2/1 Tuesday

The Religion of a Book

-Mezad Hashavyahu Ostracon: 4 ostracas that reference to a "rule" in scripture (Exodus 22:25-26). The question is did the writer of this letter know the law in Exodus and was citing it or was there a rule that was already established? Regardless, this evidence shows literature that parallels the Hebrew Bible. 

-Torah Amulets: pieces of jewelry that has the Blessing Prayer (from the book of Numbers) inscribed on them. Same question: Is it cited from the Bible or from oral tradition of the prayer that wasn't written down until later? 

-These evidences along with the Lachish letter show how significant writing has become. The fact that that oral tradition was starting to get written down made it "possible to scrutinize discourse in a different kind of way by giving oral communication a semi-permanent form" (Goody). Also, the fate of Jerusalem being considered from this point on will closely follow the interpretation of texts. 

Exile, Destruction, and Cognitive Dissonance

Events leading up to exile

-Rise of Babylonian Empire (612-562 BCE)

-King Nebuchadnezzar

-Fall of Jerusalem

-1st Babylonian Exile, 597 BCE

-2nd Babylonian Exile, 586 BCE: Destruction of the Temple, exile of the Elites

-3rd Babylonian Exile, 581 BCE

2 Conclusions of Josiah's Reign

-pre-exilic: Josiah lived and was killed by Neco, Egyptian ruler

-post-exilic: God was angry at Manasseh so the blame fell on Josiah, causing his death. 

-these contradictory conclusions came about because the Bible is attempting to explain God's "broken promise" 

So far, Davidic Dynasty ended, promise to David failed, Temple destroyed, the Ark of the Covenant missing.

So, the question is: What do you do when everything you've been told suddenly does not fit with reality or lived experience?

-Respond by singing the blues -> Book of Lamentation

-Redefine the Promise

-David's "forever" Promise must be conditional

-reinterpret "Name of God" in Jerusalem, not his physical presence

-Cognitive Dissonance: uncomfortable feeling from holding contradicting beliefs simultaneous. So what do you do? Abandon one faith, or try to rationalize? The Jewish people were trying to rationalize...

I find this idea of cognitive dissonance very thought-provoking. As Professor Cargill said, it is something that we deal with on a daily basis, but when the foundation of an entire religion is depended on it, how can one choose to simply rationalize?? If the evidence is all really true--that God abandoned His people and His city and His eternal promise--then how does going back and editing texts in the Bible fix this problem? It should shake the foundation of religions, but religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam still live on as strong as ever...