Recently I came across a few Jewish myths which have made their way into Christian teaching and preaching. Todd Bolen wrote about one in his bibleplaces blog. You've probably heard that the priests would tie a rope around the ankle of the High Priest when he entered the Holy of Holies so that he could be removed should God strike him dead. It turns out this is a Jewish myth which didn't appear until the 13th Century AD when it was mentioned in a Jewish work called "the Zohar" (which contained many inaccuracies). It's not found in the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, the Apocrypha, the Mishnah, the Babylonian Talmud or the Jerusalem Talmud. But you CAN find it in the NIV Study Bible comment on Ex.28:35.
Another myth which has trickled into Christianity is the idea that the deaths in Naomi's family were the result of their sin. According to F.B. Huey, Jr. in his Commentary on Ruth (Expositor's Bible Commentary), that idea comes from a Rabbinic teaching which stated they were being punished for having left Judah and for having married non-Jews. I don't find Scripture supports such an assumption:
1. Scripture nowhere condemns their actions.
2. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob also left the land during times of famine. In fact God personally arranged for Jacob and his family to go to Egypt during a protracted famine.
3. The word translated "sojourn" in Ruth 1:1 speaks of temporarily leaving, being a pilgrim. They had every intention of returning to Bethlehem.
4. As for marrying women of Moab, Israel was not specifically prohibited from doing so. Moab is not included in the ban of Deut.7:1, 3. In fact, you'll remember the people of Moab were descended from Abraham's nephew, Lot. [It is true that because of Moab's involvement in hiring Balaam to curse Israel, they were not allowed into the congregation of the Lord until the 10th generation. But marriage was not prohibited.]
5. And finally, both King David and Jesus were physically descended from Ruth, the Moabitess.
Yet we find this Rabbinic tradition repeated in Christian Commentaries... and subsequently being preached from pulpits, taught in Bible studies and written into Sunday School lessons.
3 comments:
well, i'm guilty of teaching the first one.
I had heard the first one. I had not heard that about the deaths in Ruth (that I remember--although it may easily have been implied by those to whom I have listened); still the Scriptural analysis about Moab and intermarriage is great.
When do we get to buy the Costine Commentary?
It would certainly be a "limited edition". ;) I find a lot of good information in Commentaries, though you have to choose wisely and always read multiple commentaries... and always study it for yourself first.
I read something interesting the other day. People who primarily read Commentaries show an increase in knowledge, but not in spiritual growth. People who primarily read Scripture exhibit strong Christian growth. Moral of the story: Read the Bible.
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