In The Divine Warrior Motif in the PsalmsBallard identifies ten psalms in which the image of Yahweh as Divine Warrior is a significant element in the text. The purpose of this paper is to enquire as to how one patristic commentator re-interprets this image in one of those psalms in the light of the coming of Christ.
In Theodoret of Cyrrhus' commentary on Psalm 67 we encounter a particularly fulsome re-interpretation of the motif. In his teatment of the psalm we may identify a threefold structure to the Septuagint text, similar to that adopted by Ballard in his analysis of the Hebrew text.
In his introduction, Theodoret announces that the psalm is a prophecy on the part of David of the 'manifestation of our God and Saviour by the all-Holy Spirit'. He goes on to align the psalm-verses with the themes of the invocation of Christ as Divine Warrior, the proclamation of his victory, and the celebration of his sovereign rule.
Within this threefold structure the paper will highlight the Christlogical, soteriological, pneumatological, ecclesiological and eschatological insights which Theodoret employs in order to impress upon his readers his conviction that the Divine Warrior invoked, proclaimed and celebrated in this psalm is the crucified, risen, ascended and glorified Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment