Abstract:
This article describes the use of the Bible in Dag Hammarskjöld’s famous and widely read
publication, Markings (1988). It asks the question whether his use of the Bible reflects his personal
experiences or whether it reflects his search for understanding the meaning of his vocation. The
article focuses particularly on the relationship between Scripture and the awakening to the
mystical process as it comes to the fore in his discussion of the Johannine passage on Jesus’
washing of the disciple’s feet before the Last Supper (Jn 13–14). In the first section of the article
a new, precise version of the text in Markings is provided. Then, secondly, Hammarskjöld’s
interpretation and representation of the contents of the passage are analysed. Finally, some
general conclusions about the nature of the mystical process in Hammarskjöld’s appropriation
of Scripture are given.
