The Mystery of Ephraim

The Prophet Isaiah identifies a sign of the Messiah, but Rabbinic Jews dispute this!

Isaiah 7

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin (5959 הָעַלְמָ֗ה hā·‘al·māh) shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. — in a significant revelation of His almighty power, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign, cause a miracle to happen which would have abiding significance. Behold, an exclamation calling attention to the extraordinary prophecy now following, a virgin, literally, “the virgin,” that certain virgin whom the Lord had even now selected for this purpose, not merely an unwed woman of marriageable age as the Masoretic text says, but an undefiled maiden, Psalms 68:25; Matthew 1:25,

— Rabbinic Jews such as Jews for Judiasm and Rabbi Tovia Singer say this “virgin” is a young maiden as the above verse show;

— the Septuagint says,

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin (παρθένος parthenos) shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel.”

— although the Greek word παρθένος (parthenos) could be translated as a “virgin” or simply a young woman, the Targum confirms the Septuagint:

“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and she shall call His name Immanuel.”

— the Targum identifies the woman as a VIRGIN; reaffirms what the Septuagint says. The Targum is an indispensable source of understanding the Scriptures. Started by Ezra for those returning Jews from Babylon and for these returnees they could only understand the Sacred Text in Aramaic; hence the Targum is as if Ezra is speaking to them in ancient times and to us today from the Sacred Text.

— shall conceive, without the carnal knowledge of man, and bear a son, the event being represented as happening now, in the everlasting present of the eternal God, and shall call His name Immanuel, which is correctly interpreted by Matthew as meaning, “God with us.” This name characterizes the person, the essence, and the work of the Messiah. The son of the virgin, conceived and born a true human being, yet without sin, is at the same time true, almighty, eternal God. It is the great mystery of godliness: God manifest in the flesh, the Messiah, the true Savior, Creator, Protector and Redeemer of all men;

— a young woman giving birth to a child has barren meaning, only if she is a virgin would it has any significance; this is an example of the lying pen of the scribes in Jeremiah 8:8, “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.’”

— together with Isaiah 9:6 (Everlastying Father) this could be another one of the 134 changes from “LORD (יְהוָ֨ה)” to Adonai listed by EW Bullinger in Appendix 32 of The Companion Bible; it should be “Virgin” as the Targum and the Septuagint say, (more at the end);

— to Rabbanic Jews and Rabbi Tovia Singer, this represent

“the two warring kings, Pekah and Rezin, will have been removed. In II Kings 15-16, it becomes clear that this prophecy was fulfilled contemporaneously, when both kings, Pekah and Retsin, were assassinated. It is clear from the context of Isaiah’s seventh chapter that the child born in Isaiah 7:14 is not Jesus or any future virgin birth. Rather, it is referring to the divine protection that King Ahaz and his people would enjoy during the Syro-Ephraimite War.”

— But the problem remains with Rabbi Tovia Singer as he nowhere identifies who the child in the days of Ahaz was. What is so great about this child? To define the child born as “the divine protection” would be too much of a stretch.

— this is an example of the lying pen of the scribes in Jeremiah 8:8, “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.'”

~~~~

The official list given in the Massorah (§§ 107-15, Ginsburg’s edition) contains the 134.

Genesis 18:3,27,30,32; (Genesis 18:31? The context dictates that this verse should be included) 19:18; 20:4. Exodus 4:10,13; 5:22; 15:17; 34:9,9. Numbers 14:17.

Joshua 7:8. Judges 6:15; 13:8. 1Kings 3:10,15; 22:6. 2Kings 7:6; 19:23. Isaiah 3:17,18; 4:4; 6:1,8,11; 7:14,20; 8:7; 9:8,17; 10:12; 11:11; 21:6,8,16; 28:2; 29:13; 30:20; 37:24; 38:14,16; 49:14. Ezekiel 18:25,29; 21:13; 33:17,29. Amos 5:16; 7:7,8; 9:1. Zechariah 9:4. Micah 1:2. Malachi 1:12,14.

Psalm 2:4; 16:2; 22:19,30; 30:8; 35:3(none), 35:17,22; 37:12; 38:9,15,22; 39:7; 40:17; 44:23; 51:15; 54:4; 55:9; 57:9; 59:11; 62:12; 66:18; 68:11,17,19,22,26,32; 73:20; 77:2,7; 78:65; 79:12; 86:3,4,5,8,9,12,15; 89:49,50; 90:1,17; 110:5; 130:2,3,6. Daniel 1:2; 9:3,4,7,9,15,16,17,19,19,19. Lamentations 1:14,15,15; 2:1,2,5,7,18,19,20; 3:31,36,37,58. Ezra 10:3. Nehemiah 1:11; 4:14. Job 28:28.

[There seems to be an error: that there is none in Psalm 35:3 but another change should be added to Genesis 18:31; the total changes remain at 134]

~ by Joel Huan on June 2, 2022.

Posted in Isaiah, Judiasm, Messiah, R Tovia Singer