Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 80 No. 1, 2010.
Original scientific paper
The Old Testament Notion of the Covenant with Special Reference to the Deuteronomy
Adalbert Rebić
Abstract
In the article »The Old Testament Biblical Notion of the Covenant with Special Reference to the Deuteronomy« the author presents the Old Testament general notion of the Covenant particularly in the Deuteronomy. The term »covenant« - the central notion in the Old Testament - points to the relationship between God and his chosen people. This is an analogical expression for the privileged relationship between God and people in the same way that other analogies exist for that same relationship: the analogy of father and son, fiance and fiancee, husband and wife in wedlock...Each of these analogies stress a special relationship of love, trust, care and commitment. In Old Testament Hebrew the term »berit« is used which in Greek is translated with διαθήκη, in Latin testamentum and foedus, and it means some form of relation, connection, confidence, obligation, partnership. All these notions point out the connection of the person in love and trust, connected unilaterally or in mutual obligation. That connection has a dialogic, personal and dynamic significance. God's covenant with his people in the Old Testament is literally shaped as a treaty which was legally already shaped in ancient times by the Hittites. The author presents the similarities or parallels between the Hittites' treaty and the Biblical description of the covenant. In both descriptions there is a mutual relation between the structural similarity: preamble, historical prologue, clauses...That coinciding is best seen when comparing the Hittites vassal treaty and the Biblical formula of the Ten Commandments, particularly with regard to the first few clauses. The remaining clauses are dispersed in various sections of the first five Biblical books and beyond them. - The notion of the Covenant is rarely repeated in the works of classical prophets in the eighth century but that doesn't mean that these works do not refer to what we mean under the notion of the Covenant, i.e. the relationship between God and man. - The notion of the Covenant is particularly pointed out in the Deuteronomy regarding the time of its creation and with reference to its theological meaning. Various expressions - God liberated you, he loves you, he shows you mercy and faith (Hebr. hesed ve'emet) - stressing the central perspective of the Covenant. The Deuteronomy often speaks of minding, holding, succeeding, execution of God's commandments and orders. This refers to the Israeli's gratitude to Yahweh who saved them and led them to all his secrets. Even when the Deuteronomy speaks of fear that word is used in the sense of respect and love. In the Deuteronomy the word »to be afraid« and »love« are synonyms! They are vertical! Naturally there is also a horizontal: This is best seen in the commentary of the order about the Sabbath (6:13ss) for which Jesus says, »The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath!« (Mk 2:27). The serving man and serving woman must eat the holy meal (Dt 12:18). One tenth each third year belongs to the needy...
The author gives an in depth analysis of selected Biblical moments in the 1st Decalogue (Ten Commandments and the chapter of the Covenant (Dt 5:6-21) and the Israelites as God's own, holy and chosen people (Dt 26:17-19).
Keywords
covenant; covenant in the Old Testament; etymology of the covenant; covenant in non-biblical literature; the covenant in Hittites documents; Ten Commandments; covenant as a fundamental analogy of the God's relationship with Israel; Israelites - the holy people; Israelites - chosen people
Hrčak ID:
50704
URI
Publication date:
14.4.2010.
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