Református Szemle 117.5 (2024)

Since the second half of the 20th century, form-criticism has assumed the existence of the genre of the call narratives, after a certain pattern was discovered in the biblical call stories. The pericope I examine in this paper (Ex 2,23–4,17) is considered a call story. However, Ex 2,23–4,17 contains many other features beyond the familiar elements of the call narratives, which raises questions about the appropriateness of this genre identification. The basis for my investigation of these questions is the findings of Erhard Blum on the development of the Torah, who, in his model of tradition-history, justifies the existence of two compositions in the Torah. The specific perspective of the two compositions is also valid in the story of Moses’ call, allowing the reconstruction of a distinctively Deuteronomistic base text, which serves as the starting point for my form-critical analysis. My thesis examines the call of Moses (Ex 2,23–4,17) from a literary-critical perspective, then from a form-historical perspective, and finally concludes with a biblical-theological evaluation of the “original” call narrative. To date, there is no consensus on the text’s main emphasis and message concerning the story’s main character. However, since the majority of prophets have a call narrative, the question arises whether Moses’ figure aligns with that of the prophets. The results of my research indicate that the text of Exodus 2:23–4:17* presents Moses’ calling as a prophetic calling, bringing his figure closer to the Deuteronomistic portrayal of prophets and shaping the text into a form characteristic of calling narratives associated with the Deuteronomistic literary tradition.

In my study, I aim to demonstrate, through two examples, how the study of New Testament texts can become an engaging exercise that enhances our understanding of the author’s thought. By examining the story of the Akedah (31:12–32:13), which holds immense significance in Jewish tradition and a passage from the book of Ben Sirach, I seek to bring us closer to an understanding of the teachings found in the Letter of James and Paul’s writings in 1 Corinthians.

Luther, at the dawn of the Reformation, still struggling with monastic guilt, confused humility with self-depreciation, but he already sensed the secret of the mirifica commutatio, the so-called “miraculous exchange”, so prominent in the later works of the Reformers. This process is also evident in his letters, for in the synaesthetic ensemble of perception, the recognition of the certainty of his own knowledge of the sonship of God leading to a high self-esteem prepares the theological way that leads to a beautiful and crystal-clear vision of theologia crucis – the potential of renewal, of reformation, is brought as it were “within earshot”. Faith is of hearing, and hearing is of the Word of God – understanding this Pauline dictum, he recognizes that in the miraculous exchange of God’s ear we can replace our own uncertain hearing, so that in return we can finally hear and receive not only him but also each other.

After the Fall of Heidelberg (September 6, 1622) Protestant Students from Hungary and Transylvania went on their way directly to the Northern Netherlands, in order to continue their studies there at the Dutch Universities – especially in Philosophy, Theology and Medicine. So a first group of Students arrived at Franeker – a small town in Frisia – at the end of August, 1623. Until the year 1811, as the local Frisian University was closed, more than 1200 Hungarians were registered in the Franeker Album Studiosorum, a significantly larger number than everywhere else in the Dutch Republic. As far as we know now, at least ten Hungarian Students unfortunately died and were buried during their stay at Franeker. Nine of them were buried at the time in the local Church of the University, one died later (in 1697) in Leeuwarden, the Capital of Frisia, where he was locked up for insanity (Andreas D. Szepesi). For five of them their gravestones are preserved today in the historical Martini Church, in the City Centre of Franeker. Two gravestones date from the 17th Century (Stephanus Csernátoni, buried 1644, and Joannes N. Szepsi, buried 1658), the third one – from the 18th Century – has been used even three times and bears the names of three Students: Stephanus G. Komáromi (buried 1721), Michael K. Pataki (buried 1735) and Daniel Zilahi (buried 1770). Another four names of died and buried Hungarian Students we discovered elsewhere, for the most part in the Archives of the University: Stephanus Némethi (buried 1654), Georgius Balkányi (buried 1666 ?), Michael Baxai (buried 1683), and Samuel Vilmányi (buried 1779).