«Sarete riscattati senza denaro» (Is 52,3)

La redenzione nell’Antico Testamento tra metafora teologica e linguaggio giuridico ibrido

Abstract

First published in Redimere e riscattare. La redemptio tra teologia e politica («Politica e Religione», 2017), pp. 25-57. 

Most Old Testament texts dealing with redemption and ransom use legal language, even when God is the redeemer, although in this case the fact that God redeems without paying a ransom is emphasized. This essay reviews the terminology around both redemption and ransom, focusing on the verbs pdh and g’l and their derivatives. It also considers the topic of expiation, expressed through the ransom kōfer and a particular usage of the verb kipper, involving blood offerings. Some notes on reconciliation and slave purchase complete the survey. In conclusion, we point out that these texts clearly reveal a theological interpretation of legal language, and highlight the fact that God redeems without ransom (whether paid by, or – in the case of expiation – to him); however, this new hermeneutics is also problematic, and even appears somewhat forced. It is therefore understandable that in later theological (and chiefly Christian) traditions we detect the – at least implicit – idea that a ransom is paid to, or even by, God, notwithstanding the heavy burden imposed by such an idea.