Revelation Good case for Aramaic Primacy?? Come on now

[Christina]

Shlama all--

I should point out that if we are to view with suspicion works that quote from pagan, extra-scriptural or other questionable sources not today canonized in any tradition, we would be throwing out a lot more than just Jude. 1 Corinthians and Titus quote from Greek poets like Menander and Epimenides for example, and these are far from isolated instances in Rav Shaul's writings. Rav Shaul clearly said he became a Jew to witness to Israel and a Roman to witness to Gentiles. He therefore used whatever he needed to get across a point to a given group of people, at least to meet them where they were in their walk, and then take them to where they needed to be. I could even point to allusions from the Zohar, Philo and the Dead Sea Scrolls (under the Torah, works of the Torah) if need be.

So Jude quotes from the Assumption of Moses and Enoch--not a problem if we apply equal weights and measures to all the NT.

Shlama w'burkate
Andrew Gabriel Roth

Andrew makes a good point Paul, the Tanakh is not free from extra-Biblical allusions either. What do you do with all those verses about Lilith & Leviathan? These are characters from ancient Near Eastern mythology. Was YHWH validating their existence? No, He was just using familiar imagery to make a point. YHWH communicates with us on our own level otherwise we wouldn't understand Him.

I understand your position from a liturgical view, but is this the only test for divine inspiration? What about apologetics, when it comes to defending your faith in the word of God? Can you put your hand on the book and confidently say "this is the word of God"? Can you feel the Rukha move when you read the book?

For me personally, I can feel the Rukha move when I read every book in the Protestant cannon except one - Esther, I cannot confidently say to anyone that I believe the book of Esther is "Alaha-breathed". See what I mean?