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Marya & Mari in Matthew Mark and Luke
#1
Shlama all,

Jerry asked me privately to comment on Matthew 22:45 and the use of "Mari" (my Lord) in Mark's & Luke's parallel passages, where Matthew uses the divine appellation, "MarYa" (I translate this as Lord Jehovah in my translation) to designate The Messiah. I will now post my response to him, in the hope that it may be helpful to others as it was to him.

Quote:Hi Jerry,
Often in the OT, "Mari" is the direct address form used to address "Maryah", and is the equivalent of "Adonai"- "my Lord". Sometimes it refers to YHWH in the TANAK, and sometimes to a king or leader. The context usually makes clear which. In the case of Psalm 110, it is clear that the reference is to YHWH, according to the original reading of verse 5: "YHWH at your right hand will strike kings in the day of his wrath". Is it not interesting that the Sopherim altered the reading in v. 5 of this Psalm from YHWH to Adonai? It is as if they wanted to change the doctrine of The Messiah being YHWH- "Maryah" to a lesser being- perhaps a mere man?
But the Massorahs of the Psalms in Hebrew mss. let us know that this is one of the 134 places altered from YHWH to Adonai, and the Peshitta version of the Psalms also has "Maryah" at verse 5-"Lord Yehovah", indicating that the Hebrew from which the Peshitta was translated had not been yet altered, probably in the 1st century. The Peshitta retains the Name "Maryah" in almost all the 134 places where the Sopherim altered YHWH to Adonai.
Remember that the Psalms were the Jewish hymnal of sacred songs, which they regularly sang in Synagogue. Hymn # 110 would have been well known, and the first verse was the title verse:
"Neuum Yehowah l'Adonee,
shev leemeenee
ath asheeth yevayk
hathowm lerageleyk."

Notice the rhyme?

But the title suggests the rest of the hymn, and our Lord was using the whole Psalm to teach who the Messiah is, and verse five would have been sung also -(I would not be surprised if the congregation around Him sang this as he quoted it, or even sang the first verse himself, starting a praise and worship service). Sacred songs are perhaps the best teaching tools available, as the inspired word set to inspired music will bring Rukha d'Qoodsha (The Spirit of Holiness) upon almost any group of devout worshipers of YHWH.
"Yehovah al yemeenek
makhats beyowm apo
melakeem" (v. 5)
would have reinforced the point of Adonai in verse one being YHWH, for both terms are attributed to Messiah at the right hand of YHWH.
"Mari" refers to verse one- the song title; "Maryah" refers to verse five- the revelation of Messiah's identity. This was not a dry doctrinal monologue; it was The Messiah singing a song He himself had composed and given the Shepherd King David a thousand years prior! And others of his flock were probably singing it along with Him!

Any verse of this hymn would have suggested the whole song, which was familiar to the people.

After He sang it and commented on its meaning, no one could answer him anything or ask him any more questions.
It is very difficult to argue with a sacred song, especially one you sing on the Sabbath from the inspired Hymnal of God.

Be blessed,

Dave
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