tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3613525030683671127.post1194012006662565978..comments2023-10-12T14:09:33.965-07:00Comments on The Biblia Hebraica Blog: Elisha as Role ModelDouglas Mangumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15267532075493569019noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3613525030683671127.post-10959193023853771872009-08-16T06:49:30.801-07:002009-08-16T06:49:30.801-07:00Thanks, John. That's helpful. I view it as par...Thanks, John. That's helpful. I view it as part of the Bible's common tension of "do as I say - don't do as my characters do", which I think was ultimately the point for David's "Bad boy" study.Douglas Mangumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15267532075493569019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3613525030683671127.post-16203772776707745762009-08-15T22:33:52.234-07:002009-08-15T22:33:52.234-07:00Hi Doug,
Thanks for an insightful post.
In moral...Hi Doug,<br /><br />Thanks for an insightful post.<br /><br />In moral dilemmas, a binary opposition, right or wrong, is not the only way to frame the issues. <br /><br />For example, one might say that a certain act A, while within the law, does not express the spirit of the law, or more basically, the spirit of the constitution. Act A may be within one's rights, but still wanting, or indeed very questionable.<br /><br />For example, if someone breaks and enters my house, and is armed, it may be within my rights to shoot him. Depending on the circumstances, however, that act, even if legitimate, might be highly questionable. <br /><br />You also ask: on what basis, from the point of view of the Hebrew Bible itself, would Elisha's response to the jeering children be considered wrong - if you think that is too strong, substitute "less than ideal" or "not as magnanimous as it could have been."<br /><br />Three sources: the principle of enemy-love is laid out in Moses (Exodus 23:4-5) and in Solomon (Proverbs 25:21-22), and is narratively demonstrated by David (1 Sam 14:12-21).<br /><br />For the rest, I do not think it is defensible to suggest that the author of the Elisha narrative as a saintly figure. He's a fierce, ornery guy who does not always get his way (thank God). But here God lets him get his way. That's the real nub of the question if you ask me: the utter abandon with which God allows people who have divinely sanctioned authority (king, prophet, priest) to abuse it.John Hobbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17011346264727684917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3613525030683671127.post-82743167210726223902009-08-14T11:19:17.654-07:002009-08-14T11:19:17.654-07:00Perhaps, as another prototype, King David, "m...Perhaps, as another prototype, King David, "man according to heart of God", Elisha, and other messianic prototype of the First Testament has its share of "hero" and "anti-hero". <br />The ambiguity characteristic in the First Testament.<br />Jesus came so that they comply with the showing, even historic or symbolic, as with non-personal elements of the Torah (p. ex. The sacrifices), bring them to perfection, with his ministry and Cruz, the incarnate God who sent the prototypes, consuming what mere humans failed.<br />Christ made by faith that right.informadordeopiniaohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06489998336259307860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3613525030683671127.post-70984065766602847212009-08-14T06:47:47.272-07:002009-08-14T06:47:47.272-07:00Thanks for the comment, Peter. For me the issue ha...Thanks for the comment, Peter. For me the issue has become, how are we deciding the difference between good and bad, right and wrong? I agree that the Bible is not explicit about whether it was right or wrong for Elisha to curse the boys. I don't think I'm just assuming Elisha was right, but I'm leaving open the possibility that he was.Douglas Mangumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15267532075493569019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3613525030683671127.post-33972943408891188252009-08-14T02:19:33.810-07:002009-08-14T02:19:33.810-07:00Thanks for the link. I don't want to commit my...Thanks for the link. I don't want to commit myself to the view that Elisha actually did the wrong thing. I don't think it is clear from the Bible whether he did right or wrong. But I don't think we should assume that he did right just because he was a prophet. That is the Islamic view of prophets, but not the Judaic or Christian one.Peter Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13395635409427347613noreply@blogger.com