Christ as the Logos or "the Word" in the Old Testament
_Contradicts himself_ as the Messiah in the Flesh in the New Testament
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22 Jan 2005
Tarnas on the Jewish scholar Philo's adapting Greek metaphysical concepts concepts to biblical motifs, most interestingly his presentation of the Logos as the son of God and creator of the world (notions that seem to me, to be reflected in John 1:1 who equates the Logos or Word with Jesus Christ):
"The philosophical integration of Hellenism with Judaism was initiated by Philo of Alexandria (born circa 15-10 BC), who identified the Logos in Platonic terms as the Idea of Ideas, as the summation of all Ideas, and as the source of the world's intelligibility; and in Judaic terms as God's providential ordering of the universe and as mediator between God and man. The Logos was thus both the agent of creation and the agent by which God was experienced and understood by man. Philo taught that the Ideas were God's eternal thoughts, which he created as real beings prior to the creation of the world. Later Christians held Philo in high regard for his views of the Logos, which he called the first-begotten Son of God, the man of God, and the image of God."
(pp. 474-475. "Notes for The Christian World View." Richard Tarnas. The Passion of the Western Mind, Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World View. New York. Ballantine Books [by arrangement with Harmony Books, a division of Crown Publishers, New York] 1991. Reprint 1993)
This brief article explores the teachings of Christianity as found in the New Testament which "contradict" the teachings of Christ as the Logos in the Old Testament. A number of "contradictions" are in the form of "inversions" :
John 1:1, 14 RSV
"In the beginning was the Word [Logos], and the Word [Logos] was with God, and the Word [Logos] was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything that was made...And the Word [Logos] became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the Son from the Father.
OT:
Only ONE God is known (De 6:4).
NT:
God is a trinity of "three," the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (1 John 5:7).
OT:
Man has direct contact with God and beholds him on a number of occassions; Adam and Eve speak to God (Ge 2:15-17; 3:8-20), Abraham entertains God before the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah (Ge 18:1-8), Moses sees God's "backsides" (Ex 33:18-23); Nadab and the 70 elders at Mount Sinai while dining "see" God and do not die (Ex 24:9-10).
NT:
No man has seen God except Christ, the son (1 John 4:12). The "God" man had contact with in the OT was Christ in his role as the Logos, "the Word."
OT:
God is NOT known to reproduce himself with mortal women, ONLY "the sons of God," Hebrew: bene-elohim reproduce themselves with mortal women (Genesis 6:2).
NT:
God causes the "virgin" Mary to conceive and bear his son, Christ.
OT:
No mention of a heavenly son descending from heaven to act as a mediator between man and God. The only mediators are human priests born of human fathers and mothers. God declares that there will always be a descendant of Levi to stand and minister before him "forever" (Jer 33:19-22)
NT:
The Levitical priests as mediators are disqualified. ONLY Christ is the mediator between God and mankind. Christ is descended of the house of David, which in turn is of the house of Judah, NOT the house of Levi. By ending Levi's descendants as "ministering" _forever_ before God, and replacing them with Christ, God has _broken_ his oath or word.
OT:
Priests are allowed to marry and have children. This is in obedience to God's very FIRST command given mankind: "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" (Genesis 1:28)
NT
Priests are NOT allowed to marry they MUST remain Celibate (Roman Catholicism). This is accordance with the NT's praise for those who embrace a celibate life inorder to draw closer to God (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:32-35).
OT:
Once a year God forgives his people of _ALL_ their sins on Yom Kippur (Lev 16:29-31).
NT:
Only Christians are forgiven their sins and Yom Kippur is denied and not observed.
OT:
The prophets declare that the sons are NOT to be held liable for the sins of their fathers
Ezekiel 18:20.
NT:
Adam's sin is passed on to all his decsendants. Only the death of the "new Adam", Christ, ends this never-ending cycle of man being born into Adam's sin (Romans 5:18-19).
OT:
Micah 6:6-8 declares that a human sacrifice of one's "firstborn" is NOT acceptable by God to atone for one's sins, ONLY righteous and just behavior. God declares that human sacrifice offerings of sons and daughters are unnacceptable (De 18:10; Lev 20:1-5)
NT:
Contra Micah 6:6-8, ONLY Christ's death and shed blood (he being God the father's "firstborn" and only son) can absolve man of his sins, NOT an individual's righteous behavior.
OT:
Ezekiel stated that a father's righteousness _cannot be transferred_ to his son to cover his son's sins (Ezekiel 18:20).
NT:
Contra Ezekiel 18:20 Christianity claims that Christ's "righteousness" in fulfilling the Law (Torah) _is transferable_ in that it covers the sins of his son, the Church. No longer are Christians to obey Torah.
OT:
God will bestow his Holy Spirit in one fell swoop on ALL his people upon the return of the remnant from the Babylonian Exile, permitting them to worship him and observe his Torah (Law) for evermore (cf. Isa 43:25; 44:3, 22; 48:20; 49:3,6; Jer 32:37-41).
NT:
God will bestow his Holy Spirit ONLY to those who confess Christ is his son and are baptized into Christ's death.
OT:
It will be counted "as righteousness" by God if man attempts to adhere to his Torah or Law (De 6:25).
NT:
Torah is NOT to be observed, Christ's death has nullified it. One is NOT to attempt personal righteousness by obeying Torah.
OT:
A false prophet is to be detected, according to God, by waiting for a sign, the fulfillment of the prophecy. Man is NOT to believe the prophet UNTIL the sign has been accomplished (De 18:20).
NT:
Those who _seek after signs_ to verify a prophet are a "sinful and adulterous generation" according to Christ (Matt 12:39). The way for a Christian to distinguish a "false prophet" is that he is one who "denies Christ is the son of God" in words and deeds (1 John 4:1-3).
OT:
Salvation is of Israel from its human enemies, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Syrians, and Philistines.
NT:
Salvation is from the power of Satan and his Demons, and a restoration to life after death is also promised to the faithful.
OT:
The Messiah, meaning "the annointed," will be a non-divine human of human parents, but possess God's Holy Spirit, and will be a mighty warrior who lead Israel into many glorious battles and victories over her human enemies. Note that that the OT mentions a number of men "filled" with _God's spirit_, such as Bezalel the craftsman at Mt. Sinai (Ex 31:3; 35:31), and warriors like Gideon (Jg 6:34), Jephthah (Jg 12:29), Samson (Jg 14:25; 15:14), Saul (1Sam 11:6), and David (1Sam 16:13).
NT:
The Messiah is the "son of God," descended from heaven to take on a fleshly body and be born of a woman. He will NOT lead Israel into battle against her human foes, but die for mankind's sins. Instead of fighting his enemies he will "turn the other cheek to them" and meekly allow them to accomplish his death. He will "rebuke" one of his followers for striking back with a sword one of his captors in the garden of Gethsemane. The Messiah is a man of peace NOT of war.
OT:
The holy days MUST be observed: The Shabbat (Sabbath on every 7th day); Passover; Feast of the Tabernacles, Succoth (Feast of the Booths), New Moons; Yom Kippur, etc.
NT:
The Holy days are NOT to be observed. The 7th day Sabbath is not to be observed, instead the day of Christ's ressurection on Sunday will be observed. Only Christ's last meal is observed (which happens to occur during the Passover period), "the Eucharist."
OT:
Blood is forbidden to be consumed as it only atones for sin (Lev 17:10-12). The animal flesh of a slain lamb drained of its blood MUST be consumed on Passover to recall Israel's redemption by God.
NT:
Christ's "atoning" blood MUST be consumed in the form of wine to be saved. Bread symbolic of Christ's HUMAN flesh must be consumed (the Eucharist) NOT the flesh of an animal (a lamb), to recall man's redemption.
OT
God rewards IMMEDIATELY his people with tangible physical blessings for obeying his Torah, with healthy children, abundant herds and flocks, rains in their season, herbage, and wealth. Poverty is a sign of God's displeasure with his people (De 30:1-10).
NT
Only Satan in this life rewards with wealth those who worship him. God predicts persecution, poverty, and trials for his followers, seeking proof of their love for him. Poverty is "proof" of a Christian's self-sacrifices and virtue (Christ living in poverty and exhorting his followers to give away to the poor their wealth). Only after death, in the ressurection, will God reward his people with physical blessings of wealth, health, land, and triumph over their foes.
OT
Justice is an "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth," and immediate victory over human enemies.
NT
"Turn the other cheek to your enemies and pray for them who despitefully abuse you" so that you may be like your father in heaven.
OT:
No image is to be made of God.
NT:
Images of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost ARE permissable in Christianity since the 3rd century CE.
OT:
God must be fed twice a day at his temple.
NT:
There is NO daily sacrifice or food offerings to feed God.
OT:
No mention of eternal punishment in a lake of fire for the unrighteous.
NT:
The unrighteous will suffer eternal punishment in a lake of fire.
OT:
Multiple wives and concubines acceptable for Patriarchs.
NT:
Only ONE wife allowed.
