THE PRAYER AGAINST THE ENEMIES: A HERMENEUTICAL PROBLEM IN THE ORTHODOX EXEGESIS
THE PRAYER AGAINST THE ENEMIES: A HERMENEUTICAL PROBLEM IN THE ORTHODOX EXEGESIS

Summary/Abstract: The paper discusses the reality of the prayer against the enemies in the OT, analyzing as a study case Ps.109:6-19. The Patristic exegesis developed especially the prophetic and the allegoric interpretation, but failed to recognize the reality of the imprecations in the psalm, while the modern commentaries took into consideration the curses in their historical context. Nevertheless a group of commentaries tried to soften the brutality and assumed that vv. 6-19 quote the psalmist’s accusers. Modern scholars vary regarding the reception of the psalm in the church, from rejecting to pray such curses to the total and literal reading. This aspect raises a serious question about the authority of the OT. Being primarily an archive of ancient texts, and not a corpus of laws, the OT seems not to have an authority in se, but depends on an external authority coming from the community. Therefore the Orthodox Christians should not use the historical meaning of the imprecatory psalms, but can read such imprecations assuming the Patristic interpretation.

• Details
• Contents