Jewish Second Temple Data on the Identification of the Second YHWH figure

In the second century CE Jews declared the two powers doctrine heresy. This seems to be because the Christians proposed and adopted Jesus as the identity of the second YHWH figure in the OT. Some scholars will argue that the idea that Jesus is God in the flesh is a late idea intended to prop up Christianity.

Charles Gieschen’s Angelomorphic Christology is said to contain all the data on the subject. The implication is clear that the Jews were working out this idea proposing a number of candidates themselves as early as the second century BCE. These candidates included (probably among others):

  • Adam
  • Enoch
  • Noah
  • Jacob
  • Moses
  • Michael
  • Ya’el
  • the Logos (Philo)
  • Memra
  • Angel / Spirit
  • Spirit / Wisdom