I would like to submit this
small item for your consideration. Since the topic, recently, has been on the
multiplicity of God versus His Oneness, I would like to supply a small
contribution. This [rough draft] is a part of the Dissertation I am writing, so
any constructive input is valuable to me. I
have tried to remove most of the transliterations from the text to make it
easier to read. There is a small series of footnotes at the bottom for those I
may have missed.
-- slade
Defining Echad As Plurality
Deuteronomy[1]
6:4, the
watchword of the faith, tells us “YHVH, Eloheinu[2] [our
Elohim[3]], YHVH is
one.” The
Hebrew word used for one is
echad. People
love to quote teachers who tell us echad means a unity. However, it does not
always mean a unity; nor, it does not always mean a singularity either. We must
carefully address the context of the passage or sentence in order to determine
if echad is declaring a unity or a singularity. Genesis[4]
1:5,
2:24, and
11:6 provide three examples where echad is a
unity, as opposed to a singularity. For instance, in Genesis 1:5, one morning and one
evening constitutes one day. In Genesis 2:24, a woman and one man create
one flesh; meanwhile in Genesis
11:6, the whole
of humanity is considered one people. As shown, in all three examples given, the
idea of completion or the coming-together can be easily
seen.
Elohim called the light day, and the darkness He
called night. And there was evening and was morning, one [echad] day. (Genesis 1:5)
Therefore shall a man leave
his father and his mother, and cling to his wife; and they shall become one
[echad] flesh. (Genesis 2:24)
In Malakhi 2:13-16, we see a wretched priesthood who is grievously sinning. The people were not learning the ways of YHVH from the very ones who were to be examples. The phrase she is thy companion used in verse 14 in the KJV really should be translated she is thy joining, indicating that the covenant of marriage does indeed make a man and a woman echad. Refer also to Ephesians 5:28-29 & 33, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 1 Corinthians 6:15-17, and 2 Corinthians 3:17.
Further in the Ephesians text, Paul of Tarsus compares the joining of a man and his wife and the love and fear expected in that relationship with the Messiah and the Ekklesia (Ephesians 5:30-33). See also John 10:22-33, 17:20-23,
And YHVH said, “See, the people are
(singular) one [echad], and their tongue is one to
all of them. And this is what they are beginning to do, and now nothing will be
impossible for them all which they purpose to do. (Genesis 11:6)
The concept of more than
one being defined as one is a readily accepted principle. In the
United States of America, people were once taught the Pledge of Allegiance,
which contains the phrase “…one nation,
under God,
indivisible…” This concept is not too
hard to grasp.
To continue with this
thought, Exodus[5]
26:1-16 gives us an overview of the building of
the Tabernacle[6]. The inner
or lower section is constructed of 10 linen curtains. The curtains are held
together with 50 gold clasps. Once together, the 10 curtains are called
echad Tabernacle. (Exodus 13:13)
The outer or upper section
(Exodus 26:7-13) is called the tent. It is
constructed out of 11 curtains of goat hair. These are held together by 50
bronze clasps and, as a unit, they are also called echad tent.[7]
Additionally, the two large curtains together are called echad
Mishkan. (Exodus 36:14-18)
In the Greek New Testament, we have a Hebraic perspective
“one.” In Revelation 21:9-11, the Bride is introduced
to John the Prophet, but in verse,
the prophet is shown a city coming down out of Heaven. However, in many
Scriptures, the Bride of Messiah is the community of believers (Revelation
19:7-8,
18:23).
Therefore, the Bride, New Yerushalayim, and the Believers are
echad.
Defining Echad As Singular
Meanwhile, Genesis 2:21 and 4:19 are but two of many examples
that demonstrate the concept of echad being a singularity. However, echad
is used when a single unit from multiple choices is delineated. For example, one
rib is taken from a choice of 22 to 26
ribs, or one
wife of several:
And YHVH Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall on the man,
and he slept; and He took one [echad] from his ribs and closed up the flesh under the
place.
(Genesis 2:21)
And Lemekh[8] took to himself two wives: the name of the first
[echad] was Adah, and the name of the other,
was Tzilah[9]. (Bereshit 4:19)
Undefined Echadim[10]
In the case of Deuteronomy 6:4 and Genesis 3:22, the meaning of the Hebrew
word echad is unknown since the context does not
give us the privilege of knowing the absolute definition of the
word.
“Hear, O Yisrael[11]! YHVH Eloheinu, YHVH is one
[echad]!” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
And YHVH Elohim said, “See, the man has become as one
[echad] of Us, to know good and
evil; and now, lest he stretch forth his hand, and take also from the tree of
life, and eat, and live
forever…”
(Genesis 3:22)
Interestingly, the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) contains no verbs. It merely says “Hear Yisrael, YHVH our-God YHVH one.” Without the use of verbs, one could surmise the Shema as being a commandment. The command would be that we are to be echad with YHVH Eloheinu.
[1] Heb. Words; The Book of Deuteronomy
[2] Heb. Our God
[3] Heb. God
[4] Heb. In the Beginning; The Book of Genesis
[5] Heb. The book of Exodus
[6] Heb. The Tabernacle
[7] A Midrash can be pulled from the lower curtains and the upper tent of the Mishkan. The inner ten curtains represent the Ten Words given in Shemot 20:2-17), the 11 outer curtains represent the 11 Words… the original Ten plus the New or Eleventh Commandment given by Yeshua: That you love one for another as I have loved you, that you also love one another (John 13:34-35). The Spirit of the Holy One binds us together in like manner as the clasps in the Tabernacle .
[8] Heb. Lamech
[9] Heb. Zillah
[10] Heb. Best translated as “Ones”
[11] Heb. Israel
