<> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Walter P. Snyder Q1: I have several questions about authority, especially in the Old Testament. I'd first like to know what role the Old Testament plays in everyday life? A1: The Scriptures' messianic prophecies have the largest role, since they speak directly of the coming of the Christ. The Psalms are a regular source of joy and inspiration; they are the Church's first song book and also its greatest prayer book. The OT also reminds me of my inborn sinfulness and that of others, as well as giving many examples of how sinful inclinations bear fruit. Q2: How does the Old Testament handle authority problems in the Bible and in the world today? A2: The ultimate authority is God. On personal, familial, regional, national, and international levels, being without God (outside his covenant of grace) is the source of much evil. The OT orders earthly authority a bit differently than the NT because it was still dealing mainly with one nation-state, one "church body," and one family (Israel). However, the Fall, Israel in the Wilderness, Israel's demand for a king, and much of the prophetic corpus also have a wider Law application: Beware of that which replaces or gets in the way of God's ultimate rule. Q3: Does the role of authority and ownership mean more in the world today, or is it more significant in the Bible? A3: I think that a case could be made for either side. Societies have changed, people of different backgrounds have come into the Church, and standards of possession often differ. Still, the right to own was (and is) protected by "thou shalt not steal," while defense of the helpless and giving to those in need is clearly a teaching of Old and New Testaments alike. However, with the small, relatively defenseless group involved in the OT Church, perhaps authority matters were handled more decisively (and violently, at times). God demanded his people purge themselves of corrupting influences from within and drive away or slay those from without. This was to keep his people for their own sake and the sake of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was also done to keep the line of the promised Messiah intact. Q4: In the Old Testament, how were authority disputes handled in terms of violence? A4: Sometimes a rebuke was enough. However, both banishment and stoning were possible, depending upon the offense. God constantly reminded his people that parents, prophets, priests, and kings stood in his stead in governing home, nation, and church. Rebellion against them was rebellion against him. Q: I was recently told about "Yahweh" and "Yahshua." Who are they and what Biblical significance does either have? A: "Yahweh" is the Name of God as revealed to Moses in the burning bush. Because of not wanting to "take the Name of Yahweh in vain," the Hebrews later started to substitute their word for Lord (Adonai) for Yahweh whenever they read the Scriptures. Because of the peculiarities of the Hebrew language, the names were blended in later Scriptures (the consonants YHWH with the vowels from Adonai, since early Hebrew was written without most of the vowels). The blend was interpreted by some to be his actual given name and was thought to be pronounced Jehovah/Yehova. "Yashua" is one of the Hebraic variants which is usually rendered "Joshua" (He Saves) in English. The Greek transliteration of this was "Jesus," who is probably the Yashua (or Yeshua, Yehoshua, etc.) who was intended by the person telling you about them. At times, these names are bandied about by people who fancy themselves to be Bible scholars, although they often prove the old adage, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Your source should have been more clear in telling you about them. As you've seen, their "Biblical significance" is manifest, since the Scriptures are of them and point to them. That's it for now. You can submit questions by mail to "Ask the Pastor," PO Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or just stop me on the street. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches in Jasper and Woodville, Texas and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1999 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.