The Development of God in the Old Testament

Markus Witte explores the complex theological foundations of scripture in The Development of God in the Old Testament, Volume 1. This scholarly work in biblical studies examines how the ways of speaking and thinking about God in the Old Testament establish the religio-historical basis for New Testament discourse. Through three detailed case studies, the author demonstrates the inseparable connection between the theologies of the Old and New Testaments. The text utilizes comparative philology and the history of religion to analyze how divine concepts evolve across different historical contexts.

The volume investigates the Hebrew divine title El Shaddai and its Greek equivalent, pantokrator, to trace the development of divine understanding. Witte also examines justice as a central theme in the relationship between God and humanity using texts from the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint. Finally, the book provides a literary-historical biography of Yahweh as creator and guarantor of justice. This academic study serves as a significant resource for those researching theology, Judaism, and Christology.