Childs-Prophecy and Fulfillment
Childs-Prophecy and Fulfillment
Childs-Prophecy and Fulfillment
By BREVARD S. CHILDS
exegesis in one respect did not offer any deepened understanding over
the Fathers since he also conceived of the Old Testament prophecies as
directly related to Christ.4 Nevertheless, a new approach was introduced
when he interpreted the entire Old Testament Christologically rather
than remaining satisfied with any mechanical relationship. Far more
basic to the problem was the direction offered by Calvin. Only occa-
sionally did he seem to fall back into the older scheme (cf. Institutes I,
viii). He conceived of Christ's work as a fulfillment of the historical
institutions of Israel which foreshadowed his kingdom. Working with
types he developed an organic relationship between the Testaments and
conceived of history as moving toward a goal.5 When one compares the
Reformers' approach to the problem with a typical definition developing
out of the succeeding period of Protestant Scholasticism, it becomes
immediately evident that the insights of the Reformation had soon been
lost. Vitringa defined prophecy as the "prediction of any occurrence or
contingent event in the future revealed through divine revelation."6
Prophecy had become equated with arbitrary prediction, divorced from
the purpose of God in history.
That a reaction would set in against this extreme position was obvious.
It expressed itself in different and often radically opposing ways. On the
one hand, the developing critical school nourished by rationalism was
not reluctant in pointing out the inconsistencies between the prophecies
and the alleged fulfillment. The criticism of the orthodox position begun
by Semler and Eichhorn found its full expression in the work of Kuenen,7
who devoted three long chapters in relentlessly tracking down "unful-
filled prophecies."
On the other hand, a more positive attempt to offer a solution which
was basically different from the orthodox position was presented by
Schleiermacher.8 He differentiated between "special prediction, directed
to an individual event," and "Messianic prophecy." The first kind was
strictly foretelling and achieved only varying degrees of accuracy. Mes-
sianic prophecy, however, was not concerned with particulars, but with
universals and, therefore, obtained its absolute value. The accidental
elements accompanying Messianic prophecy were an "external vesture"
4. Cf. H. Bornkamm, Luther und das Alte Testament (1948), pp. 86 ff.
5. Cf. R. S. Wallace, Calvin's Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament (Edinburgh: Oliver and
Boyd 1953), PP. 42ff.; Diestel, ibid., pp. 267 ff.
6. Typus doctrinae propheticae (1691), p. 2, cited by Diestel.
7. A. Kuenen, The Prophets and Prophecy in Israel (1877), pp. 98 ff.
8. The Christian Faith (English Translation, Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark 1928), 103,3.
Prophecy and Fulfillment 261
14. Weissagung und Erfllung (1841-44). See Interpretation Vol. 4 (1950), pp. 311 ff.
15. Wilhelm Vischer, The Witness of the Old Testament to Christ (Vol. I London:
Lutterworth Press, 1949).
22 Interpretation
previously promised. Rather, that which was known in the Old Testament
is made perfect in the New. The New Testament's interpretation is
made normative for the understanding of the Old. At times Vischer
conceives of the Old Testament witness in terms of types, but essentially
he sees Jesus Christ actually at work in the Old Testament community.
Vischer's method has been severely criticized at many points. One of
the most trenchant has been that of Walther Eichrodt whose own posi-
tive contributions to this problem cannot be minimized.16 Eichrodt points
out Vischer's failure to take seriously the history of revelation which
entered into and participated in all the ambiguities of the empirical
world. He stresses prophecy and fulfillment as an organic relationship
which only gradually unfolded in a history. This history moved toward
the goal of all fulfillment which is the kingship of God. Another severe
critic of Vischer is Gerhard von Rad,17 who emphasizes the function of
the prophetic word as a history-creating-force. Israel's entire history
from the creation to the coming of the Son of Man is bracketed within
a framework of prophecy and fulfillment. In the concrete minutia of
Israel's history the Word of God is striving for its goal. Von Rad sees in
this history of the Word the event of Christ "prefigured." Walther Zim-
merli's position18 is similar to von Rad's, however, with less emphasis on
the typological connection with the New Testament.
In spite of the various modifications introduced by Eichrodt and von
Rad by way of correcting Hofmann, the heilsgeschichtlich approach to
prophecy continues to meet a vigorous antagonist in Rudolf Bultmann.19
He contends that it is impossible to speak of fulfillment on the plane of
empirical history since Christ brought an end to history in an eschatologi-
cal sense which is not related in a positive way to Israel's history. One
can speak of "fulfilled prophecy" only negatively inasmuch as the Old
Testament demonstrates the total failure (Scheitern) of man's religious
efforts to relate himself to God. The phrase "fulfilled prophecy" can only
have theological meaning in showing the impossibility of a progression
from the religious self-consciousness of man to the new creation in Christ.
16. "Zur Frage der theologischen Exegese des A. T.", Theologische Bltter, 17 (1938), pp.
74 ff.; Theologie des A. T.? I (1948), pp. 257 ff.; Israel in der Weissagung des A. T. (1951) ;
"Ist die typologische Exegese sachgemsse Exegese?" Theologische Literaturzeitung, 81 (1956),
pp. 641 ff.
17. G. von Rad, "Typologische Auslegung des Alten Testaments", Evangelische Theologie,
12 (1952-3), pp. 17 ff.
18. W. Zimmerli, "Verheissung und Erfllung," Evangelische Theologie, 12 (1952-3), pp.
34 ff.
19. R. Bultmann, "Weissagung und Erfllung," Zeitschrift fr Theologie und Kirche^
(1950), PP. 360 ff.
Prophecy and Fulfillment 263
Finally, the most ambitious attempt in recent years to solve the prob-
lem of prophecy and fulfillment is the work of Friedrich Baumgrtel.20
He submits the above solutions to a thoroughgoing analysis and finds
them deficient in important points. According to Baumgrtel it is abso-
lutely essential that the concept of promise (Verheissung) be distin-
guished from that of prophecy (Weissagung). Promise is the unchanging
message central to both Testaments: "I am the Lord thy God.55 This
promise is true only in Jesus Christ. Prophecy, however, is the humanly
conditioned attempt of the Old Testament prophets to understand when
and how the divine promise would be fulfilled. Promise is unchangeable
and absolute in truth whereas prophecy is relative. Since the fulfillment
of the promise is known only in Christ, the New Testament's witness to
him becomes the yardstick for judging what in the Old Testament is a
testimony to this promise. The Old Testament is theologically relevant
only when it relates itself existentially to the promise fulfilled in Christ.
Baumgrtel contends that the formula "prophecy and fulfillment55 must
be abandoned as a means of relating the Testaments since it is an attempt
to demonstrate logically from the standpoint of the Old Testament the
promise of Christ. The method is theologically false in trying to pass
from the Old Testament to the New on the basis of empirical data, and
is, moreover, historically unconvincing and outmoded.
Following our discussion of this complex problem, we shall have occa-
sion to return to some of these proposed solutions.
according to the tradition of the Old Testament. The rest of the New
Testament canon is clear in the continuance of this understanding of the
relation between the two Covenants. The recent study of C. H. Dodd22
has increased our understanding regarding the use of Old Testament
citations as pointers to a whole scriptural context rather than merely as
individual prooftexts. Moreover, he has suggested that the assumption
underlying this use of the Old Testament by the New is a "certain under-
standing of history, which is substantially that of the prophets them-
selves.5523 It is in order to penetrate into this biblical understanding of
history that we turn to a study of the word "fulfill.55
The verb used most frequently in the New Testament to express the
act of fulfilling is pleroun,24 which appears in reference to prophecy chief-
ly in the aorist passive or perfect middle forms. In Matthew the typical
formula of introduction is usually: "in order that (hia, hopos) that
which was spoken (rethen) by the Lord through the prophet might be
fulfilled (plerothe)" (Matt. 1:22, 2:15, etc.). The Gospel of John sub-
situtes logos (12:38, etc.) in a similar formula. All the four Gospels at
times refer to the fulfilling of the Scriptures (he graphe, hai graphai).
Although similar expressions occur occasionally in Jewish rabbinical
writings,25 the closest parallelism is found in the Septuagint (cf. I Kings
2:27, II Chron. 36:21 ). Since in the great majority of cases pleroun is
the translation of the Hebrew root ra/'26 we shall turn our attention to its
usage within the Old Testament.
The Hebrew verb ml', sharing a common Semitic root, can mean in
its qal form either "to fill55 or "to be full.55 Locusts fill the houses (Exod.
10:6) ; the train of Yahweh fills the temple (Isa. 6 : 1 ) ; the woman, fol-
lowing Elisha5s command, takes empty vessels and pours oil in them
until they are full (II Kings 4:6). In both the qal and niph5al this
essentially spatial connotation has been expanded into a temporal expres-
sion. Days and years are commonly spoken of as being full or filled.
Rebekah5s days were full that she could give birth (Gen. 25:24) ; follow-
ing a certain period of separation the Nazirite5s days are said to be full
22. C. H. Dodd, According to the Scriptures (London: Nisbet, 1952).
23. Dodd, ibid., p. 128.
24. G. Kittel (ed), Theologisches Wrterbuch zum Neuen Testament, VI, pp. 283 ff.; H.
Ljungman, Das Gesetz Erfllen (1954).
25. Cf. Bruce Metger, "Formulas introducing Quotations of Scripture", Journal of Biblical
Literature, 70 (1951), pp. 306 f.
26. Cf. Ljungman, op. cit., pp. 26 ff.; for a criticism of Dalman's attempt to relate plroun to
the Hebrew kiyyam (Aramaic kayym).
Prophecy and Fulfillment 265
that he may return to a normal life (Num. 6:13) ; forty days are full
before the process of embalming Joseph is completed ( Gen. 50:3).
The use of mV as a temporal expression is of importance as it evidences
a peculiarity of Hebrew thought which is often overlooked in our modern
use of this same idiom. The Hebrew concept of time is primarily con-
cerned with the quality of time rather than in its temporal succession.27
The characteristic words for time such as ceth ( = L X X kairos) and
mocedh are clearly of this nature. The writer of Ecclesiastes elaborates
on the various kinds of time which present themselves (Chap. 3). It is
the search for the "right time55 that interests the Hebrew (cf. Hag. 1:2;
Esther 1:13). The fact that the Hebrew verbal system indicates qualities
of action rather than tenses goes to confirm this analysis.
Although the Hebrew emphasis is on opportune time (kairos), it
should not be thought that the Old Testament is indifferent to chrono-
logical time (chronos). The succession of time is marked by days, months,
and years. Days are said to come (Isa. 13:6), and pass (Deut. 4:32).
The shortness of man's life is contrasted to the eternity of God (Psa.
9o:gf., I03:i5ff.). Although many Hebrew verbs are used to describe
the passing of time succession, the use of mV retains its unique emphasis
which differs from the meaning given by verbs such as "come55 (bw3)
and "pass55 (cbr).
In the great majority of cases mV appears in reference to days or years
in order to designate the filling or completing of chronological time. mV
is never used with ceth or mo'edh to express the filling of an appointed
time. Occasionally, however, the chronological element is replaced by a
usage of "day55 bordering on ceth ( Jer. 25:34). The uniqueness of the term
mV used in expressing chronological time rests in the fact that this time is
viewed as a totality. Hebrew thinking, even when attempting to express
time succession, could not abstract it from its content. Time as a mere
concept was unknown. Chronological time as well as opportune time
were known by the content. When passing time with its content formed
a totality, it was said to be filled in the same way a receptacle with its
content together formed a whole. The spatial terminology could be used
to express temporality because both shared in the decisive fact of totality.
The truth of this analysis is supported when we recall the well-known
fact that the Hebrew expressed the past in terms of that which was
ahead of him (qdm), and the future in terms of that which followed him
27. Cf. J. Pedersen, Israel, I / I I (London: Oxford University Press, 1926), pp. 487 ff.; J.
Marsh, The Fulness of Time (London: Nisbet, 1952), pp. 19 ff.; T. Boman, Das hebrische
Denken im Vergleich mit dem Griechischen? (1954), pp. 109 ff.
266 Interpretation
('Ar).28 This usage is exactly opposed to the modern abstract concept.
Only when we speak of our /^fathers and posterity do we use this in-
verted Hebrew frame of reference. Time is here also viewed in terms of
its content, and forms an organic totality within chronological time. To
summarize: mV in reference to time can often bear the meaning of com-
plete, but only when seen in terms of forming a whole.29
The real focus of our word study is found in the pi5el usage of mV.
While the verb continues to possess its essential meaning of fill, it has
expanded its usage to include the filling of words. The Jews in Egypt
have not only said that they would practice idolatry, but they have filled
their words by doing so ( Jer. 44:25 ). The word which had been spoken
concerning the house of Eli was filled when Solomon expelled Abiathar
from office (I Kings 2:27). The exile in Babylon filled the words of
Yahweh spoken through Jeremiah (II Chron. 36:21). It appears most
probable that the earliest passage in which this usage occurs is in Jere-
miah. When we consider the deepening which the doctrine of the word
received through this prophet,30 it is not surprising to find a development
at this point. However, the full use of this formula came about through
the Deuteronomistic school where it formed the actual framework into
which the writer cast his material.31 Although this formulation of a word
filling itself is relatively a late development, the concept behind the
formula is early. It is rooted deeply in the Hebrew mentality and touches
on the Old Testament understanding of truth and reality.
Only that which maintains itself is true (*mn). It maintains itself by
joining to a totality. A false thing is an empty thing having no reality
(Psa. 4:3). Egypt's help possesses no reality because it is empty (ryq),
unable to be realized. A man with an empty soul has no reality, but is
merely a worthless caricature ( Judg. 9:4). He is a fragment which falsely
appears to be something. Naomi went away full, but returned empty
because she could not maintain herself (Ruth. 1:13). The family whole-
ness had been destroyed making her life empty and unreal. Also labor is
empty if it does not fill its purpose ( Isa. 51:58). The bearing of children
is empty if it does not produce wholeness in a family (Isa. 65:23).
28. C. von Orelli, Die hebrischen Synonyma der Z*it und Ewigkeit (1871), p. 14.
29. J. . Lighfoot's comment, Epistle to the Colossians% (London: Macmillan 1876), p.
257, that the New Testament's usage of the word "complete" has lost its connection with its
basic meaning of fill, must be seriously questioned in light of the Old Testament usage, cf., also
Ljungman, op. cit., pp. 56 ff.
30. G. Kittel (ed), Theologisches Wrterbuch zum Neuen Testament, IV, (Stuttgart: W.
Kolhammer, 1936, pp. .
3 i . G. Von Rad, Deuteronomium Studien (1947, pp. 52 ff.
Prophecy and Fulfillment 267
Testament which share his same reality. These Old Testament events,
taking place as various points in Israel's history, belong to the selfsame
reality which Christ brought in fullness. Although appearing in an in-
complete form, these events are prophetic because they were part of a
history which strove for wholeness. Because these Old Testament events
share Christ's reality, they are often viewed from the New Testament
perspective as part of the actual work of Jesus Christ. Chronological
sequence is disregarded because of the affinity in content. For example,
the "suffering servant" of II Isaiah, whether interpreted individualisti-
cally or collectively, arose out of and was rooted in the historical situation
of the exile. The New Testament sees in the Suffering Servant a mani-
festation of the reality known in Jesus Christ and, therefore, identifies the
two. The fragmentary events of the Old Testament are interpreted in
the light of their fullness and given their true dimension.
the prophets, the "Suffering Servant," the " I " of the Psalms, a reality
appeared which found its wholeness in Christ. The New Testament goes
far beyond the point of understanding the work of Christ in the Old
Testament merely in terms of his role as the Eternal Word. Rather, the
humanity of Jesus Christ, who is true Israel, was forming itself in the Old
Covenant.
Finally, in regard to the solutions of Bultmann and Baumgrtel, both
share the concern that the radical eschatological nature of the Christ
event be not impaired. Both emphasize correctly the fact that with
Jesus Christ something completely new entered history by which every
former thing is judged. However, in our opinion, both Bultmann and
Baumgrtel have essentially a docetic approach to the Old Testament.
Bultmann interprets the Christ event existentially as the possibility of
eschatological existence in the world (Entweltlichung) which means
freedom from the pressures of the world. He finds the basic failure of the
Old Testament to be the attempt of identifying the activity of God in the
immanental history of Israel (innerweltliche Geschichte). But this seems
to us exactly what the New Testament does ! In spite of its time-bound,
incomplete forms the Old Testament is a witness to the selfsame reality
as is manifested in Jesus Christ. There is a faith continuity from the Old
to the New Testament. In a similar manner, the effect of BaumgrtePs
separation of the Old Testament promise from its imperfect form of
prophecy is to rob the promise of its concreteness. It has become a cold
abstraction which does not come to rest within the real life of Israel.33
Because of the Incarnation, one cannot speak of biblical truth in terms
of absolutes divorced from an historical manifestation.
Finally, both Bultmann and Baumgrtel have not really penetrated
into the biblical category of fulfillment. They have been content to
identify it with a rationalistic theory of correspondence which they then
discard. We have tried to show that when understood in terms of whole-
ness, the use of prophecy and fulfillment is not an embarrassing vestige
from rabbinical exegesis, nor a primitive attempt at apologetics. Rather,
it reveals a profound understanding of the purposes of God in Jesus
Christ, who is the fulfillment of Old Testament history.
33. Cf. the similar criticism of Baumgrtel by von Rad, Evangelische Theologie, 13 (1953),
pp. 406 if. and Eichrodt, Theologische Literaturzeitung, 81 (1956), p. 649.
^ s
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