The Man of Today and the Jewish Bible (1936)

Abstract

Biblia (books) is the name of a book—one composed of many books. It is really one book, for one basic theme unites all the stories and songs, sayings and prophecies contained within it. The theme of the Bible is the encounter between a group of people and the One without Name [Namenloser] who, in the course of history, in the sequence of events occurring on earth, will address the group and be addressed by it, and whom the group has dared to call by name.¹ Whether openly or by implication, the stories are reports of encounters. The songs lament the denial of the grace of encounter—plead that it may be repeated, or give thanks because it has been vouchsafed. The prophecies summon man who has gone astray to turn—to return to the region where the encounter took place, promising him that the torn bond shall once more be made whole. If this book transmits cries of doubt, it is the doubt that is the destiny of man who after having tasted nearness must experience distance and learn from distance what it alone can teach. When we find love songs in the Bible, we must understand that these are not reinterpretations of later time,” but that the love of God for His world is revealed through the depths of love that human beings can feel for one another.