Prophetic Inspiration in the Old Testament: An Ancient Interpretation in the Light of Modern Researches

Abstract

The article deals with the question on forms of prophetic inspiration in Old Testament and in the literature of the II Temple period. The terms of the prophetic phenomenon in different parts of OT canon, intertestamental scriptures and Qumran Scrolls in historical context of the social groups' development are described. The variety of prophetisms and the specificity of perception of Gods revelation in Ancient Israel are detailed. A correlation between self-understanding of prophet as receiving a revelation internally and concept of primacy of thought to the act of speaking in modern linguistics is revealed. There is also demonstrated in the article, that an opposition between “dictation” and “collaboration” (or rather “poethic inspiration”) for ancient interpretation of phenomenon of prophecy and for its biblical sources is irrelevant. This opposition seems to be a result of application of some concepts developed in interconfessional cotroversies which were conducted in the beginning of Modern Period. In the ancient times, relations between a prophet and a source of revelation were considered not as a dialogue of two parties nor as a pure mediumship, but rather as a kind of resonsnce working on the principle of Aeolian harp. This is the sence in which the Church fathers' metaphor of “musical instrument” to be understanded.