The Phenomenon of Targumism in the Aramaic Version of the First and Second Books of Chronicles

The main objective of the article is to show the features of the Aramaic translation of the First and the Second Books of Chronicles, which belongs to late Targums. The work presents the main data related to the authority, date and origin of the Targum and its manuscripts, as well as a review of major translation techniques and the method of rabbinic interpretation, which are all important elements of targumism. Linguistic changes, as well as cultural and religious ones, conditioned by various processes that occurred in the community of believers in YHWH over the centuries, were reflected in a variety of interpretative tendencies.

The Wisdom Encomium and Its Persuasive Function in the Book of Wisdom

The Book of Wisdom is considered a coherent text characterised by genre syncretism. This article aims to examine the praise of wisdom in the Book of Wisdom for its persuasive functions. The encomium was used in the analysis as a typical genre of epideictic rhetoric. The text of the praise was analysed from the perspective of the features distinguishing this genre and determining its underlying structure. The analysis led to the conclusion that the author used the possibilities of the genre to teach the recipients what wisdom they should seek and to encourage them to take actions to achieve it. The encomium in the Book of Wisdom was subordinated to advisory rhetoric and is an essential element in the work’s structure.

The Book of Obadiah in the Septuagint

The Book of Obadiah, although short (it has only 21 verses; the shortest in the Hebrew Bible), is at the same time very difficult. The difficulties are manifested in its linguistic and textual layers, but above all in what concerns its content, theology and interpretation. The Greek translation of Obad contained in the LXX is particularly important because it represents a way of understanding the Book going back to pre-Christian, Hellenistic times, which strongly emphasised the theme of threats to Israel from other nations. In the Greek translation (LXXObad), the cursing character of the Book is radicalised and the guilt of the enemies (Edomites – Idumeans) is highlighted. The article presents the Book of Obadiah in its historical context (both the Hebrew original and the Greek version), and presents its text, content and character in the Septuagint version. It compares it with LXXJer 29 (LXX numbering) and shows how the challenging theology of the Book was understood among the Jews of Hellenistic Alexandria. The universalisation of the message of the Book by the LXX translation was later continued in its patristic and rabbinic interpretations.

The Eucharistic Presence and Making Christ Present in the Word of God: A Study Inspired by the Views of Robert Sokolowski

Robert Sokolowski wrote that biblical words activate the presence of God. But can we speak of the “sacramentality of the word” analogous to the sacrament itself? This paper collects reflections on the “making present” of the word of God intra mysteriorum celebrationem. This issue is related to the theme of the relationship between past and present in the Eucharist, which was dealt with by Sokolowski. The article summarizes this philosopher’s views on the Eucharistic presence, in dialogue with which it then reflects on the presence of Christ in the word of God. From the “Passover-centricity” of the Holy Scriptures stems a kind of making present the anticipatory self-giving of God in the events to which the inspired texts testify. The liturgy of the word must lead to the climactic event of Passover and its sacramental making present. There can be no question of “two presences” of the Lord at Mass. The words of institution from the Last Supper have a role in the actualization of the Passover, while the inspired words are not in the same way “instituting” words. It is only in their inner orientation that they lead to the mystery of Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Teaching of Pope Francis About Synodality in the Context of Contemporary Theological and Ecumenical Reflection

The article deals with the ecclesiology of the local Church and synodality. Both topics have been present in Catholic theology since the time of the Second Vatican Council, which laid the foundation for the ecclesiology of the local/particular Church, collegiality of bishops and synodality. This ecclesiology was developed both theoretically and practically in the post-conciliar period, but there are some theologians who believe that during the pontificate of John Paul II there was a return to the universalist ecclesiology, as evidenced by the documents published by the Roman Curia, especially Communionis notio. Pope’s Francis teaching on synodality and strengthening the Church at local and regional levels addresses the demands of those theologians who believe that Chapter III of the Lumen Gentium Constitution has not yet been properly implemented. The Pope emphasizes, that synodality is a constitutive dimension of the Church and therefore what the Lord is asking of us is already in some sense fully present in the word “synod” itself.

Intratrynitarność Boga jako objawiony klucz hermeneutyczny chrześcijańsko-prawdziwościowej antropologii

Trójjedyność Boga jest treścią najważniejszego chrześcijańskiego dogmatu, będąc kluczem hermeneutycznym doświadczenia Objawienia i historii zbawienia. Stanowi ona jedną i w gruncie rzeczy jedyną Prawdę wielu prawd wiary. Doświadczeniem, które konstytuuje chrześcijaństwo, jest bowiem radykalne i definitywne samoudzielenie się trójjedynego Boga – Pater per Filium in Spiritu Sancto. Dlatego zrozumienie, kim jest trójjedyny Bóg, stanowi niezbywalny chrześcijańsko-prawdziwościowy warunek wszelkiej możliwej hermeneutyki. Nie chodzi tu jedynie o fascynującą spekulację, ale o być albo nie być chrześcijaństwa, a tym samym o być albo nie być ludzkości w jej całej stworzonej realności jako właściwego adresata samoudzielenia się Boga. Tajemnica każdego człowieka, zarówno w jego wymiarze indywidualnym jak i społecznym, jest bowiem z chrześcijańskiej perspektywy dana do rozumienia jedynie jako wydarzająca się pomiędzy Ojcem, Synem i Duchem Świętym.

Theological Themes in Origen’s First Homily on Psalm 76 (77) and Their Subsequent Reception

The collection of Origen’s presumably last works, the 29 homilies on the Psalms, was recently discovered and published in 2015. In the homily on Psa 76:1-9, we can find threads of the theology of spirituality intertwined with more systematic speculations. The sanctifying action of the Logos comes here to the fore. God-Logos enables the Christian to sacrifice himself fully with his mind, tongue and all his senses. The Word, which has been living for ages in the womb of the Father, educates the human word, liable to agitation, to silence. Origen looks for a cure in afflictions. He finds it in the image of hands outstretched to God and in constant reminding of Him. The Psalmist ponders “the ancient days” and “the eonic years” and asks if God can reject man forever (Psa 76:6–8). In his commentary, Origen seems to refer to his speculations from much earlier years, known from the work On First Principles, in which he expressed views on the preexistence of rational beings, preceding the present world, and the multiple transformation of worlds. Are these speculative threads still present in his last work? The article tries to explain Origen’s statements and understand them properly.

Psalm 37 zbiorem sentencji mądrościowych? Analiza Psalmu 37 i pytanie o zakorzenienie psalmów mądrościowych w Psałterzu

Psalm 37 uchodzi za zbiór sentencji mądrościowych, przypominający Księgę Przysłów. Szczegółowa analiza tego Psalmu prowadzi do wniosku, że jest on kunsztowną kompozycją (pomijając drobne redakcyjne uzupełnienie) i jako taki powinien być interpretowany. Rzeczowo przynależy on do Psałterza (umieszczony w końcowej części pierwszego Psałterza Dawidowego), gdyż z naciskiem wzywa odbiorcę do pokładania ufności w Bogu, który ocala sprawiedliwego, a niegodziwego przywodzi do zagłady. Jest znacznie bardziej niż zbiory z Księgi Przysłów naznaczony religijnie i liturgicznie.