Looking beyond the books of the Bible and into other ancient Jewish writings containing some very different views of biblical heroes can be a most interesting experience.
Have a look at The Prayer of Joseph (1st or 2nd century CE):
Even Moses appears to have had a pre-existence in heaven before he appeared on earth to deliver the Israelites from Egypt: I quote from “Imitatio Mosis: Patterns of Cosmology and Soteriology in the Hellenistic Synagogue” (Studia Philonica, 1972, 27-55)
Endnote #81 — unfortunately the Greek text did not copy and I have only approximated it in square brackets:
Neil Godfrey
Latest posts by Neil Godfrey (see all)
- Messiah Mode – understanding Israel today - 2024-03-27 00:00:46 GMT+0000
- Before “Biblical Israel” there was Yahweh - 2024-03-26 00:00:27 GMT+0000
- Responding to a Critic of the Hellenistic Era Hypothesis for the Hebrew Bible - 2024-03-25 00:00:06 GMT+0000
If you enjoyed this post, please consider donating to Vridar. Thanks!
Ah the name above all others is…
Shhh…. I did not highlight that bit. It’s a secret.