Question

The form adonai was used in the old testament to indicate power of all earthly lords and kings in place of kyrios. What did the form adonai indicate?

1) Yahweh's unique kingship
2) The authority of the priests
3) The divine nature of Jesus
4) The power of the Roman Empire

Answer 1

Adonai in the Old Testament indicated Yahweh's unique kingship and reflected the belief in His supreme power over all other rulers and kings on Earth, including the Roman Empire.

Step-by-step explanation:

The form Adonai was used in the Old Testament primarily to indicate Yahweh's unique kingship. This title acknowledged Him as the supreme ruler, reflecting the shift in perception to an omnipotent and omnipresent deity. Over time, due to historical events such as the Assyrian conquest of Israel in 722 BCE and the Babylonian conquest of Judah in 586 BCE, there was a development in the understanding of Yahweh's authority. He came to be seen not just as a god of a single people and territory, but as a boundless entity, supreme over any earthly king or empire, including the Roman Empire. Thus, Adonai represented the concept that Yahweh was the lord of all, surpassing the power and domain of earthly rulers like the Persian king or the Egyptian pharaohs.