Original Research

Die Christelike hoop – ’n Bybelse eskatologiese belydenis? Deel 1: Bybelse getuienis − ’n verhaal van hoop?

Jan A. du Rand
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi | Vol 48, No 1 | a1253 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v48i1.1253 | © 2014 Jan A. du Rand | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 06 June 2013 | Published: 18 November 2014

About the author(s)

Jan A. du Rand, Faculty of Theology, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa

Abstract

Hierdie artikel is die eerste van twee artikels om die vraag te beantwoord of die gebruik van die bybelse hoop beskou kan word as die primêre belydenis om die bybelse eskatologiese boodskap van Christelike hoop te verduidelik. Dit is nie slegs ’n bybelse belydenis nie, maar beïnvloed ook reformatoriese teologiese nadenke oor die saak van eskatologiese hoop op subtiele wyse. Indien dit aangetoon kan word, moet die teologiese klem in die reformatoriese belydenis vir ’n Christen se hede en toekoms daarvolgens beskryf word. In die bespreking van eskatologiese hoop volgens tipies bybelse gebruike, kom ’n basiese vraag na vore: Wat is die wesenlike eindbestemming van die Christen? Is dit die geskape wêreld in God of God in die geskape wêreld? Terwyl die bybelse begrip hoop semanties en eksegeties nagespeur word, kom die verhouding tussen God en sy verganklike skepping, soos ons dit ken, op ’n nuwe wyse ter sprake. ’n Tipiese kenmerk van die huidige Westerse beskawing, oor die algemeen beskou, is die onverbiddelike strewe na ontwikkeling ongeag die koste. Dit geskied egter nie vir Christene sonder die belydenis van hoop nie. Selfs teologiese publikasies oorbeklemtoon die hede deur die beslissende betekenis van God se toekoms vir sy eie te relativeer. Die eksegetiese vertrekpunt van hierdie artikel is die verstaan van die Christelike eskatologiese hoop volgens Romeine 5:1−5. Met so ’n kragtige Pauliniese vertrekpunt word die tendense van eskatologiese hoop volgens die Ou en Nuwe Testament nagegaan om aan die navorser ’n bybelse basis te voorsien waarop die teologiese bespreking kan voortbou.

The Christian hope – a biblical eschatological confession? Part 1: Biblical witness − a narrative of hope? This is the first of two related articles to answer the question whether the usage of biblical hope can be regarded as the ultimate confession in explaining the biblical eschatological message of Christian hope. It is not only a biblical confession, but it also subtly influences the theological reformational reflection on the issue of eschatological hope. If proven the case, a correction of theological emphasis is necessary to bring the present and hereafter in biblical and theological perspective. In this discussion of eschatological hope in its typical biblical description, the fundamental question to be answered is: What is the ultimate port of destination? Is it the world in God or God in the world? Exploring the biblical concept of hope semantically and exegetically, according to the Old and New Testaments, pushes the relationship between God and his perishable creation, as we know it, to the foreground, but not without the fundamental confession of hope. In general, the typical recent characteristic trend in Western civilisation is the ruthless striving towards development – whatever the cost may be. Even theological publications reflect the overestimation and the exclusiveness of the present by relativising the importance of God’s biblical and theological future for humankind. The exegetical point of departure is the understanding of Paul’s decisive accentuating of the eschatological hope in the argumentative narrative according to Romans 5:1−5. With such a powerful framework of thought the tendencies of eschatological hope, according to the Old and New Testaments, are investigated to provide the researcher with a biblical basis to be further explored in theological reflections.


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