03-29-2010, 04:10 AM
Rafa Wrote:Quote:there are many aspects within the Torah that are clearly delineated as "eternal" or "everlasting." i personally would be fearful to speak against those as having an end.
I certainly understand your fear of disobeying an eternal command, but from what I have understood, the word "Olam" does not mean forever but only a very long time. In fact the Greek translation "Aeon" carries the meaning even further (I would like to see how olam or its equivalent is used contextually in Peshitta Tanakh). So I prefer to think of things in terms of different ages. Like the rabbis who divided human civilization in three 2000 years periods (their division was if I am correct Torahless, against Torah, with Torah). Again this is disputable, but it seems to be the most consistent interpretation, or else how can we account for definite changes in the Torah throughout scripture? Again just my two cents. This is a worthy debate akhi.
Shlama akhi,
olam carries the idea of an unknown amount of time, so that it could be "age" as you propose, or else it could be "eternity" -- both are valid usages of the term; the same with goes with aeon. in both instances it cannot be consistently translated only one way, but context has to be considered. this is where it gets into personal preference or exegetical understanding, because whereas i might prefer "everlasting" as a definition in a particular passage, you might opt for "age / very long time, etc." at that point there could be genuine disagreements based on personal conviction, and both sides be completely within the bounds of the Word by resorting to the term's definitions. i guess it is not as simple as we'd like to have it.... <!-- s:crazy: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif" alt=":crazy:" title="Crazy" /><!-- s:crazy: -->
the Peshitta AN"K seems to use ALAM, the Aramaic cognate of OLAM, in most of these instances, so i don't know that there is any real help in that respect.
Chayim b'Moshiach,
Jeremy