John 10: 34 "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'?
So far when I ask about this I am always told I am miss reading these passages. To me they are straight forward. We have become as gods only lacking immortality in the physical sense. Why can't people accept that what was said may actually be what was meant?
2006-12-11 16:54:20 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Why is our access to the tree of life restricted if all we have become are those who know the difference between good and evil? It could have been stated "Look, they have knowledge of good and evil." But to be called as like gods and be restricted imortality says that the only difference is that we do not live forever. Of course we are not God but why can't we be gods?
2006-12-11 17:06:25 · update #1
You really are on a high level, and I respect your search for answers.
I agree with you.
The problem is that those who seek to have you see things as they see them are really only shallow types who dont have lateral thinking abilties like yourself.
You belong with sincere scholars who like you are exploring deeper and deeper into the mysteries of the written word.
Good on you!!!!
Keep up the challenging questions.
2006-12-11 18:39:42 · answer #1 · answered by tillermantony 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Unfortunately, the English translation (any translation, for that matter) muddies up the water of the original writing. And, the culture that produced Genesis is several thousands of years removed from our culture.
But, that doesn't mean we can't approximate what was meant by such references.
Typically, when translators came upon words that referred to diety, they weren't all the same words. "god", "God", "Lord", and "Lord God" were some of the ways that they translated the words into English. Remember, too, that the translators were heavily influenced by those for whom they were doing the translating. They didn't want to offend anyone and they certainly didn't want to get themselves slammed in the pokey for being heretics.
From what I have read and studied, here are some clues to these interesting passages:
1) "god" was often kept in lower case to denote beings superior to mankind. Rarely do you see the word in the singular, but rather in the plural. It has been suggested that a "god" was a being higher than an angel, but not "God" or "Lord God".
2) Some believe that "god" is a station of development that can only be achieved after the current phase of our existence, that it is something to work toward, but that it in no way means "God" or "Lord God". Thus, in John we read what Jesus is supposed to have said to the learned of the day. He was referencing statements from scriptures with which the learned of the day were clearly familiar. The statement is lost on those that have only a very narrow interpretation of scripture.
3) "God" was usually the translation of YWH, which can also be translated "I am" or "Jehova" or "Yaweh (Old Hebrew doesn't have vowels.)
4) "Lord God" was reserved for the "god of gods", the "most high". Some believe that this is a reference to Elohim - which is interesting because the Hebrew suffix -him usually denotes plurality.
I don't pretend to have any ultimate answers, and I'm not a scriptorian. But, I do think that many believers in God have chosen such a narrow path of understanding that they miss out on a lot of the adventure involved in scripture study.
I don't think you are misreading anything. You bring up valid points. I congratulate you on digging deeper for meaning.
2006-12-12 01:16:59 · answer #2 · answered by SafetyDancer 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Man became as gods, knowing good and evil, right and wrong. Before that, he was innocent and knew no wrong.
In the longer run, Christ said if we are righteous, we can inherit all God has, along with him. If he has progressed to the point of becoming a God, then doesn't that open up the opportunity for us all to do so? If we literally inherit ALL God has - power, understanding, wisdom, perfect love, would not that put us in the position of becoming godlike? Why is God testing and teaching us unless he has a purpose in mind for each of us? I don't think he'd go to all this work to have us sit on a cloud and strum a harp forevermore.
2006-12-12 01:01:26 · answer #3 · answered by Rainfog 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Genesis 3;22 "Then the Lord said 'behold the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil, and now he might stretch out his hand and eat from the tree of life, and live forever. This is not saying we are gods, just that we can have knowledge and can receive eternal life.
John 10;34 this means that we can do the works of God through Jesus Christ.
2006-12-12 01:06:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The passage in John is actually a reference to Psalm 82:6. I don't really understand that passage. It's pretty ambiguous and confusing.
You have to read the passage in Genesis in context. "See, the man has become like one of us, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL. Man had become like God IN THAT he knew good and evil.
2006-12-12 01:00:57 · answer #5 · answered by John S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Greek it is called "theosis" to become like god, but not G_d. We will never have the Nature of G_d.
In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic theology, theosis, means becoming like god. It is the call to man to become holy and seek union with G_d. Theosis understands salvation from sin. It is based on apostolic and early Christian understanding of the life of faith, through the Eastern and the Wesern Churches founded by Jesus Christ.
I hope this is helpful. Peace be to you, the asker :-)
tman
2006-12-12 02:07:14 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is true, that we are speaking spirits, able to create with our words just as God does. However, we are not sovergn as God is. That is to say that God is not dependant on anything or anyone for his power, but we've been created to be totally dependant on our heavenly father.
2006-12-12 00:58:46 · answer #7 · answered by Andrew C 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it means that man has aquired the knowledge of good and evil through his transgression. Before that mankind was innocent and naaive, like little children.
Cheers!
2006-12-12 00:59:43 · answer #8 · answered by iamwhoiam 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
god is a title just like lord. is your landlord the Lord. but yet you call him a lord. there are many gods and lords and king. but God is the God of gods, Lord of lords, King of kings.
god is only word that is a title or a position. so these priests were called gods. it's the same as calling them masters or teachers. although we only have one Master and one Teacher.
2006-12-12 00:59:09 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have become as Gods being the only creatures with the ability to think for ourselves and choose. that's about as close as it gets.
2006-12-12 00:58:42 · answer #10 · answered by Coool 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋