Fri Dec 1 10:14:12 1995

From majordom  Fri Dec  1 10:14:12 1995
Return-Path: 
Received: by scholar.cc.emory.edu (5.0/SMI-SVR4)
	id AA02729; Fri, 1 Dec 1995 10:14:12 +0500
From: Felix Sung 
Message-Id: <199512011511.KAA26278@blues.epas.utoronto.ca>
Subject: Re: Hebrew Bible, etc.
To: Timster132@aol.com
Date: Fri, 1 Dec 1995 10:11:50 -0500 (EST)
Cc: PFlesher@uwyo.edu, tc-list@scholar.cc.emory.edu
In-Reply-To: <951130165244_39661262@mail02.mail.aol.com> from "Timster132@aol.com" at Nov 30, 95 04:52:46 pm
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL24]
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Length: 1179      
Sender: owner-tc-list@scholar.cc.emory.edu
Precedence: bulk

> 
> In a message dated 95-11-30 12:20:55 EST, PFlesher@UWYO.EDU (Paul V. M.
> Flesher) writes:
> 
> >I disagree with Prof. Deist that the term "First Testament" shows respect
> >for the Jewish character of the Hebrew Bible.  To say "First" is to imply
> >that there is a "second," which those who use the term (primarily
> >Christians) obviously think is the New Testament.  So the term "First
> >Testament" is simply another Christian term that ends being parochial with
> >regard to Judaism.
> 
>    I agree. It can be understood as supercessionist, the second being an 
> improvement on the first.

On the other hand, there is (in North America at least) an inherent,
connotative bias toward understanding "first" in terms of primacy of
place or quality as opposed to "second," "e.g., "first class,"
"second-hand," "first things" - when was the last time you heard a
second-place-finisher referred to as a "winner"? Think Buffalo Bills!
:-) which may offset, at least in part, a supercessionist
understanding of "First Testament." 

Felix Sung                                            Wycliffe College
fsung@epas.utoronto.ca                      Toronto School of Theology

Back