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
Deuteronomy
6:4, the watchword of the faith, tells us “YHVH, Eloheinu
[our Elohim], 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
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
26:1-16 gives us an overview of the building of the Tabernacle.
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.
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.
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
took to himself two wives: the name of the first [echad] was Adah, and the name of the other, was Tzilah.
(Bereshit 4:19)
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! 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.
THEREFORE... one is left with one of two conclusions with the use of
Echad in reference to YHVH. The word either indicates He is one of many, or he
is a plurality. These are the only two ways I have found that echad is used in
Scripture.
