Journal index

The study begins with the homiletical exegesis of 2 Corinthians 8:7–9. In the first major section, preparatory elements take centre stage. Throughout the exploration of the pericope's historical, exegetical, and theological dimensions, we delve into the relationship between Paul and the Corinthians, the collection for Jerusalem and theological motifs such as incarnation and offertory. The homiletical exegesis is followed by an outline for a Christmas sermon. The final points of the study provide additional perspectives and illustrations for shaping the worship service.

This study seeks to unfold the meaning of Col 3:11, comparing it to Gal 3:28 and 1 Cor 12:13. Despite the recurring terms “Greek and Jew” or “slave and free”, the three texts cannot be proven to represent any fixed form of speech. All three lists should be interpreted within their own settings. Accordingly, within the context of the Epistle to the Colossians, and especially Col 3:5–17, it can be concluded that, in contrast to the catalogue of offences mentioned in vss. 5 and 8–9, none of the characters listed in Col 3:11 are incompatible with the new man, nor with the set of Christian virtues in vss. 12–17. Depending on the available data, the individual terms of vs. 11 are interpreted within the larger Pauline corpus as well.

Job 19,25–27 are probably the most widely known verses from his book. This pericope is often evoked on funeral occasions, and many Christians undoubtedly ponder those while struggling with the issue of death. The current study does not aim to correct the Christian faith. From the perspective of systematic theology, the Redeemer of Job and that of the Christians is the very same Christ. This essay attempts to outline the meaning of the text through linguistic and poetical analysis. A text (including a spontaneous one) informs a reader even by the way it was created. That is emphatically true in case of a writing formed, handed down, redacted in a stabilized version. (Scribal mistakes, of course, cannot be excluded, but until proven let the principle of lectio difficilior be followed.) The present essay strives to understand the meaning of Job’s words about his Restorer, who is able to redeem even when the flesh and the heart are consumed.

Der Autor legt den Text von Mk 6,34–44 mit Hilfe des rezeptionskritischen Modells aus. Die rezeptionskritische Tetxtanalyse benutzt neue und alte hermeneutische Begriffe auf der Frontlinie der Schöpfung. Die leserorientierten Aspekte der Auslegung sind mit den historischkritischen Ergebnissen der Exegese verbunden. Die Vielfältigkeit der theologischen Fragestellung des Textes ist in Zusammenhang mit der Lebenssituation der Adressaten präsentiert. Dadurch ist zwischen den heutigen und den ersten Lesern/-Innen des Evangeliums ein aktiver Dialog zustandegekommen.

The current study aims to investigate the procedure of metaphorical creativity in the Gospel of John, using the “living bread” linguistic metaphor as a case study. The article is structured into three main sections. Following a brief introduction, the first section deals with the conceptual metaphor theory which serves as the methodological framework of the analysis; the second section carves out the background and textual analysis of the “living water” and “living bread” metaphors; and the third section demonstrates the interaction of the two metaphorical networks and points to the main argument that “living bread” was created through and stimulated by the well-known conventional metaphor “living water” in the conceptual system of the Gospel.

Luke 24:31 relies on 2 Kgs 6:17. The terminology used in the Syriac Peshitta Old Testament translation and the Greek Septuagint can be recognised behind the Syriac Peshitta and Hebrew New Testament translations. The morphological forms are passed on to the New Testament via the mediation of the Septuagint, although the verbal forms also expose the knowledge of the Samaritan Pentateuch. The intertextual relations of 2 Tim 4:17–18 suggest that this text is a summary of the entire Pauline corpus and, in a certain sense, the entire Scripture as well.

Beside his ministry, administrative tasks and teaching activities, Rvd. Dr. Dezső Bustya (February 2, 1935 – July 29, 2019) held lectures for ministers on various occasions. In the lecture published below, he interprets the narrative of judge Jephthah. He presents a historical, theological and exegetical analysis, followed by a summary of the homiletical aspects of this narrative.

Job 29,18 is one of the most disputed verses from this chapter, especially with regard to the meaning of the Hebrew term lwx. This word can be rendered either as ‘palm’ (so, e.g. in the Septuagint and the Vulgate), or ‘sand’ (e.g. Saadiah Gaon), or ‘phoenix’ (e.g. Genesis Rabbah, B.Talmud Sanhedrin). Several Hungarian versions support both ‘sand’ and ‘phoenix’. This article shows that the Massora parva suggest that lwx is an example of talHin /double entendre. This means that the massoretes who fixed the text of the Leningrad Codex probably took for granted that lwx referred to both ‘sand’ and ‘phoenix’ as a bird-name.

Jesus refers to the Law when the Scribes and Pharisees accuse a woman of adultery: “the hands of the witnesses shall be the first raised against the person to execute the death penalty” (Deut 17,7). According to Károly Balázs, the word avnama,rthtoj ‘without sin’ used in the Gospel is etymologically related to ma,rturoj ‘witness’. If he is right, this might shed a new light on our interpretation of this pericope, as well as our view of sin in general. On the other hand, if there is no such relationship, the reference to the law raises the possibility of false witnessing. None of the accusers dared to raise his hand against the accused woman.

Bei der Betrachtung des Textes von Mk 4,35–41 verwendet der Author die Begriffe des rezeptionskritischen Modelles, wie Empfänger, Leerstelle, implizierte Leser, Leserenzyklopädie usw. Die leserorientierten Aspekte sind mit den historisch-kritischen Ergebnissen verbunden. Die christologische und soteriologische Fragestellungen des Textes sind im Zusammenhang mit der Lebenssituation der Adressaten präsentiert. Der Versuch einer Auslegung aus der Perspektive der Erstleser/innen zu verfassen, bringt die Wundererzählung in die Verfassungszeit zurück, und öffnet Dialog zwischen den heutigen und damaligen Lesern/innen des Evangeliums.

Der Aufsatz behandelt die theologischen, hermeneutischen und wissenschaftsgeschicht­lichen Grundfragen der Bibelexegese. Warum bedarf die Bibel einer Interpretation, und warum soll sie wissenschaftlich sein? Nach diesen Fragen wird die historisch-kritische Exegese defi­niert, sie als die weithin geeignetste Methode für die Auslegung von biblischen Texten aufge­zeigt und die Rolle der strukturalistischen, leser-zentrierten und adjektivischen Methoden auf das Feld der Homiletik zugewiesen. Nach der Klärung der Unterschiede zwischen Exegese und Predigt(schreiben) stellt der Aufsatz die theologischen Grundlagen einer positiven Beziehung zwischen historisch-kritischer Exegese und christlichem Glauben vor. Schlüsselwörter: Heilige Schrift, biblische Hermeneutik, Bibelexegese, Exegese des Alten Tes­taments, Exegetische Methodenlehre, Inspiration, Fehlbarkeit/Unfehlbarkeit der Schrift.