Post by ResLight on Nov 13, 2014 22:58:14 GMT -5
One has claimed the "plural intensive" is not in the Bible but that "Elohim as a plural masculine noun is."
My response is:
Neither will you find "plural masculine noun" in the Bible. Of course, one will not find the term "plural intensive" in the Bible, but the usage that is called by that term is demonstrated many times in the Bible. Many scholars call this usage by other terms, but it still all amounts to the same thing, a plural word that is used as though it were singular.
www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/elohiym.html
Nevertheless, as a plural masculine noun, the word ELOHIM means "gods". Plugging this into several scriptures, let us see how this reads:
Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, "I am the Gods [ELOHIM] of your father, the Gods [ELOHIM] of Abraham, the Gods [ELOHIM] of Isaac, and the Gods [ELOHIM] of Jacob." Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look at Gods [ELOHIM].
Is this speaking of more than one God (plural), or does it speak of only one God (singular)? We can see by how this rendered in the New Testament. In Acts 7:32, the words of Stephen are recorded, in which Stephen gives a quote of Exodus 3:6. In the Greek, do we find a plural form of the Greek word often transliterated as THEOS? No. Rather we find that in each instance, Stephen is recorded as using a singular form THEOS - GOD.
'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Moses trembled, and dared not look. -- World English.
Deuteronomy 6:5 and you shall love Yahweh your Gods [ELOHIM] with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Jesus indirectly quoted this in his words recorded at Matthew 22:37 (as it appears in the World English):
Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
Matthew 22:37 does render ELOHIM into Greek as Gods, which would be a plural form of the word often transliterated as THEOS, but ELOHIM is rendered in Matthew 22:37 in singular, God. This demonstrates that the Hebrew ELOHIM, although plural in form, is used as a singular.
Deuteronomy 6:13 - Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy Gods [ELOHIM]; and him shalt [singular] thou serve, and shalt swear by his name [not their names].
Jesus made reference to this in Matthew 4:10, which reads, according to the World English:
Then Jesus said to him, "Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"
The Greek word that is used in Matthew 4:10 is in singular, not plural form. Thus Jesus recognized that ELOHIM in Deuteronomy 6:13 is being used a singular, nor plural, and thus it should be "God", not "Gods".
Nor can one say that ELOHIM signifies more than one person in one God; the plural usage of ELOHIM is GODs not PERSONS in one God, as in Psalm 82:6. Jesus quote ELOHIM in Psalm 82:6, and his words are found in John 10:34. The Greek word used to translate ELOHIM in Psalm 82:6 is not in the singular in John 10:34, but is in the plural -- gods.
Nevertheless, if ELOHIM is thought to signify more than one person in one God, then this would mean that Jehovah made Moses more than one person to Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:1) It would mean that the Father of Jesus who anointed Jesus in Psalm 45:7 is more than one person. And if Jesus is being called ELOHIM in Psalm 45:6, this would also mean that Jesus is ELOHIM. It should be obvious that in Psalm 45:6,7, that ELOHIM, although plural in form, is being used as though it was a singular noun, which is what is meant by the term "plural intensive". That this is so can be seen from Hebrews 1:8.9, which quotes from Psalm 45:6,7. In both verses, the Greek word for God is not in the plural, but in the singular, thus showing that ELOHIM in Psalm 45:6,7, although singular in form, is being used as though it was singular.
See my study:
Why is Jesus called "Elohim" and "Theos"?
jesus-rlbible.com/?p=367
ELOHIM, however, is not the only plural form that is used in the Old Testament as plural intensive. There are also other words.
See my studies:
Elohim Created
jesus-rlbible.com/?p=274
Elohim - Does This Word Indicate a Plurality of Persons in a Godhead?
jesus-rlbible.com/?p=230
Let Us and Elohim
jesus-rlbible.com/?p=402
My response is:
Neither will you find "plural masculine noun" in the Bible. Of course, one will not find the term "plural intensive" in the Bible, but the usage that is called by that term is demonstrated many times in the Bible. Many scholars call this usage by other terms, but it still all amounts to the same thing, a plural word that is used as though it were singular.
www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/elohiym.html
Nevertheless, as a plural masculine noun, the word ELOHIM means "gods". Plugging this into several scriptures, let us see how this reads:
Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, "I am the Gods [ELOHIM] of your father, the Gods [ELOHIM] of Abraham, the Gods [ELOHIM] of Isaac, and the Gods [ELOHIM] of Jacob." Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look at Gods [ELOHIM].
Is this speaking of more than one God (plural), or does it speak of only one God (singular)? We can see by how this rendered in the New Testament. In Acts 7:32, the words of Stephen are recorded, in which Stephen gives a quote of Exodus 3:6. In the Greek, do we find a plural form of the Greek word often transliterated as THEOS? No. Rather we find that in each instance, Stephen is recorded as using a singular form THEOS - GOD.
'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Moses trembled, and dared not look. -- World English.
Deuteronomy 6:5 and you shall love Yahweh your Gods [ELOHIM] with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Jesus indirectly quoted this in his words recorded at Matthew 22:37 (as it appears in the World English):
Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
Matthew 22:37 does render ELOHIM into Greek as Gods, which would be a plural form of the word often transliterated as THEOS, but ELOHIM is rendered in Matthew 22:37 in singular, God. This demonstrates that the Hebrew ELOHIM, although plural in form, is used as a singular.
Deuteronomy 6:13 - Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy Gods [ELOHIM]; and him shalt [singular] thou serve, and shalt swear by his name [not their names].
Jesus made reference to this in Matthew 4:10, which reads, according to the World English:
Then Jesus said to him, "Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"
The Greek word that is used in Matthew 4:10 is in singular, not plural form. Thus Jesus recognized that ELOHIM in Deuteronomy 6:13 is being used a singular, nor plural, and thus it should be "God", not "Gods".
Nor can one say that ELOHIM signifies more than one person in one God; the plural usage of ELOHIM is GODs not PERSONS in one God, as in Psalm 82:6. Jesus quote ELOHIM in Psalm 82:6, and his words are found in John 10:34. The Greek word used to translate ELOHIM in Psalm 82:6 is not in the singular in John 10:34, but is in the plural -- gods.
Nevertheless, if ELOHIM is thought to signify more than one person in one God, then this would mean that Jehovah made Moses more than one person to Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:1) It would mean that the Father of Jesus who anointed Jesus in Psalm 45:7 is more than one person. And if Jesus is being called ELOHIM in Psalm 45:6, this would also mean that Jesus is ELOHIM. It should be obvious that in Psalm 45:6,7, that ELOHIM, although plural in form, is being used as though it was a singular noun, which is what is meant by the term "plural intensive". That this is so can be seen from Hebrews 1:8.9, which quotes from Psalm 45:6,7. In both verses, the Greek word for God is not in the plural, but in the singular, thus showing that ELOHIM in Psalm 45:6,7, although singular in form, is being used as though it was singular.
See my study:
Why is Jesus called "Elohim" and "Theos"?
jesus-rlbible.com/?p=367
ELOHIM, however, is not the only plural form that is used in the Old Testament as plural intensive. There are also other words.
See my studies:
Elohim Created
jesus-rlbible.com/?p=274
Elohim - Does This Word Indicate a Plurality of Persons in a Godhead?
jesus-rlbible.com/?p=230
Let Us and Elohim
jesus-rlbible.com/?p=402
