From: Williams, Wes (Wes.Williams@echostar.com)
Date: Tue Sep 01 1998 - 12:52:50 EDT
I hope nobody will object that I changed to "c" to "s" in "tense".
Greg Stafford wrote:
> >John 8:58 does not allude to Exodus 3:14. Exodus 3:14 points *forward* to
> what
> >God will become, and John 8:58 points backward to a time before Abraham
> with
> >the adverbial clause, and brings Jesus' existence to the present by the
> use of
> >EIMI.
>
Jonathan commented:
> I'm afraid I have no idea what you mean by Exodus 3:14 pointing forward.
> Nothing about the verb forms indicates pointing forward, and the context
> points both backward and forward. See, for instance, verse 15: "God,
> furthermore, said to Moses, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel,
> `The
> Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and
> the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this
> is
> My memorial-name to all generations. 'Go and gather the elders of Israel
> together...'"
>
Rolf is a better one to comment upon the Hebrew aspect, but the pre-context
verbal aspect is indeed future. This is revealed by the translation of
Hebrew EHYEH in Exo 3:12 as ESOMAI (and not EIMI) in the LXX. Most English
translations of EHYEH (v.12) translate as "I will be" and not "I am" in
recognition of this. Interestingly, the Septuagint translations of
Theodotion and Aquila translate EHYEH as EGW ESOMAI at Ex. 3:14 instead of
EGW EIMI, arguably a more accurate translation of EHYEH in this context.
The memorial name forever at v.15 refers to the unique personal name YHWH
mentioned earlier in v.15. This is what I see as the anaphoric referent for
the TOUTO (another hOUTOS referent!) and not before that to the title-role
EGW ESOMAI/ EIMI hO WN.
Sincerely,
Wes Williams
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