The concept of vicarious suffering in the Old Testament
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Date
Authors
Geyser-Fouche, Ananda B.
Munengwa, Thomas More
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS Open Journals
Abstract
The concept of vicarious suffering has been used to describe some form(s) of suffering in the
Old Testament. The use of this concept has, however, been a source of much debate and
controversy. In this article, the meaning of the concept of vicarious suffering, its presence in
the Old Testament, as well as its ‘appropriateness’ and usefulness as a heuristic term in the
study of the Old Testament account of suffering is discussed. Vicarious suffering is defined
as ‘suffering in place of and for the benefit of others’. The study establishes that while a
number of terms and practices in the Old Testament express the idea of vicariousness, the
concept of vicarious suffering finds its fullest and dramatic expression in Isaiah 52:13–53:12.
Therefore, the article concludes by proposing that the concept of vicarious suffering is
present in the Old Testament, particularly in Isaiah 52:13–53:12, and that it continues to be
an appropriate and useful heuristic concept in the study of the issue of suffering in the Old
Testament.
Description
This research is part of the
project, ‘Second Temple
Literature and Qumran’,
directed by Dr Ananda
Geyser-Fouche of the
Department Old Testament
Studies, Faculty of Theology,
University of Pretoria.
Keywords
Suffering, Vicarious suffering, Divine suffering, Just retribution, Isaiah 52:13–53, Old Testament
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Geyser-Fouchè, A.B. &
Munengwa, T.M., 2019, ‘The
concept of vicarious suffering
in the Old Testament’,
HTS Teologiese Studies/
Theological Studies 75(4),
a5352. https://DOI.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5352.