Questioning Divine δεῖ. On Allowing Texts Not to Say Everything

Smit, Peter-Ben (2019). Questioning Divine δεῖ. On Allowing Texts Not to Say Everything. Novum Testamentum, 61(1), pp. 40-54. Brill 10.1163/15685365-12341621

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Frequently, δεῖ is associated with salvation history and the exercise of divine will and identified as “theological δεῖ” or “divine δεῖ”. In the history of scholarship, there is an increasing emphasis on interpreting δεῖ along these lines, thereby marginalizing other shades of meaning that this verb may have. The question is whether this course of interpretative action is justified. This will be tested in this article. In order to do so, first a brief overview of the possible shades of meaning of δεῖ will be provided; second, the occurrences of δεῖ in the Gospel of Mark are systematically reviewed; third and finally, concluding reflections will be offered, including a word of caution when it comes to deifying δεῖ. In this manner, the current study seeks to contribute to the undoing of the theosis of this particular part of early Christian vocabulary.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

01 Faculty of Theology > Institute of Old Catholic Theology
01 Faculty of Theology > Institute of Old Catholic Theology > Systematic Theology, Ecumenical Theology, Practical Theology

UniBE Contributor:

Smit, Peter Bernard

Subjects:

200 Religion > 220 The Bible

ISSN:

0048-1009

Publisher:

Brill

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Bernard Smit

Date Deposited:

11 Mar 2020 09:51

Last Modified:

02 Mar 2023 23:33

Publisher DOI:

10.1163/15685365-12341621

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/141074

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