Some Aspects to Realise Sin, Guilt and Punishment in the Scriptures of the Old Testament

Sveto pismo očituje brigu o dvije glavne teološke poruke, koje se tiču Izraela i ljudi općenito, u odnosu na njih same, u odnosu na svijet i na Boga: čovjekov grijeh i Božje spasenje od grijeha. Zato su grijeh, krivnja, kazna i opraštanje unutarnje povezani na svim razinama te predstavljaju univerzalne teološke pojmove, koji obuhvaćaju sve što se tiče autentične naravi ljudi i svijeta. U svim biblijskim spisima je vidljivo da pisci nisu imali namjeru predstavljati teoretska opredjeljenja tih pojmova; radilo se o promišljanju osobnog iskustva dubine i širine učinaka dobroga ili lošeg stanja ljudske duše. Trudili su se također upotrebljavati bogatu i živu terminologiju, slike, stilska izražajna sredstva i univerzalne književne oblike. Grijeh shvaćen kao neka vrsta čovjekova otuđenja od Boga, predstavljen je u svojevrsnoj proporciji s prijetnjom, s osjećajem krivnje i umanjenjem ili čak uništenjem života; sve to pak predstavlja različite vrste kazni. Unutarnji odnos između grijeha, krivnje i kazne, prema tome, duboko određuje egzistenciju ljudi. U Svetom pismu osobni i moralni načini razmišljanja postali su tako mnogo snažniji nego univerzalne i kozmičke ideje, koje su gajile druge stare kulture te vodile u pretežno sudbinske, moralističke, kultne i juridičke pristupe, uzdrmavši same temelje opraštanja i pomirenja.The Bible manifests two main theological concerns involving Israel and men and women in general and in their relation to themselves, to the world, and to God: human sin and salvation from it by God. Therefore sin, guilt, punishment, and forgiveness are intrinsically connected at all levels and present universal theological concepts that embrace evervthing involving authentic nature of human beings and of the world. Throughout biblical writings it is evident that writers were not interested in offering a theoretical definition of these concepts, they strove to reflect personal experience of the profundity and widespread effects o fgood or bad state of human soul. They also strove to use rich and vivid terminology, images, stylistic devices and universal literary forms. Sin is perceived as some kind of alienation between human being and God, consequently it is presented in a definite correlation to threat, feeling of guilt, and the diminishment or even extinction of life, all representing various kinds of punishment. The inner relationship between sin, guilt, and punishment determines so profoundly the existence of men and women that in the Bible personal and moral ways of thinking became much stronger than universal and cosmic ideas cultivating by other ancient cultures and resulting in predominantly fatalistic, moralistic, cultic, and juridical approaches that shake the very foundations of forgiveness and reconciliation