Personification of Attributes - Genesis 1:26

[Stephen Silver]

Shalom Akhi Ben Masada:
How do you understand the phrase "nishmat khayim" in Genesis 2:7 and "nishmat ruakh khayim in Genesis 7:22? Moreover, Job uses the word "nashama" in 26:4 and 27:3. Even the Aramaic phrase"di nishmat'kha" is used in context in the Aramaic portion of Daniel 5:23. In Kohellet 3:11-23 the distinction is made between man and animal, being "the spirit", though our human nature is animal. To my understanding the nashama is neither the nature of man nor any human attribute. It is wholly the uprightness within us being the attributes (pleural) of God revealed to Adam by the Spirit of Elohim. Job rests his case here. Living Spiritual Nashama is the living spiritual gift of Elohim to Adam (Humanity), namely, the ability to commune/kabal/receive) instruction from Elohim our Creator. Your thoughts?

Shlama w'Burkate,
Stephen Silver

[judge]

It's more than obvious that Israel could not uphold the banner of absolute Monotheism in God, and start the Scriptures with statements of plurality in God. The whole issue therefore, was personification of attributes.

Ben

Im no trinitarian, but I think its pretty well ackowledged that, particularly WRT monotheism/polytheism the hebrew bible is a set of books that were edited, spliced and diced, and subject to revision over a long period.
It is quote possible that, the plurality of "Elohim" is merely a remant of a time when the Divine was seen through a ploytheistic lens in the ANE.
Im sure you must be aware of the "smoking guns" which still exist in the hebrew bible of this earlier time.

[judge]

[size=150]Nevertheless, we, the Jewish People, are still known as the most monotheistic People to walk upon earth.

And...? this doesn't seem at all relevant to the history of the jewish bible IMHO.

You are not a Trinitarian, as I can read above. I wonder how a Christian cannot be a Trinitarian. What is the role of Jesus to a non-Trinitarian Christian?

Who said I was a christian? I do share a lot of beliefs and idea with christians. The most parsimonous solution to me is that Jesus was the messiah spoken of by the hebrew prophets. I can accept that, but I would nt go so far as to subscribe to "christianity".

[judge]

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A Christian is the one who believes that Jesus was Christ. Therefore, you are a Christian.

IIUC you are in a modern sect that venerates the hebrew bible, but not the new testament. So i can understand that might be your view.

[judge]

There is nothing in the Hebrew Bible stating that Jesus was Christ. If you can show me what I don't know, I'll become a Christian too.

I dont care whether you are a christian, and am not trying to make you become one.
All I said was that the most parsimonious solution, to me, is that Jesus was the messaih spoken of by the hebrew prophets.
As i am not a christin in the generally accepted sense of the term, it doesnt matter to me.