Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 80 No. 1, 2010.
Review article
The Covenant of Sinai - the Revelation of God's Mercy. A Theology of the Covenant in the Book of Exodus
Božo Odobašić
orcid.org/0000-0002-0420-0849
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abstract
The event of the exodus, as depicted in the Book of Exodus, is zikkarôn a memorial and constitutes the faith of Jews. God's covenant is the central act of the redempting experience. The narrative of the Covenant at Mount Sinai in the Book of Exodus (chapters 19-34) is the work of several redactors who reshaped centuries old traditions. Contemporary researchers of the Old Testament assume the existence of a brief fundamental text (Grundschrift) which is best preserved in the Yahwistic account of the covenant narrative. In it, the covenant is explained as Yahweh's merciful act in favor of his people, based on promises granted to Abraham and his progeny. The Elohist redactor enriched the text by presenting the mystery of God's presence and activity in the his- ton/ of God's people. Deuteronomic redaction interprets the covenant as an enduring action of God's mercy and inserted the Ten Commandments as a Document of the Covenant, while the final redactor added the Book of the Covenant. Priestly account of the Covenant Code included the indispensability of holiness, the central shrine and worship. Moses was entrusted with performing the encounter with Yahweh and to mediate the covenant. The making of the covenant is related to the theology of creation. It is depicted in the form of a banquet and the sprinkling of blood which reflects Israel's life fellowship with the living God. The Shabbat is the eternal sign of the covenant. The golden calf episode (Ex 32) is a reinterpretation of national and religious schism during the reign of Jeroboam I. In this episode Moses intercedes with Yahweh to forgive his people's sin. Mercy is an integral part of Yahweh's very selfhood. The forgiveness leads to restoration of the covenant which in essence is the revelation of God's mercy and interpretation of the first Commandment which strongly asserts that Yahweh is the only deity for Israel.
Keywords
Exodus; Zikkarôn; covenant – tfrit; Theophany of God; Making the covenant - karat b'rit; Shabbat; Sign of the covenant; Transgression of covenant; Yahveh's mercy; Yahveh's forgiveness
Hrčak ID:
50842
URI
Publication date:
14.4.2010.
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