Abstract

The article deals with theses of Martin Hengel from 1979 which are annexed to the article Zur urchristlichen Geschichtschreibung. The appendix is titled Historische Methoden und Theologische Auslegung des Neuen Testaments (Thesen) and appears to be, along with the accompanying article, a possible key to the interpretation of the theology of the scholar from Tübingen. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the unique and (in our opinion) representative character of the mentioned theses of Hengel`s theology. The thesis has been analyzed in the context of the article from 1979, some of the facts from the biography of their author, and selective reference the ideas contained in his other works. The aim is to demonstrate the continuity of Hengel`s interests to study and interpret historical sources as a biblical scholar, historian of antiquity, and expert in Second Temple Judaism. The vast and fierce polemic tone about the essential assumptions of the "historical-critical method" in biblical studies, with objections about its dogmatic fixation and insufficient self-criticism towards itself, seem to play a special role in Hengel`s entire theology. The mentioned theses are devoted to this very issue, which indicates their special status in the works of Martin Hengel. The article consists of five parts - the first is an introduction, the second presents the facts of Hengels´s biography which are relevant for the analysis, the third is devoted to the genesis as well as to the analysis of the article, the fourth part deals with the thesis, ordering them thematically and summarizing the ideas contained in them, and the fifth relates the main points of the concept of theTübingen theologian to his achievements.