BIBLE IN THE WORLD
Habakkuk in the ApocryphaApocrypha refers to a collection of writings that, in the judgment of a particular group, are not to be considered as part of the established, authoritative books of the Bible. Several books that Protestants consider apocryphal, such as Judith and Bel and the Dragon, appear... More
The prophet Habakkuk is not mentioned outside of his book in the Old Testament. He does, however, make two appearances in the Apocrypha: in the Book of 2 Esdras and in the Greek addition to the Book of DanielAn interpreter of dreams who was delivered from the lions' den. More known as “BelBel is one of the names of Marduke, the leading god of Babylonia. In Isaiah and Jeremiah Bel is seen as a god in opposition to the God of Israel. One of the books of the Apocrypha is Bel and the Dragon. More and the Dragon.”
In 2 Esdras, a work compiled perhaps in the third century CE, Habakkuk is listed along with the other 11 minor prophets and the three patriarchsOriginally patriarchs were men who exercised authority over an extended family or tribe. The book of Genesis introduces Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the three patriarchs of the people of Israel. More as those whom God will give as leaders to “a people coming from the east” (2 Esdras 1:38-40).
In the much earlier work,“Bel and the Dragon” (Daniel 14 in the SeptuagintThe Septuagint is a pre-Christian (third to first century BCE) Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures. It is believed that the term Septuagint derives from the number of scholars-seventy (or seventy-two)-who reputedly did the work of translation. More version of the book), Habakkuk appears as a contemporary of Daniel. “Bel and the Dragon” tells two stories about Daniel that resemble in theme and tone the canonical Hebrew tales about him. In the first tale, as in Daniel 3, the foreign king wants Judean exiles to worship an idolIdolatry is the worship of something other than the true God. An idol may be a cult image, an idea, or an object made of wood or stone. Ome of the Ten Commandments specifically prohibits the worship of graven images or idols; this concern is... More, and Daniel, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refuses to do so even though he may forfeit his life by staying true to the God of Israel. Likewise, in the second tale, after Daniel kills the dragon whom the Babylonians worship (the Babylonians in the Persian court are Daniel’s enemies in this tale), they throw him into a lions’ den, as in Daniel 6. In “Bel and the Dragon,” though, Daniel stays in the lions’ den for seven days, much longer than the one night he spends there in the canonical version.
This is where the prophet Habakkuk comes in. Habakkuk, living in Judea, has prepared a dinner to take out to harvesters in the field when an angel of the Lord appears to him and tells him to take the food instead to Daniel in the lions’ den in Babylon. When Habakkuk protests that he has never been to Babylon, the angel picks him up by the hair and takes him there (an uncomfortable journey, to be sure). Habakkuk gives the meal to Daniel, who takes it as a miraculous sign that God has not forsaken him, and then Habakkuk is taken back to Judea by the angel, whether by the hair or not is not noted. Daniel is then rescued from the lions’ den by King CyrusPersian leader who allowed Jewish exiles to return home. More on day seven, and Cyrus throws Daniel’s enemies into the lions’ den instead, where they are immediately devoured.
This story brings up a number of questions: Is the uncomfortable journey a punishment for Habakkuk’s initial unwillingness to obey? Why does he give the food to Daniel and not to the lions? But mostly, why is Habakkuk the meal deliverer? There does not appear to be much in the book of Habakkuk that would qualify him for such a task, though it is worth noting that the dinner he prepares is for the harvesters, so the faith expressed at the end of the book of Habakkuk seems to have been fulfilled – the fields have yielded food (Habakkuk 3:17-19). Perhaps Habakkuk appears in the story simply because Habakkuk’s association with Babylon places him in approximately the same time period as Daniel. In any case, the prophet proves in this story to be a means of sustenance, both physical and spiritual.
Habakkuk and the Dead Sea ScrollsThe Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient scrolls discovered in the mid-20th century in caves near an archaeological site called Qumran More
One of the original seven scrolls discovered in 1947 in the caves at Qumran is the Commentary on Habakkuk (1QpHab or Pesher Habakkuk). This scroll, dated to the latter half of the first century BCE, interprets the first two chapters of the book of Habakkuk as referring to the Qumran community’s own time, with the Romans (or “Kittim”) standing in for the Babylonians.
The Commentary on Habakkuk is organized much like a modern biblical commentary. It quotes Habakkuk line by line and interprets the meaning of each line by saying, “interpreted, this concerns…” Unlike modern biblical commentaries, however, the Qumran scroll reads Habakkuk as prophesying events contemporaneous with the Qumran community. The fierceness and military might of the Romans are described, but the author of the scroll affirms that God will use God’s elect to judge the nations, not the other way around.
In addition to the material describing the Romans, the Commentary on Habakkuk is concerned with conflicts between the Qumran sect and their enemies within the Jewish community itself. The “treacherous” of Habakkuk 1:13 are equated with the “House of AbsalomThe son of King David who tried to usurp David's throne. More,” who did not aid the “Teacher of Righteousness” against the “Liar.” The followers of this “Teacher of Righteousness” (presumably the members of the Qumran community itself) are those who “live by their faith” in Habakkuk 2:4. And the warnings of Habakkuk 2:5-17 against the wicked and the violent are interpreted as referring to the “Wicked PriestA priest is a person who has the authority to perform religious rites. In New Testament times priests were responsible for daily offerings and sacrifices in the temple. More” and his companions. While these enemies remain unnamed in 1QpHab, they are centered in Jerusalem and its TempleThe Jerusalem temple, unlike the tabernacle, was a permanent structure, although (like the tabernacle) it was a place of worship and religious activity. On one occasion Jesus felt such activity was unacceptable and, as reported in all four Gospels, drove from the temple those engaged... More.
It is clear that the sectarians at Qumran understood Habakkuk to be prophesying about their own troubled time, when the Romans, like the Babylonians before them, were conquering the known world, and the priestly establishment in Jerusalem – according to the Qumran community – was corrupt. In the midst of this difficult time, the Qumran community – like the original readers/hearers of Habakkuk – derived hope from the prophet’s words.
“The RighteousA righteous person is one who is ethical and faithful to God's covenant. Righteousness in the Old Testament is an attitude of God; in the New Testament it is a gift of God through grace. In the New Testament righteousness is a relationship with God... More Shall Live By Faith”
The most influential verse in Habakkuk in the history of interpretation is undoubtedly the latter half of Habakkuk 2:4: “Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.”
In the TalmudThe Talmud is one of the most important texts of Judaism. More, after a long debate about the essence of Jewish teaching and obedience, Rabbi Nachman ben IsaacSon born to Abraham and Sarah in fulfillment of God's promise. More cites Habakkuk 2:4, “the righteous shall live by his faith,” as a summary of all 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the TorahThe Torah is the law of Moses, also known as the first five books of the Bible. To many the Torah is a combination of history, theology, and a legal or ritual guide. More (Makkot 23b-24a).
In the New Testament, both the ApostleDerived from a Greek word meaning "one who is sent," an apostle is a person who embraces and advocates another person's idea or beliefs. At the beginning of his ministry Jesus called twelve apostles to follow and serve him. Paul became an apostle of Jesus... More PaulThe Apostle Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was the author of several New Testament letters and the founder of many Christian communities. More and the writer of Hebrews cite Habakkuk 2:4. The latter quotes the verse in Hebrews 10:38, right before the great recitation of the heroes of faith in chapter 11. Combining Habakkuk 2:4 with IsaiahIsaiah, son of Amoz, who prophesied in Jerusalem, is included among the prophets of the eighth century BCE (along with Amos, Hosea, and Micah)--preachers who boldly proclaimed God's word of judgment against the economic, social, and religious disorders of their time. More 26:20, the author writes, “In a very little while, the one who is coming will come and will not delay; but my righteous one will live by faith” (Hebrews 10:37-38). He encourages his readers not to “shrink back” but to be among those who “have faith and so are saved” (Hebrews 10:39).
In Romans 1:17, Paul quotes Habakkuk in support of his argument that the righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel “through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’” In Galatians 3:1-14, a passage replete with references to and quotations of Old Testament texts, Paul argues that Christians are justified by faith, not by works of the law, just as AbrahamGod promised that Abraham would become the father of a great nation, receive a land, and bring blessing to all nations. More was justified by faith: “Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,’ so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham” (Galatians 3:6-7; citing Genesis 15:6). Paul goes on to argue that “no one is justified before God by the law; for ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith’” (Galatians 3:11; citing Habakkuk 2:4).
These Pauline quotations of Genesis 15:6 and Habakkuk 2:4 greatly influenced the theology of Martin Luther. Romans 1:17, in particular, became a very significant verse for Luther. In it, he discovered the idea of “alien righteousness,” the righteousness of Christ that is bestowed on believers by God, instead of the righteousness of God that punishes the unrighteous. Luther later wrote about this discovery:
Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that “the just shall live by his faith.” Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through graceGrace is the unmerited gift of God's love and acceptance. In Martin Luther's favorite expression from the Apostle Paul, we are saved by grace through faith, which means that God showers grace upon us even though we do not deserve it. More and sheer mercyMercy is a term used to describe leniency or compassion. God's mercy is frequently referred to or invoked in both the Old and New Testaments. More God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before the “justice of God” had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gateGates are openings in walls or fences for entrance and departure. In the Bible (as in Ruth and the prophets) the city gate was a commercial center where business and social transactions took place. In Amos the gate is the location of the law court... More to heaven.”
Habakkuk 2:4, then, as interpreted by Paul and then Luther, played a significant role in the Reformation, as “faith alone” became one of the rallying cries of the movement.
