Shekinah and Jesus

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Read what I posted.

Shekinah is a word that refers to God's Presence here on earth, the "Glory Cloud". Don't confuse that with what some Pagans did later on with the term.

What Pagans?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Revelationist

You can find one online and read it for yourself. That's what I did.

Ok, what I'm asking is, what did YOU find when YOU searched online CONCERNING what you previously posted?

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

What Pagans?

Obviously the ones that use the term as part of their religion.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

I google that term and got nothing.

This topic pertains to how shekinah refers to the Presence of God. Here is, again, the information



SHEKINAH shə-kīʹnə [Heb šeḵînâ—‘dwelling’]. A circum-locution used in rabbinic literature to signify God’s presence. In reaction to Hellenism and paganism, Judaism attempted on the one hand to preserve the biblical notion of God’s presence while on the other hand emphasizing the vast gulf between the deity and mankind.

Although the word “Shekinah” does not occur in the Bible, the root škn occurs not only in the verb (“dwell”), but also in the noun miškān (“dwelling place,” “tabernacle”) and the name Shecaniah (“Yahweh dwells”; e.g., 1 Ch. 3:21f). The promise that God would dwell with mankind goes back to Noah’s blessing in Gen. 9:27: “God enlarge Japheth, may he [God] dwell in the tents of Shem” (cf. RSV “and let him [Japheth] dwell …”). The Aramaic Tg Onkelos renders this verse: “He will cause his Shekinah to dwell in the dwelling-place of Shem.”

Many passages in the Pentateuch affirm that the Lord came to dwell among His people Israel. First He revealed His glory-cloud (Ex. 13:21f), which represented His presence and protection in the wilderness (see PILLAR OF CLOUD AND PILLAR OF FIRE). The cloud came to rest at Mt. Sinai and formed a canopy for Moses as he communed with Yahweh and received the commandments (cf. 24:15–18). The purpose of the revelation about the construction of the TABERNACLE and the commencement of the priestly service (chs 25–31) was to ensure that Israel might be blessed by the divine presence in its midst: “And let them make a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and all of its furniture, so you shall make it” (25:8f). The divine presence was a guarantee of the covenant: “And I will dwell among the people of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God” (29:45f; cf. Lev. 26:11f). Only the concept of Shekinah can explain the details of Israel’s cultic, moral, and civil laws. By these means God taught Israel how to live as a holy and clean people in His presence (cf. Nu. 5:3).

When the “tabernacle” (miškān) of the Lord was completed, it was crowned with the descent of the glory-cloud. The Pentateuch stresses that all Israel saw the cloud covering the tabernacle as evidence of the presence of the Lord’s glory (Ex. 40:34–38; Lev. 9:23f). Israel believed that the divine presence was particularly associated with the Most Holy Place, where Yahweh dwelt between the cherubim above the ark (1 S. 4:4; 2 S. 6:2; Ps. 80:1 [MT 2]; see ARK OF THE COVENANT VI). The Shekinah signified God’s presence and protection; thus when the ark was carried forward an early war hymn exclaimed, “Arise, O Lord and let thy enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee”; and when it rested the response was, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel” (Nu. 10:35f). Later in Israel’s history the location of the ark signified the place of the divine Shekinah — first at Shiloh (1 S. 4:4) and later in Jerusalem (2 S. 6:12–19). Yahweh revealed His glorious presence again through a cloud at the dedication of the Solomonic TEMPLE (1 K. 8:10f). Upon this occasion Solomon declared, “The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. I have built thee an exalted house, a place for thee to dwell in for ever” (1 K. 8:12f).

Closely related to the motif of the PRESENCE OF GOD are other motifs: “the angel of the Lord” (cf. Ex. 14:19; 23:20–23; 33:1–3; Isa. 63:9; see ANGEL II.C), the “glory” of the Lord (Ex. 40:34–38; Ezk. 1:28; 10:18f; 11:22f), the “word” (Isa. 55:10f), “wisdom” (Prov. 8), and “Spirit” of the Lord (Ezk. 2:2; 11:24). These reveal God’s presence and the means of His judgment and deliverance.
When Judaism came into contact with Hellenism (3rd cent B.C.), it developed a theological vocabulary. Instead of referring directly to God by His names and titles, it spoke of Him in circumlocutions. The concept of Shekinah proved useful as an in-between way of speaking about God as Spirit, wisdom, the word, etc. In the Jewish Aramaic versions any anthropomorphic expression was a candidate for a paraphrastic rendering; e.g., the Aramaic Targum renders “Yahweh” (“Lord”) or “God” by šeḵînâ, yeqārā˒ (“glory”), and mêmrā˒ (“word”). In Tg Onkelos God’s Shekinah is in the midst of His people: “And they shall make before me a sanctuary and I shall cause my Shekinah to dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8); God reveals Himself to Moses: “And the Lord caused his Shekinah to pass before him” (34:6). Thus the targumist avoids any allusion to God’s direct involvement in human affairs.

In the Mishnah, Midrashim, and Talmud, the Shekinah motif shows a theological rather than an apologetic development. The Shekinah, like the rays of the sun, is at many places at the same time (T.B. Sanhedrin 39a) and more present at some places than others. This explains Yahweh’s special presence at the burning bush, Mt. Sinai, the tabernacle, and the temple. The analogy also clarifies Israel’s special status, since the Shekinah was more real to the Israelites than to the Gentiles (T.B. Berakoth 7a; Shabbath 22b; Midr Nu. Rabbah vii.8) even after they had gone into exile (T.B. Megillah 29a). Moreover, the radiance of the Shekinah is more authentic wherever anyone practices the law of God (T.B. Menahoth 43b), or good works (T.B. Baba Bathra 10a) or is in need of the divine presence (T.B. Shabbath 12b; Sotah 17a). The Shekinah resists the proud, rebellious, sinful, and lazy (T.B. Berakoth 43b; Hagigah 16a; Shabbath 30b; Sotah 42a), but rests in large measure on the saintly, wise, leaders, affluent (!), and outstanding Jews (T.B. Shabbath 92a; Sotah 48b; Sukkah 28). Even the proselytes could find a special place (T.B. Shabbath 31a). Related designations of the Shekinah are “the Word” (mêmrā˒), “the Spirit,” “the Glory,” “the Light,” and “the wings of the Shekinah.” From the Tannaitic and Amoraic literature it is apparent that these designations of the Shekinah refer to none other than the Lord. As Urbach has observed, “a survey of all the passages referring to the Shekina leaves no doubt that the Shekina is no ‘hypostasis’ and has no separate existence alongside the Deity” (p. 63).


. Vol. 4: The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised. 1979–1988 (G. W. Bromiley, Ed.) (466–467). Wm. B. Eerdmans.

This is the topic, Not paganism or someone's twisted version of goddess mother. Please don't hijack my topic. Thanks

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

This is the topic, Not paganism or someone's twisted version of goddess mother. Please don't hijack my topic. Thanks

Well, really not looking to hijack your thread's topic. Just asking you quickly to qualify your comment. Was it pagans (Gentile/Non-Jews) who corrupted the use of Shekinah?

Just asking.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Obviously the ones that use the term as part of their religion.

Is it obvious?

All I was asking is that you quickly explain how the "pagans" twisted the meaning of "Shekinah?"

[houston]

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...ad.php?t=36987

[Revelationist]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

This is the topic, Not paganism or someone's twisted version of goddess mother. Please don't hijack my topic. Thanks

Where is the term in the Bible?

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Revelationist

Where is the term in the Bible?

No where. Why is that relevant?

The topic isnt "where in the bible is this word?"

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

I google that term and got nothing.

This topic pertains to how shekinah refers to the Presence of God. Here is, again, the information



SHEKINAH shə-kīʹnə [Heb šeḵînâ—‘dwelling’]. A circum-locution used in rabbinic literature to signify God’s presence. In reaction to Hellenism and paganism, Judaism attempted on the one hand to preserve the biblical notion of God’s presence while on the other hand emphasizing the vast gulf between the deity and mankind.

Although the word “Shekinah” does not occur in the Bible, the root škn occurs not only in the verb (“dwell”), but also in the noun miškān (“dwelling place,” “tabernacle”) and the name Shecaniah (“Yahweh dwells”; e.g., 1 Ch. 3:21f). The promise that God would dwell with mankind goes back to Noah’s blessing in Gen. 9:27: “God enlarge Japheth, may he [God] dwell in the tents of Shem” (cf. RSV “and let him [Japheth] dwell …”). The Aramaic Tg Onkelos renders this verse: “He will cause his Shekinah to dwell in the dwelling-place of Shem.”

Many passages in the Pentateuch affirm that the Lord came to dwell among His people Israel. First He revealed His glory-cloud (Ex. 13:21f), which represented His presence and protection in the wilderness (see PILLAR OF CLOUD AND PILLAR OF FIRE). The cloud came to rest at Mt. Sinai and formed a canopy for Moses as he communed with Yahweh and received the commandments (cf. 24:15–18). The purpose of the revelation about the construction of the TABERNACLE and the commencement of the priestly service (chs 25–31) was to ensure that Israel might be blessed by the divine presence in its midst: “And let them make a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and all of its furniture, so you shall make it” (25:8f). The divine presence was a guarantee of the covenant: “And I will dwell among the people of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God” (29:45f; cf. Lev. 26:11f). Only the concept of Shekinah can explain the details of Israel’s cultic, moral, and civil laws. By these means God taught Israel how to live as a holy and clean people in His presence (cf. Nu. 5:3).

When the “tabernacle” (miškān) of the Lord was completed, it was crowned with the descent of the glory-cloud. The Pentateuch stresses that all Israel saw the cloud covering the tabernacle as evidence of the presence of the Lord’s glory (Ex. 40:34–38; Lev. 9:23f). Israel believed that the divine presence was particularly associated with the Most Holy Place, where Yahweh dwelt between the cherubim above the ark (1 S. 4:4; 2 S. 6:2; Ps. 80:1 [MT 2]; see ARK OF THE COVENANT VI). The Shekinah signified God’s presence and protection; thus when the ark was carried forward an early war hymn exclaimed, “Arise, O Lord and let thy enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee”; and when it rested the response was, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel” (Nu. 10:35f). Later in Israel’s history the location of the ark signified the place of the divine Shekinah — first at Shiloh (1 S. 4:4) and later in Jerusalem (2 S. 6:12–19). Yahweh revealed His glorious presence again through a cloud at the dedication of the Solomonic TEMPLE (1 K. 8:10f). Upon this occasion Solomon declared, “The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. I have built thee an exalted house, a place for thee to dwell in for ever” (1 K. 8:12f).

Closely related to the motif of the PRESENCE OF GOD are other motifs: “the angel of the Lord” (cf. Ex. 14:19; 23:20–23; 33:1–3; Isa. 63:9; see ANGEL II.C), the “glory” of the Lord (Ex. 40:34–38; Ezk. 1:28; 10:18f; 11:22f), the “word” (Isa. 55:10f), “wisdom” (Prov. 8), and “Spirit” of the Lord (Ezk. 2:2; 11:24). These reveal God’s presence and the means of His judgment and deliverance.
When Judaism came into contact with Hellenism (3rd cent B.C.), it developed a theological vocabulary. Instead of referring directly to God by His names and titles, it spoke of Him in circumlocutions. The concept of Shekinah proved useful as an in-between way of speaking about God as Spirit, wisdom, the word, etc. In the Jewish Aramaic versions any anthropomorphic expression was a candidate for a paraphrastic rendering; e.g., the Aramaic Targum renders “Yahweh” (“Lord”) or “God” by šeḵînâ, yeqārā˒ (“glory”), and mêmrā˒ (“word”). In Tg Onkelos God’s Shekinah is in the midst of His people: “And they shall make before me a sanctuary and I shall cause my Shekinah to dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8); God reveals Himself to Moses: “And the Lord caused his Shekinah to pass before him” (34:6). Thus the targumist avoids any allusion to God’s direct involvement in human affairs.

In the Mishnah, Midrashim, and Talmud, the Shekinah motif shows a theological rather than an apologetic development. The Shekinah, like the rays of the sun, is at many places at the same time (T.B. Sanhedrin 39a) and more present at some places than others. This explains Yahweh’s special presence at the burning bush, Mt. Sinai, the tabernacle, and the temple. The analogy also clarifies Israel’s special status, since the Shekinah was more real to the Israelites than to the Gentiles (T.B. Berakoth 7a; Shabbath 22b; Midr Nu. Rabbah vii.8) even after they had gone into exile (T.B. Megillah 29a). Moreover, the radiance of the Shekinah is more authentic wherever anyone practices the law of God (T.B. Menahoth 43b), or good works (T.B. Baba Bathra 10a) or is in need of the divine presence (T.B. Shabbath 12b; Sotah 17a). The Shekinah resists the proud, rebellious, sinful, and lazy (T.B. Berakoth 43b; Hagigah 16a; Shabbath 30b; Sotah 42a), but rests in large measure on the saintly, wise, leaders, affluent (!), and outstanding Jews (T.B. Shabbath 92a; Sotah 48b; Sukkah 28). Even the proselytes could find a special place (T.B. Shabbath 31a). Related designations of the Shekinah are “the Word” (mêmrā˒), “the Spirit,” “the Glory,” “the Light,” and “the wings of the Shekinah.” From the Tannaitic and Amoraic literature it is apparent that these designations of the Shekinah refer to none other than the Lord. As Urbach has observed, “a survey of all the passages referring to the Shekina leaves no doubt that the Shekina is no ‘hypostasis’ and has no separate existence alongside the Deity” (p. 63).


. Vol. 4: The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised. 1979–1988 (G. W. Bromiley, Ed.) (466–467). Wm. B. Eerdmans.

For the third time. Please read this :-)