Kesher: A Journal of Messianic Judaism

Issue 23 / Fall 2009

Sparks

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2009
• eBook ISBN: 9781498276672
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

Messianic Jewish Theological Institute"Teaching and Living a Vision of Jewish Life Renewed in Yeshua"Messianic Jewish Theological Institute (MJTI) seeks to be:- a prophetic sign of Israel's destiny by exemplifying and advancing Jewish life renewed in Yeshua;- a Messianic Jewish school rooted in a contemporary Jewish experience of Yeshua and a Messianic interpretation of Judaism;- a vision center for the Messianic Jewish community;- a dialogue center for theological encounter between faithful Christians and Jews; and- an international learning community born in the Diaspora but oriented to Israel.Messianic Jewish Theological InstituteP.O. Box 54410 Los Angeles, CA 90054-0410www.mjti.comwww.kesherjournal.com

Moses on the Mountain and the Motifs of Heavenly Ascent*

Andrew Sparks

Moses is a biblical figure of primary significance in the Torah. One expression of Moses’ importance is his intimacy with God. On numerous occasions, Moses finds himself in God’s immediate presence. In each instance of theophany, Moses ascends a mountain to encounter God.

These accounts of theophany share features common to the literary phenomenon of heavenly ascents. Specifically, Moses’ heavenly ascents contain a complex of motifs shared by ascent accounts in biblical, Second Temple, and rabbinic literature. In the history of interpretation, these motifs associated with Moses’ ascents are reworked and adapted to fit various social contexts.

One such exegetical motif, which has not received a great deal of attention yet appears in a broad range of witnesses, is the law mediated by angels. The LXX and Targums, the Pseudepigrapha and Apocrypha, Philo, Josephus, the NT,1 and rabbinic literature all seem to bear witness to the motif. In fact, Strack and Billerbeck list many occurrences of the motif (Verordnet durch Engel).2 Although the presence of the motif throughout Second Temple literature seems undeniable, some scholars fail to recognize even the presence of this motif in Jewish literature. L. Gaston asserts, “That the Law was given to Israel by angels must be called exclusively a Pauline concept, if indeed that is what Paul says.”3 The following development of the motif from its biblical nexus, viz., Deut 33:2 and Ps 68:17, to later forms in Second Temple and rabbinic literature offers an alternative accounting of the evidence. As a result, the most comprehensive treatment of the trajectory of the motif to date is provided.

Motif-analysis

A systematic approach to the treatment of motifs is necessary to proceed. Motif-analysis accounts for the developments and variances in motifs.4 The analytical method seeks to uncover the interpretive history of a motif by taking into consideration the social context and diverse ideologies reflected by each occurrence. Through careful examination of textual modification, motif-analysis meets the need for evaluation of a tradent’s influence upon a motif. Motif-analysis incorporates three types of semantic accent: acceptance, emphasis and resistance. Ancient writers accepted, emphasized or resisted motifs from pre-existing texts or traditions based on their own ideology and the conceptuality of their communities.

Motif-analysis may effectively be applied to heavenly ascents literature, and in particular, to the motif of the law mediated by angels. These motifs are analyzed along the lines of semantic accent and a determination is made whether a pre-existing motif has been accepted, emphasized, or resisted in a text. Motif-analysis also incorporates the following tasks:

1. Establish the social and textual context of the motif in biblical and extra-biblical literature.

2. Analyze the use of the motif in biblical and extra-biblical literature.

3. Determine the purpose and function of the motif in biblical and extra-biblical literature.

Moses’ Mountain Ascents

The early history of the modern study of ascents, stemming from the Religiongeschichteschule, recognized heavenly ascents in the context of anthropology. As ascent texts were associated with many cultures and approached from various disciplines, the texts reflected shared structural and stylistic features. Although these common features do not merit a generic claim, the literary patterns and shared motifs of ascent texts allow for comparison and contrast. Part of the contribution of motif-analysis is to show both commonalities and distinctions between the texts of Moses’ mountain ascents and heavenly ascent literature.

Two major types of ascents are those which are followed by a return to earth and ascents which occur at death. Due to Moses’ prominence in the Torah, he experiences both types of ascent. Ex 19–20 and Deut 4–5 interact with the first type5 and Deut 34 is the basis of the tradition of Moses’ ascent at death.

The parallel accounts in Exodus and Deuteronomy refer to the theophany at Mt. Sinai. This mountain ascent is distinct from much of heavenly ascent literature in that there is a meeting half-way. The ascent does not proceed to heaven, for God comes down to earth. In this sense, there is a meeting of heaven and earth on a cosmic mountain as God offers revelation to Israel. In fact, the cosmic mountain in Moses’ ascent texts may be the paramount motif.

Across various cultures and times, people have perceived physical structures standing between heaven and earth. These structures have been utilized to symbolize ascents and take the form of climbing ropes, trees, and ladders.6 Yet, the most prevalent physical structure in the biblical tradition is the mountain. From Mt. Moriah to Mt. Sinai, and from Mt. Nebo to Mt. Zion, God spoke and acted.

Mt. Sinai, also called Mt. Horeb, is a focal point of Moses’ mountain ascents and refers to the mountain district which was reached by Israel in the third month after the Exodus. Here, Israel remained encamped for a year. The last twenty-two chapters of Exodus, together with the whole of Leviticus and Numbers 1–11, contain a record of all which occurred at Mt. Sinai.

Mt. Nebo is the locus of the second type of ascent associated with Moses.7 Deuteronomy assigns great importance to Moses’ final ascent at death on Mt. Nebo. The event prepares Israel for new leadership and a new homeland.8 This original significance of the event does not fade with time. Although Deuteronomy only records the burial of Moses by God, motifs of heavenly ascent found a home in the account of Moses’ death.9 These motifs attached themselves to the extra-biblical accounts and engendered the transformation of a burial tradition into a heavenly ascent.10

The use of the mountain motif in both types of Moses’ ascents reflects a transcultural perception of mountains as a place of theophany. R.J. Clifford in his study on cosmic mountains explains:

In the ancient civilizations from Egypt to India and beyond the mountain can be a center of fertility, the primeval hillock of creation, the meeting place of the gods, the dwelling place of the high god, the meeting place of heaven and earth, the monument effectively upholding the order of creation, the place where god meets man, a place of theophany.11

Clifford then expands on the ancient understanding of theophany:

In the religions of the Ancient Near East, to characterize rather broadly, divine presence was sought not so much in a mystical inward searching of the soul but in symbolism where a relationship ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Hesed and Hospitality: Embracing Our Place on the Margins
• Moses on the Mountain and the Motifs of Heavenly Ascent
• Gentile Yeshua-Believers Praying in the Synagogue: Why and How
• Complexity in Early Jewish Messianism
• Jewish Christianity Reconsidered Reviewed by Isaac W. Oliver
• The Promise Reviewed by Stuart Dauermann
• Yet I Loved Jacob Reviewed by Stuart Dauermann