Well, Biblical scholarship is one of the most complex of what Wittgenstein called "word games." They may or may not have objective meanings. He uses the example of a mason calling for various shaped stones. When the mason call for a oblong and gets it, one believes the word game has a natural material counterpart.
In the Bible, a long time ago, someone (or two or more), possibly Moses (but some how I really doubt it) wrote Leviticus and Exodus, supposedly from Jehovah's dictation.
Through in Numbers and Deuteronomy and Genesis, and you must face up with ridiculous internal contradictions. The Ex 22:18 amd Lev 16:8 are one of the more eggregious examples. Particularly because they have contributed to so much grief.
The injunctions are very dangerous? Do you know what a "sodomite" is? It is not a male homosexual addicted to Greek, but is a male prostitute in one of Philistine cities to whom men had to sacrifice, just as many of the temples had female prostitutes. The Sumerian tradition was that every woman had to dress as a prostitute at the temple gate and go with any man who dropped a small silver coin in her purse. One time. One man. She could not refuse. When someone like I looks at the old testament with its bloody sacrifices and cruelty, he does not always recognize that other surrounding peoples were much crueler than the Hebrews. We don't recognize that the Judean kings were fighting a struggle sometimes allied, sometimes apposed to the Aaronic priesthood and the neighboring sects. The priestly party tried to consentrate public worship and tithes in Jerusalem where they controlled the Temple. The Davidic kings sometimes claimed another high priesthood (after the order of Melchizedek (the king of Salem (i.e. Jerusalem) mentioned in Genesis as shaking Abram down for a tithe (see Psalms and Hebrews where the author claims Jesus was the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek for ever). Israel was a religious mess, and the king had to hold together the northern israelites who worshipped on the high places, together with worship of local baals and Moloch, and still satisfy the ravening host of priests and Levites who literally bled every sacrifice. The priestly party (Hasmoneans) had seized the king from the Davidites and had no sympathy or hope for a messach from the house of David. Herod married into the Hasmoneans to legitimize his crown, but this infuriated the remaining partisans of the house of David. Jesus was caught in the struggle and was sacrificed in part to discredit the party of David.
In my opinion this is just a pile of dust. The idea that these squabbles over leadership of a rebellious people two thousand years ago should have any significance today is unacceptable. It would be interesting, perhaps, to study these periods if there were a few more facts available. It is apparent, though, that it is impossible to confirm anything much about the underlying facts. I think the philological analysis of the scriptures can be interesting. It can be shown that the Pentateuch is loaded with misrepretations and out and out lies. The stories are probably tenth hand, and is shown by the game of Rumor, probably not every reliable. Similarly the New Testament wasn't written down for years. It is full of statements that show Jesus is not God or even divine. The virgin birth and immaculate conception is constanty ignored or denied. I do not find it amazing that some people believe in Jesus as some kind of divine apparition, but the Bible is a stumbling block even for the sighted. |
