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Question on Luke 16:8
#1
Shlama all--

Noticed something that I wanted to ask the forum. When I was researching something in William Jennings Syriac Lexicon, Mr. Jennings made reference to what he viewed as a problematic reading in Luke 16:8. Specifically, in the parable of the Shrewd Manager it reads "and praised OUR LORD (maran) to the steward..." Jennings argues that the "lord" in the parable should be MARA, not MARAN, otherwise it looks like Y'shua is saying "our lord" (his and his listeners), but Y'shua's only master is YHWH Himself!

About the only thing then I can think of is that MARAN in this context is symbolic for YHWH, and hence "our master". If so, it would be the only the second time that I am aware of where MARAN is used to describe YHWH and not Y'shua. Incidentally, in case anyone is wondering, Revelation 1:10 is the other.

Any thoughts?
Shlama w'burkate
Andrew Gabriel Roth
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#2
Shlama Akhi Andrew,

I was looking at John Gill's 'Exposition of the Entire Bible' concerning Luke 16:8. The Ethiopic Version has 'God'!!
Also notice the footnote references that are clickable links and refer to the Babylonian Talmud,the Zohar and Aben Ezra, complete with folio numbers!

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.studylight.org/com/geb/view.cgi?book=lu&chapter=016&verse=008">http://www.studylight.org/com/geb/view. ... &verse=008</a><!-- m -->

Hmmm....what gives? <!-- s:dontgetit: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/dontgetit.gif" alt=":dontgetit:" title="Dont Get It" /><!-- s:dontgetit: --> <!-- s:lookround: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/lookround.gif" alt=":lookround:" title="Look Round" /><!-- s:lookround: -->

Shlama w'Burkate, Larry Kelsey
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#3
Honestly Akhi Larry, I'm not sure what to make of it. The Ethiopic version is quite late, is it not? The answer though may be much simpler. As I said before, I suspect that Y'shua was doing a parable on judgment--as opposed to the many others that he did on mercy like the "Prodigal Son". If I am right, then the Master in this story, if he is YHWH, is depicted in a very interesting way. He was about to fire his "manager" (Pharisees??? Judah???) for wasting his resources but when the manager acted wisely amongst his own people, he was ready to go to the next step, which Y'shua said (verse 9) that using worldly wealth for good leads to treasure in heaven.

It is very curious though, but I surely don't feel it is, as Jennings thought, a scribal error.

Still working on this one...
Shlama w'burkate
Andrew Gabriel Roth
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