PASSES NO JUDGMENT ON CHARACTER : OUJ BIVWN EJXEVTASIN POIEITAI AJLLA PIVSTEW " ENDEIXIN (T HEOPHLCT ).
D AU . TE K . S AM . K . T . PR . ] T HE GREAT KING AND THE GREAT STATESMAN - PROPHET SUM UP ALL THAT WAS NOBLEST IN THE SECOND STAGE OF THE DIVINE HISTORY OF I SRAEL . W ITH THEM ARE JOINED THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS OF THE PEOPLE THROUGH WHOM THE GROWING COUNSEL OF G OD WAS INTERPRETED THROUGH APPARENT FAILURE AND LOSS . D AVID AND S AMUEL APPEAR TO BE CLOSELY CONNECTED ( TE , KAIV ) AND THE PROPHETS ARE ADDED AS A SECOND ELEMENT .
(
B
) C
HARACTERISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF
F
AITH
(H
EB
. 11:33-35
A
). T
HE
J
UDGES
,
THE
K
INGS
,
AND THE
P
ROPHETS REPRESENT ADEQUATELY THE CHIEF TYPES OF BELIEVERS UNDER THE THEOCRACY AND THE KINGDOM
. H
AVING SIGNALISED THESE
,
THE WRITER GOES ON TO MARK THE CHARACTERISTIC MANIFESTATIONS OF THE POWER OF
F
AITH
. T
HESE ARE DESCRIBED WITH REMARKABLE SYMMETRY
:
(
I
)
KATHGWNIVSANTO BASILEIVA
"
,
HJRGAVSANTO DIKAIOSUVNHN , EJPEVTUCON EJPAGGELIWN .
( II ) EFRAXAN STOVMATA LEOVNTWN ,
ESBESAN DUVNAMIN PUROV " , EFUGON STOVMATA MACAIVRH " . ( III ) EJDUNAMWVQHSAN AJPO AJSQENEIVA " ,
EJGENHVQHSAN IJSCUROI EJN POLEVMW , PAREMBOLA ;" EKLINAN AJLLOTRIVWN . I N EACH GROUP THERE IS A PROGRESS , AND THERE IS A PROGRESS IN THE SUCCESSION OF GROUPS IN THE DIRECTION OF THAT WHICH IS MORE PERSONAL .
11:33. T HE FIRST TRIPLET DESCRIBES THE BROAD RESULTS WHICH BELIEVERS OBTAINED :
M ATERIAL VICTORY . M ORAL SUCCESS IN GOVERNMENT . S PIRITUAL REWARD .
T HE SECOND TRIPLET NOTICES FORMS OF PERSONAL DELIVERANCE FROM : W ILD BEASTS .
P HYSICAL FORCES . H UMAN TYRANNY . T HE THIRD TRIPLET MARKS THE ATTAINMENT OF PERSONAL GIFTS : S TRENGTH .
T HE EXERCISE OF STRENGTH . T HE TRIUMPH OF STRENGTH ( THE BELIEVER AGAINST THE ALIEN ). OI DIA PIVSTEW " ...] T HE FORM PIVSTEI WHICH HAS BEEN USED BEFORE IS NOW CHANGED . T HE WRITER SPEAKS OF THE GENERAL INSPIRING POWER OF FAITH : H EB . 6:12. C OMPARE 11:39 DIA TH '" PIVSTEW " .
KATHGWNIVSANTO BASILEIVA
"
] F
OR EXAMPLE
G
IDEON
(M
IDIANITES
), J
UDG
. 7; B
ARAK
(C
ANAANITES
), J
UDG
. 4; S
AMSON
(P
HILISTINES
), J
UDG
. 14
F
.; J
EPHTHAH
(A
MMONITES
), J
UDG
. 11; J
ONATHAN
(P
HILISTINES
), 1 S
AM
. 14:6
FF
.; D
AVID
(P
HILISTINES
), 2 S
AM
. 5:17; (M
OABITES
&
C
.) 2 S
AM
. 8:2; (A
MMONITES
) 2 S
AM
. 10:12;
IN EACH CASE WITH WEAKER FORCES THAN THEIR ENEMIES
.
HJRGAVSANTO DIKAIO " .] T HE PHRASE IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD NOT ONLY OF PURELY INDIVIDUAL VIRTUES , BUT OF THE VIRTUES OF LEADERS : 1 S AM . 12:4; 2