A Jewish Godhead
25 Apr 2024
How the first Jewish believers were able to accept Jesus as God
In this significant new series, Nick Thompson takes a carefully researched look at various aspects of Christology – the study of the Person and work of Jesus Christ. He begins with looking at the scriptures in the Original (Old) Testament which point to Jesus as God.
Have you ever read Luke 24:13-27 and the story of the road to Emmaus and wondered which scriptures Jesus shared with those two travellers?
“He said to them, ‘Foolish people! So unwilling to put your trust in everything the prophets spoke! Didn’t the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them the things that can be found throughout the Tanakh (Old Testament) concerning himself.”
Working on a study into the Jewish background of the Disciples’ Prayer (The Lord’s Prayer) made me think deeply about Jesus, the culture He was born into, lived in and the expectations surrounding the Messiah. Where were those passages that Jesus led them into that so comprehensively laid out the scriptures revealing Him as Messiah, fully God and fully Man? Maybe a little of the answer lies in the following study, which we will look at over the next few weeks.
An expectation of Messiah
Despite prevalent Christian teaching that gives the impression that Jesus stepped into a vacuum, the reality was diametrically opposed. Second Temple Judaism was waiting for, and expecting, their Messiah. So much so that there was an identification and verification process already in place, with several distinct phases involved. The first was healings, which Jesus passed. There were three healings recognised as being only attributable to the Messiah: healing a Jewish leper (Lk 5:12-14), exorcising a dumb demoniac (Luke 11) and healing a man blind from birth (Jn 9:1-12). The gospels record all three of these healings, thereby demonstrating that Jesus was recognisable as Messiah.
Once the first stage had been verified the process moved into a period of observation. The observers were not allowed to engage with the potential Messiah, simply observe and report back. This scenario is recounted at Peter’s mother-in-law’s house with the man lowered through the roof. The observers could think, but they could not speak, as Jesus indicates in Luke 5:22: “Why do you reason in your hearts?”
Once this stage was complete then the potential Messiah was open to questioning. Indeed, we can see that John the Baptist must have, somehow, also passed the early stages of that process and was considered a possible Messiah, because he was questioned about it in John 1:25. This makes it clear that there was an active expectation of the Messiah.
A human Messiah in the manner of Moses or David was broadly anticipated by most.... yet, what we find when we really get into the scriptures is that there is the basis of a very different expectation.
However, the expectation of what a Messiah would be varied somewhat. It feels clear from various scriptures that a human Messiah in the manner of Moses or David was broadly anticipated by most. Jesus was very different to that expectation. Yet, what we find when we really get into the scriptures is that there is the basis of a very different expectation, one which had been identified and preached, albeit by only a few, within Second Temple Judaism, in the years leading up to Jesus’ birth.
A concept of a vice-regent of God
Jewish scholar, Alan Segal laid out in his 1977 book, Two Powers in Heaven, how Second Temple Judaism incorporated a strand of belief that understood there to be a form of Godhead comprising two powers in Heaven – God, and a vice-regent who became God in physical form when required. Part of this thinking was illustrated in this scripture from Proverbs:
Proverbs 30:4 “Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth. What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!”
Another familiar scripture in this vein comes from Psalm 110:
“YHWH said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies my footstool.” (Ps 110:1)
Segal drew this understanding from a broad range of scriptures and, critically, demonstrated that Torah-oriented Judaism stood on the edge of embracing a concept of Godhead during the Second Temple Period. Obviously, a view of this nature had implications for the monotheistic view of Judaism, as it does for ourselves. However, this was, and is, resolved by positioning this second power as a vice-regent within the divine council.
Torah-oriented Judaism stood on the edge of embracing a concept of Godhead during the Second Temple Period.
There are various other scriptures that indicate a second power in the Godhead. For example, in Amos 4:11, we see YHWH speaking of God in the third person: “I have wrought destruction among you as when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah: You have become like a brand plucked from burning. Yet you have not turned back to me, declares YHWH.” We see also the idea of the Angel of the Lord referring to God in Genesis 22:1/11-12: “God tested Abraham and said to him, take your son … and offer him as a burnt offering. But the angel of The Lord called to him from heaven and said ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said ‘Here I am’. He said ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him for now I know that you fear God, for you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.”
Multiple ‘gods’ and heavenly powers
Alongside this concept of Two Powers in heaven, Segal demonstrated that the Second Temple thinking positioned an understanding that YHWH (the name God revealed) was supreme amongst the ‘elohim’ (a more generic name for God, or gods: a word that is plural). We see various scriptures that this thinking was based on here:
Psalm 82:1-2,5-8: “God presides in the great assembly: he renders judgment among the ‘gods’: How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? … The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler. Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance.”
Psalm 89:5-7: “The heavens praise your wonders, LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; He is more awesome than all who surround Him.”
Job 38:4,6-7: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. … On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone— while the morning stars sang together, and all the angels shouted for joy?”
There are some who claim that Psalm 82 is relating to a condemnation of corrupt Jewish administrators. However, there is nowhere in scripture where God gives administration over the whole earth to Jewish judges. Indeed, Deuteronomy 32:8 specifically gives the nations of the world over to foreign gods, as highlighted by various translations, (GNT, ESV, CEB).
The reality is that the verses above relate to a heavenly or divine hierarchy. This is reflected in the Egyptian concept of ‘pharaoh’ which is ‘per a-a’ and translates as a ‘great household’. Pharaoh sat atop a structure where his closest aides were all relatives, then their aides, then their aides. This appears to correlate with the divine structure. The High King, ruler of all, with the elite administrators related to the High King with tiers of messengers, warriors, guards, scribes etc underneath them.
This is all reflected in the word ‘elohim’ which can be singular – referring to the Holy God, YHWH (of which there are some 2,000 biblical examples) – but also plural, where it covers a multitude of descriptions, including referring to members of God’s holy council. Indeed, seen in this light, it is possible to read the interaction between Job and a divine being as simply an administrator commenting upon Job’s nature. (This interpretation is strengthened by the fact the there is no definite article, it is a ‘satan’ rather than ‘HaSatan’ who engages with YHWH. HaSatan is invariably the descriptor of The Adversary, who we tend to know as Lucifer.)
The God over all gods
Coming to terms with this line of thinking can be challenging. However, various scriptures seem to support this concept:
Exodus 15:11: “Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”
Deuteronomy 3:24: “For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?”
1 Kings 8:23: “LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.”
Psalm 97:9: “For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.”
Other verses that pertain to this understanding include those describing YHWH as Sovereign, including over other gods, such as Psalm 95:3; Daniel 4:35; 1 Kings 22:19. Then there are those which describe YHWH as the Creator of His Council – Nehemiah 9:6, CEB, AMP, ESV etc., (this verse also describes YHWH as Unique); and Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3. Psalm 29:1 describes YHWH as the Elohim who deserves the praise of other elohim.
Psalm 29:1 describes YHWH as the Elohim who deserves the praise of other elohim.
Scripture makes clear that ‘elohim’ is not determined by attributes, it is a root identity. As a result, YHWH Elohim clearly follows the Hebrew language ‘s’michut’, a form of grammar that links two nouns together and in doing so makes the first noun an adjective. ‘Piano stool’ would be a good example in English – we have a stool for the piano. However, s’michut is a bit different in that it makes the two words integral and makes the first word the prime word. Therefore YHWH Elohim means that YHWH is the descriptor element and Elohim the generic element. As a result, we correctly read it ‘YHWH of the Elohim’.
The result of the preceding scriptures is that I contend the following understanding:
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YHWH is an elohim
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There are other elohim
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No other elohim is YHWH.
This position fully upholds the key tenet of the The Sh’ma of YHWH’s uniqueness and aligns with John 1:18, that “no-one has seen God, the only God, who is at The Father’s side, He has made Him known”.
It would have been a mindset open to this thinking that could allow a first century Jew, totally committed to monotheism (who would choose death over worshipping the Roman emperor or a Roman god) to be able to worship Jesus of Nazareth as fully God and fully Man.
The same mindset would allow a first century Jew to come to terms with the idea of Jesus being born, being potty-trained, learning to walk, and learning Torah at His human father’s side.
The same mindset would allow a first century Jew to come to terms with the idea of Jesus being born, being potty-trained, learning to walk, and learning Torah at His human father’s side.
Yet it was those elements that most of the religious authorities could not get to grips with.
God being born as man
However, this idea of a part of the Godhead stepping into humanity was clearly prophesied in Isaiah:
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore Adonai Himself will give you people a sign: the virgin will become pregnant, bear a son and name Him ‘Immanu El [God is with us]’”
Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
The concept of a godhead, such as God and a vice-regent, and also of a divine council, was clearly understood and accepted within 2nd Temple Judaism, though not widely held. It was only in the wake of the First Jewish Revolt, the destruction of The Temple and the inexorable rise of Christianity that Judaism declared the Two Powers theology a heresy. Years before this, however, Jesus may have used some of these scriptures to confirm that He was the embodiment of this theology.
In the next article in this series, we will look at the various names used in Jewish scriptures to indicate Jesus.
Selected Bibliography:
Barker, Margaret. The Great Angel: A Study of Israel’s Second God. Louisville, KY: Westminster / John Knox Publishers, 1992
Boyarin, Daniel. “Two Powers in Heaven; or, The Making of a Heresy,” pp 331-370 in The Idea of Biblical Interpretation: Essays in Honor of James L. Kugel. Leiden: Brill, 2003
Fossum, Jarl E. The Image of the Invisible God: Essays on the Influence of Jewish Mysticism on Early Christology. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1995
Hurtado, Larry W. “First-Century Jewish Monotheism.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 71 (1998): 3-26
Segal, Alan F. Two Powers in Heaven: Early Rabbinic Reports about Christianity and Gnosticism. E J Brill 1977
Additional Info
Author:
Nick Thompson
Nick Thompson, 30/09/2005