A Better/Exalted Covenant: a Qualitative, Timely or Spatial Change? (Heb 7:22)

Thomas Witulski u svome članku iz 2007. godine postavlja pitanje odnosa između dimenzije prostora i vremena u koncepciji eshatologije Poslanice Hebrejima, određujući dimenziju vremena kao sastavnicu ranožidovsko-prakršćanske apokaliptičke terminologije, dok dimenziju prostora, onu ontološko-metafizičku i dualističku, određuje kao sastavnicu helenističkog eshatološkog promišljanja u međuodnosu onog »gore« i onog »dolje.« Ovaj članak pokazuje da dimenzija prostora nije nepoznata ranožidovskoj apokaliptičkoj književnosti, što je osobito vidljivo na temelju tekstova nađenih u Kumranu i Judejskoj pustinji. U njima postoje i vremenska i prostorna, tj. kvalitativna dimenzija kad je riječ o apokaliptičkim tekstovima i eshatološkim iščekivanjima, pa i unutar govora o Savezu. Grčki pridjev κρείττων koji se pojavljuje u Heb 7,22 u odnosu na Savez, može imati dva temeljna značenja: »bolji« i »uzvišeniji«. Temeljem analize uporabe ovog pridjeva u Poslanici Hebrejima zaključuje se da on u toj poslanici zadržava oba značenja. Isus je označen kao »jamac« Saveza i to kao »drugi svećenik«, »uzvišeniji od nebesa« (7,26), a uz njega se mijenja i Zakon (7,12) te se uvodi bolja nada (7,19). I Savez je tako drugi, bolji, uzvišeniji, nebeski. Stari je Savez dokinut, a novi je Savez, predma u skladu sa starim obećanjima, utemeljen u Kristu. U pojmu Saveza prisutna je stoga i kvalitativna, to jest prostorna, i vremenska dimenzija: on nastupa u točno određenom vremenu, ali je i bolji u odnosu na stari Savez.Thomas Witulski, in his paper »Zur Frage des Verhaltnisses der Dimensionen von Raum und Zeit in der Konzeption der Eschatologie des Hebraerbriefes«, (BZ 51 [2007] 161-192), tries to explain the relation between the dimensions of space and time in the eschatology of the Letter to the Hebrews. He defines the dimension of time as a part of early Jewish and early Christian apocalyptic terminology, whereas the dimension of space, the ontological-metaphysical and dualist, he defines as a part of the Hellenistic eschatological way of thinking, in the relation between the things that are »above« and those that are »below«. This paper shows that the dimension of space is not unknown to early Jewish apocalyptic literature, as seen in the texts of the Judean desert. In the texts, when it comes to apocalyptic visions or eschatological expectations, including the idea of covenant, there is dimension of time as well as the dimension of space, or dimension of quality. The adjective Kps.iiiwv, used with SuxGrjicr) in Heb 7:22, has two basic meanings: »better« and »more prominent«, »higher in rank«. The analysis of the usage of this adjective in the Letter to the Hebrews leads to the conclusion that κρείττων in this letter maintains both meanings. Jesus is defined as the »guarantee« of the covenant, as the »other priest«, »exalted above the heavens« (7:26). With him the Law is changed (7:12), and better hope is introduced (7:19). The covenant is therefore better, exalted and belongs to the realm of the heavens. The old covenant is abolished, and the new one is founded on Christ, yet according to the ancient promises. In the concept of covenant there are both the dimension of time and the dimension of quality or space. The covenant becomes valid in an exact time and it is better then the old one, because it accomplishes its aim once for all, and that aim is the forgiveness of sins, sanctification and redemption (7:27; 9:12; 10:10). The place of that covenant is heaven, which surpasses time, and is there in the present and in the future