Exodus 21:22-23 (LXX)

Deborah Greenhill ravdev at mail.fm
Fri Oct 20 16:04:32 EDT 2000


Blessings, Daniel,
You missed my point entirely.
Literal interpretation IS important, but so is historical context.  To
merely say what a passage means LITERALLY does not give the historical
ramifications for the student.  One must supply a historical perspective
with the literal interpretation to get the "full picture".

Josephus discusses the Sanhedrin and its rulings in "Antiquities IX".  This
may help the student understand where a literal interpretation of any
passage has led.  In this manner, we are not misleading our students as to
the full understanding of the text.

Dr. Deborah J. Greenhill

>     The Rabinnic "unpacking" of the phrase may indeed approach the
author's
> meaning, or not.  However, the first issue must be (IMO) faithfully
> representing what the text itself actually says.  (Yes, I am aware of the
> current discussions regarding the *meaning* of texts). Afterwards, one
must
> determine what is meant by what was said.  Lastly, a decision must be made
as
> to whether one wishes to stick with the "unpacked" language, or produce a
> translation which explains
>





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