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In Psalm 8, the speaker marvels that God cares for humanity. In 3 Enoch, angels ask the same question to object to God living among people who worship idols, making his care for humanity the reason for their complaint.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Psalms 8:4
Hebrew Bible
1 For the music director, according to the gittith style; a psalm of David. O Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth! You reveal your majesty in the heavens above. 2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy. 3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made, and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, 4 Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them? Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them?
3 Enoch 5:10
Hebrew Book of Enoch
Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
In that time the ministering angels brought charges (against them) before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying before him: "Master of the World! What have you to do with the children of men? As it is written (Ps. viii. 4) 'What is man (Enosh) that you are mindful of him?' 'Mah Adam' is not written here, but 'Mah Enosh', for he (Enosh) is the head of the idol worshippers. Why have you left the highest of the high heavens, the abode of your glorious Name, and the high and exalted Throne in 'Araboth Raqia' in the highest and have gone and dwell with the children of men who worship idols and equal you to the idols?
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Notes and References
“... Several late works also use Ps. 8 to emphasize the
insignificance of human beings. In 3 Enoch, a work probably
from the fifth or sixth century AD, the ministering angels
bring a complaint to God: “Lord of the Universe, what
business have you with men, as it is written, ‘What is man
[ʾĕnôš] that you should spare a thought for him?’” (3 En. 5:10
[cf. Gen. Rab. 8:6]). Given Hebrews’ use of the psalm to make
a transition to the topic of incarnation, it is interesting that this
passage goes on to say, “Why did you leave the heaven of
heavens above, the abode of your glory, the high and exalted
throne which is in the height of Arabot, and come and lodge
with men who worship idols?” (3 En. 5:11). Similar to 3
Enoch’s use of the psalm, b. Šabb. 88b says that upon Moses’
ascension to heaven, angels questioned why a human being
has been allowed to be among them. In b. Sanh. 38b angels,
using the form of the psalm’s question, ask God about why he
would want to create people in the first place. Later, when the
flood generation does not turn out well, the angels, in effect,
say to the Lord, “We told you so!” Also speaking of Moses,
but with an emphasis on the dignity of this man, b. Ned. 38a
and b. Roš Haš. 21b take the psalm’s statement “you have
made him a little lower than God” to refer to Moses as having
all but one of the “fifty gates of understanding.” ...”
Guthrie, George H.
"Hebrews" in Beale, G. K., and D. A. Carson, editors. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
(p. PDF2148) Baker Academic, 2007
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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