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For decades scholarly consensus has held that Jesus spoke and taught mostly in the Aramaic language. To evaluate the accuracy of this assumption,one must investigate which languages were really spoken in Roman Palestine During the first century A.D. The first aim of this paper is to prove that the three ancient languages, Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek were commonly spoken in Israel in Jesus’ times. The second aim is to examine whether the sayings of Jesus in the Greek Gospels record His spoken Greek or perhaps they are translations of what He originally said in Hebrew or Aramaic. The former would mean the Gospels provide us with a great deal of ipsissima verba Iesu. The latter denotes inspired translations done by the biblical writers. There are many wordings in the Greek New Testament that are hinting at the original languages of Jesus’ sermons. The research on them features Jesus as a trilingual teacher who always spoke language appropriate for His listeners (Hebrew with scribes, Pharisees and at synagogues; Greek with Pilate and in Galilee; Aramaic with common people). Particularly important for the investigation of Jesus’ multilinguality are Hebrew and Aramaic words recorded in the Greek texts of the Gospels. They will require an extra future research.
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Hat Luther Paulus missverstanden? Haben die Reformatoren des 16. Jahrhunderts sich zu Unrecht auf die Rechtfertigungslehre des Paulus berufen und dem Verständnis seiner Theologie langfristig geschadet? Diese Frage wird seit einiger Zeit ernsthaft gestellt und lebhaft diskutiert. Im englischen Sprachraum hat diese Fragestellung so viel Widerhall gefunden, dass man von der neuen Perspektive (new perspective) der Paulusforschung spricht, die die Landschaftder Paulusforschung verändert hat.Die Frage nach dem gnädigen Gott als individuelles Gewissensproblem dürfte – von besonderen Lebenskrisen abgesehen – heute nur wenige Menschen umtreiben. Das von Stendahl als überzogen kritisierte abendländische Gewissen hat weitgehend ausgedient. Stattdessen stehen wir m.E. vor einer neuen Frage nach dem gnädigen Gott. Wenn Naturwissenschaftler sich fragen, wie lange die Menschheit ihre Sünden gegen die Natur überleben wird, so ist das, in dieSprache der Theologie übersetzt, eine Frage nach der Geduld des Schöpfers. Nicht die Rechtfertigung des Einzelnen, sondern die Rechtfertigung der Menschheit wird damit zu einem ernsten Problem. Dass Paulus in seiner Rechtfertigungslehre das Evangelium mit aller Entschiedenheit globalisiert, auf die ganze Menschheit bezogen hat, erhält vor diesem Hintergrund neue Relevanz.
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The geographical term Kush appears relatively often in the Old Testament. While this term may occasionally also refer to territories in the south-eastern neighbourhood of Judah (Num 12; 2 Chr 14; 21) or in Mesopotamia (Gen 10:8-12), Kush appears most often as a designation of a region south of Egypt, stretching as far as the highlands of central Africa. The first part of the present study discusses briefly the biblical passages dealing with non-African Kush (§1), the portrayal of African Kush in the ancient Near Eastern sources (§2), as well as the most important developments of the Kushite history during the 8-7th centuries and their impact on the Asian neighbours (§3). The second part of the article surveys some key references to Kush in the Old Testament under three categories: geography and ethnicity, historical allusions and theological images relating to this African country.
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One of the areas in which religions are expressing themselves are mystical interpretations that have deeper, more internal meanings. There are those who say that Christianity is a mystical religion from the outset, and there are also those who think that it has earned this mean from different traditions. In the modern era, mysticism is thought of as a medicine that will turn Christians back to their roots and solve the tension that people are in. In this respect, Jesus has regarded not only as a peripatetic preacher, a charismatic healer, an eschatological prophet, but a mystical leader and now. The Christian mystics emphasized the mystical dimension of Jesus and Paul by bringing references from the Bible. They have advised to believers to turn away from life of world, to be single and and to contemplate with heart filled by Holy Spirit, just like Jesus. This article examines the mystical thoughts of Jesus and Paul, who are two important figures for Christianity.Thus it offers a brief assessment of the origins of mystical Christianity that have became popular in modern period.
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The article analyzes Origen’s understanding of Scripture. The first part analyzes the conditions and assumptions for understanding Scripture in Origen’s thought. St. Paul and his interpretation of the Old Testament play a major role. It also points to the personal life of a believer (spirituality, conversion), which is also one of the basic conditions for a more complete interpretation of Scripture. The second part of the article reflects on Origen’s treatment of the Old Testament, especially in the context of the heresy of gnosis. The third part presents Origen as an exegete and a preacher. Origen’s exegesis was always motivated and directed at the proclamation of God’s word in the liturgy. The advantages of such exegesis and the limitations of purely scientific, academic exegesis are also discussed, as well as his, to the Church still current, reflections on some properties and dangers of the preacher.
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L’articolo è un’analisi del posto e del ruolo delle Sacre Scritture nella vita della Chiesa ortodossa, nonché l’esame della pratica della lettura orante (spirituale) delle Scritture, tradizionalmente chiamata la Lectio divina nella Chiesa occidentale. L’autore offre innanzitutto gli elementi di base dell’approccio teologico alla questione delle Scritture, della Bibbia, della Parola di Dio, in modo che la prima parte dell’opera abbia una nota ecclesiologica più forte. Nel secondo capitolo analitico, basato su ipotesi teologiche, l’autore mostra la pratica della lettura individuale della Bibbia una volta e ora nell’Ortodossia. Per questo ragione, si rappresentano gli elementi di base della teologia ascetica e dell’antropologia ortodossa. In conclusione, tuttavia, possiamo trovare le visioni dell’autore riguardanti le sfide della Bibbia davanti ai cristiani contemporanei.
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Thinking about the inspiration and truth of Sacred Scripture is an indispensable topic in almost every period of church teaching and theology. The first part of the article discusses the nature of inspiration and how it is interpreted, pointing to its broader understanding in later church documents: the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation of the Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum, and especially the 2014 document of the Pontifical Biblical Commission entitled The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture. The Word That Comes from God and Speaks of God for the Salvation of the World. The article points to the importance of inspiration as a carrying term for understanding the sacred text as truly the word of God in words of people. The truth of Sacred Scripture is inextricably linked to this reality. In the second part, the article clarifies that the truth we should seek in Scripture and for which it exists is the truth written in it for our salvation, thereby expressing a positive view about the topic of the truth of Scripture. The entirety of this truth is summarized and fully uttered in the person of Jesus Christ, the Father’s revelator and Savior of mankind. Inspiration proves to be a convenient avenue for communicating this truth.
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The introductory part of the paper presents a historical account of the origins of Bibliodrama. Bibliodrama is a method of group approach to the biblical text where participants use creative techniques of drama and spontaneity to ensure individual awareness and empowerment, to build better interpersonal relationships and communion with God and with one another. There is no life situation for which a suitable life experience could not be found in the Bible. Participants of Bibliodrama apply their life experience to the biblical text and deepen it by deeply integrating their own lives and awakening their own reality, thus being strengthened. The paper theoretically analyses various approaches to Bibliodrama, particularly European and American. It also elaborates seven types of Bibliodrama and their representatives. In Croatia, Bibliodrama has been applied in pastoral work and assisting professions since 2013. Bibliodrama was introduced in Croatia from Germany, the type derived from psychodrama. Its structure is as follows: Introduction and »warm up«; Working on the »life side«; Working with biblical texts; Working on the »life side« through the roles from the biblical text; Integration. The paper analyses the elements of the above structure through a presentation of one participant’s activities in Bibliodrama and explanation of individual elements. It is very important that the leader of Bibliodrama understands the group psychodynamics which can be of great help in improving the performance of Bibliodrama and can cause resistance and regression of participants. Bibliodrama is used in pastoral work with all age groups, but it is most commonly used in groups with young people and children. Bibliodrama can also be applied in different groups within the parish community in order to achieve the highest quality of group cohesion and companionship. It can also be applied to build up pastoral workers and for self-improvement. The essential dimension of Bibliodrama is that it involves the whole person at all four levels: cognitive, emotional, spiritual and social.
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The Gospel of Luke is the only one of its kind. It is the only gospel that has its continuation in the Acts of the Apostles. Anyone who approaches the Gospel of Luke can find in it something for himself. For example, it is worth noting that the prologue was written in classical Greek style, and the first two chapters presenting the childhood of Jesus, resemble the style and form of books of the Old Testament. The Gospel of Luke is exceptional not only from literary point of view but also thematically. The third evangelist shows that Jesus came into the world to save all. He does it by revealing the infinite mercy of God, which bends over everybody who needs assistance regardless of his status. At the center of this message there are the three parables of mercy in Chapter 15. Those parables are Jesus’ response to the criticism of the Pharisees and scribes who look down at Jesus who meets and eats with those needing God’s mercy.
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Although all the Evangelists speak about the two criminals crucified with Jesus,it is only Luke’s Gospel to describe the dialog of crucified Jesus with so-called goodmalefactor. Jesus is promising him to go today to Paradise. In this way the convertedmalefactor is the first man saved by the crucified Lord. In the whole Lucan Gospelhe is a very important example of the divine mercy visible in the salvation.
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The subject matter of the article is an exposition of the theology of mercy in Jesus’ parable in Matt 18:23–35. The passage is examined in the light of three social-scientific criteria that permitted to understand the parable in the light of author’s and addressees’ social realia. The three criteria are: royal ideology, relation “patron – client”, and honor and shame. The result of the analyses is a deeper elucidation of the theological message of Matt 18:23–35: the unconditional mercy that God exerts towards sinners should stimulate in them mutual forgiveness of their faults.
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To call himself Jesus used few terms, one of them is ‟the gate” (θύρα; J 10:7.9). First part of an article presents the biblical gate’s terminology (רַעַש ,ׁחַתֶפ ,ּתֶלֶד ,ּπύλη, θύρα, εἴσοδος, πυλών) and next describes the function of an ancient gate. Numerous functions of a gate and its cultural meaning help in the interpretation of Jesus’s words. Jesus named as the gate means that he is the gateway to the safe area for sheep. He also appears as the one who safeguards the needs of those who follow him, and also represents them.
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The author aims at presenting mercy in the letters of St. Paul in the aspect of the enriching relation of God towards man. He analyses the most representative texts, containing the semantic base: ἔλεος–ἐλεέω and οἰκτιρμός–οἰκτίρω. He takes the personal experience of God’s mercy in the apostle’s life as the starting point. Then, he attempts to deduce how it has influenced the development of the doctrine of mercy and how it has reflected in the practice of the Christian life. Finally, he enquires about the maturity of the Pauline doctrine of God’s mercy.
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This paper is a response to point seven, sub-points A) and B) of the Cape Town Commitment (CTC), and attempts to answer the question “is love the proper Christian response to the nonhuman creation, and/or to human nations and culture?” Based on a summary of the concepts of “love” and the “world” in the biblical texts, it is shown that the biblical concept of “love” strongly emphasizes heartfelt and caring commitment for another within human relationships and divine-human relationships. The “world” in Scripture can be construed in positive, neutral or negative senses, depending on the term and context, and Christians find themselves both in a fallen creation which awaits liberation and within human nations and cultures in a state of sin and rebellion against God. While the Bible never commands believers to love the nonhuman creation or collective human entities like nations and cultures, Christians may yet appropriate love for God and neighbor through their attentive care of creation and through their contribution to culture in a way that glorifies God. In these ways, Christians may “love” creation and culture, but only in a contingent sense with their foundational love focused on God and neighbor.
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The fundamental thought of the Lausanne congresses and the Cape Town Commitment as the final product of the third congress, could be summarized by these words: “The Church needs to evangelize the world.” From that battle cry come the challenges of knowing the Gospel and mastering the skills necessary for implementing that plan. This article points out that both challenges can be overcome only through a consistent educational ministry within local fellowships of believers.
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This is the second one of the two articles by this author, which examine the doctrine of theosis, sometimes also called deification or divinization. The first article presented theosis as a biblical and historical doctrine. This article presents theosis as a New Testament and evangelical doctrine. The first part of this article deals with theosis in New Testament theology. The second part of this article gives a proposal for articulating an evangelical doctrine of theosis. Because of its New Testament support, theosis should occupy a much more prominent place in evangelical theology.
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This article discusses the problem of responsibility in Ezekiel 18:21-28. In the first part of the article, the author presents the principle of collective responsibility in ancient Israel. The second part shows the teaching of the prophet Ezekiel, who contrasts the former universally applicable principle of collective responsibility with his completely novel concept of individual responsibility. According to this new principle, everyone is personally responsible for his own behavior. A sinner can save his life by converting and entering on the path of a real spiritual life. For centuries the Catholic Church has interpreted Ezekiel’s encouragement to convert as an indirect invitation for the modern listener to be open to Christ.
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The article concerns three basic realities: truth, communication and communion, whose proper understanding is the foundation of individual, church and social life. The sources of inquiry are: the Bible, theology and philosophy. The article concerns three basic realities: truth, communication and communion, whose proper understanding is the foundation of individual, church and social life. The sources of inquiry are: the Bible, theology and philosophy.
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