Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31337/oz.72.1.1
“Do you see this woman?” Pragmatic Function Lk 7:36–50
Silvana Fužinato
orcid.org/0000-0002-6777-1526
; Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, Đakovo, Croatia
Abstract
The paper examines the revelation of the face of the God of mercy and love in Lk
7:36–50 in light of the contemporary exegetical–theological approach: an analysis of
biblical texts from the communication perspective. In the first section , in her examination
of the status in a broader literary context of the report in which Jesus reveals
his Messianic identity to various marginalized persons, the author discovers the key
to the interpretation of Jesus’ encounter with the adulteress. Following a breakdown
of the structural, that is, narrative and syntactic features of Lk 7:36–50 in particular,
the author approaches the central section, the exegetical–theological analysis,
in which she demonstrates the path of transformation from the judgemental to the
merciful gaze. The final section is devoted to the pragmatic function of Lk 7:36–50.
“Do you see this woman?” is the focal question of the entire report which has a strong
pragmatic function. As we do today, so too the community of Christians in Luke’s
time strived to understand God and human righteousness, and similarly, it was confronted
with the issue of the marginalization of specific vulnerable groups of people.
Thus, in the cited question Luke invites readers of all time periods to alter their views:
to make the transition from perfect righteousness to authentic love, believing, like
the woman taken in adultery, in Love, and bearing witness to the God of mercy who
forgives, elevates and saves.
Keywords
woman taken in adultery; Pharisee; pragmatic function; mercy; love; judgement; righteousness
Hrčak ID:
179987
URI
Publication date:
13.4.2017.
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