Ḥesed and the New Testament

Ḥ
esed (steadfast love, loyalty, devotion) denotes an important concept in the Hebrew Bible that is relevant to interpersonal relationships in every generation. In this book, Karen Nelson investigates New Testament approaches to that concept and the exegetical value of recognizing such engagement.

This investigation employs an original hybrid of two methodological approaches: intertextuality, used to consider whether and how the concept corresponding to the Hebrew term ḥ
esed is appropriated in the New Testament, and categorization, used to analyze and compare instances of the categories ḥ
sd and ḥ
syd within those corpora. Nelson's work challenges assertions that the concept corresponding to ḥ
esed in the New Testament is agapē
(love) or charis (grace). Rather, she contends that the parallel meaning is more likely to be evoked by eleos (the usual LXX rendering of ḥ
esed) or hosios (the usual LXX rendering of ḥ
asid). Nelson rereads selected New Testament pericopes in light of ḥ
esed, concluding that the presence of the categories ḥ
sd and ḥ
syd highlights the fulfillment and development of scriptural tradition, the enduring devotion of God, and the exemplary ministry of Jesus. In this rendering, ḥ
sd and ḥ
syd critique the contemporary socioreligious situation and encourage belief, enduring commitment, and appropriately changed lifestyles.

Addressing a topic that spans the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, this study will be of interest to New Testament scholars and to biblical scholars more widely, especially those who are interested in semantics.