Presenter: Jonathan Faris
Faculty Mentor: Andrew Riley
Presentation Type: Oral
Primary Research Area: Humanities
Major: Biology, Religious Studies
The portrayal of God in the Bible is generally positive. However, this perception of Israel’s patron deity, Yahweh, changes when the Hebrew Bible is studied apart from the New Testament and several passages appear to portray a cruel Yahweh, causing debate among interpreters. However, these questionable narratives can be explained by a rather integral thread woven into the fabric of the Ancient Israelites’ history: Yahweh’s covenantal relationship with his people. This unique relationship between patron god and people sets Israel apart from other ancient Near East civilizations that had moody, passionate gods, such as Egypt and Babylonia. Yahweh made several covenants with the his chosen people, and despite the Israelites’ consistent, flagrant violations of the relationship as well as him being devoid of extra obligation to the group he voluntarily delivered from slavery in Egypt, maintained his side of the covenant. This faithfulness exemplifies his emotional investment in his people, which manifests itself in divine pathos. Likewise, Yahweh shows care and an interest in protecting the Israelites, often in the form of Yahweh voluntarily coming down to earth to act on behalf of Israel. When morally ambiguous passages are viewed in light of these biblical contexts, we can attain a more comprehensive view of Yahweh.