volume 13, issue 1, 2021, pages 107-118

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64438/sbsCATH9147
Published online: 2021-06-01
Published in print: 2021-06-30

Abstract: Elijah’s prophetic personality and the story of his life continues to inspire even after nearly three millennia. This character fascinates the people of the Old and New Testament and many generations have been inspired by him, especially in critical times of history. Elijah is an attractive figure because of his ideal relationship with God, and also because of his example of immense courage and a sense of righteousness in relation to people, especially in relation to the powerful of this world. Individual events are described in several books of the Old Testament, and references to it overlap into the New Testament. The summary of the texts on Elijah needs to be arranged in chronological order, distinguishing between certain idealizations taken from the folk environment, biographical facts, and theological focal points. This study also includes a brief excursion of the hermeneutic sense of sensus plenior and some examples of the Judaic tradition concerning the prophet Elijah. In the history of God’s revelation, this character has marked a significant overlap with the New Testament. The in-biblical interpretation of the prophetic figure of Elijah can be traced by the hermeneutic sense of sensus plenior, which reliably shows both idealizations, facts and theological focal points. At the end of the study, it is also possible to try to update the message of this interesting biblical character and to formulate certain spiritual consequences.