Revelation and Legitimacy in the Hebrew Bible

Miller, Geoffrey P.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.1658088

Abstract

Footnotes (18)

Download This Paper | Share | Email |Add to Briefcase | Purchase Bound Hard Copy

Revelation and Legitimacy in the Hebrew Bible

Geoffrey P. Miller

New York University School of Law

August 12, 2010

NYU School of Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 10-52

Abstract:
This article examines the political theory of revelation in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, particularly the theophany at Sinai. Revelation occurs when God communicates information to human beings. The biblical narratives use the modality of a revelation to signal the importance of the message being conveyed. They also identify techniques for limiting revelation’s destabilizing potential: embedding, which restricts God’s ability to change his mind; authentication, which tests the validity of revelations; and access rules which privilege political elites as recipients of God’s word.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 26

working papers series

Download This Paper

Date posted: August 14, 2010 ; Last revised: August 24, 2011

Suggested Citation

Miller, Geoffrey P., Revelation and Legitimacy in the Hebrew Bible (August 12, 2010). NYU School of Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 10-52. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1658088 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1658088

Contact Information

Geoffrey P. Miller (Contact Author)

New York University School of Law ( email )

Center for the Study of Central Banks
40 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012-1099
United States
212-998-6329 (Phone)
212-995-4590 (Fax)