The description of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32 is strange. Since Moses has been so long in coming down from the mountain, the people say to Aaron, “Come, make us gods (elohim) who will go before us” (v1). They hail the Golden Calf as their gods who brought them out of Egypt (v4) as Moses is said to have brought them out of Egypt (v1). Aaron declares a festival to Yahweh (v5).
James Jordan suggest that the Golden Calf serves as a replacement for Moses, a leader and a mediator between the people and Yahweh.
http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/rite-reasons/no-36-the-second-word-iv-implications/
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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3 comments:
Taken with the previous post, does this not rather fit more with the calf being a replacement for the Torah?
In a sense it is rather Aaron who is the Moses counterpart therefore. The people give up on Moses coming back with the law-carving and so ask Aaron to make them their very own cow-carving.
Don't really know for sure. Just thinking.
Sorry, that last comment was me (link now should be working).
Maybe. Though the link between Moses who brought us out of Egypt and these gods to go before us may suggest that the gods are replacing Moses.
I guess Moses, the Torah (and Aaron) are types of Christ as the mediator between man and God so maybe we should expect to see a human desire to replace them all with sinful man made alternatives?
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