Words that testify of God: The Theology of the Old Testament

Biblical Theology Bulletin, Fall, 2001 by Robert K. Gnuse

In the second part attention is given to the "Countertestimony" given by Israel and the Jews, especially in the language of the Psalms, prophets, and wisdom. Herein we find affirmations which probe the statements of "Core Testimony" and question their validity. Wisdom perspectives attest to the subtle activity of Yahweh, or divine "hiddenness" (chapter 9). In stories concerning Ahab and the false prophets, Jeremiah, the flood, the favoring of David over Saul, and the census of David we are permitted to view the dark ambiguities in the persona of Yahweh, especially when the deity deceives or experiences change of mind (chapter 10). Strong laments in the Psalms and Lamentations, as well as reflection in Ecclesiastes, show us the truly negative side of Yahweh, and raise the question of theodicy (chapter 11). Above all, such "Countertestimony" leads us to maintain a tension in the portrayal of the divine nature (chapter 12).

In the third part of the book Brueggemann discusses what he calls "Unsolicited Testimony," or texts which indirectly allude to the nature of Yahweh. In these texts one finds the belief that Yahweh is committed in freedom with passion to Israel, to individuals, to nations, and to creation (chapter 13). People are Yahweh's partners, and they are described as being in a covenant relationship. An appeal to covenant calls for people to act with justice, to see the glory, beauty, and holiness of Yahweh in worship, and to be a blessing for people in the greater destiny of the world. In these texts Israel is loved, commanded to obey, exiled, returned to Yahweh, and gathered to hope (chapter 14). People are in the image of God and in a personal relationship of freedom and responsibility which leads them to obey, be wise, and trust (chapter 15). The nations are Yahweh's partners in that they can be used by divine sovereignty to punish Israel, be punished, be restored, and bring about blessing (chapter 16). Creation is Yahweh's partner in its function of fruitfulness, but creation can be in jeopardy by a very real power of evil against which Yahweh must fight (chapter 17). Overall, Brueggemann observes in the drama of partnership with Yahweh a common pattern of grace, failure or tragedy, and restoration, which he calls a metanarrative. In this symbolic narrative it is Yahweh alone who grants sufficiency to the world, not the world itself (chapter 18).

In the fourth part Brueggemann discusses the "Embodied Narrative" about Yahweh, or those forms of mediation which bring the power of the divine close to people in an intimate fashion. In the primary form of mediation Yahweh came to Israel at Sinai through the intercessory work of Moses. At other times the patriarchs mediated the divine presence; and ultimately the biblical text performs this role for us (chapter 19). The Torah mediates the divine for Israel through human agents, including Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Josiah, and the prophets. Christians must learn the positive value and message of Torah, rather than dismissing it as mere legalism (chapter 20). The king mediates Yahweh by providing justice and righteousness for the people he rules. Kings are appropriately indicted when they fail to do this. Ultimately, royal images provide the messianic vision of hope (chapter 21). The prophet mediates Yahweh and inspires people with poetic imagination (PROPHETIC IMAGINATION is the title of an earlier Brueggemann textbook). Prophets utter a mediating word of Yahweh through oral forms of discourse, including divinely proposed lawsuits, imperatives to repent, and promises of hope (chapter 22). The cult mediates the presence of Yahweh for devout worshippers. Christians too often disdain such texts, unfortunately, because they assume Jesus superseded them. But in reality, cult imagery in the First Testament may provide inspiration for us in our worship patterns. In the cult the symbolic drama of life is acted out. Brueggemann discusses briefly issues of temple ritual, sacrifice, and cult and how they mediate the divine, as well as how the Deuteronomic authors and prophets criticized aspects of arrogant cultic piety (chapter 23). The sage is a mediator of the divine in the family, the school, the court, and public life in general. Though secular at first, wisdom discourse finally merged with Torah (chapter 24). In general, Torah mediates holiness, the king mediates justice, the prophet mediates covenant, the cult mediates communion, and wisdom mediates order in the world. All mediate life from Yahweh, but each can become perverted and deceive people, when the human functionaries lay claim to hold power over the absolute (chapter 25).