Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 76 No. 3, 2006.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Abraham Within the »Cloud of Witnesses« of the Faith (Heb 11:8-19)
Božo Lujić
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
The article deals with the passage of Heb 11:8-19 which elaborates Abraham as one of the witnesses of faith within a »cloud« of the witnesses of faith. The article is placed in the wider context of the Letter to the Hebrews, its structure, and, above all, its attempt to be of assistance to its contemporaries by offering a better theology (tractatus de fide). The interpretation of the passage is afterwards analyzed in the terms of the definition of faith given in Heb 11:1. In this definition faith is seen as determined by the two existential features: temporal-eschatological (πίστις ζλιζομένων ΰπόστασις —faith already includes some possession of things we hope for) and a spatial-transcendent dimension (πραγμάτων 'έλίγχος ου βλζΉομίίνων - the assurance of the realities that at present remain unseen). The exegesis of the text is attempted only after the analysis of the twofold dimension of faith in its temporal and spatial form had been given and points out four elements of Abraham's faith: Abraham's faith — calling and the journey into the unknown (Heb 11:8), Abraham's faith: like a stranger in a foreign land (Heb 11:9-10), Abraham's faith: the beginning of new life — the impossible becomes possible (Heb 11:11-12), Abraham's faith: life is stronger than the reality of death (Heb 11:17-19). Finally, author speaks about Abraham - the example of authentic faith. In this way, faith becomes life of those realities that are eschatological and belong to the future, but also belongs to God's transcendent realm.
Abraham's faith in Heb 11:8-19 shows Abraham in a »great cloud of witnesses« because he accepted faith as it was designated and »defined« by the author of the Letter to Hebrews: faith as the criterion of the witnesses of faith €λπιζομ€ΐωι ΰπόστασις; — »faith is already some possession of things we hope for« and at the same time πραγμάτων 'έλεγχος ου βλεπομένων — »the assurance of the realities that at present remain unseen«.
Accordingly, two elements in this definition of Abraham's faith are important: faith is the embodiment of hope in God's future activity and, at the same time, the assurance of the realities that at present remain unseen. From within this framework we can understand the features of Abraham's faith laid out above. On the basis of this faith Abraham was called to leave his land and to start his journey into the unknown. On the basis of this faith Abraham lived in the Promised Land as a foreigner; on the basis of this faith Abraham believed the impossible — against all hope, finally Abraham was greatly tempted to sacrifice his son in whom Abraham's future was given, but also to believe in God who can raise the dead, infact to believe in the God of life. In this way, Abraham's faith was real at the same time πραγμάτων 'έλίγχος ου βλίπομένων -in the proper sense of the word. That is why Abraham is the example of authentic faith.
Ključne riječi
Abraham; faith, hope, promise; God's word; foreigner; Isaac; sacrifice; beginning of life; resurrection
Hrčak ID:
23833
URI
Datum izdavanja:
18.1.2007.
Posjeta: 1.894 *