View Message

This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Re: That is one weird answer... n/t
in reply to a message by Magia
Hi!
I think we are talking about two different questions:
1. What was the original name giving motive?
2. Why was the archangel later called Michael?
ad 1.: Old Testament scholars agree in saying that it was a name first given by parents praising God.
ad 2.: I haven’t read anything about this, but it is sure worth considering, whether maybe the name was given to the archangel due to some tradition that existed before. And maybe in doing this the personal name was re-interpreted the way suggested. I will try to find out whether there is any evidence for this. But if you start talking about God himself bestowing the name on the real archangel, I’ll be out of the game, I’m afraid …RAFFAEL: Of course all the name says is: “God has healed.” We have to complete the sentence, but talking about a child’s name, we’ll have to think of the child: Either the child was sick and has now been healed (this would have to be a very instant sort of healing as names were usually given right after birth), or else it would be the mother who was healed. But why would she name the child Raffael if the healing didn’t have anything to do with the child? Or am I on the wrong track and there are other options I just don’t see?Andy ;—)
vote up1vote down

No replies