quote:
op 06 Feb 2003 12:20:53 schreef Pulpeet:
Waarheid komt hier bij God vandaan. Als ik al die psalmteksten overzie dan krijg ik de indruk dat hier met "waarheid" "betrouwbaarheid" bedoeld wordt. Maar misschien dat iemand die thuis is in het Hebreeuws daar wat zinnigs over kan zeggen?
Wat betreft het OT woord voor waarheid kan ik wel uitsluitsel geven. De voorbeelden die je noemde, geven steeds de combinatie
goedertierenheid en waarheid, in het Hebreeuws
chesed en
'emet. Dit zijn de grondeigenschappen van God en van zijn werk. Een woordstudie kan dus geen kwaad. Ik citeer een deel uit het Theologische Woordenboek op het OT. Eerst over het onderliggende werkwoord, dan over het woord
'ement "waarheid" zelf.
'amanThe basic root idea is firmness or certainty. In the Qal it expresses the basic concept of support and is used in the sense of the strong arms of the parent supporting the helpless infant. The constancy involved in the verbal idea is further seen in that it occurs in the Qal only as a participle (expressing continuance). The idea of support is also seen in 2Kings 18:16, where it refers to pillars of support.
In the Hiphil (causative), it basically means "to cause to be certain, sure" or "to be certain about," "to be assured." In this sense the word in the Hiphil conjugation is the biblical word for "to believe" and shows that biblical faith is an assurance, a certainty, in contrast with modern concepts of faith as something possible, hopefully true, but not certain.
Following from this we find the word in the passive Qal participle used with a passive meaning "one who is established" or "one who is confirmed," i.e. "faithful one" (2Sam 20:19; Psa 12:1 [H 2]; Psa 31:23 [H 24]).
In the Niphal conjugation the meaning is "to be established" (2Sam 7:16; 1Chr 17:23; 2Chr 6:17; Isa 7:9). The Niphal participle means "to be faithful, sure, dependable" and describes believers (Num 12:7; 1Sam 2:35; Neh 9:
. This form is also used to describe that upon which all certainty rests: God himself (Deut 7:9), and his covenant (Psa 89:28 [H 29]).
One interesting illustration of the relationship between "belief" and "being established" is seen in Isa 7:9. Ahaz is told that unless he believes (Hiphil) he will not be established (Niphal), i.e. without faith he has no stability.
The various derivatives reflect the same concept of certainty and dependability. The derivative
'amen "verily" is carried over into the New Testament in the word
amên which is our English word "amen." Jesus used the word frequently (Mt 5:18, 26 etc.) to stress the certainty of a matter. The Hebrew and Greek forms come at the end of prayers and hymns of praise (Psa 41:13 [H 14]; Psa 106:48; 2Tim 4:18; Rev 22:20 etc.). This indicates that the term so used in our prayers ought to express certainty and assurance in the Lord to whom we pray.
'emetFirst, it is frequently applied to God as a characteristic of his nature. In Gen 24:27, for example, it describes God who leads Abraham's servant to the right wife for Isaac. In Exo 34:6, it is given as one of the verbal descriptions of God which constitute God's goodness. Other examples are Psa 25:5; Psa 31:5 [H 6]; Jer 4:2; Jer 10:10.
It is a term fittingly applied to God's words (Psa 119:142, 151, 160; Dan 10:21).
As a characteristic of God revealed to men, it therefore becomes the means by which men know and serve God as their savior (Josh 24:14; 1Kings 2:4; Psa 26:3; Psa 86:11; Psa 91:4; Isa 38:3), and then, as a characteristic to be found in those who have indeed come to God (Exo 18:21; Neh 7:2; Psa 15:2; Zech 8:16).
Because it is an attribute of God which is manifest in man's salvation and life of service as God's child, the word is often coupled with another attribute of God related to our salvation, "mercy" or "love" (
chesed, Gen 24:27; Psa 61:7 [H 8]; Psa 85:10 [H 11]; Psa 115:1; Prov 14:22; Prov 16:6; Prov 20:28).
And because these attributes of God's truth and mercy lead to God's peace toward sinful men, saved by God's grace, the word is also often coupled with peace (Isa 39:8; Jer 33:6).
As we study its various contexts, it becomes manifestly clear that there is no truth in the biblical sense, i.e. valid truth, outside God. All truth comes from God and is truth because it is related to God.
