Christian Texts and History • Re: The Torah ordained through angels

ἀγγέλων here are lower level messengers or envoys

τὸ σπέρμα ᾧ ἐπήγγελται διαταγεὶς δι’ ἀγγέλων ἐν* χειρὶ μεσίτου

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the seed to whom promise has been prescribed through 'angels' by* a mediator's/agent's hand

* or, perhaps, 'during the time of'

Using a concordant style interlinear the word for word works out as follows. This will be formatted according to my analysis already posted:

Original letter:

3.19a	Τί	οὖν	ὁ	νόμος;	τῶν	παραβάσεων	χάριν	προσετέθη,
3.19a	Why	therefore	the	law?	Of the	transgressions,	thanks	it was put forward

Followed by an interpolation to replace a promise that Abram would have many physical offspring, with the spiritual children (expanded on elsewhere in Galatians) to whom the promise really (in their minds) belonged, the gentiles who followed Jesus and recognized him as a divinely elected savior of all mankind:

3.19b	ἄχρις	οὗ	ἔλθῃ	τὸ	σπέρμα	ᾧ	ἐπήγγελται
3.19b	until	likely	should come	the	seed(sg)	to-whom	it-has-been-promised

Then back to original letter, talking abut faith in god's promise to Abram

3.19c	διαταγεὶς	δι’	ἀγγέλων	ἐν*	χειρὶ	μεσίτου
3.19c	having-been-set-through-orderly	through	angels(pl)	in/by	hand	of-mediator(sg)

Sounds to me like those translations that render it something like "3:19c and it was ordained by angels through an intermediary" are closer to capturing the original meaning.

I get that the mediator is likely Moses (Exodus 19:6-9), but who are these angels who ordain the law to begin with, that apparently dictated it to Moses to hand to the people? God appointed a heavenly committee to come up with suitable format and substance, and find a front man to market it, like some modern CEO?

Just seems weird.

DCH

Statistics: Posted by DCHindley — Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:11 pm

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