著者

川村 輝典

出版者

東京女子大学

雑誌

東京女子大学紀要論集 (ISSN:04934350)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.32, no.2, pp.1-15, 1982-03-20

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The purpose of this paper is to examine the meaning of "Today" in Heb 3:17-4:11 and to clarify how much the salvation mentioned in this letter covers. The first problem which arises in our discussion is the division of the "Today" into three ages: the age of the wilderness generation, that of the Psalmic generation and that of the Hebrew generation. Is this way of division possible or necessary? Does the notion of "Today" apply to each of these three ages? Our conclusion is that there is not so much a three-fold division of "Today" as a two-fold division: the lost "Today" of the wilderness generation and the "Today" which has been effective since the Psalmic generation. The second problem is the destiny of Joshua and his followers: have they dropped off from salvation and missed the chance of entering into rest? They are not those whose bodies fell in the wilderness. In this sense, they did not sin and suffer from the anger of God. However, the author of the Book of Joshua (=Deutronomist) must have thought they did not enter into rest. The Psalmist stands in the same position as the Deutronomist. He thinks of rest as peace in God. According to him, Joshua and his followers did not enter into rest. How about Israel in the age of the Psalms? The Psalmist thinks that the new "Today" is shown to them. There is still a chance for them to enter into rest. Can they really enter into rest, though? As H. Windisch, E. Riggenbach, and H. Strathmann suggest, "Today" is a time extending to the parousia. If we think so, those who wait for salvation, including all the people since the Psalmist told about "Today", have a chance to enter into this rest. Therefore, couldn't we also add Joshua and his followers?