The Almah Translation in Isaiah 7:14

The almah translation in Is. 7:14 is not merely a question of Hebrew philology; it also has very important theological implications. To arrive at a satisfactory interpretation of this passage, it is necessary not only to define the term almah, but also to be very clear in regard to the nature and scope of Hebrew prophecy. The exegete who regards the Hebrew prophet the merely as an interpreter of history, as a seer who reads a prediction of the future in the events of the present and the past, will translate almah in one way. The exegete, on the other hand, for whom the prophets were divine messengers sent to announce the coming of a future Deliverer may have quite a different concept of almah. More specifically, the student who regards Is. 7:14 as a prophecy of the birth of Christ, finds in this passage Old Testament support for the doctrine of the virgin birth. But a student who sees no reference to the birth of Christ in Is. 7:14 will challenge the fact that almah, means anything but a young woman. The viewpoint of this paper is that of St. Matthew (1:23), who looked upon the virgin birth as the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy in Is. 7:14. The decisive question will therefore be this: Is a translation of almah that suggests maidenhood (without emphasizing it) admissible in this passage or not

Let Jeremiah Speak Today!

It is regrettable that a prophet of the stature of Jeremiah who has so much to say to our generation is virtually unknown among our people and not too familiar among our pastors. Here was a man who, as his name indicates, was hurled into the life of his nation” (Baughman), in much the same way as Christians today are brought face to face with the problems of their country and community. This was a man who was \u27\u27born to be at odds with and in opposition to the whole world (Welch), just as the modem disciple of Christ finds himself in conflict with the world

The Message of Law and Gospel in the Old Testament

In considering God\u27s grace we are constrained to look also in the Old Testament for Him who was to come from God as man\u27s Savior and Redeemer. We shall not concern ourselves with the references that speak of the promised Messiah in general. Rather we shall take up primarily those passages which show how the demands of God were fulfilled in Him and how the judgments of God were executed upon Him who was to come. This leads us pre-eminently into a discussion of the Servant poems (Is. 42: 1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12)

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Quite apart from the contents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the history of their discovery and the account of what has happened to them in the meantime has proved to be a subject as fascinating as some of our bestselling books of fiction. The Qumran scrolls are to the 20th century what Tischendorfs discovery of the Codex Sinaiticus was to the 19th (Kraeling). Albright. called the scrolls the greatest manuscript discovery of modem times. For Edmund Wilson the scrolls are the most valuable manuscript find since the Renaissance

Wisdom and Law in Old Testament Wisdom Literature

In this article the author shows how the Jewish understanding of wisdom and law changed, especially in the intertestamental period. Wisdom, under the influence of Hellenistic thought, became almost a personal mediator between God and man, although it had originally been used to describe a certain style of living. The word law also underwent a change from its first meaning of guidance, to a later meaning in Deuteronomy of the revelation of Yahweh\u27s will to Israel, to the final identification of law with wisdom as the mediator between God and His creation, including especially man

Masters in the Making

How can we go about the task of improving our learning? That is the problem that confronts every educational institution, but especially the church-oriented college or seminary. The problem obviously involves both students and faculty members. The improvement of the learning process on the students\u27 part is dependent on the improvement of the teaching process of the instructor. The teaching process, moreover, calls for a large measure of good counseling on the part of the instructor. The more personal attention a student is given by his instructor, the more stimulated and motivated the student will be to pursue bis studies with vigor and enthusiasm

A Man Without Spare Time

The papers that appear in this issue were originally presented at a symposium on the relationship between archaeology and theology held at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, October 3-5, 1969, and subsidized by the Aid Association for Lutherans. The introductory essay was delivered by Professor G. Ernest Wright under the title Historical Knowledge and Revelation. This material has appeared in Translating and Understanding the Old, Testament, Essays in Honor of Herbert Gordon May, ed. H. T. Frank and W. L Reed (New York: Abingdon, 1970), pp. 279-303

The Meaning of Archaeology for the Exegetical Task

The author illustrates how archaeological evidence may supplement, clarify, contradict, or confirm historical and geographical statements in the Scriptures. Biblical theologians and archaeologists need to work together in the exegetical task

Fact and Image in the Shepherd Psalm

This two-part study of the much-read Shepherd Psalm offers a fresh literal interpretation of the psalm and points to possible theological applications today that take their cue from Luther\u27s interpretation of the psalm

The Concept of Sin in the Old Testament

The aim of the present study is to survey in a general way what the Old Testament teaches concerning sin. That the Old Testament presents an authentic historical account of the origin of sin has long been regarded as pre-eminently important by the Church. The realistic way in which the Old Testament depicts the tyrannical power of sin among men, and especially in the history of God\u27s people, has also been recognized as an important phase of Old Testament revelation. In our circles, however, not much thought has been given to a systematic study of what the Old Testament as a whole has to say about sin. That is true despite the fact that the concept of sin is elucidated by many significant pictures and comparisons that are peculiar to the Old Testament. Therefore it is felt that such a study is not only desirable, but really necessary for a thorough understanding of the nature of sin. The Old Testament concept of sin will be considered in three sections. In the first section some of the outstanding characteristics of sin will be noted. Secondly, attention will be given to the various classes of sin that are described in the Old Testament. The third section will have to do with the cause of sin and its effect upon the life of man