Two Models of Faith and the Law in Paul and the Western Diaspora
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Pier Giuseppe Monateri
Pier Giuseppe Monateri is a Professor of Law, University of Torino; a Visiting Professor at SciencesPo, Paris; a Member of the International Academy of Comparative Law, New York; a Member Accademia delle Scienze, Bologna; and Professor Honorario at the University of San Marcos, Lima.
Abstract
This article explores two distinct models of faith: the Jewish concept of emunah and the Greek concept of pistis as used by Saint Paul. It examines the theological, legal, and political implications of the shift from emunah to pistis during the nascent phase of Christianity within the Western diaspora. The transition from emunah to pistis has profound implications. It redefines the relationship between humanity, the divine and the law. The law ceases to be the path to salvation; indeed, the end of the law is what allows faith to be the access to salvation. Politically, the spread of Christianity within the diaspora introduced a new dimension to religious and social identity. The use of Greek and the concept of pistis helped Paul communicate the Christian message to a broader Hellenistic audience, facilitating the spread of Christianity as a universal faith, but it left an essential ambiguity regarding the very terms of Faith and Lordship. This ambiguity characterizes the relationship between Faith and Law in much of Western thought. This article seeks to analyse the layers of this original ambiguity as a characteristic of Western legal and political thought. It concludes that this ambiguity in the terms of Faith and Lordship has deeply influenced the development of Western doctrines, continuously shaping the interplay between Faith and Law throughout history.
About the author
Pier Giuseppe Monateri is a Professor of Law, University of Torino; a Visiting Professor at SciencesPo, Paris; a Member of the International Academy of Comparative Law, New York; a Member Accademia delle Scienze, Bologna; and Professor Honorario at the University of San Marcos, Lima.
Appendix: The Ways to Say “God-Lord” in Hebrew
Using Greek, Paul avoids the complexity of rendering “God” in Hebrew. There are several ways to refer to God in Hebrew, each with its own connotations and usage. Here are some of the primary terms:[18]
El (אֵל): A generic term for “God” used in many ancient Semitic languages. It often appears in compound names like El Shaddai (God Almighty).
Elohim (אֱלֹהִים): A plural form used to denote the singular God of Israel, emphasizing His majesty and power. It is one of the most common terms for God in the Hebrew Bible.
El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן): This term means “God Most High” and highlights God’s supreme authority.
Adonai (אֲדֹנָי): Meaning “Lord,” this term is used as a respectful and reverent substitute for the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) when reading scripture aloud.
YHWH (יהוה): The Tetragrammaton is the most sacred name of God, often rendered as “LORD” in English translations. It is considered ineffable and is traditionally not pronounced.
Ha-Shem (הַשֵּׁם): Literally “The Name,” this term is used to refer to God without pronouncing the sacred name YHWH, particularly in more casual or modern contexts.
El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי): Often translated as “God Almighty,” this term conveys God’s ultimate power and authority.
El Roi (אֵל רֳאִי): Meaning “God who sees me,” it is used in the context of God’s omnipresence and omniscience.
Each of these terms carries specific theological and cultural nuances, reflecting different aspects of the divine nature and attributes in the Hebrew tradition.
By using Greek, Paul avoided the complex connotations and the potential sacredness associated with each Hebrew term for God. Greek terms like “Theos” (Θεός) for “God” and “Kurios” (Κύριος) for “Lord” provided a way to communicate his theological points to a broader audience without the intricacies and sensitivities of the Hebrew language. This choice helped Paul effectively spread the Christian message across diverse cultural and linguistic groups in the Hellenistic world.
However, it also left us with a complex ambiguity regarding the content of Jesus’ Lordship and the faith in this Lordship. As a result, the phrase “Jesus is the Lord” remains essentially ambiguous, reflecting a range of interpretations from local leadership to universal lordship, and even to a potential identification with YHWH.
© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Focus: Law and Literature in the Era of the Digital Condition, an Introduction
- Focus
- The Legal Subject in the Society of Singularities: Prolegomena to the Legal Type of Personalized Law
- Online Violence as a Digital Condition: A New Cultural Habit?
- The Poetics of Digital Children and Designing Online Democratic Deliberations
- Video Conferencing Platforms (VCPs) and the Cohesive Distinctiveness of Legal Proceedings
- Rethinking Tech, Reclaiming Ourselves: Human Dignity and Human Rights in Technological Age
- Research
- Two Models of Faith and the Law in Paul and the Western Diaspora
- Beyond Words: The Politics of Language Control in Nineteen Eighty-Four
- Legitimate Possessions: History, Property and Literary Aesthetics in James F. Cooper’s The Pioneers (1823) and Catherine M. Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie (1827)
- Judging Jo’burg? Fictional Architecture and the Postcolonial Cityscape as Juridical Space
- Reproducing an Outside to Modernity at the Limit of the Law of Seriality: Reading Kawakami Mieko’s Breasts and Eggs
- Law and the Media in Luke Delaney’s The Jackdaw
- Book Reviews
- Ian Ward: The Reformation of the Constitution. Law, Culture and Conflict in Jacobean England
- Cathy Shrank and Phil Withington: The Oxford Handbook on Thomas More’s Utopia
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Focus: Law and Literature in the Era of the Digital Condition, an Introduction
- Focus
- The Legal Subject in the Society of Singularities: Prolegomena to the Legal Type of Personalized Law
- Online Violence as a Digital Condition: A New Cultural Habit?
- The Poetics of Digital Children and Designing Online Democratic Deliberations
- Video Conferencing Platforms (VCPs) and the Cohesive Distinctiveness of Legal Proceedings
- Rethinking Tech, Reclaiming Ourselves: Human Dignity and Human Rights in Technological Age
- Research
- Two Models of Faith and the Law in Paul and the Western Diaspora
- Beyond Words: The Politics of Language Control in Nineteen Eighty-Four
- Legitimate Possessions: History, Property and Literary Aesthetics in James F. Cooper’s The Pioneers (1823) and Catherine M. Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie (1827)
- Judging Jo’burg? Fictional Architecture and the Postcolonial Cityscape as Juridical Space
- Reproducing an Outside to Modernity at the Limit of the Law of Seriality: Reading Kawakami Mieko’s Breasts and Eggs
- Law and the Media in Luke Delaney’s The Jackdaw
- Book Reviews
- Ian Ward: The Reformation of the Constitution. Law, Culture and Conflict in Jacobean England
- Cathy Shrank and Phil Withington: The Oxford Handbook on Thomas More’s Utopia
