The Library

8:36 PM

I'm surprised we haven't touched on the documentary hypothesis yet

@Ami Yuck. I really don't like the documentary hypothesis.

(no offense)

me neither

I don't like it as a theory

but it's highly relevant to questions of hermeneutics

I think

The problem I have with it is that it completely challenges the foundations of religion.

@Ami I agree it is.

It just seems to me to be a very atheistic approach that completely invalidates inerrancy and divine inspiration.

@Ami Not only do I not like it, I haven't been able to think of a way to compose a constructive question about it :)

The realities of multiple names for God and apparently repetitive narratives raise important questions for theists as well

8:40 PM

Actually I could, I just haven't had the energy yet. Maybe tomorrow.

@Ami This has always been my philosophy on the whole JEDP issue: I use multiple names for God all the time. One day I'll say "God Almighty" and the next I'll just say "God". The idea that one author would be completely consistent seems foolish to me.

@caleb, I thought about posing some famous DH arguments, and asking about evidence for unified authorship...the flood story is a great example of where a unified theory of authorship is much more compelling the DH theory

@Richard, lol

One day I'll say Jesus, the next I'll say the Messiah or Christ. JEDP seems to be an arbitrary attempt to undermine the Genesis account.

@Richard, Exodus 6:3 is where that gets tricky

biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%206:3&version=KJ21

but I agree that the DH is very arbitrary

in many ways

Cassuto has a great great book on the topic

amazon.com/Documentary-Hypothesis-Umberto-Cassuto/dp/9657052351

(Cassuto debunks the hypothesis)

(and Cassuto doesn't even believe in the divine authorship of the Bible)

@Ami Nice! Yeah, I'll have to keep that in mind next time I'm at the bookstore.

8:46 PM

@Richard stop hiding from your razor and shuffle over to C.SE mod chat. I want to run one by you.

From my razor?

9:06 PM

@Richard Euphemism for shirking responsibility or being where you are supposed to be dressed fit for the job.

Q: Exodus 6:3 - what is the significance of God's different names in the OT?

9:26 PM

Exodus 6:3: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by My name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (KJV) This is a strange and unique verse in the Bible since it's an explicit recognition of the fact that God has multiple names in the OT. Also...

A: Why is "elohim" translated as "God" and not "gods"?

9:41 PM

@Richard, I just found this:

The reason this plural noun is translated into other languages as a singular noun is because it's being used with a singular verb. This would be comparable to saying "Ants is here to stay" instead of "Ants are here to stay". It turns this plural word ("ants") into a proper noun. Example with s...

I have an idea that relates to your answer and I'd like to get your thoughts on it...

but nice answer