......>
> 8) The Targumim on Genesis have an intermediary agent at creation, memra,
> one of whose meanings seems to be "word"
>
> Now I would argue that LOGOS is in some senses all of these, what possible
> English word or short phrase could cover this?  Or word or phrase in
> another language?  Utterance doesn't.  Word doesn't (wonder why Jermoe
> chose Verbum for LOGOS---don't have the VL to check what others may have
> made of it in Latin before Jerome.)  In short, this is one place that I
> think that no matter how we choose to render it, it won't quite fit what
> is hapening in the Greek.
>
> Regards,
>
> Larry Swain
>




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