Yawning

From Kristos Vocabulary Booster

English

Verb form

yawning

1. Present participle of to yawn.

Verbal noun

yawning (uncountable)

1. The action of the verb to yawn.

Adjective

yawning

1. That yawns or yawn.

   yawning commuters

2. (figurative) Wide open.

   a yawning chasm

Bob:

> (1) The Jewish and Christian version of Genesis agree, however the
> interpretations do not.

A distinction that has not been made clearly enough in this thread (or
I have missed it) is between a-priori (what does the text say) and
a-posteriori (what do we believe out of *other* reasons or supported
by *other* texts) understanding of the text. Of all I know, we can say
that we have *no* a-priori understanding: While the usage of the
apparent plural "elohim" with singular verbs is quite normal, its
usage with plural verbs is not, except when a plural is meant.

> (2) Christians believe in the Trinity, therefore believe that "us"
> refers to the Trinity. For them, a very valid belief.

And thus a *possible* but not a *cogent* interpretation.

> (3) Jews do not believe in the Trinity, therefore "us" would have to be
> G-d and his angels. For them, a very valid belief.

Interestingly, some traits in Judaism have a concept resembling the
Trinity but with 10 instead of 3. I wonder whether the plural in
Genesis has ever been proposed to mean these 10 sfirot.

> (4) No amount of discussion will change these core beliefs, so it is
> better to close the subject since neither side will convince the other
> that they are wrong.

Let me add one more interpretation which I find not too far-fetched
from the a-priori standpoint (which does not make it *true*, but only
*possible*):

The plural appears in the context of creating *two* men, male and
female, in the likeness of *one* God. What if the plural were used to
say that man is not androgynous (nor God any of male, female,
androgynous or sex-free)? Rather, the completeness of *one* God can be
mirrored (in the sense of "dmut=likeness") with no less than *two*
men, and *we* is more like two than *I* would have been.

Helmut Richter

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