Introduction to the Old Testament IV

The lecture commences with the definition of the nature of prophecy, which incorporates the following: the clarification of terminology pertaining to ancient Israelite prophets and prophecy, the founding fathers of Israelite prophecy, the characteristic of the prophet, the chronology of the prophets, the ways of passing down prophecy, the pre-classical and classical prophets, the message of the prophet, prediction and fulfilment. The historical setting of Israelite prophecy also receives treatment, whereby the phenomenon of prophecy in the ancient Near East is examined as regards to its Israelite counterpart. Further topics to be discussed include: prophecy and wisdom, prophets and psalms, rhetoric and speech-acts, canon and biblical theology.
The second part of the lecture presents the books of Amos and Hosea. The presentation of these two books follows the same format, as far as the outline of the isagogical matters are concerned.
The book of Amos displays the following theological themes: justice and righteousness, and the good of God’s people, justice and creation, the universal God, the election of Israel, reading Joel before Amos, the book of the Twelve as one book.
The theological themes tackled from the book of Hosea are: the exclusivity of God, faithfulness and steadfast love, God’s dilemma of judgment and love.
Further topics and questions to be discussed include: Deuteronomy and Hosea, kinds of writing in Hosea, the house of Jehu, Hosea’s marriage, the third day, Hosea on kings, idolatry, the disenchantment of the world, holiness and love, metaphors and similes, intrabiblical quotations, prophetic words in new contexts, why does God judge the nations, debt-slavery and what do names tell about the prophets.

The lecture attempts to investigate the various theories concerning the multiple and/or single authorship of Isa 40-66. The so-called Servant Songs are also dealt with, alongside with such theological themes, as Zion, city of God, king and Messiah, the Servant and the nations and finally trust in God. Further topics to be discussed include: political planning, prophecies in new settings, Rome, Babylon and the Gospel, prophecy, Jews and Christians. The topic of rhetorical intention in the book of Isaiah as a whole brings the lecture to a closure.

The lecture begins with various introductory issues, namely, authorship, date and destination, addressees, structure and outline. According to the outline, the first twenty chapters may be divided into three major blocks: God calls Jeremiah to service, Jeremiah narrates Judah’s sad condition and the wrestling of Jeremiah with humans and with God. In terms of the critical interpretation of Jeremiah, the following questions are tackled: prophecy or poetry, Deuteronomistic sermons, a Deuteronomistic edition and is Jeremiah from Jeremiah? Further topics to be discussed include: circumcision of the heart and the Confessions of Jeremiah.

The lecture commences with a presentation of the oracles and events relating to Ezekiel’s call, the day of the Lord, God’s glory departs and judgment against Jerusalem. The presentation continues with a treatment of the critical interpretation of the book of Ezekiel. Further topics and questions to be discussed include: chronology in Ezekiel, was there an Ezekiel school, God’s presence in the structure of Ezekiel’s book, prophetic symbolic actions, intercession, Jerusalem as female, two political allegories, divine initiative and Ezekiel chapter 20 as rhetoric.

The lecture deals not only with the isagogical matters concerning the prophetic books of Obadiah, Joel and Jonah but also expands their explanation by pinpointing the major theological themes found in them.
The underlying theological theme, the judgement of God against all wickedness, retains a special twist in the book of Obadiah, which consists in its close relationship with Israel.
The theological themes presented from the book of Joel are: the all-powerful God, the day of the Lord, repentance, the metaphor of locusts in Joel, nature and history and the Spirit of God.
The theological themes of the book of Jonah concentrate upon the following questions: working out the sovereignty of God, worship and thanksgiving, retribution, does God’s forgiveness extend to all and is it possible for God to repent?
Further topics and questions to be discussed include: the justness of judgment, Obadiah in relation to Amos, Jonah as history, universalism and Judaism and literary techniques.
Additional literary reading: Babits Mihály, „Jónás könyve,” in Babits Mihály Összegyűjtött Versei (OK; Budapest: Osiris Kiadó, 2007), 447-458; Babits Mihály, „Jónás imája,” in Babits Mihály Összegyűjtött Versei (OK; Budapest: Osiris Kiadó, 2007), 458.

The lecture commences with an introduction into the nature, characteristics and uniqueness of apocalyptic literature, with a specific focus on biblical apocalyptic. This is followed by a brief survey of the critical interpretation of the book of Daniel, questions of genre and unity and such problems of interpretation as the bilingualism of the book, the identity of the four kingdoms, vision of the seventy weeks and other historical questions. The kingdom of God, divine and human rule, the Messiah, God’s faithfulness and human faithfulness, the pride of humankind and the ultimate victory of God’s saints constitute the major theological themes. Further topics and questions to be discussed include: the prayer of Nabonidus, Daniel and Esther, Daniel’s stories as history, son of man, prophetic allusions, a messianic text, Dan 11 and history, the pride of kings, wisdom and understanding, Daniel and 1 Maccabees, the wise, a deterministic view of history, Daniel among the prophets, Daniel as intercessor and the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation.