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Concordia Theological Monthly CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Ediwrial Old I csramem Theology as Heilsgl'Jrbirbll' ARLIS JOHN EHLEN Currcnr Roman Carholic Thoughr on Prophetic Interpretation WALTER E. RAST An Approach w the Exegcsis of John 10:34-36 RICHARD JUNGKUNTZ Problems of Mcssianic Imcrpretarion ALFRED VON ROHR SAUER Deuteronomy 18 - God's Choscn People NORMAN C. HABEL Co\'cnanr and Justification in the Old Testalll.cm WALTER R. ROEHRS The Old Tes[;unenr in the Pulpir HERBERT T. MAYER VOL. XXXV October 1964 No.9 Old Testament Theology as Hetlsgeschichte By ARUS JOHN EHLEN n important group of Old Testament 1877), but the conception itself begins A scholars in Germany and America with the Bible's own understanding of is currently making copious use of the history. Basic to the witness of both the term Heilsgeschichte and the ideas associ­ Old and the New Testament is the convic­ ated with it. Avoided until recently by tion that God has taken a direct hand in scientific theologians as suggestive of Bib­ earthly, human affairs, particularly in a spe­ licism and obscurantism, it has staged cific chain of events by which the total a comeback as a key word in some of the welfare of mankind, its salvation (German: most respected scholarly circles. The Heils­ Hei!), is being prepared for and revealed geschichte concept is newly recognized as to the world. The history of this step-by­ basic to the understanding of all Biblical step process is now seen to constitute the theology. It lie . _____ ~ __ ~ ______ ~ _~_e cur- very core of the Scriptures. It illay L..! called rent enthusiastic revival of Old Testament the histaria sac;'a or, referring to its actual studies, and it promises to rehabilitate the subject matter, the Hei!sgeschichte: the relevance of the Old Testament for Chris­ story of the many successive words and tian theology and piety to a level not at­ works of God toward restoration of total tained since the apostolic age. well-being 1 to His people. The aim of this article is to survey the The same term, or its adjective, hei!sge­ historical course of the Heilsgeschichte idea schicht!ich, may also be extended to denote and to depict its contributions down to the any theological system which gives an im­ present. There will be opportunity to con­ portant place to this Biblical understand­ trast its tenets with those of other concep­ ing of history. Specifically, however, it tions regarding the meaning of history, designates a 19th-century school of theol­ and particular attention will be devoted to ogy centering around Johann Tobias Beck its relationship with Lutheran orthodoxy. (1804-1878) and Von Hofmann. This The scope of this paper does not allow any circle stood in conscious opposition not extended discussion of the earlier periods, 1 Attention must be called to the breadth of but at least a brief sketch will be attempted meaning in the word Heil, which has to do for the sake of orientation. basically with being "whole" or "hale," i. e., in good condition, not broken, diseased, or First, however, a preliminary definition otherwise impaired. Thus the word can include of the expression will be in place, to be any gift of God's blessing, whether "salvation" given further content and form as the in a theological sense, personal health, or na­ tional victory. This very breadth of meaning story of its unfolding is set forth. has made the term Heilsgeschichte difficult to The term Heilsgeschichte was intro­ translate into English. Attempts such as "salva­ tion history," "redemptive history," or simply duced about a century ago by Johann Chris­ "sacred history" lack some of the fullness of tian Konrad von Hofmann ( 1816 to connotation that H eilsgeschichte has acquired. S17 518 OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY AS HEILSGESCHICHTE only to historical criticism as then prac­ is clear that a certain limited number of ticed but also to a felt lack of proper em­ specific events are held to furnish the key phasis on sacred history in classic ortho­ to the meaning of the rest. In these par­ doxy. ticular events, and in the accompanying Finally, the concept of Heilsgeschichte words mediated by His chosen spokesmen, has since the close of W arid War II been God revealed His nature and His will for restored to currency by a number of Bibli­ mankind. His concern for the Heil of all cal (particularly Old Testament) scholars humanity is expressed not so much in gen­ who themselves stand within the tradition eral pronouncements (even these are ex­ of a moderate historical criticism. Their pressed within specific historical situations appreciation of the role which history must which color their meaning) as in particular play in any discussion of Biblical theology words and acts directed toward particular is to be the final topic treated in this essay. people. Thus we are given to know something 1. THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF HISTORY of God's will for all men through His spe­ AND ITS ANCIENT RIVALS cific words and acts as He calls the indi­ The current debate on the subject of vidual man Abraham, guides him, and Heilsgeschichte is motivated, in part at makes promises to him. vXJhen Abraham's least, by the desire to uncover and state descendants find themselves bowed under more adequau::1Y llU: 3Lriptures' own under­ Egyptian slavery, God speaks and acts in standing of history. While some interpre­ such a way as to deliver them, give them tations and conclusions are still being de­ a new land, and place them under a cove­ bated, general agreement on most of the nant obligation to Himself as their Savior. essentials has been reached by now. Tne When they have broken the covenant and following may therefore be accepted as the are defeated by their enemies, God places exegetical position held by the majority David and his descendants over them as of Bible scholars. His viceroy. Even before this kingdom's The Biblical authors only show limited complete collapse and the exile of the interest in a static description of God in people, God is holding out to His people His heavenly dwelling. On the contrary, the hope of a new beginning under a new the Bible generally portrays God as He covenant. After several promising but in­ comes into contact with mankind, rather effective starts all attention comes to be than as He exists in solitary, eternal splen­ focused on a particular descendant of David dor. The God of both the Old and the who is proclaimed as the representative New Testament is directly concerned with Son of man. In His death, burial, and sub­ the world of His creation and particularly sequent resurrection God reveals His ulti­ with man, and conversely the world of man mate intention for all mankind. The for­ is directly affected by God's will and words mation of a new people of God is begun, and actions. God's hand is constantly in witnesses are sent out, and the fuller reve­ the thick of human affairs. lation of God in Jesus Christ is universally Now, while it is true that several of the proclaimed as its universal applicability Biblical writers depict the scope of God's becomes clear. The promise is made of concern in universal and general terms, it a final great act of world history when all OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY AS HEILSGESCHICHTE 519 the elect will be gathered in, evil will be students of comparative religions, denotes destroyed, and the entire creation will be stories about the world of the gods and restored to its pristine wholeness. their involvement with men. Such stories There is no difficulty in agreeing that are told and retold not so much for their these are the chief points in the history intrinsic interest as for the reason that of God's relations with man as attested their ritual rehearsal helped to restore the in the Scriptures. The additional details order of things in man's own world. The are also well known, and they likewise myths about Baal (known to us from have their significance in the complete Ugaritic and other sources) had to do with story. The point to be made here, however, well-being and fertility in nature - plants, is that it is from this story that we know animals, and man himself. These myths the God of the Bible. This particular his­ were not simply retold but dramatized, tory selected out of the totality of world actually reenacted, in dance and song at history is what gives us the picture of God the Canaanite religious festivals. In this upon which our faith rests. All revelation way the people did their part to keep (i. e., all knowledge of God apart from nature operative. The actions of the human natural religion) has come as a part of community were thus kept in harmony this specii~c chain of events within history, wlrh those of the gods as reported i. and each item of revelation gained its myths, and this in turn would ensure that original meaning in the context of a spe­ the powers of the gods would be operative cific moment in that history. among them, so that the crops would not It must be emphasized that, elementary fail, the animals would bear plenteous as this may seem to us who are heirs of young, and general well-being would be the Scriptural understanding of history, maintained. We need not wonder that this view of divine revelation as an actual when the Israelites entered the land of part of real human history is unique in milk and honey and when the fertility of the world of religious thought.
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