scholarly journals The Deuteronomic roots of postexilic prophetic eschatology in Malachi

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob Wielenga

In this article, the promises of judgement and restoration in Deuteronomy 4:25–31; 28:15–68; 30:1–10 are compared with the eschatological prophecies in Malachi 2:17–3:24 about the Day of the Lord. The conclusion is that Malachi’s eschatology can be understood against the background of the history of fulfilment of these promises as envisioned in the Torath Mosheh in Deuteronomy. The rhetorical nature of Moses’ speeches is taken into consideration, indicating their communicative intent to persuade the people to take the promise of judgement seriously and to return to God in compliance with Mosaic teachings in order to avert it. But even beyond judgement, restoration is promised as well, indicating the positive intent of judgement preaching. The purpose of the announcement of judgement is to delay its fulfilment; its irrevocability only shows when the response to the teachings of Moses is persistently negative. The promises of judgement are not meant to be understood as prognostications to be fulfilled within a predetermined time frame. They are delay-intended, and hence avertible. These features of Mosaic teaching in Deuteronomy can be identified in Malachi’s eschatology which is shaped by divine judgement but is delay-intended and in compliance with the Mosaic teachings in Deuteronomy, theocentric and temple-based.Contribution: The purpose of this article is to contribute towards a theological reading of Malachi in the context of the metanarrative of the Old Testament (OT) Scriptures.

Author(s):  
G. Sujin Pak

The Reformation of Prophecy presents and supports the case for viewing the prophet and biblical prophecy as a powerful lens by which to illuminate many aspects of the reforming work of the Protestant reformers in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It provides a chronological and developmental analysis of the significance of the prophet and biblical prophecy across leading Protestant reformers in articulating a theology of the priesthood of all believers, a biblical model of the pastoral office, a biblical vision of the reform of worship, and biblical processes for discerning right interpretation of Scripture. Through the tool of the prophet and biblical prophecy, the reformers framed their work under, within, and in support of the authority of Scripture—for the true prophet speaks the Word of God alone and calls the people, their worship and their beliefs and practices, back to the Word of God. The book also demonstrates how interpretations and understandings of the prophet and biblical prophecy contributed to the formation and consolidation of distinctive confessional identities, especially around differences in their visions of sacred history, Christological exegesis of Old Testament prophecy, and interpretation of Old Testament metaphors. This book illuminates the significant shifts in the history of Protestant reformers’ engagement with the prophet and biblical prophecy—shifts from these serving as a tool to advance the priesthood of all believers to a tool to clarify and buttress clerical identity and authority to a site of polemical-confessional exchange concerning right interpretations of Scripture.


1966 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-425
Author(s):  
James Brown

‘In general, theological ethics has handled this command of God [the fourth Mosaic commandment] … with a casualness and feebleness which certainly do not match its importance in Holy Scripture or its decisive material significance’ (Church Dogmatics, 111.4, P. 50). Thus Karl Barth in the English translation of his Kirchliche Dogmatik (hereafter referred to as CD.). His own treatment is neither fragmentary nor perfunctory. There are references to ‘Sabbath’ in the indexes of six of twelve volumes of the Dogmatics so far published. The particular discussion of the Fourth Commandment occurs in his treatment of Special Ethics in CD. 111.4, where ‘the one command of God’ the Creator is set forth ‘in this particular application’ of ‘The Holy Day’ (p. 50). But for Barth the scriptural references to Sabbath rest have relevance to the doctrines of God, and Revelation; to the relation of God's Eternity to man's temporal being; to the biblical conception of Creation as the setting for the Covenant history of the Old Testament and the New Testament fulfilment of the divine purpose in redemption in Christ, to be completed and perfected in the ‘rest that remaineth to the people of God’ (Heb. 4.9). The treatment of the topic throughout the Dogmatics constitutes a corpus of exegesis and doctrine of which even a summary statement such as is here attempted might well be a useful contribution towards modern efforts at rethinking the Christian use of the Lord's Day.


1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Smit

In this article the most important elements of prayers in the Old Testament are used to serve as indicators for our present-day prayers. The key words and phrases for prayer in the Old Testament are discussed, while the form and contents of prayers in different periods of the Old Testament are considered to establish the main trends in the development of prayer according to different situations in the history of the people of Israel. A random selection of prayers from the different periods, with the exception of the prayers in the book of Psalms, are analysed to suggest some important indicators in understanding our relation toward God in our own prayers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 74-81
Author(s):  
Agustinus Supriyadi

The theme is taken for this Jubilee is "Compassionate like God - Like the Merciful Father" (Lk 6:36).God is essentially show mercy, even declared himself the Almighty through His mercy. We must realize that God's mercy was not a sign of weakness, but a sign of power. Since the Old Testament, God invites each individual to reflect on his mercy, as proclaimed by the prophet Zephaniah. God has to get rid of the punishment that fell upon His people (Zephaniah 3:15). God is also present in the midst of His people (Zephaniah 3:17) expressed his compassion and solidarity. Moreover, God refurbish the people with His love (Zephaniah 3:17). God's mercy is transformed and entered into the history of mankind, in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the perfect face of God's mercy. Finally, everyone is called to show the face of the compassion of God through everyday life. God's love is so great that it revealed first of the works of creation. His love for man revealed in action by creating the universe and it is all provided for humans. Because after all there (the earth and its contents) God created man in the image of Himself.


2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Pathrapankal

AbstractHow are we to understand Christian mission in our time? Is it the obedient response to the commission of his disciples by Jesus after his resurrection (Mt 28:18–20)? What should be the motivating power behind the mission of the church? Is it patterned on the conquest expeditions of the people of Israel narrated in the Old Testament? The long history of the mission of the church, especially as organized by the West, would give us such an impression. This approach has more the nature of exercising power over the other, the power of knowledge and the power of self to win over the other. From the time of the Roman Emperor, Constantine, this had been the pattern in the history of the western church. But times have changed and there is a real shift in the understanding of Christian mission in the context of religious pluralism. The Bible itself seems to support and substantiate this change of perspective of understanding mission as the operation of the power of the Spirit of God. Taking two New Testament writings, the Acts of the Apostles and the first Letter to the Corinthians as paradigms, the author tries to see how Paul first of all attempted to preach the gospel in Athens with the eloquence and wisdom of the Greeks and then changed his approach in Corinth to give centrality to the power of the Spirit of God. Although we may not argue for a historical sequence for this change of attitude in the case of Paul, applying new developments in biblical interpretation, we can still propose it as a trans-textual approach with a message for our time. The Word of God has within itself a dynamism to take on new meanings and new horizons of ideas through its encounter with new contexts in a pluralistic world.


1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-83
Author(s):  
I. G. P. Gous

Sociological exegesis of the Old Testament with particular reference to Lamentations 3People experience change as a traumatic rearrangement of their life anchors. It is possible for religion to play a positive role in the process of coming to terms with change. The book of Lamentations is representative of an attempt to interpret the loss of anchors to the people of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. We can draw from their experiences only if we come to understand their world. Sociological exegesis provides invaluable insights to this effect. The history of sociological exegesis in the study of the Old Testament is briefly sketched, followed by an overview of the book of Lamentations, with particular reference to Lamentations 3, as an example of this type of exegesis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 517-526
Author(s):  
Archpriest Timofey Fetisov ◽  

The article is devoted to the consideration of the place and role of the political factor as an instrument of Divine Providence, realized in the Sacred history of the biblical state. The exodus from Egypt became a manifestation of the supernatural political power of God. The Decalogue was not only a religious and ethical code, but also the actual constitution of the Hebrew state. Fulfillment of the Ten Commandments, brought down by Moses, and obedience to God went beyond the scope of religious duty, being a means of realizing national identity and citizenship. The establishment of the institution of the kingdom in Israel was the development of the idea of a theocracy, in which the monarch was assigned the sacred function of an intermediary between God and the people, and the keeper of Divine laws. The disintegration of the statehood of Israel in the prophetic writings was closely associated with the fall of the entire people and the breakdown of the union with God. Its revival was expected as a result of repentance. The destruction of the temple, the loss of shrines and the fall of the monarchy were perceived as a coherent phenomenon. At the same time, the hope for political liberation of the people and the restoration of the union with God were closely linked with the reconstruction of the monarchy, which acquired a religious and messianic significance. The opposition of the Pharisees to Christ and the death sentence to the Savior had a pronounced political implication.


The book of Job, one of the earliest books of the Old Testament, gives us a glimpse of the social life and history of the people of Uz and its neighbouring places during the days of the patriarchs. It has sporadic mention to the religious, social and moral life of the people of that time. Their abundant knowledge of diverse arts and sciences is astonishing. The religious beliefs like offering sacrifices, praying for each other and possessing a clear understanding about God are depicted in this book. The social evil of the time namely plundering of pastoral wealth and ostracizing people with certain ailments are evident. The unique way of mourning by rending the garments is one of their common practices. Besides these, the moral and ethical values of the people are also echoed throughout this book. The book is a sure proof of the knowledge of these people in the commercial practice of barter system, science of astronomy, mining, hunting, writing and so on. Above all it bears testimony to the righteous life of one of the richest men of that time Job, and his unwavering faith even amidst the traumatic and triumphant phases of his life


Author(s):  
Erik H. Herrmann

Martin Luther’s exposition of the Bible was not only fundamental to his academic vocation, it also stood at the very center of his reforming work. Through his interpretation of the New Testament, Luther came to new understanding of the gospel, expressed most directly in the apostle Paul’s teaching on justification. Considering the historical complexities of Luther’s own recollections on the matter, it is quite clear that he regarded his time immersed in the writings of Paul as the turning point for his theology and his approach to the entire Scriptures (cf. LW 34:336f). Furthermore, Luther’s interpretation of the New Testament was imbued with such force that it would influence the entire subsequent history of exegesis: colleagues, students, rivals, and opponents all had to reckon with it. However, as a professor, Luther’s exegetical lectures and commentaries were more often concerned with the Old Testament. Most of Luther’s New Testament interpretation is found in his preaching, which, following the lectionary, usually considered a text from one of the Gospels or Epistles. His reforms of worship in Wittenberg also called for weekly serial preaching on Matthew and John for the instruction of the people. From these texts, we have some of the richest sustained reflections on the Gospels in the 16th century. Not only was the substance of his interpretation influential, Luther’s contribution to exegetical method and the hermeneutical problem also opened new possibilities for biblical interpretation that would resonate with both Christian piety and critical, early modern scholarship.


Author(s):  
H. G. M. Williamson

The history of ancient Israel is best known to most people from the narratives in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. There, however, the name “Israel” covers a wide diversity of social and political entities over the course of many centuries. The first attestation of the name outside the Bible (on the Egyptian stela of Merneptah, c. 1208 bce) seems to refer at most to some ill-defined tribal federation. It then served for at least two different monarchies and later again as a social or religious title for the people who inhabited the Achaemenid (Persian) province of Yehud. The value of the biblical written records varies considerably with regard to historical content, and this must further be evaluated on the basis of internal literary analysis and in the light of evidence that comes from archaeological research, including in particular from epigraphic sources both from Israel itself and from many near and more distant nations. How to combine these differing forms of evidence has been the topic of lively and sometimes rancorous debate, which varies in its detail from one period to another, often depending on the extent to which external sources are immediately available. Solutions are not always available, but exploration into the nature of these problems and misunderstandings in the application of appropriate methods reveal where the problems lie and, in some cases, what are plausible solutions. Until the 19th century, the history of ancient Israel was, for most people, coterminous with the familiar narrative of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. No relevant external sources were known, and there was no reason to doubt its essential historical reliability, allowance made, of course, for those who could not accept the miraculous as historically factual. Archaeological and epigraphical discoveries over the last two centuries or so, together with the introduction more recently of new and different historical methods, have led to aspects of this topic being fiercely contested in current scholarship. Taking a general familiarity with the outline “story” for granted, the following analysis will present some of the major topics on which new data have become available and on which opinion remains divided.


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