FROM Messianicministry.info MEMRA (THE WORD) Isaiah 42:1 - TopicsExpress

FROM Messianicministry.info MEMRA (THE WORD) Isaiah 42:1 Behold My servant, Whom I uphold; Mine elect, [in Whom] My soul delighteth; I have put My spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. See My Servant the Messiah Whom I bring near, My chosen one in Whom My Word [Memra] takes delight; I will place My Holy Spirit upon Him and He will reveal My Torah to the nations. (Targum, Jonathan on Isaiah 42:1) ( virtualreligion.net/iho/ messiah.html#teacher ) One Targum state Behold My Servant Messiah, I will draw Him near, My chosen One, in Whom My Memra (Aramaic - “word”) is well pleased. The identification of God’s Word with the Messiah is similar to what the Apostle John states in his prologue: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” ( John 1:1, 14) ( jesusplusnothing/ messiah/messiah.htm ) When John wrote his Gospel, he was fully aware of the use of the word memra as an appearance of God to men. It was common usage during his day. When he penned these words, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:1 and 14), he was using the exact theme as the writers of the Targums did when they translated the text into Aramaic. In fact, if he had written in Aramaic, he would have actually used the word, memra. By doing so he was portraying Christ as sharing the nature of God (that is being God) and also as a messenger from God (... This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. - Matthew 17:5). ( bibleword.org/memra.shtml )