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Books shape us. They change our road choices, confirm (or demolish) our ideas, lead toward or away from God.
Norman Henry Snaith, The Distinctive Ideas of the Old Testament (orig. 1944, New York: Schocken Books, 1964)
Snaith was a British Bible scholar and editor of Torah, Neviim, Ketuvim (Hebrew Bible, 1958). This is sometimes called "the Snaith Bible." In The Distinctive Ideas, he examines the Hebrew concepts of God's holiness and righteousness, God's different kinds of love (hesed, ahavah) and his ruach. Snaith then compares how these Hebrew ideas appear in the NT.
A few lines from the book:
The aim of Hebrew religion was Da'ath Elohim(the Knowledge of God); the aim of Greek thought was Gnothi seauton(Know thyself). Between these two there is a great gulf fixed. . . . Traditional Christianity has sought to find a middle way, combining Zion and Greece into what is held to be a harmonious synthesis.
The New Testament has been interpreted according to Plato and Aristotle, and the distinctive Old Testament ideas have been left out of account. Here is the cause of the modern [written 1944] neglect of the Old Testament. (from Preface)
* * * * *
There have always been Jews who have sought to make terms with the Gentile world, and it has in time meant the death of Judaism for all such. There have been Christians from the beginning who have sought to do this. Often it has been done unconsciously, but, whether consciously or unconsciously, the question needs to be faced as to whether it is right.
Our position is that the re-interpretation of Biblical theology in terms of the ideas of the Greek philosophers has been both widespread throughout the centuries and everywhere destructive to the essence of the Christian faith. (p. 187)
For more quotes by Snaith click HERE.
• Paul Sumner
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