How do Bible critics interpret the concepts of “God” and “Lord”?
The first time the phrase “Lord God” is found is in the second book of Genesis, verse 4. In the first chapter about the creation of the world, “God” is mentioned throughout. This has given some scientists reason to believe that the first books of Genesis are a compilation work that has a prehistory. In other words, they believe that these are two different accounts from different sources about the creation of the world.
They called the first source Elohist, because the word “God” in the first chapter on Jewish elohiya is one source. And where “Lord” begins to appear is another Yahvist source (as if we are talking about different Gods here).
But what did Bible critics miss? When the name “Lord” appears in the text of the Bible, this does not mean that the name “God” disappears. In verse 24 we see these two names together. And then throughout the text of the Old Testament there are alternations.
Who is God?
This is the Creator of everything that exists, he created everything for the first time and that is why it is believed that he is the only Supreme Being. It has many different names depending on what properties it has. He is infinitely wise and strong
, incorporeal and to an unlimited extent possesses the fullness of perfections: freedom, reason, will, strength, immutability and immeasurability, omnipresence and eternity.
Properties of God assumed by man:
- Cashlessness
has no reason for its existence; it itself is the cause of everything, free from any external influences. - Infinity
– present free of time, without past, present or future, forever, without limitations. Incomparable and incomparable. - Immutability
is constancy, being true to oneself at any moment in time. - Incorporeality
is not a material entity, but a spiritual one. It cannot be touched, felt in physical form, and has no body. It does not exist somewhere in a certain place, it exists everywhere and always. - Incomprehensibility
is invisible, immense, surpasses any human plan, it is elusive.
Since all people are different, have different beliefs, there are different religions. Theism
- a worldview where God is monotheistic, he is the only Creator and Creator who contacts us through prayers.
Deism
- God is also the Creator of everything that exists, but he does not take part in interaction with the world, does not interfere.
Pantheism
is a doctrine where God is the Universe and vice versa. In all directions of faith, God is something separate, supreme, omnipotent, but he is the Creator of all things.
What does the name "God" mean?
“God” is the first name of the Creator on the pages of the Bible. In the context of the Pentateuch of Moses, the word "God" means divine justice.
Sometimes it is simply translated as “judges.” For example, in the book of Deuteronomy it is said that if parents have an unlucky son, they must bring him to the gates of the city where the judges sit. They will decide his fate.
The natural world is created only on the basis of justice, since it is based on the laws of nature that are embedded in these created beings.
INTERESTING: Prayers of thanksgiving.
Concept differences
- God created everything that exists in the void out of nothing, in a simple form, without destruction, he is the Creator
. All this creation subsequently belongs to the Lord, he is the ruler, ruler of the world and the whole world serves him, but he no longer creates like God, but only creates. - God is the Creator, he created all living things in 7 days
and ended his actions there.
The Lord does not create, but copies his work
. - God is immortal
and has limitless powers and superior capabilities.
The Lord is one of the names of the Almighty, not the most omnipotent
. After all, he did not create this world, but rules the already created space. - Origin of these concepts
: God - origin from Hebrew Elohim - a single name for deity among the Jews, preserved throughout the Holy Scriptures. Lord – comes from the Greek “kyrios” - The Lord is the highest power that God sent as His Son.
What does the name "Lord" mean?
In the second book of Genesis, which talks about the creation of man, the name “Lord” appears.
“The Lord” is the one who lifts, supports and protects. “Lord” is consonant with the Slavic-Russian “Lord”. During the Soviet period, the word “master” acquired a negative connotation due to the revolution. Then the concept of “master” was understood as those who provide housing, food and work. What if there is a war, the gentleman will be the first to gallop ahead on a horse, and the men will follow him in support.
That is, “the Lord” is the one who gives life. Because the Hebrew four-letter name itself is a superposition of three temporal forms (the one who was, the one who is and the one who will be).
“I will be the same. Just as I took care of you from childhood, I will take care of you in the same way until I grow old.”
Those who engage in criticism of the biblical text do not take these points into account. In fact, there are much more names of God in the Bible. The word “Lord” (yahweh) appears about 7,000 times in the Old Testament, and “God” (elohin) is mentioned about 1,500 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. That is, mercy (Lord) is exalted over judgment (God).
Church of St. Spiridon Trimifuntsky of Pokrovsk (Engels)
“God” and “Lord” - what is the difference?
Priest Afanasy Gumerov, resident of the Sretensky Monastery, answers:
Photo by Ivan Privalov
The Holy Scriptures give several names of God, each of which conveys a certain property of the inherently incomprehensible Creator of heaven and earth. The names God and Lord are the most common in biblical texts. The first name translators translated into Slavic and Russian was the Hebrew word Elohim. It appears about 2,500 times in the Bible. Most often it is used when talking about the one true God. It is opposed to idols – false “gods”. The plural form (the ending “im” is added to masculine plural nouns) of the name Elohim does not indicate the multitude of gods (the verb with the word Elohim is always singular), but the greatness and inexhaustibility of the Divine properties. In the Greek Bible (Septuagint) this name is rendered by the word Theos.
The word Lord in our Bible translates a name that appears more than 6,000 times. Jews from ancient times did not pronounce it because of reverent fear. By design, it is a word consisting of four letters (Tetragrammaton) - YHWH. Translators of the Holy Scriptures into Greek render it as Kyurios (Lord). Most often it is used when speaking about the Divine as an absolute, eternal, original Being: “I am who I am” (Ex. 3:14).
The word "God" in Russian and other languages
In different languages, the word “God” is related to different words and concepts. They talk about the properties of God.
In Russian and other languages of Slavic origin belonging to the Indo-European group, the word “God”, according to linguists, is related to the Sanskrit bhaga
, which means “gifter, endower”, in turn coming from
bhagas
- “property”, “happiness”.
“Wealth” is also related to the word “God”. This expresses the idea of God as the fullness of being, as all-perfection and bliss, which, however, do not remain within
the Divine, but are poured out onto the world, people, and all living things.
God bestows, endows
us with His fullness, His wealth, when we join Him.
Saint Gregory the Theologian believed that the Greek name theos (Theos)
from the verb
ethein
- “to kindle”, “to burn”, “to burn”: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God,” says the Bible (Deut. 4:24); The Apostle Paul also speaks these words, pointing to God’s ability to destroy and burn up all evil (Heb. 12:29). “God is fire, and the devil is cold,” write Saints Barsanuphius and John. “God is a fire that warms and ignites hearts and wombs,” says St. Seraphim of Sarov. - So, if we feel coldness in our hearts, which is from the devil... let us call on the Lord: He will come and warm our hearts with perfect love not only for Him, but also for our neighbor. And from the face of warmth the coldness of the hater of good will flee.”
In languages of Germanic origin, the word “God” is the English God
, German
Gott
- comes from a verb meaning "to prostrate", to fall in worship.
The name with which God revealed himself to the ancient Jews was Yahweh
(Yahweh) means "He who is", having existence, having being, it comes from the verb
hayah
- to be, to exist, or rather from the first person of this verb
ehieh
- "I am." However, this verb has a dynamic meaning: it means not just the fact of existence in itself, but a certain always actual being, a living and active presence. When God says to Moses, “I am who I am” (Ex. 3:14), it means: I live, I am here, I am near you. At the same time, this name emphasizes the superiority of the existence of God over the existence of everything that exists: it is an independent, primary, eternal existence, it is the fullness of existence, which is superexistence.
“In its meaning, the Being supernaturally surpasses the entire totality of being, being the sole Cause and Creator of all things: matter, essence, existence, being; Existence is the beginning and measure of eternity, the cause of time and the measure of time for everything that exists, and in general the becoming of everything that becomes. From Existence come eternity, essence, existence, time, becoming and becoming, since in Existence all things exist - both changing and unchangeable... God is not just Existence, but Existence, Whom eternally and infinitely contains the totality of all forms of being - both present and future,” writes the author of the treatise “On the Divine Names” Dionysius the Areopagite.
An ancient tradition says that the Jews in the era after the Babylonian captivity did not pronounce the name Yahweh - Jehovah out of reverent awe of this name. Only the high priest, once a year, when he entered the Holy of Holies to burn incense, could pronounce this name inside. If a simple person or even a priest in a temple wanted to say something about God, he replaced the name Jehovah with other names or said “heaven.” There was also such a tradition: when it was necessary to say “God,” a person fell silent and put his hand to his heart or pointed his hand to the sky, and everyone understood that we were talking about God, but the sacred Name
was not pronounced.
By refraining from pronouncing the name of God, the Jews showed that one can become familiar with God not so much through words and descriptions as through reverent and reverent silence.
Name "Lord"
In the Gospel we read the parable of the lord of the vineyard: “When evening came, the lord said
of the vineyard to your steward: call the workers and give them their wages, beginning from the last to the first” (see the entire parable in Matthew 20:1-15). The Lord here means the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
The name “master” denotes among people the higher, in comparison with others, position of the one who orders and disposes. God, as the Creator of heaven and earth, is lord over everything;
therefore one must honor Him above all else and accordingly obey Him.
God is Ruler over all: Deut. 10, 17; 1 Tim. 6, 15; Nav. 3, 11; Mich. 4, 13.
He must be obeyed and given honor above everyone and everything. Small 1, 6. Psalm. 8, 2. Matt. 11, 25.
Upon returning from Babylonian captivity, it became a custom to avoid pronouncing the name of God “Jahweh,” as written above, so as not to violate the commandments in Exodus. 20, 7; it was supposed not to be pronounced at all: therefore, in the Old Testament, wherever this name occurs, the vowels of the word “Lord” (Adonai) were connected to the consonants of the word “Jahwe” as a sign that this last one should be read. In the Russian translation, the name “Jahve” or “Agve” corresponds to the name “Lord” or “Lord God” (Ex. 2, 4; Is. 28, 16).
The meaning of the word “Jahweh” is clear from that place in the book of Exodus (Exodus 3:14), where God from the fiery bush tells Moses His name: “I am who I am,” and commands him to say to the children of Israel: “I am who has sent me to you.” . – The word “Jahwe” is used in the 3rd person, therefore – “He is” the Lord
The word “Jehovah” we use was made up of the consonants of the word “Jahwe” and the vowels of the word “Adonai”.
Particularly common among the prophets is the name of God “Lord of hosts,” i.e., Lord of powers and armies. This refers, of course, to the heavenly hosts.
The title “Lord” is also due to the dignity of the One whom God sent into the world as His Son,
and exalted him again after His work was completed.
The disciples called Jesus “Lord” already during His earthly life, and He confirmed to them that this title rightfully belongs to Him; He also pointed out to the Pharisees that in Psalm 109 David calls the Messiah his Lord, despite the fact that the Messiah is His son (descendant). Mf. 22, 43, etc. Luke. 5:8, 12:41. John 13, 13.
After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, this title, “Lord,” acquires its full meaning only in His Church. From that time on, it signifies the royal power of Christ and becomes a connecting link for the members of His Church, an external and internal link, indicating that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Master. Phil. 2, 9–11. Mf. 28, 18. Acts. 2, 36. Rom. 1:7, 10:9, 14:9.
"In the Lord" His faithful have a foundation for their inner and outer life; everything that happens to them, what they do and what they experience - everything happens “in the Lord,” that is, a person acts, looking at Him, in connection with Him, under His guidance, in His power; and “in Him” all the faithful are merged into one whole - His Church. Col. 2:6, 7. John. 15, 5. Rom. 8, 1.
Talks about walking in the Lord Col. 2:6, 7; about working in the Lord 1 Thess. 5, 12. Rom. 16, 12; about speaking and witnessing in the Lord 2 Cor. 11, 17. Eph. 4, 17; about joy in the Lord Philip. 4, 4; about rest in the Lord 1 Cor. 15, 18. Paul calls Tychicus a beloved brother and a faithful servant and co-worker in the Lord Col. 4, 7; himself - a prisoner in the Lord Ephesus. 4:1, and the church at Ephesus is a light in the Lord. Christians are brothers in the Lord Philip. 4, 1; one minded in the Lord Philip. 4:2 and increase into the holy temple of the Lord, Ephesus. 2, 21.
Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ
God is one in essence, but three in persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
, – The Trinity is consubstantial and indivisible.
The unity of Three
persons who endlessly love each other: God is love (1 John 4:16).
The mutual relationship between the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity is that God the Father is not born and does not come from another person; The Son of God is eternally born from God the Father; and the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from God the Father. All three Persons of the Holy Trinity, in essence and properties, are completely equal to each other. Just as God the Father is the true God, so God the Son is the true God, so God the Holy Spirit is the true God, but all three Persons are one Deity - one God.
How one God exists in three Persons is a mystery incomprehensible to our minds: but we believe according to the testimony of Divine Revelation. The mystery of the Holy Trinity was revealed to us by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, sending the apostles to preach. He said: “go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” »
(Matthew 28:19). It is impossible to know the Father without believing in the Divinity of the Son: “We also know that the Son of God came and gave us light and understanding, that we might know the true God and that we might be in His true Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).
As you can see, Jesus Christ is called both God and Lord. Just like the Holy Trinity we can call the Lord. There is this mention in the Old Testament - the Lord of hosts. Sabaoth from the Hebrew “tzevaot” is literally translated as “(Lord) of Hosts.” This is one of the names of God, emphasizing His omnipotence, as well as the fact that He is the Ruler of the world.
But more often now we are accustomed to calling Jesus Christ by the name Lord. It is necessary to remember here the Gospel of John, when the meeting of the Apostle Thomas with the risen Lord takes place. When Christ appeared to the disciples, Thomas was not with them. And he told everyone that if he himself did not see Jesus’ wounds, he would not believe (see John 20:25). And when the Lord again appears with the doors locked, already in the presence of Thomas, “he says to Thomas: put your finger here and look at my hands; give me your hand and place it in my side; and do not be an unbeliever, but a believer. Thomas answered Him: My Lord and my God! (John 20:27-28).
This is the interpretation that Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria gives us on the words of the Apostle Thomas: “See how the one who at first did not believe, from a touch on the rib, became an excellent theologian. For he preached two natures and one person in one Christ. Having said “Lord,” he confessed human nature; for “Lord” is also used about people, for example: “Lord! if you endured Him” (John 20:15). And having said “My God,” he confessed the divine being and thus confessed the One and the same Lord and God.”
Prepared by Natalya Morozova Website materials used:
1. ABC of faith
2. Pravmir
3. Orthodoxy.RU
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What does it mean when the names "Lord" and "God" appear together?
For example, “And the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground...”. This means that mercy and judgment met and kissed each other.
Why is the name "Lord" found at the creation of man? Because man is endowed with free will. The Creator knew that sometimes a person will use free will to harm himself. If man was created only on the basis of justice, then at the first mistake, he would immediately have to be punished or destroyed.
Therefore, first of all, the Almighty creates man on the basis of mercy (“And the Lord created...”), but also on the basis of justice (“And God created man from the dust of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul”).
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Who is the Lord?
Initially, everything was created by God, but the activities of managing the created space by God are already carried out by the Lord. It is also high, but does not reach the maximum level. So to speak, he is in charge of everything that was created by God
. The Lord no longer creates the original, but creates, that is, copies or clones what was created, multiplies it. This creator brings us, people, the knowledge we need in life.
When people do not perceive and accept knowledge and teachings in a direct form - through information sources, then they have to accept knowledge in an indirect form, through deprivation, experience, suffering. But no matter what you have to experience, you must realize that the Lord does everything for the good of Man and in the best way for him. Any unpleasant situation is an experience, this is how the Lord teaches us and shows his love
. Light is necessary for all living things on the planet; without it, nothing develops or grows. Excess of it can have a negative effect. It’s the same with the sun: you can tan in it, or you can get burned, you need a sense of proportion. This is where the need for the correct balance of contact with both light and knowledge arises.
- Both forces are supreme.
- Both powers are inaccessible, intangible, immaterial.
- Omnipresent and omnipotent.
- Do not have a time category
- Have a spiritual side to a person’s life
Mission of Jesus Christ
Jesus' mission was to add two more elements to two-element humanity . Therefore, he came (he was sent) and said: Guys, I brought you the Holy Spirit (third element). For whoever receives the Holy Spirit will become like a little child, and Conscience will awaken in him (i.e., the fourth element will appear), and they will be the same as everyone else who has four elements. But someone followed Jesus (he had many disciples), and those who did not need this said: “Please go to the cross.”
Those. They did not receive the Holy Spirit, Conscience did not appear - they remained spiritless and conscienceless. That’s why they say: “Think about your Soul ,” but no one calls you to take care of the Spirit, because the Spirit for them is divine, you can’t touch it with your hands. What do they say about the Soul? They attributed the words of Paul to Jesus: “Whoever loses his Soul for my sake will save it; and whoever saves it will lose it.” But the Soul cannot be destroyed in the name of someone or something! It is forbidden!
And notice, their paradise is in Eden: “And the Lord God planted paradise in Eden in the east” [Genesis 2:8]. What did Jesus say? Will everyone who accepts me go to heaven? No. Jesus said, “Whoever receives me will find the kingdom of God.” And when they asked: “What is it?”, Jesus answered: “But my Father has many mansions.” But ask any Christian priest: “Where are all the righteous Christians?” They will answer you: “They are all in paradise, in paradise.” And Jesus promised the Kingdom of God, but not like heaven . And pay attention, we are all children of God, and Christians are all servants of God. And what happens: a person dies, a covering letter is placed in his hands, in which it is written: “This is the servant of God and he is going to heaven.” Those. not to the Abode of God, but to the Land of Eden - you were a slave here on Earth, now let’s be in slavery on the Earth of Eden in your next life, work there as a slave. That is, earthly and posthumous slavery.
Now look: righteous Christians, but not all, but only 144 thousand from the 12 tribes of Israel will find the Kingdom of Heaven (i.e. Heavenly Jerusalem). And when will they get there? After God's judgment; God's judgment will come after the end of the world; and the end of the world when the second coming. Did Jesus come a second time? No. Is the end of the world coming? No. Was there a divine judgment? No. This means that none of the Christians over the past 2000 years have entered the Abode of God . Where did they all end up? To Eden, according to a tourist voucher - a cover letter: “The servant of God is heading to heaven (i.e. to Eden).”
* Later we will also describe all 6 days of creation, analyzing not only the Bible (see the Old Testament, the Book of Genesis), but also the apocrypha and so on, for example: the Christian plan of destruction.
