Aspects of the biblical concept of witness and the specific understanding of the concept in the writings of Luke

Budiselić, Ervin (author), Matjaž, Maksimilijan (mentor), Palmisano, Maria Carmela (co-mentor)

The primary question this research explores is the significance and impact of πνεῦμα ἅγιος on the concept of witness in Luke’s theology. Why does Jesus make his disciples’ reception of πνεῦμα ἅγιος a necessary condition for them to be his witnesses in Acts 1:8? How does πνεῦμα ἅγιος impact their witness? In order to answer these questions, we study the Lukan concept of witness within the biblical context. After introducing the problem in Acts 1:8, we first analyze the concept of witness and its aspects in its wider biblical context. We do this by analyzing the concept of witness in the OT and the NT and synthesizing results after treating each testament. The results will show that, due to the fact that the activity of repetition can be taken as a general characteristic of the concept of witness, the temporal aspect of witness and mode of witness must be taken into consideration when defining and categorizing witnesses. Second, after establishing the wider context, we will analyze the Lukan concept of witness, its aspects and characteristics. We will show that within the biblical context, Luke’s writings, notably Acts 1:8, assert a unique condition for being a witness, and that is to receive the πνεῦμα ἅγιος and δύναμις. The result is that πνεῦμα ἅγιος provides kerygmatic and δύναμις provides charismatic types of witness. This condition is important because it enables disciples to repeat and continue Jesus’ ministry. Just as it was with Jesus, witnessing for the disciples is both a matter of the manifestation of the πνεῦμα ἅγιος through speech, and of the manifestation of δύναμις through miracles. Accordingly, for the Lukan concept of witness, the unique element is not the element of repetition but the content of repetition. We will also argue that, although Luke offers a unique concept of witness, the whole church can participate in it equally. Third, we will summarize current challenges to the Christian faith, and suggest some ways in which we can implement the Lukan concept of witness in the church’s ministry today.

• Language: English
• Keywords: witness, testimony, witnessing/testifying, repetition, Holy Spirit, power, Acts
• Work type: Doctoral dissertation
• Typology: 2.08 - Doctoral Dissertation
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Place of publishing: Ljubljana
• Publisher: [E. Budiselić]
• Year: 2019
• Number of pages: XIV, 364, XV str.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-117598
• UDC: 27-277-248.2(043.3)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 24818691
• Publication date in RUL: 17.07.2020

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vidiki bibličnega koncepta pričevanja in posebno razumevanje pričevanja v konceptu Lukovega pisanja : doktorska disertacija

Abstract

Prvotni cilj te raziskave je pokazati pomembnost in vpliv πνεῦμα ἅγιος na pojem oznanjevanja v Lukovi teologiji. Sprašujemo se zakaj je Jezusu sprejetje πνεῦμα ἅγιος neispodbiten pogoj, da bi učenci, kot je zapisano v Apostolskih delih 1:8, lahko postali tudi njegovi oznanjevalci. In kako πνεῦμα ἅγιος vpliva na njihovo oznanjevanje. Da bi našli odgovor na ta vprašanja, bomo preučevali Lukov pojem pričevanja znotraj širšega Svetopisemskega okolja. Po predstavitvi problematike iz Apostolskih del 1:8, bo kot prvi korak sledila analiza pojma oznanjevanja in njegovih aspektov znotraj širšega svetopisemskega okolja. To bomo naredili s pomočjo analize oznanjevanja v Stari in Novi zavezi. Na koncu obeh analiz bo predstavljena tudi sinteza spoznanj iz analize. Rezultati bodo pokazali, da zaradi dejstva, da se ponavljanje aktivnosti vzame za generalno karekteristiko pojma oznanjevanja, moramo v kategorizaciji pričevanja upoštevati tako časovni vidik pričevanja kot tudi način le tega. Po tem, ko bomo analizirali pričevanje v širšem kontekstu, sledi drugi korak, kar je Lukov pojem pričevanja: njegovi vidiki in značilnosti. Pokazali bomo, da znotraj svetopisemskega okolja, Lukovi spisi, predvsem Apostolska dela 1:8, opisujejo posebne okoliščine, ki so potrebne za oznanjevalca, namreč sprejetje πνεῦμα ἅγιος in δύναμις. Rezultat le tega je, da πνεῦμα ἅγιος omogoči kerugmatičen in δύναμις karizmatičen način pričevanja. Ta pogoj je pomemben, saj omogoča učencem, da ponavljajo in nadaljujejo Jezusovo službo. Prav tako kot pri Jezusu, je tudi pri učencih pričevanje izraz πνεῦμα ἅγιος skozi govor in izraz δύναμις skozi čudeže. Potemtakem za Luko v pojmu pričevanja ni posebenost v samem ponavljanju dejnja, ampak v vsebini tega kar se ponavlja. Pravtako bomo zagovarjali, da kljub temu da Luka ponudi unikaten pojem pričevanja, v njem še vedno lahko, brez razlik, sodeluje celotna cerkev. V tretjem koraku bomo povzeli trenutne izzive krščanski veri in predlagali nekaj načinov kako lahko uporabimo Lukov koncept pričevanja v današnjem služenju cerkve.

• Keywords: oznanjevalec, oznanilo, oznanjevalec, pričevalec, Sveti Duh, moč, Apostolska dela