Israel’s Lord: YHWH as “Two Powers” in Second Temple Literature

by David E. Wilhite, Adam Winn University of Mary Hardin

Israel’s Lord addresses the nature of Jewish monotheism in the Second Temple period, especially in relation to a concept known as "two powers" in heaven. Wilhite and Winn review the various figures that were depicted as the second power in heaven, such as God's Word, God’s Wisdom, the Angel of the Lord, the Son of Man, and others. By establishing a set of criteria by which to evaluate whether ancient Jews from this period would consider a certain figure divine, the authors re-assess the various candidates, finding some, but not all, to be rightly described as the second power in heaven – that is, the figure who appeared in Israel’s scriptures and was also called YHWH. This two powers paradigm provides a way forward for studying this period in general and the rise of Christianity in particular. The debate about Jesus' divinity depends in large part on what options were available for the earliest Christians when considering his titles and status. Since a second power figure is found in a wide array of sources, the authors contend that this should inform any reading of New Testament texts and their varying depictions of Jesus as the "Lord" of Israel.

310 pages, Hardcover

Published July 15, 2024

About the author

David E. Wilhite (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is associate professor of theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University, in Waco, Texas. He is the author of Tertullian the African, coauthor of The Church: A Guide for the Perplexed, and coeditor of Tertullian and Paul.