The Expositor's Bible: The Book of DeuteronomyHarper, Andrew
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Deuteronomy
Harper, Andrew
Bible. Deuteronomy -- Commentaries
The arguments advanced by Kuenen and Wellhausen for a contrary
view, beyond those we have just been considering, rest on an undue
extension of the prohibition to make any likeness of anything.
They adduce the brazen serpent of Moses, and the Cherubim, and the
brazen bulls that bore the brazen laver in the court of the Temple
at Jerusalem, and the ornaments of that building, as a proof that
even in Jerusalem this commandment cannot have been known. But, as
we have seen, the original command prohibited only the making of a
_pesel_, _i.e._ of an image for worship. The making of likenesses
of men and animals for mere purposes of art and adornment was never
included; and the whole objection falls to the ground unless it be
asserted that the bulls under the basin were actually worshipped by
those who came into the Temple!
The supersensuous nature of Yahweh must, therefore, be taken to be a
fundamental part of the Mosaic religion. But besides being solitary
and supersensuous, Yahweh was declared by Moses, perhaps by His
very name, to be not only mighty, but helpful. The preface to the
whole series of commandments is, "I am Yahweh thy God, who brought
thee forth out of the land of Egypt." Now of all the derivations of
Yahweh, that which most nearly commands universal acceptance is its
derivation from _hayah_, to be. And the probabilities are all in
favour of the view that it does not imply mere timeless existence,
as the translation of the explanation in Exodus[26] has led many to
believe. That is a purely philosophical idea entirely outside of
morality, and it can hardly be that the introduction to this moral
code, which announces the author of it, should contain no moral
reference. If the name be from Qal, and be connected with _ehyeh_,
then it means, as Dillmann says (_Exodus and Leviticus_, p. 35),
that He will be what He has been, and the name involves a reference
to all that the God of Israel has been in the past. Such He will
be in the future, for He is what He is, without variableness or
shadow of turning. If, on the other hand, it be from Hiphil, it will
mean "He who causes to be," the creator. In either case there is a
clear rise above the ordinary Semitic names for God, Baal, Molech,
Milkom, which all express mere lordship. No doubt Yahweh was also
called Baal, or Lord, just as we find Him in the Psalms addressed as
"my King and my God"; but the specially Mosaic name, the personal
name of the God of Israel, does undoubtedly imply quite another
quality in God. It is the Helper who has revealed Himself to Israel
who here speaks. Hence the addition, "who brought thee out of the
land of Egypt." It is as a Saviour that Yahweh addresses His people.
By His very name He lifts all the commands He gives out of the
region of mere might, or the still lower region of gratification at
offerings and precious things bestowed, into the region of gratitude
and love.
[26] iii. 14.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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