Parrēsia as boldness in face of persecution, and confidence of access to God: prayer of martyr: see Kittel discussion on martyr

Definition:

1 a use of speech that conceals nothing and passes over nothing, outspokenness, frankness, plainness 2 ‘Openness’ somet. develops into openness to the public, before whom speaking and actions take place 3 a state of boldness and confidence, courage, confidence, boldness, fearlessness

Source:

Danker, Frederick W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3d ed. University of Chicago Press. 2000. (Abbrev. Bauer)

efinition:

I. freedom of speech; hence, A. civic freedom, B. in bad sense; impudence, familiarity, II. confidence, boldness, liberty of approach, III. confidence, trust, IV. = ἐξουσία, authority, V. phrases μετὰ παρρησίας, παρρησίᾳ, openly, clearly, plainly

Source:

G.W.H. Lampe. A Patristic Greek Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1968.
 

LIDDEL

32983 παρρησιάζομαι

παρρησιάζομαι, f. άσομαι: aor. i ἐπαρρησιασάμην: pf. πεπαρρησίασμαι (in act. and pass. sense): Dep.:-to speak freely, openly, boldly, Plat., etc. Hence παρρησιαστής

32984 παρρησιαστής

παρρησιαστής, οῦ, ὁ, a free speaker, Arist.; and παρρησιαστικός

32985 παρρησιαστικός

παρρησιαστικός, ή, όν, freespoken, Arist.

1) A definition from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, §2778:

“This power of the Spirit who introduces us to the Lord's Prayer is expressed in the liturgies of East and of West by the beautiful, characteristically Christian expression: parrhesia, straightforward simplicity, filial trust, joyous assurance, humble boldness, the certainty of being loved.”[29]

2) Biblical Texts employing parrhesia

 WISDOM sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly. (παρρησίαν).
         Prov 1:20 lxx

 I HAVE said this to you in parables; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in parables but tell you plainly (παρρησίᾳ) of the Father.
         John 16:25

 AND he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² And he said this plainly (παρρησίαν). And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
         Mark 8:31-32

THAT through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness (παρρησίαν) and confidence of access through our faith in him.
         Ephesians 3:10-12

FOR we have not a high priest who  is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every  respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence (παρρησίας) draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
        Hebrews 4:15-16

^RSV  Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness,

^BGT  Acts 4:29 καὶ τὰ νῦν, κύριε, ἔπιδε ἐπὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ δὸς τοῖς δούλοις σου μετὰ παρρησίας πάσης λαλεῖν τὸν λόγον σου,

BGT Philippians 1:20 κατὰ τὴν ἀποκαραδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα μου, ὅτι ἐν οὐδενὶ αἰσχυνθήσομαι ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πάσῃ παρρησίᾳ ὡς πάντοτε καὶ νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς ἐν τῷ σώματί μου, εἴτε διὰ ζωῆς εἴτε διὰ θανάτου.

BGT John 7:13 οὐδεὶς μέντοι παρρησίᾳ ἐλάλει περὶ αὐτοῦ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων.

BGT John 18:20 ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦς· ἐγὼ παρρησίᾳ λελάληκα τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐγὼ πάντοτε ἐδίδαξα ἐν συναγωγῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ὅπου πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συνέρχονται, καὶ ἐν κρυπτῷ ἐλάλησα οὐδέν.

BGT Acts 4:29 καὶ τὰ νῦν, κύριε, ἔπιδε ἐπὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ δὸς τοῖς δούλοις σου μετὰ παρρησίας πάσης λαλεῖν τὸν λόγον σου,

RSV 1 John 4:17 In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world.

BGT 1 John 4:17 Ἐν τούτῳ τετελείωται ἡ ἀγάπη μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως, ὅτι καθὼς ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ.

KITTEL THEOL DICT NT

Contents: A. παρρησία, παρρησιάζομαι in the Greek World and Hellenism: 1. In the Political Sphere; 2. In the Private Sphere; 3. Particularly as a Moral Concept. B. The Septuagint and Hellenistic Jewish Literature: 1. LXX; 2. Hellenistic Jewish Literature; 3. Ethiopian Enoch. C. The New Testament: 1. The Johannine Writings; 2. Acts; 3. The Pauline Corpus; 4. Hebrews. D. παρρησία, παρρησιάζομαι in Ancient Ecclesiastical Literature: 1. The Apostle in NT Apocrypha; 2. The Martyr Literature; 3. The Connection between παρρησία and Prayer.

A. παρρησία, παρρησιάζομαι in the Greek World and Hellenism,

1. In the Political Sphere. The term, which occurs first in Eur. and Aristoph. and is of Attic development,¹ belongs to the political sphere of the Gk. polis. It is an essential mark of Gk. democracy, the sign of the freedom obtaining therein. Polyb., 2, 38, 6: ἰσηγορία καὶ παρρησία καὶ καθόλου δημοκρατία ἀληθινή, (Ps.-) Demosth. Or., 60, 26: αἱ δὲ δημοκρατίαι πολλά τʼ ἄλλα καὶ καλὰ καὶ δίκαιʼ ἔχουσιν, ὧν τὸν εὖ φρονοῦντʼ ἀντέχεσθαι δεῖ, καὶ τὴν παρρησίαν ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἠρτημένην οὐκ ἔστι τἀληθὲς δηλοῦν ἀποτρέψαι. Precisely for love of genuine παρρησία Isoc. can say bitterly in Or., 8, 14 “that in spite of the rule of the people there is no full freedom of speech (ὅτι δημοκρατίας οὔσης οὐκ ἔστι παρρησία) except for the most rash and foolish and for dramatists in the theatre.” Attic democracy in particular is acknowledgeably distinguished for παρρησία. Eur. Hipp., 421 ff.: ἀλλʼ ἐλεύθεροι παρρησίᾳ θάλλοντες οἰκοῖεν (sc. my children) πόλιν κλεινῶν Ἀθηνῶν, Ion, 670 ff.: εἰ δʼ ἐπεύξασθαι χρεών, ἐκ τῶν Ἀθηνῶν μʼ ἡ τεκοῦσʼ εἴη γυνή, ὥς μοι γένηται μητρόθεν παρρησία. Demosth. Or., 9, 3: ἀξιῶ δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἄν τι τῶν ἀληθῶν μετὰ παρρησίας λέγω, μηδεμίαν μοι διὰ τοῦτο παρʼ ὑμῶν ὀργὴν γενέσθαι. σκοπεῖτε γὰρ ὡδί. ὑμεῖς τὴν παρρησίαν ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων οὕτω κοινὴν οἴεσθε δεῖν εἶναι πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν τῇ πόλει, ὥστε καὶ τοῖς ξένοις καὶ τοῖς δούλοις αὐτῆς μεταδεδώκατε, καὶ πολλοὺς ἄν τις οἰκέτας ἴδοι παρʼ ἡμῖν μετὰ πλείονος ἐξουσίας ὅ τι βούλονται λέγοντας ἢ πολίτας ἐν ἐνίαις τῶν ἄλλων πόλεων, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ συμβουλεύειν παντάπασιν ἐξεληλάκατε. Cf. also Plat. Gorg., 461d/e, where the substance is there though not the word: τί δέ; οὐκ ἐξέσται μοι λέγειν ὁπόσʼ ἂν βούλωμαι; (Socrates’ answer:) Δεινὰ μέντʼ ἂν πάθοις, ὦ βέλτιστε, εἰ Ἀθήναζε ἀφικόμενος, οὗ τῆς Ἐλλάδος πλείστη ἐστίν ἐξουσία τοῦ λέγειν. Polyb., 2, 38, 6; cf. 2, 42, 3; Stob. Ecl., III, 459, 3. The presupposition of παρρησία is that one should be a full citizen of a Gk. polis. At the height of Gk. democracy the full citizen alone has the right to say anything publicly in the ἐκκλησία. Aristoph. Thes., 540 f.: οὔσης παρρησίας κἀξὸν λέγειν ὅσαι πάρεσμεν ἀσταί. Aliens and slaves have no such right. Eur. Ion, 673 ff.: ξένος, κἂν τοῖς λόγοισιν ἀστὸς ᾖ, τό γε στόμα δοῦλον πέπαται (possesses) κοὐκ ἔχει παρρησίαν, Phoen., 391 f.: The φυγάς lacks ἓν μὲν μέγιστον, οὐκ ἔχει παρρησίαν. Answer: δούλου τόδʼ εἶπας, μὴ λέγειν ἅ τις φρονεῖ, Teles., 15, 16: οὐκ ἄρχουσι (the φυγάδες), οὐ πιστεύονται, οὐ παρρησίαν ἔχουσιν. For this reason there is no higher possession than παρρησία and no greater loss than to lose it, Demosth. Fr. 21 (ed. H. Sauppe): οὐδὲν ἂν εἴη τοῖς ἐλευθέροις μεῖζον ἀτύχημα τοῦ στέρεσθαι τῆς παρρησίας. It is regarded as a typical characteristic, and also as a reason for the fall of the Gk. polis, that παρρησία is the privilege of all who live in the πολις. This is attested by Demosth. Or., 9, 3 (→ supra) and 58, 68: μετασχεῖν τῆς καὶ τοῖς ξένοις δεδομένης παρρησίας. Acc. to Isoc. Or., 7, 20 it is a consequence of bad political education ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν μὲν ἀκολασίαν δημοκρατίαν, τὴν δὲ παρανομίαν ἐλευθερίαν, τὴν δὲ παρρησίαν ἀνομίαν, τὴν δʼ ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πάντα ποιεῖν εὐδαιμονίαν. As regards the phenomenon of παρρησία itself this extension of the right to say anything implies uprooting from the concrete political presuppositions and an exaltation of the thing as such. “If all men have παρρησία, the concept is destroyed.”² It necessarily takes on also a different sense. The right to say anything becomes a complete lack of restraint or restriction, Plat. Resp., VIII, 557b: ἐλευθερίας ἡ πόλις μεστὴ καὶ παρρησίας γίγνεται, καὶ ἐξουσία ἐν αὐτῇ ποιεῖν ὅ τί τις βούλεται. At this pt. one might mention already that the meaning of παρρησία does in fact change; the word acquires the sense of “shamelessness.”³

In the political sphere the word may be understood from three angles and it is thus used with three shades of meaning which more or less persist in its later development. a. The element of the right to say anything may be emphasised in παρρησία. The full citizen of the Gk. polis has the objective right to manifest himself in the logos. Cf. Aristoph. Thes., 540 f. (→ supra); Demosth., 9, 3 (→ supra); Plat. Gorg., 461 d/e; Isoc. Or., 2, 3: ἡ παρρησία καὶ φανερῶς ἐξεῖναι. παρρησία here is close to ἐξουσία.⁴ b. But stress may be placed on the fact that in παρρησία the actuality of things is stated, so that there is a close relation to truth (→ ἀλήθεια, I, 238, 15 ff.). Eur. in Stob. Ecl., III, 454, 2: καλὸν γʼ ἀληθὴς κἀτενὴς παρρησία. Demosth. Or., 6, 31: τἀληθῆ μετὰ παρρησίας ἐρῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψομαι, cf. 10, 53 and 54; 23, 204: 37, 55; (Ps.-) Demosth. Or., 60, 26 (→ 871, 34 ff.); Demosth. Or., 4, 51: ἃ γιγνὼσκω πάνθʼ ἀπλῶς οὐδὲν ὐποστειλάμενος πεπαρρησίασμαι, Aeschin. Fals. Leg., 70: προῄρημαι γὰρ παρρησιάσασθαι καὶ ἐλευθέρως ἅμα καὶ τἀληθῆ λέγων σῴζεσθαι, Stob. Ecl., III, 466, 8 f.: παρρησίη ἀπὸ γνώμης ἐλευθέρης καὶ ἀληθείην ἀσπαζομένη προέρχεται. In such contexts παρρησία takes on the sense of openness to truth. This openness is controlled by the object and by one’s relation to the object to which one turns, and it resists the tendency of things to conceal themselves, and man’s tendency to conceal them from himself. This is why the Persians are taken as examples in Plat. Leg., III, 694b: καὶ εἴ τις αὖ φρόνιμος ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ βουλεύειν δυνατός, οὐ φθονεροῦ τοῦ βασιλέως ὄντος, διδόντος δὲ παρρησίαν καὶ τιμῶντος τοὺς εἴς τι δυναμένους συμβουλεύειν, κοινὴν τὴν τοῦ φρονεῖν εἰς τὸ μέσον παρεὶχετο δύναμιν, καὶ πάντα δὴ τότε ἐπέδωκεν αὐτοῖς διʼ ἐλευθερίαν τε καὶ φιλίαν καὶ νοῦ κοινωνίαν. c. The term παρρησία may also have in view the fact that to the right and openness of full freedom of speech obstacles may be posed by those to whom παρρησία applies. In face of such obstacles παρρησία is the courage of openness, i.e., candour. This candour opposes all those who would limit the right to reveal the truth or hamper the unveiling of the truth, esp. the τύραννος, who in some circumstances may threaten to destroy δημοκρατία in the form of the δῆμος. The gt. orators claim to exercise such παρρησία by defending the right and duty of openness. Cf. again Demosth. Or., 9, 3 (→ 872, 9 ff.). But cf. too Isoc. Or., 2, 28: πιστοὺς ἡγοῦ μὴ τοὺς ἅπαν ὅ τι ἂν λέγῃς ἢ ποιῇς ἐπαινοῦντας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς τοῖς ἀμαρτανομένοις ἐπιτιμῶντας. δίδου παρρησίαν τοῖς εὖ φρονοῦσιν, ἵνα περὶ ὧν ἂν ἀμφιγνοῇς ἔχῃς τοὺς συνδοκιμάσοντας. διόρα καὶ τοὺς τέχνῃ κολακεύοντας καὶ τοὺς μετʼ εὐνοίας θεραπεύοντας …, Aristot. Ἀθηναίων Πολιτεία, 16, 6: ὁ δὲ Πεισίστρατος ἡσθεὶς διὰ τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ τὴν φιλεργὶαν ἀτελῆ πάντων ἐποίησεν αὐτόν (excused him all taxes). From a later period cf. Dio C., 62, 13: οὕτω γάρ πως ἐρρωμένως τῇ παρρησίᾳ ἐχρῆτο ὥστε … εἶπεν … (Burrus and Nero). Dio Chrys., 32, 26 f.: κολακεία κἀπάτη κρατεῖ παρʼ αὐτοῖς (sc. tyrants). ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ δῆμος ὁ μέν τις εὐγνώμων καὶ πρᾷος καὶ γαληνὸς ὄντως, οἷος γεύσασθαι παρρησίας καὶ μὴ πάντα ἐθέλειν τρυφᾶν … The quotations make it clear that the opposite of such candid speech is the κολακεύειν and τρυφᾶν whose consequences are so dangerous for the polis, whereas παρρησία simply serves political society. By defending the right to say anything, notwithstanding the anger of the tyrant, it keeps the reality of things open in candid objectivity.

2. In the Private Sphere. The words παρρησία and παρρησιάζομαι also play a role in the private sphere. They came into this from the political arena. The doctrine of φιλία esp. is the place where the term παρρησία occurs. Aristot. Eth. Nic., IX, 2, p. 1165a, 29 f.: To each his own, and different honour to parents and the gods, to the sage and the general: πρὸς ἑταίρους δʼ αὖ καὶ ἀδελφοὺς παρρησίαν καὶ ἁπάντων κοινότητα. Acc. to Plat. Gorg., 487a-e the friend should be able to show ἐπιστήμη, εὔνοια and παρρησία, παρρησία being the opp. of (too gr.) αἰσχύνη, → I, 170, 9 ff. But παρρησία which does not fear αἰσχρόν and therewith δόξα (→ I, 170 f.) is a sign of friendship for the very reason that it is not afraid to censure a friend. Hence παρρησία is defined in Isoc. Or., 2, 3 as τὸ φανερῶς ἐξεῖναι τοῖς τε φίλοις ἐπιπλῆξαι καὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἐπιθέσθαι ταῖς ἀλλήλων ἁμαρτίαις. παρρησία serves the truth and is thus profitable. Socrates is a good example of this παρρησία. Cf. Plat. Lach., 188e: αὐτὸν ηὗρον ἄξιον ὄντα λόγων καλῶν καὶ πάσης παρρησίας. The κόλαξ differs from the φίλος (→ line 26 f. and III, 817, 14 ff.). His παρρησία is unhelpful. For this reason he should be avoided. Cf. Stob. Ecl., III, 469, 9 f. (Zeno): Ἔλεγχε σαυτὸν ὅστις εἶ, [καὶ] μὴ πρὸς χάριν ἄκουʼ, ἀφαιροῦ δὲ κολάκων παρρησίαν.

Quite apart from its use in the doctrine of φιλία, παρρησία has in private usage the predominant sense of candour. Plat. Gorg., 491e: ὃ ἐγώ σοι νῦν παρρησιαζόμενος λέγω, Charm., 156a: μᾶλλον γάρ σοι παρρησιάσομαι περὶ τῆς ἐπῳδῆς, Xen. Cyrop., V, 3, 8: πολλὰ … ἔγωγε κἀκεῖνος ἐπαρρησιασάμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους, Diod. S., 12, 63; 14, 66: παρρησίαν ἄγειν, Plut. Praec. Ger. Reip., 6 (II, 802 f): ἀλλʼ ἤθους ἀπλάστου καὶ φρονήματος ἀληθινοῦ καὶ παρρησίας πατρικῆς καὶ προνοίας καὶ συνέσεως κηδομένης ὁ λόγος ἔστω μεστός, P. Oxy., VIII, 1100, 15: In face of oppression by officials one should bring complaints to the prefect μετὰ παρρησίας (“without fear”).⁵ The verb παρρησιάζεσθαι can often take on here the weaker sense of simply speaking, e.g., Plut. Aud., 12 (II, 43e): ἂν … ὁ φιλόσοφος … παρρηαιάζηται περὶ τῶν διαφερόντων. It is worth noting that sometimes παρρησία can abandon the connection with λόγος and acquire the sense of “liberality.” Thus Ditt. Or., 323, 10 (2nd cent. b.c.): κεκόσμηκε τὸν αὑτοῦ βίου τῇ καλλίστῃ παρρησίᾳ. It should also be noted that in general usage παρρησία can denote the abuse of free speech in the sense of “impudence” (Plat. Symp., 222c, where the παρρησία of Alkibiades provokes laughter) “or insolence” (Plat. Phaedr., 240e: παρρησίᾳ κατακορεῖ καὶ ἀναπεπταμένῃ χρῆσθαι) or “shamelessness.” παρρησίαι εἰς τοὺς θεούς (Isoc. Or., 11, 40) are βλασφημίαι and signs of ἀσέβεια. An example of importunate and even insolent prayer is that of Timon in Luc. Tim., 11: οἷον ἦν τὸ μέγα κεκραγέναι καὶ ὀχληρὸν ἐ͂ναι καὶ θρασύν· οὐ τοῖς δικαιολογοῦσι (advocates) μόνοῖ, ἀλλά καὶ τοῖς εὐχομένοις τοῦτο χρήσιμον· ἰδού γέ τοι αὐτίκα μάλα πλούσιος ἐκ πενεστάτου καταστήσεται (== γενήσεται) ὁ Τίμων βοήσας καὶ παρρησιασάμενος ἐν τῇ εὐχῇ καὶ ἐπιστρέψας τὸν Δία (drew the attention of Zeus to him) εἰ δὲ σιωπῇ ἔσκαπτεν ἐπικεκυφώς, ἔτι ἂν ἔσκαπτεν ἀμελούμενος.

3. Particularly as a Moral Concept. παρρησία shares the same destiny as ἐξουσία (→ II, 487 ff.). When adopted by popular Hell. philosophy of all schools, esp. Cynicism, it becomes primarily a moral rather than a political concept. In so doing it does not abandon its formal structure or sense, but its content changes. This is apparent at two pts. a. The presupposition of παρρησία, while formally the same, changes significantly in content. The transition may be traced in Aristot., who on the one side still maintains that παρρησία is a virtue of the εὐγενής, but on the other sees such a one in the μεγαλόψυχος: Nic. Eth., IV, 3, p. 1124b, 29. Luc. Calumniae non Temere Credendum, 23 also speaks of the ἐλεύθερον καὶ παρρησιαστικόν of the γενναῖοι. Above all, παρρησία and ἐλευθερία are now closely related. Thus we read in Democr. Fr., 226 (Diels⁶, II, 190, 15 f.): οἰκήιον ἐλευθερίης παρρησίη, κίνδυνος δὲ ἡ τοῦ καιροῦ διάγνωσις. Cf. Luc. Demon., 3: ὁ … Δημῶναξ … ὅλον … παραδοὺς ἑαυτὸν ἐλευθερίᾳ καὶ παρρησίᾳ διετέλεσεν αὐτός τε ὀρθῷ καὶ ὑγιεῖ καὶ ἀνεπιλήπτῳ βίῳ χρώμενος καὶ τοῖς ὁρῶσι καὶ ἀκούουσι παράδειγμα παρέχων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γνώμην καὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ φιλοσοφεῖν ἀλήθειαν. Acc. to Luc. Dialogi Mortuorum, 11, 3 Antisthenes bequeaths to Diogenes σοφίαν, αὐτάρκειαν, ἀλήθειαν, παρρησίαν, ἐλευθερίαν. cf. 10, 9.⁶ These are the highest goods, and ἐλευθερία and παρρησία in particular are the distinguishing marks of Cynicism.⁷ Diog. L., VI, 69 tells of Diogenes: ἐρωτηθεὶς τί κάλλιστον ἐν ἀνθρώποις, ἔφη, παρρησία, and cf. VI, 71: μηδὲν ἐλευθερίας προκρίνων. It is obvious that the ἐλευθερία so closely connected with παρρησία is moral freedom rather than political, and that the presupposition of παρρησία, too, has changed accordingly. The man who is morally free has παρρησία. It is still an open question who this is. But on the lips of the man dominated by the passions παρρησία simply means “shamelessness.” His παρρησία implies only λοιδορεῖν “to insult.” Cf. Luc. Pergr. Mort., 18: ὁ φιλόσοφος, διὰ τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ τὴν ἄγαν ἐλευθερίαν ἐξελαθείς, Ael. Arist., II, 401 (ed. Dindorf): τὴν μὲν ἀναισχυντίαν ἐλευθερίαν νομίζοντες, τὸ δʼ ἀπεχθάνεσθαι παρρησιάζεσθαι, τὸ δὲ λαμβάνειν φιλανθρωπεύεσθαι (sc. the philosophers tackled by him, whom he understands as Cynics). b. Though the concept retains the public character appertaining to political speech,⁸ the public aspect in view is not now that of the polis and its representative the δῆμος or even the τύραννος, but that of the cosmopolis and its rulers. He who has παρρησία leads a public life. This is an abiding mark of the philosopher, who now exercises παρρησία. Diogenes is the ideal here.⁹ Cf. M. Ant., XI, 6, also Philo Spec. Leg., I, 321, which in its use of the image shows the formal connection between the moral concept and the political: οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὰ βλαβερὰ πράττοντες αἰσχυνέσθωσαν καὶ … ἐπικρυπτέσθωσαν … τοῖς δὲ τὰ κοινωφελῆ δρῶσιν ἔστω παρρησία (almost “publicity”) καὶ μεθʼ ἡμέραν διὰ μέσης ἴτωσαν ἀγορᾶς … φύσις, too, does not conceal its works.

B. The Septuagint and Hellenistic Jewish Literature.

1. LXX. παρρησία is rare in the LXX. We first find the Gk. and Hellen. aspects already mentioned. παρρησία is a mark of the free man as distinct from the δοῦλος, Lv. 26:13, the only ref. in the Pentateuch: ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ὄντων ὑμῶν δούλων καὶ συνέτριψα τὸν δεσμὸν τοῦ ζυγοῦ ὑμῶν καὶ ἤγαγον ὑμᾶς μετὰ παρρησίας. The ἤγαγον ὑμᾶς μετὰ παρρησίας is a transl. of וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְבֶם קוֹמְמִיּוּת “and made you go upright.”¹⁰ παρρησία as open and candid speech is distinctively ascribed to divine σοφία in Prv. 1:20 f.: Σοφία ἐν ἐξόδοις ὑμνεῖται, ἐν δὲ πλατείαις παρρησίαν ἄγει … ἐπὶ δὲ πύλαις πόλεως θαρροῦσα λέγει. παρρησίαν ἄγειν is here a notable interpretation of the general concept תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ, cf. Cant. 8:10 AS:¹¹ ἡ νύμφη παρρησιάζεται. ἐλέγχειν μετὰ παρρησίας is set over against ἐννεύειν ὀφθαλμοῖς μετὰ δόλου in Prv. 10:10. 4 Macc. 10:5 refers to the παρρησία of the martyr: οἱ δὲ πικρῶς ἐνέγκαντες τὴν παρρησίαν τοῦ ἀνδρός. παρρησία is displayed in the witness which under threat of death confesses the νόμος of the fathers. There is a suggestion of unrestrained (impudent) speech in the verb at Sir. 6:11: καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς σου ἔσται ὡς σὺ (the friend in good days) καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας σου παρρησιάσεται.¹² The public aspect is to be seen in Est. 8:12 s: τὸ δὲ ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ταύτης ἐκθέντες ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ μετὰ παρρησίας ἐᾶς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους χρῆσθαι τοῖς ἑαυτῶν νομίμοις, cf. 8:13: τὰ δὲ ἀντίγραφα ἐκτιθέσθωσαν ὀφθαλμοφανῶς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ, ἑτοίμους τε εἶναι …, cf. 1 Macc. 4:18; 3 Macc. 4:1. παρρησία is used for ἐξουσία in Sir. 25:25: μὴ δῷς ὕδατι διέξοδον μηδὲ γυναικὶ πονηρᾷ παρρησίαν (B† ἐξουσίαν),¹³ cf. also in this connection 3 Macc. 7:12: ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἄδειαν πάντων, ὅπως τοὺς παραβεβηκότας τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν νόμου ἐξολεθρεύσωσιν κατὰ πάντα τὸν ὑπὸ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ τόπον μετὰ παρρησίας ἄνευ πάσης βασιλικῆς ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπισκέψεως.

The LXX goes beyond the Hellenistic senses in passages where it is stated that God gives the people παρρησία and that divine σοφία has παρρησία.¹⁴ The influence of OT faith is especially to be seen, however, when there is reference to παρρησία towards God or to the παρρησία of God Himself. Particularly significant are two passages from Job, 27:9f.: ἦ τὴν δέησιν αὐτοῦ (sc. ἀσεβοῦς) εἰσακούσεται κύριοσ; ἢ ἐπελθούσης αὐτῷ ἀνάγκης μὴ ἔχει τινὰ παρρησίαν ἔναντι αὐτοῦ; ἢ ὡς ἐπικαλεσαμένου αὐτοῦ εἰσακούσεται αὐτοῦ; and 22:23–27: ἐὰν δὲ ἐπιστραφῇς καὶ ταπεινώσῃς σεαυτὸν ἔναντι κυρίου, πόρρω ἐποίησας ἀπὸ διαίτης σου τὸ ἄδικον … ἔσται οὖν σου ὁ παντοκράτωρ βοηθὸς ἀπὸ ἐχθρῶν, καθαρὸν δὲ ἀποδώσει σε ὥσπερ ἀργύριον πεπυρωμένον. εἶτα παρρησιασθήσῃ ἔναντι κυρίου ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἱλαρῶς· εὐξαμένου δέ σου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰσακούσεταί σου, δώσει δέ σοι ἀποδοῦναι τὰς εὐχάς. παρρησία here is “freedom” or “free and joyful standing before God,” including open access to Him with no more let or hindrance.¹⁵ Wis. 5:1, where παρρησία is used in the absolute and with an eschatological orientation, confirms this sense, though along with 5:5 and 5:15f. it also indicates that this free standing before God is manifested in the δόξα of him who stands therein. Cf. Wis. 5:1 f.: τότε (in the judgment) στήσεται ἐν παρρησίᾳ πολλῇ ὁ δίκαιος κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν θλιψάντων αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν ἀθετούντων τοὺς πόνους αὐτοῦ. ἰδόντες ταραχθήσονται φόβῳ δεινῷ … v. 5: πῶς κατελογίσθη ἐν υἱοῖς θεοῦ καὶ ἐν ἁγίοις ὁ κλῆρος αὐτοῦ ἐστιν; … v. 15f.: δίκαιοι δὲ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ζῶσιν, καὶ ἐν κυρίῳ ὁ μισθὸς, καὶ ἡ φροντὶς αὐτῶν παρὰ ὑψίστῳ. διὰ τοῦτο λήμψονται τὸ βασίλειον τῆς εὐπρεπείας καὶ τὸ διάδημα τοῦ κάλλους ἐκ χειρὸς κυρίου, ὅτι τῇ δεξιᾷ σκεπάσει αὐτοὺς καὶ τῷ βραχίονι ὑπερασπιεῖ αὐτῶν. The presupposition of παρρησία is “righteousness.” The δίκαιος, not the ἀσεβής, has it. The δίκαιος is also the σοφός,¹⁶ so that the Hellen. view, which ascribes parrhesia to the philosopher, returns here in a new form corresponding to the Jewish orientation to the Law. The same combination of παρρησία and δίκαιος may be seen in Prv. 13:5: λόγον ἄδικον μισεῖ δίκαιος, ἀσεβὴς δὲ αἰσχύνεται καὶ οὐχ ἕξει παρρησίαν, cf. Prv. 20:9: τίς καυχήσεται ἁγνὴν ἔχειν τὴν καρδίαν; ἢ τίς παρρησιάσεται¹⁷ καθαπὸς εἶναι ἀπὸ ἁμαρτιῶν; This παρρησία of the righteous finds expression in prayer, as is plainly shown by the texts already quoted from Job. ἐπικαλεῖσθαι and εὔχεσθαι draw close to παρρησιάζεσθαι. The philosopher, too, prays to God as a free man, and in the attitude of a free man. But though there is similarity between what is said about the attitude of prayer in Job 22:26 (→ line 5 f.) and the statement in Epict. Diss., II, 17, 29: ἀνατεῖναι τὸν τράχηλον πρὸς τὰ πράγματα ὡς ἐλεύθερον καὶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέπειν ὡς φίλον τοῦ θεοῦ, the refs. in the LXX do not expressly base this attitude on a doctrine of φιλία, nor do the Hellenistic texts contain either here or anywhere a concept of παρρησία towards the gods or God, though the thing itself is present and there is reference to the example of θαρρεῖν in such contexts, Plut. Tranq. An., 1 (II, 465b): θαρροῦντες αὐτοὺς (sc. the gods) παρακαλῶμεν ὡς εὐμενεῖς ὄντας ἤδη καὶ φίλους.¹⁸ παρρησία as the freedom of the righteous towards God expressed in prayer contains joy within itself. παρρησία (παρρησιάζεσθαι) is in Job the rendering of ענג hitp, “to have delight, joy in something,” which is translated by κατατρυφᾶν in LXX ψ 36:4, 11 and by τρυφᾶν in Is. 66:11, to stress the element of the dawn or blossoming of joy, while in Is. 58:14 we read: καὶ ἔσῃ πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ κύριον. This joy which is linked with parrhesia towards God displays clearly the difference between the OT view of God in the LXX and the Hellenistic view in the philosophers. The God to whom the righteous have access in freedom, so that they can pray to Him and their prayer is heard, manifests Himself as the gracious Judge and thus fulfils their freedom in joy. Of the two verses which speak of God’s own παρρησία, ψ 93:1 is unequivocal: ὁ θεὸς ἐκδικήσεων κύριος, ὁ θεὸς ἐκδικήσεων ἐπαρρησιάσατο. παρρησιάζεσθαι is a rendering of יפע hi, “to shine forth,” “to appear in brightness.” This word is specially used in relation to Yahweh. It is rendered ἐμφαίνεσθαι at ψ 79:1 and ἐπιφαίνεσθαι at Dt. 33:2.¹⁹ What is meant may be seen from ψ 49:1—3: θεὸς θεῶν κύριος ἐλάλησεν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ ἀνατολ̀ῶν ἡλίου καὶ μέχρι δυσμῶν. ἐκ Σιων ἡ εὐπρέπεια τῆς ὡραιότητος αὐτοῦ, ὁ θεὸς ἐμφανῶς ἥξει, ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐ παρασιωπήσεται· πῦρ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ καυθήσεται, καὶ κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ καταιγὶς σφόδρα. יפע is here a term for the radiant epiphany of the God who speaks out of His silence. In some circumstances, then, παρρησιάζεσθαι could be chosen as a translation, since it contains within it the two aspects of appearing or manifestation (or shining forth, cf. Wis. 5:1 and 16, → 876, 16 f.) and speech or word. In ψ 11:5: Ἀπὸ τῆς ταλαιπωρίας τῶν πτωχῶν καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ στεναγμοῦ τῶν πενήτων νῦν ἀναστήσομαι, λέγει κύριος, θήσομαι ἐν σωτηρίᾳ, παρρησιάσομαι ἐν αὐτῷ, the original text is uncertain. It is possible, however, that παρρησιάσομαι ἐν αὐτῷ, as a par. to ἀναστήσομαι (→ n. 10) and θήσομαι ἐν κυρίῳ, should be rendered “to shine forth on him,” cf. ψ 93:1.

2. Hellenistic Jewish Literature. Hell. Jewish literature, which is chiefly represented by Philo and Joseph., is marked as Hellenistic by the fact that it adopts for the most part the Gk. and Hell. understanding of παρρησία. Hence we find “candour” repeatedly and as a matter of course, cf. Philo Sacr. AC., 12, 35, opp. οὐδὲν ὑποστειλαμένη … λέξω, 66; Agric., 64; Plant., 8; Flacc., 4 etc.; Jos. Ant., 2, 116; 15, 37 etc. In Jos. Ant., 9, 226 παρρησία is used for ἐξουσία: ὁ δʼ (sc. βασιλεύς) ὑπʼ αἰσχύνης τε τοῦ συμβεβηκότος δεινοῦ καὶ τοῦ μηκετʼ αὐτῷ παρρησίαν εἶναι τὸ κελευόμενον ἐποίει … The connection between παρρησία and φιλία may be seen in Ep. Ar., 125. There is a link between παρρησία and εὐγένεια in Philo Leg. Gaj., 63, cf. Omn. Prob. Lib., 126: ἔχουσι γάρ τι βασιλικὸν αἱ εὐγενεῖς ψυχαί … ἀλαζονείᾳ παρρησίαν ἀντιτάττον, cf. 95, where παρρησία corresponds to moral ἐλευθερία: γέμων μὲν παρρησίας ὁ λόγος, πολὺ δὲ μᾶλλον ἐλευθερίας ὁ νοῦς. The need for towards παρρησία towards οἰκέται is stressed in Stoic fashion with a ref. to their equality with their master which is guaranteed them by natural laws, Philo Spec. Leg., III, 138; cf. also IV, 74: μήτʼ, εἴ τις ἔνδοξος, ὑψηλὸν αἴρων αὑτὸν αὐχείτω φρυαττόμενος, ἀλλʼ ἰσότητα τιμήσας μεταδιδότω παρρησίας τοῖς ἀδόξοις. That an ἄκαιρος παρρησία is foolish and causes harm is realised by the ἀστεῖος as a θεωρὸς of all the things of the cosmos, and for this reason he exercises εὐλάβεια (== caution), as shown in Som., II, 81 ff. The same antithesis between παρρησία and αὐθάδεια, also between παρρησία and κολακεία (→ 873, 33 ff.), is emphasised by Philo Jos., 73: ἐάν τε βουλεύω (sc. as a good πολιτικός), γνώμας εἰσηγήσομαι τὰς κοινωφελεῖς, κἂν μὴ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ὦσιν· ἐάν τε ἐκκλησιάζω, τοὺς θῶπας λόγους (flattering speeches) ἑτέροις καταλιπὼν τοῖς σωτηρίοις χρήσομαι καὶ συμφέρουσιν, ἐπιτιμῶν, νουθετῶν, σωφρονίζων, οὐκ αὐθάδειαν μανιώδη καὶ παράφορον ἀλλὰ νήφουσαν παρρησίαν ἐπιτετηδευκώς. In Jos., 77 one may see the relation of this παρρησία to ἀλήθεια· τεθνάναι μᾶλλον ἂν ἐλοίμην ἢ πρὸς ἡδονήν τι φθεγξάμενος ἐπικρύψαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τοῦ συμφέροντος ἀμελῆσαι. Also genuinely (Gk.-) Hell. is the line between παρρησία and αἰδώς (→ I, 170, 5 f.), Jos., 107: ὁ δὲ τἀξίωμα τοῦ λέγοντος οὐδὲν καταπλαγεὶς ὥσπερ ὑπηκόῳ βασιλεύς, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὑπήκοος βασιλεῖ, παρρησίᾳ σὺν αἰδοῖ χρώμενος διελέγετο, cf. 222.

Nevertheless, OT Jewish motifs are just as apparent here as in the LXX. The LXX view of παρρησία here is found also in Jewish Hell. texts. The presupposition of παρρησία here is fulfilment of the Law, righteousness, piety. Yet this is again taken Hell., of course, inasmuch as the concept of συνείδησις (τὸ συνειδός) occurs. Cf. Philo Spec. Leg., I, 203 f.: βούλεται γὰρ τοῦ θύοντος πρῶτον μὲν τὸν νοῦν ὡσιῶσθαι γνώμαις ἀγαθαῖς καὶ συμφερούσαις ἐνασκούμενον, ἔπειτα δὲ τὸν βίον ἐξ ἀρίστων συνεστάναι πράξεων, ὡς ἅμα τῇ τῶν χειρῶν ἐπιθέσει δύνασθαί τινα παρρησιασάμενον ἐκ καθαροῦ τοῦ συνειδότος τοιαῦτα εἰπεῖν· αἱ χεῖρες αὗται οὔτε δῶρον ἐπʼ ἀδίκοις ἔλαβον οὔτε … αἵματος ἀθῴου προσήψαντο … ἀλλʼ ὑποδιάκονοι πάντων ἐγένοντο τῶν καλῶν καὶ συμφερόντων, ἃ παρὰ σοφίᾳ καὶ νόμοις καὶ σοφοῖς καὶ νομίμοις ἀνδράσι τετίμηται. The ἀσεβής has no παρρησία, Test. XII R. 4:2 f.: ὅτι ἄχρι τελευτῆς τοῦ πατρός μου οὐκ εἶχον παρρησίαν ἀτενίσαι εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, ἢ λαλῆσαί τινι τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου, διὰ τοὺς ἀνειδισμούς. Καὶ ἕως νῦν ἡ συνείδησίς μου συνέχει με περὶ τῆς ἀσεβείας μου. How common is the connection between parrhesia and a good conscience may be seen in Jos. Ant., 2, 131: οὐδὲν γὰρ αὑτοῖς συνειδότες ἦγον παρρησίαν, ὡς ἐδόκουν, ἀκίνδυνον, and 2, 52: τῆς δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα κοινωνίας ἀπόλαυσιν ἐχούσης ἀκίνδυνον καὶ προσέτι πολλὴν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν παρρησίαν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους.

The last ref. shows that these writings speak of παρρησία towards God. One might also adduce Ant., 5, 38: βλέπων δὲ οὕτως ὁ Ἰησοῦς τήν τε στρατιὰν καταπεπληγυῖαν καὶ περὶ τῶν ἅλων πονηρὰν ἤδη τὴν ἐλπίδα λαμβάνουσαν παρρησίαν λαμβάνει πρὸς τὸν θεόν. παρρησία expresses itself in prayer. There is a longer discussion of παρρησία towards God in Philo Rer. Div. Her., 5–29. Here all the aspects are combined, and Jewish elements are characteristically fused with Hellenistic. εὐτολμία and ἡ ἐν τῷ δέοντι παρρησία πρὸς τοὺς ἀμείνους are ἀρεταί, ibid., 5. An οἰκέτης has παρρησία towards his master, ὅταν ἠδικηκότι μὲν ἑαυτῷ μηδὲν συνειδῇ, πάντα δʼ ὑπὲρ τοῦ κεκτημένου καὶ λέγοντι καὶ πράττοντι, ibid., 6. Hence also ἐλευθεροστομεῖν πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τε καὶ τοῦ παντὸς ἡγεμόνα καὶ δεσπότην is only suitable ὅταν ἁμαρτημάτων καθαρεύῃ καὶ τὸ φιλοδέσποτον ἐκ τοῦ συνειδότος κρίνῃ, to be God’s servant is his greatest joy and he carries out each command of the master obediently, 7 and 9. παρρησία is, of course, possible only for the σοφός who in contrast to the ἀμαθής has learned silence and listening with the soul, 10ff. τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἀμαθέσι συμφέρον ἡσυχία, τοῖς δὲ ἐπιστήμης ἐφιεμένοις καὶ ἅμα φιλοδεσπότοις ἀναγκαιότατον ἡ παρρησία κτῆμα, 14. These ἔρωτι σοφίας θείῳ πεπιστευκότες (== οἱ σοφοί, 19) should then not simply speak but cry, and not merely with the lips and tongue ἀλλὰ τῷ παμμούσῳ καὶ μεγαλοφωνοτάτῳ ψυχῆς ὀργάνῳ, οὗ θνητὸς μὲν ἀκροατὴς οὐδὲ εἷς, ὁ δὲ ἀγένητος καὶ ἄφθαρτος μόνος 14. The parrhesia of the σοφός, typified by Moses (and Abraham), finds expression in mystical speech: τοσαύτῃ δʼ ἄρα χρῆται παρρησίᾳ ὁ ἀστεῖος, ὥστε οὐ μόνον λέγειν καὶ βοᾶν, ἀλλʼ ἤδη καὶ καταβοᾶν ἐξ ἀληθοῦς πίστεως καὶ ἀπὸ γνησίου τοῦ πάθους θαρρεῖ, 19. Yet it is not just audacity, but boldness in a good sense (not τόλμα but), εὐτολμία), διότι οἱ σοφοὶ πάντες φίλοι θεοῦ, καὶ μάλιστα κατὰ τὸν ἱερώτατον νομοθέτην. παρρησία δὲ φιλίας συγγενές· ἐπεὶ πρὸς τίνα ἄν τις ἢ πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ φίλον παρρησιάσαιτο; Moses, however, is called the φίλος θεοῦ (Ex. 33:11) … θρασύτης μὲν γὰρ αὐθάδους, φίλου δὲ θαρραλεότης οἰκεῖον 21. Thus παρρησιάζεσθαι or θαρρεῖν is in harmony with εὐλάβεια, 22ff.—a development of the Stoic paradox of the unity of εὐλαβεία and θάρσος (→ II, 752, 11 f.; 752, 52 ff.). ἀλήστως οὖν εὐωχοῦμαι τοῦ κράματος, ὅ με ἀναπέπεικε μήτε ἄνευ εὐλαβείας παρρησιάζεσθαι μήτε ἀπαρρησιάστως εὐλαβεῖσθαι, 29. That in prayer, which Philo puts on Moses’ lips in this connection (24ff.), God Himself is called ἡ παρρησία shows wherein παρρησία has its origin: ἀλλὰ σύ μοι, δέσποτα, ἡ πατρίς, σὺ ἡ συλλένεια, σὺ ἡ πατρῴα ἑστία, σὺ ἡ ἐπιτιμία, ἡ παρρησία, ὁ μέγας καὶ ἀοιδιμος καὶ ἀναφαίρετος πλοῦτος, 27

3. Ethiopian Enoch. In an eschatological context παρρησία occurs repeatedly in Eth. En. The ref. is always to the reward of the open standing of the righteous before the throne of God or the Messiah, to the radiance given therewith, to the integration into the joy expressed in praise. The antithesis is the position of sinners, who cannot stand yet have to stand in the revelation of judgment, who are in darkness, who lower their glances for fear and shame and sorrow, who engage in useless beseeching and bewailing. Cf. 47:2ff.; 48:8; 51:5; 61:3 ff., 9 ff.; 62:3–5: “And in those days will all kings and mighty men and lofty ones … rise up, and they shall see and know him, that he sits on the throne of his glory, and that judgment is exercised by him in righteousness … Then sorrow will come on them …, and they will be afraid and cast their glances to the ground, and sorrow will seize them …” v. 10: “But that Lord of spirits will press them. that they go out quickly from his presence, and their faces will be full of shame, and darkness will be heaped on their faces …” v. 15: “And the righteous and elect will have lifted up themselves from the earth and will cease to look down to the earth and will be invested with the robe of glory … and your glory will not perish before the Lord of spirits.” 63:1ff.; 69:26: “And there held sway among them a great joy, and they praised and lauded and extolled that the name of the Son of Man was revealed to them ….” 104:1ff., esp. v. 4: “… to you will great joy be given like (that of) the angels in heaven … you will not need to hide in the day of the great judgment …” παρρησία is used in this eschatological sense in 4 Esr. 7:98ff.: “The seventh joy of the righteous, greater than all mentioned, is that they may rejoice with confidence (with boldness), that they may be confident and exult without fear, for they hasten to see the countenance of him whom they have served in life and from whom they shall receive praise (ἔνδοξος) and reward … For seven days they have freedom (opportunity) to behold in these seven days that whereof I have spoken; then they will be assembled in their chambers.” The opposite of the seventh joy had been mentioned already in 7:87: “The seventh torment, worse than all mentioned, that they waste away for shame, that they are consumed by anxiety, that they languish for fear of having to see the glory of the Most High before whom they have sinned in life and by whom they shall be judged in the last judgment.” Here the parrhesia of the righteous who have served God is not merely the antithesis of the shame or anxiety of the ungodly; it is also the freedom to hasten to God and see His face, a freedom combined with confidence, fearlessness and above all joy. The OT meaning of parrhesia found in Job is thus continued.

By way of appendix it might be pointed out that παρρησία occurs in Rabb. writings²⁰ as a loan word (פַּדְהֶסְיָא), though it plays no special role. It is used 1. for “in an open, loud voice” as distinct from בְּלִחִישָׁה, ֶ “in a whisper,” Dt. r., 2 (199c); 2. for “publicly,” בפדהסיא, in express distinction from בצנעא, Ta’an, 16, or במטמוניות T. D^emai, 2, 9 (48), בחשאי, Gn. r., 17 (12a), בסתד, Ab., 4, 4, “secretly,” or with no express antithesis, M. Ex., 12, 31 (17a) etc.; 3. for “candidly” or “with cheerfulness,” S. Dt. § 76 on 12:23 (90b).

C. The New Testament.

1. The Johannine Writings. In the Gospel παρρησία is distinctively linked with the work of Jesus and has a place in the Johannine dialectic of the revelation of Jesus. A mark of Jesus as Revealer is that He works publicly, Jn. 18:20 f.: ἐγὼ παρρησίᾳ λελάληκα τῷ κόσμῳ· ἐγὼ πάντοτε ἐδίδαξα ἐν συναγωγῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ὅπου πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συνέρχονται, καὶ ἐν κρυπτῷ ἐλάλησα οὐδέν … ἴδε οὗτοι οἴδασιν ἃ εἶπον ἐγώ. This public sphere is the cosmos represented by the Jews, whether in synagogue or temple. The opposite is ἐν κρυπτῷ, “not publicly, in a corner.” It is thus emphasised that the preaching of Jesus is “not secret doctrine, and his society is not a sect.”²¹ The statement in 18:20 is confirmed in 7:25f.: οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὃν ζητοῦσιν ἀποκτεῖναι; καὶ ἴδε παρρησίᾳ λαλεῖ, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λέγουσιν, which suggests the knowledge of the authorities, and 7:26b: μήποτε ἀληθῶς ἔγνωσαν οἱ ἄρχοντες ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ χριστός; 11:54 tells how Jesus withdrew from the public eye: ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς οὐκέτι παρρησίᾳ περιεπάτει ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ἀλλὰ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὴν χώραν ἐγγὺς τῆς ἐρήμου, εἰς Ἐφράιμ λεγομένην πόλιν, κἀκεῖ ἔμεινεν μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν.

Notwithstanding this παρρηαίᾳ λαλεῖν or περιπατεῖν, Jesus in another sense remains concealed. His brothers think that His ἐν παρρησίᾳ εἶναι will follow at once from appearing in Judaea (7:4), and that His works will be perceived and acknowledged by a φανεροῦν ἑαυτὸν τῷ κόσμω. But they can think this only because they do not understand the hidden significance of His works, their character as σημεῖα, and because they do not believe in Him, 7:5. The public nature of His work should not be confused with His manifestation. The Evangelist, though he tells us that Jesus went to Jerusalem (7:10) and appeared publicly (7:14, cf. 7:26), can thus say: καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνέβη, οὐ φανερῶς ἀλλὰ [ὡς]²² ἐν κρυπτῷ, 7:10. As he understands it, Jesus went up in hidden form if openness is the same as manifestation. Open manifestation begins for the cosmos only with the eschatological event commencing with Jesus’ ascension to the Father. This is confirmed by what is said about the καιρός in 7:6ff. (→ III, 460, 13 ff.), where the Evangelist adopts and adapts the Greek and Hellenistic relating of παρρησία to the καιρός doctrine, → 874 32; 877, 40 ff. The “decisive, irrevocable moment”²³ of the parrhesia of Jesus has not yet come, is not yet fulfilled, 7:8, since it is the eschatological moment of His exaltation, which, taking place within this time, is not a possibility of this time, and which, though fixed by God, is yet in the freedom of the Son, who does the will of the Father.

How little the public nature of the work of Jesus as perceived and understood by the cosmos is the parrhesia of the Revealer may be seen from the fact that the public work of Jesus is hidden from the Jews as a Messianic work: ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεισ; εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστός, εἰπὸν ἡμῖν παρρησίᾳ. ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἶπον ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε· τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ … ταῦτα μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ, 10:24f. They would like to be able to lay hold of Jesus in direct self-witness. But they receive from Him the answer that open witness is given in His works. This witness is grasped, however, only by faith, which recognises the eschatological character of His works. Faith alone understands the figurative speech of Jesus, which is the result and reflection of His revelation. Jesus says in 11:11: Λάζαρος ὁ φίλος ἡμῶν κεκοίμηται. But according to the direct statement of the author the disciples misunderstand Him, 11:12f. Hence we read in 11:14: τότε οὖν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς παρρησίᾳ· Λάζαρος ἀπέθανεν … This παρρησίᾳ λέγειν means concretely “to speak non-figuratively,” “openly,” “without concealment.” The misunderstanding of the disciples is not based, of course, on misunderstanding of the image as such, but on misunderstanding of the matter, since, in spite of the presence of Jesus, they do not realise that death is only sleep. They do not believe in Him who is the resurrection and the life. This concealment is radically bound up with the life of Jesus right up to the coming again in the Paraclete. His speech is now in metaphor and riddle. In that day Jesus will proclaim παρρησίᾳ, 16:25ff. This is the day when the disciples will pray in the name of Jesus and on the basis of their love and faith they will receive directly from God. It is the day when the πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας comes, 16:13. The parrhesia of Jesus is thus given with the presence of the risen Lord in the Spirit. That the believer can pierce the concealment by the → παροιμίαι may be seen from the continuation in 16:29ff.

In Mk. 8:32 παρρησίᾳ is the opp. of ἐν παραβολαῖς and means “open.” The ref. is to the plain teaching given to the disciples, as distinct from the public (Mk. 2:9), on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The appended Peter story (8:32b f.) shows that the very openness hides Jesus from His disciples (cf. Mk. 9:32; 10:32). In Mk., too, Jesus can ἐν παρρησίᾳ εἶναι only for faith.

παρρησία is significant in another respect in the Johannine corpus. It is used in 1 Jn. for man’s openness to God.²⁴ In this connection we find a series of Hellenistic and Jewish traits in the Johannine understanding. παρρησία to God, found already in Hellenistic Jewish writings and in the LXX, denotes in 1 Jn. our present standing before God, 3:21; 5:14. It presupposes a good conscience, cf. 3:21: ἀγαπητοί, ἐὰν ἡ καρδία μὴ καταγινώσκῃ, παρρησίαν ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν θεόν … ²⁵ The basis of this good conscience is that we τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηροῦμεν καὶ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ποιοῦμεν, v. 22. But His commandment relates to the fact that we πιστεύσωμεν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους καθὼς ἔδωκεν ἐντολὴν ἡμῖν, v. 23. Parrhesia to God thus presupposes faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and love of one’s neighbour. Good conscience is here qualified in such a way that it arises with fulfilment of the commandment of Jesus by faith in Him and the related love of one’s neighbour. A further distinctive aspect of παρρησία may be seen, however, in v. 24. It is given with the presence of the πνεῦμα in us. The Spirit, whom God gives, points us to the fact that God is in us and that we abide in Him and thus keep His commandment. A good conscience, and therewith παρρησία, presupposes not only keeping the commandments of Jesus but also with this the presence of God in the Spirit. Parrhesia to God is to be found where God indwells by the Spirit those who keep the commandments of Jesus. This παρρησία finds expression in prayer to God which God hears (3:22;) 5:14f.: καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ παρρησία ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς αὐτόν, ὅτι ἐάν τι αἰτώμεθα κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ἀκούει ἡμῶν. καὶ ἐὰν οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀκούει ἡμῶν ὃ ἐὰν αἰτώμεθα, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἔχομεν τὰ αἰτήματα ἅ ᾐτήκαμεν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ. This again is a Hellenistic Jewish (or OT) view. The only thing is that these verses emphasise the point that prayer is according to God’s will. This will is naturally not the same as it is taken to be in Jewish Hellenism. παρρησία, freedom towards God, the right and power to say anything to God, is to be found where a man, taught by the Spirit to obey the commandments of Jesus, and at one with the will of God, opens his heart to God in prayer.

1 Jn. distinguishes between present παρρησία and the future παρρησία which Christians have in the last day, at the coming of Christ, before God, the judge and righteous δεσπότης, 2:28; 4:17. There had been references to this eschatological παρρησία in Wis. 5:1 and especially 4 Esr. 7:98ff. (→ 876, 12 ff.; 879, 23 ff.). As in 4 Esr. 7:98ff. and Eth. En., so here we find the antithesis between παρρησία and αἰσχύνη or παρρησία and φόβος. παρρησία is openness to God in the further sense that he who has παρρησία need not be ashamed before the coming Judge, will not be put to shame by Him, and has no fear of punishment. For παρρησία is simply a reflection of the fulness of the love of God for us in which we abide. Abiding in the love of God, which knows no fear because it keeps the commandments, is brought to light in the future judgment in the fact that we have access and openness, i.e., parrhesia, to God.

2. Acts. Acts has παρρησία and παρρησιάζεσθαι only towards man. Παρρησία is so closely related to the λαλεῖν or διδάσκειν (4:29, 31; 9:27 f.; 18:25f.) of the apostles that παρρησιάζεσθαι almost takes on the sense “to preach,” cf. 9:27f.; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8. The forum before which it applies consists either of the Jews in general (2:29; 9:27 f.; 13:46; 18:26; 19:8), the Jewish authorities in particular (4:13; 26:26; cf. 4:5ff.), Jews and Gentiles (14:3, cf. 14:2 [28:31]), or Gentiles and Jews along with their political representatives, 4:29, 31, cf. v. 27. It is the forum of the public and of political or judicial authorities. This public is always regarded as hostile: ἔπιδε ἐπὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς αὐτῶν, 4:29. Public speaking is thus open or candid speaking. In all instances, then, παρρησία might be rendered “candour” and παρρησιάζεσθαι “to speak with candour or boldness,” though the public aspect is not forgotten, e.g., 4:29, 31; 28:31; 9:27 f.; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8. In Ac. the meaning of παρρησία is basically controlled by the situation of confession. But a third element has also to be taken into account. According to Ac. 4:13 the Jewish authorities are surprised by the παρρησία of the apostles Peter and John because they ἄνθρωποι ἀγράμματοί εἰσιν καὶ ἰδιῶται. Their parrhesia, then, is not that of men whose training has given them rhetorical ability. Theirs is a different power. Here, then, παρρησία means rhetorical skill, and this aspect is emphasised. The κύριος gives such παρρησία to his servants. In Ac. 4:29 one finds again, in Christian form, the thought that the δοῦλος as such has no παρρησία. The παρρησία of the apostles is, of course, ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ τῷ μαρτυροῦντι ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, διδόντι σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα γίνεσθαι διὰ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν, 14:3. The κύριος Jesus Himself confirms the open preaching of His apostles by signs and wonders, and this witness by signs and wonders belongs to the eloquent preaching, the παρρησιάζεσθαι, cf. 4:29f.: καὶ τὰ νῦν, κύριε, ἔπιδε ἐπὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ δὸς τοῖς δούλοις σου μετὰ παρρησίας πάσης λαλεῖν τὸν λόγον σου, ἐν τῷ τὴν χεῖρα ἐκτείνειν σε εἰς ἴασιν καὶ σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα γίνεσθαι διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ ἁγίου παιδός σου Ἰησοῦ. That this power of bold and open speech, which is given by God and confirmed by the κύριος, is in the situation of confession made possible for the servants of God, the apostles, only by the Spirit, may be seen from the continuation of the passage just quoted in 4:31: καὶ δεηθέντων αὐτῶν ἐσαλεύθη ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν συνηγμένοι, καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν ἅπαντες τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, καὶ ἐλάλουν τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ παρρησίας. Peter also speaks πλησθεὶς πνεύματος ἁγίου in 4:8. The same connection may be seen again in 18:25f. Of Apollos, who ζέων τῷ πνεύματι ἐλάλει καὶ ἐδίδασκεν ἀκριβῶς τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, it is said: οὗτός τε ἤρξατο παρρησιάζεσθαι ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ. The parrhesia of the apostle who preaches openly and eloquently to a hostile world is a charisma.

3. The Pauline Corpus. In the Pauline corpus, too, there is emphasis on Christian and especially apostolic parrhesia. This represents a prominent aspect of Christian and especially apostolic life, Phil. 1:20; Eph. 3:12. It is to be found in connection with preaching the Gospel, Eph. 6:19 f. παρρησία is openness towards God (2C. 3:12; [Phil. 1:20;] Eph. 3:12) and also towards men (2 C. 3:12; Eph. 6:20; 1 Th. 2:2; 2 C. 7:4; 1 Tm. 3:13; Phlm. 8). But it also includes openness in the Gospel, Eph. 6:19 f.; 1 Th. 2:2 ff. Above all the discussion in 2 C. 3:12 ff. shows²⁶ that for Paul παρρησία to God—the uncovered face of Paul looking towards Him, 3:18—implies an uncovered face which men can see as Israel could not see the covered face of Moses, 3:13. He who lifts up his face uncovered to God also turns uncovered to men. This openness of apostolic life, however, has its basis in the gift of the Gospel and its ministry, the διακονία τοῦ πνεύματος and τῆς δικαιοσύνης, 3:7ff. The apostle can lift up his face openly to God and men because he serves incorruptible δόξα and kindles unshakable hope, 3:7ff. Thus παρρησία is negatively a law of non-concealment and positively a reflection of abiding glory grasped in hope. The openness of apostolic life makes this life a mirror of the δόξα κυρίου in which it is increasingly transformed by the πνεῦμα, 3:18. The aspects of παρρησία found in 2 C. 3 are in part confirmed by other statements of Paul. In Eph. 3:12: ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ προσαγωγὴν ἐν πεποιθήσει διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ, the juxtaposition of παρρησία and προσαγωγή shows plainly that παρρησία has the character of openness to God.²⁷ He who is in Christ has found again freedom towards God and can approach God with confidence. He can stand before the Ruler and Judge free and erect, not lowering his head, able to bear His presence. Openness towards men is in view in Phil. 1:20; Eph. 6:19 f.; 1 Th. 2:2. παρρησία is used in rather a different sense in 2 C. 7:4, where Paul’s openness or freedom towards the Corinthians, which is based on the right disposition of his heart to them, is almost “affection.” In Phlm. 8, however, we have an instance of παρρησία in much the same sense as ἐξουσία. The reference in 1 Tm. 3:13 is to παρρησία towards God and men. If we are to expound παρρησία here with reference to that wherein it finds expression, then it is the “unhampered and joyful word, both in prayer and in dealings with men.”²⁸ It presupposes καλῶς διακονεῖν and is grounded ἐν πίστει τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. That we have such παρρησία in Christ was mentioned already in Eph. 3:12 (→ lines 12 ff.); that the reference is to a παρρησιάζεσθαι ἐν τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν may be seen in 1 Th. 2:2; and that the πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ effects this παρρησία is intimated in Phil. 1:19 f.: οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι τοῦτό μοι ἀποβήσεται εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ τῆς ὑμῶν δεήσεως καὶ ἐπιχορηγίας τοῦ πνεύματος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, κατὰ τὴν ἀποκαραδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα μου ὅτι ἐν οὐδενὶ αἰσχυνθήσομαι, ἀλλʼ ἐν πάσῃ παρρησίᾳ ὡς πάντοτε καὶ νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς ἐν τῷ σώματί μου, εἴτε διὰ ζωῆς εἴτε διὰ θανάτου.²⁹ These sentences indicate once again the nature of παρρησία. It embraces here openness to both God and men. It stands opposed to the shame in which man perishes, and represents the glory in which he is great. Distinctive in this passage is the presupposition of the union between Christ and the apostle. If the apostle is not put to shame, Christ Himself in His body will be great in all openness or freedom.

The only reference to the παρρησία of Christ Himself as the risen Lord is in Col. 2:15. Christ exposes the powers to the cosmos in public triumph. Since, however, δειγματίζειν already contains the idea of public display (→ II, 31, 36 ff.), it may be asked whether ἐν παρρησίᾳ does not emphasise, not openness or boldness, but rather the superiority or ἐξουσία of Christ.

4. Hebrews. In Hb. παρρησία plays a relatively important part.³⁰ It connotes a distinctive mode of being on the part of the Christian. As has been correctly observed,³¹ παρρησία has “a peculiarly objective character.” One has it, not as a subjective attitude, but as the appropriation of something already there. One keeps it by holding fast, not merely oneself as a believer, but the presupposition of faith in the promise, παρρησία is thus posited objectively with the object of hope, and it is worked out in a life which is commensurate with and has entered into this openness. Hb. 3:6 contains the admonition to hold fast παρρησία and τὸ καύχημα τῆς ἐλπίδος. In 3:14 we read: τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ὑποστάσεως μέχρι τέλους βεβαίαν κατασχεῖν. ὑπόστασις is the formal term for παρρησία and the καύχημα which we have in hope. We have only its ἀρχή. In content παρρησία is freedom of access to God, authority to enter the sanctuary, openness for the new and living way which Jesus has restored for us, 10:19. This παρρησία is given with the blood of Jesus (10:19) and is grounded in His high-priestly way (4:14f.). The saving work of Jesus, which penetrates all the heavens, has created parrhesia and made its fulfilment possible. Parrhesia works itself out in the confidence and openness which need not be ashamed when it stands before the Judge, 4:16. It is preserved by patience in tribulation, 10:34ff. It demands an ἀληθινὴ καρδία ἐν πληροθορίᾳ πίστεως, and presupposes purifying of the conscience and baptism, 10:22. Since it is freedom on the way to God, it contains a reward, the attainment of hope. If it is kept open, there is already achieved, with saving participation in Christ, redeeming membership of His house, 3:14, 6.

D. παρρησία, παρρησιάζομαι in Ancient Ecclesiastical Literature.

It is obvious that so important a concept as παρρησία could not simply fade from the scene in the early Church. In fact there is a whole series of established senses and typical connections in which it may be found. To take a few examples, one reads of the παρρησία of the λόγος in Dg., 11, 2, cf. Orig. Comm. in Joh., 13, 16 (GCS, 10, 240, 24 f.) etc. One also finds the antithesis between παρρησία and μυστήριον in Dg., 11, 2. Cf. παρρησία and καιρός in Act. Thom., 46; Act. Joh., 22, παρρησία and public in Act. Phil., 116, παρρησία and joy, ibid., 7, παρρησία and λαμπρότης, Chrys. Hom. in Eph., 1 (MPG, 62, 14), παρρησία and αἰδώς, Act. Thom., 43. In the post-apost. fathers the most important instance is at 1 Cl., 34, 1ff. Here, as in Philo, παρρησία towards God is illustrated by the relation between servant and master. Only the δοῦλος who may be confident because of his work has παρρησία towards his δεσπότης. The παρρησία of the Christian, however, stands in the Lord.³² It is also the Lord’s gift, and as a condition requires obedience to Him. Its consequence and expression is the accordant prayer which grants participation in the promise. Similarly in 2 Cl., 15, 3 παρρησία has the presupposition: ἐμμείνωμεν οὖν ἐφʼ οἷς ἐπιστεύσαμεν δίκαιοι καὶ ὅσιοι, ἵνα μετὰ παρρησίας δἰτῶμεν τὸν θεὸν τὸν λέγοντα· Ἔτι λαλοῦντός σου ἑρῶ· ἰδοὺ πάρειμι. Its expression here is prayer to God. It is also worked out in the θεράπων Moses, esp. in intercession for the people—a new motif well worth noting (1 Cl., 53, 5).

Nevertheless, so far as I can see, παρρησία has an assured place in this literature only 1. in the portrait of the apostle in the apocryphal writings, 2. in the martyr literature. and 3. in the doctrine of prayer.

1. The Apostle in NT Apocrypha. Here there is a significant change as compared with the NT. Though one finds the connection between παρρησία and λόγος (Act. Phil., 97 and 144), the close link between λόγος and mighty acts leads to greater stress on the connection between παρρησία and ἐξουσία. The term παρρησία comes to mean almost the “power to work miracles” or the “freedom to do mighty acts.” Cf. Act. Thom., 81: ὁ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν ἐμπνέων ἡμῖν καὶ παρδθαρσύνων ἡμᾶς καὶ παρέχων παρρησίαν ἐν ἐγάπῃ τοῖς ἰδίοις σου δούλοις· δέομαί σου ἰαθεῖσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ ἀναστήτωσαν … In Act. Joh., 22 παρρησία is confidence in Christ, but this confidence finds expression and confirmation in miraculous power, cf. Act. Joh., 30 and 33; Act. Thom., 46 of the demon which was driven out and which now says: καί αὐτὸν (sc. the apostle) μὲν ἐπιλήσῃ, ἐμοὶ δὲ καιρὸς καὶ παρρησία γενήσεται, cf. Act. Phil., 110.

2. The Martyr Literature. This speaks of παρρησία in 3 ways.

a. The martyr shows it towards his persecutors. This continues the Jewish Hellenistic and NT strand.³³ Mart. Pol., 10, 1: εἰ κενοδοξεῖς, ἵνα ὀμόσω τὴν Καίσαρος τύχην, ὡς σὺ λέγεις, προσποιε͂ δὲ ἀγνοεῖν με, τίς εἰμι, μετὰ παρρησίας ἄκουε· Χριστιανός εἰμι, Eus. Hist. Eccl., V, 1, 18: τὴν ὁμολογίαν παρρησιάσασθαι, ibid., V, 2, 4: καὶ τὴν μὲν δύναμιν τῆς μαρτυμίας ἔργῳ ἐπεδείκνυντο, πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἄγοντες πρὸς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ τὴν εὐγένειαν διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ ἀφοβίας καὶ ἀτρομίας φανερὰν ἐποίουν, τὴν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τῶν μαρτύρων προσηγορίαν παρῃτοῦντο, ἐμπεπλησμένοι φόβου θεοῦ, Mart. Audreae, 8; Mart. Pionii, IV, 9: λέγουσιν (sc. the Jews) ὅτι καιροὺς παρρηαίας ἔχομεν. Acc. to Orig. Hom. in Luc., 27 (GCS, 30, 170, 3); Cels., II, 45 (GCS, 2, 167, 25; 168, 4) Jn. the Baptist and the apostles are models here. Even yet it is still realised that this παρρησία of the martyrs is a charisma. Cf. Eus. Hist. Eccl., V, 1, 49: Ἀλέξανδρός τις … γνωστὸς σχεδὸν πᾶσιν διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀγάπην καὶ παρρησίαν τοῦ λόγου (ἦν γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἄμοιρος ἀποστολικοῦ χαρίσματος).

b. Above all, however, the martyr has παρρησία toward God in heaven. The idea of heavenly parrhesia is still found elsewhere, e.g., in connection with the ascent of the soul in Act. Thom., 103: καὶ αὐτόα σοι σὑνοδος γένηται ἐν τῇ φοβερᾷ λεωφόρῳ, καὶ αὐτός σε ὁδηγήσει εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ· εἰσάξει δέ σε εἰς τὴν αἰωνίαν ζωήν, παρέχων σοι τὴν παρρησίαν τὴν μὴ παρερχομένην μήτε ἀλλασσομένην, cf. 148; Act. Joh., 109 (?). With ref. to martyrs it has a special emphasis, Act. Justini, 5, 6: διʼ εὐχῆς ἔχομεν διὰ τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τιμωρηθέντες σωθῆναι, ὅτι τοῦτο ἡμῖν σωτηρία καὶ παρρησία γενήσεται ἐπὶ τοῦ φοβεροῦ καὶ παγκοσμίου βήματος τοῦ δεσπότου ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος, Orig. Exhortatio ad Martyrium, 28 (GCS, 2, 24, 7): ὁποῖον δʼ ἐστὶ τὸ μαρτύριον καὶ πόσην παρρησίαν ἐμποιοῦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἔστι καταμαθεῖν, Chrys. in Sanctos Martyres Bernicen et Prosdocen, 7 (MPG, 50, 640) of the souls of the martyrs: πολλὴν γὰρ ἔχουσι παρρησίαν οὐχὶ ζῶσαι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τελευτήσασαι, καὶ πολλῷ μᾶλλον τελευτήσασαι. νῦν γὰρ τὰ στίγματα φέρουσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Chrys. Adversus Judaeos, 8, 6 (MPG, 48, 937): καταφύγῃς … πρὸς τοὺς φίλους (!) αὐτοῦ, τοὺς μάρτυρας, τοὺς ἁγίους, καὶ τοὺς εὐηρεστηκότας αὐτῷ καὶ πολλὴν ἔχοντας πρὸς αὐτὸν παρρησίαν.³⁴ As may be seen from these texts, this παρρησία is grounded in martyrdom itself.³⁵ it applies to the δεσπότης whose φίλος the martyr became. It expresses itself in intercession made for those who pray and above all for others, cf. Asterios Hom., 10: In Sanctos Martyres (MPG, 40, 317 C): πρεσβευτὰς αὐτοὺς τῶν εὐχῶν καὶ αἰτημάτων, διὰ τὸ ὑπερβάλλον τῆς παρρησίας, ποιοῦμεν (sc. the martyrs). ἐντεῦθεν πενίαι λύονται, καὶ ἰατρεύονται νόσοι, καὶ ἀρχόντων ἀπειλαὶ κοιμίζονται· πασῶν δὲ τῶν ταραχῶν καὶ χειμώνων τοῦ βίου λιμένες εἰσὶν εὔδιοι, οἱ ἱεροὶ τῶν μαρτύρων σηκοί. c. παρρησία to God is, however, enjoyed already by the living martyr or confessor, as stressed by Chrys. In Sanctos Martyres Bern. et Prosdoc., 7 (→ supra). In this he is not alone. He is accompanied by the saint or ascetic or mystic.³⁶

“He who has seen God alone can truly pray to God; he can thank Him sincerely; he may ask Him, indeed, he should ask Him for all things; he has free access, παρρησία, to God, and can speak to Him as friend to friend,” says Holl³⁷ of the ascetic mystic, and he gives a list of examples of which we may quote two:

Symeon, the new theologian, Or. 15:³⁸ χρὴ οὖν πρότερον πιστεύσαι καὶ καταλλαγῆναι θεῷ καὶ τότε ψάλλειν αὐτῷ, συγγνώμην αἰτοῦντος πρότερον τοῦ ψάλλοντος, ὧν ἥμαρτεν,

in connection with Ethica, 13 C folium 316 recto:³⁹ κατὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς μετανοίας ἀναλογοῦσαν εὑρίσκει τὴν πρὸς θεὸν παρρησίαν καὶ οἰκειότητα πᾶς ἄνθρωπος καὶ ταύτην γνωστῶς καὶ ἐναργῶς καὶ ὡς εἴ τις φίλος πρὸς φίλον καὶ προσομιλεῖ αὐτῷ προσώπῳ πρὸς πρόσωπον καὶ ὁρᾷ αὐτὸν νοεροῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς.

3. The Connection between παρρησία and Prayer. This is maintained and deepened. At one pt. it is the subject of special discussion. Acc. to Orig. Orat., 22, 1 (GCS, 3, 346, 18 f.) a specific NT παρρησία is expressed when God is called Father. This does not occur in the old covenant. Hence the Lord’s Prayer is prefaced in the Liturgy of James by sentences containing prayer for this parrhesia: καὶ καταξίωσον ἡμᾶς, δέσποτα φιλάνθρωπε, μετὰ παρρησίας, ἀκατακρίτως, ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ, ψυχῇ συντετριμμένῃ, ἀνεπαισχύντῳ προσώπῳ, ἡγιασμένοις χείλεσι τολμᾶν ἐπικαλεῖσθαί σε τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἅγιον Θεὸν Πατέρα καὶ λέγειν.⁴⁰ Every prayer demands παρρησία, but esp. that in which a filial relationship is expressed. οἵας γὰρ τῷ λέγοντι χρεία ψυχῆς! ὅσης τῆς παρρησίας! οἵας τῆς συνειδήσεως!, to say Father when one has known God, Greg. Nyss. De Oratione Dominica, Or., 2 (MPG, 44, 1140 C).

Schlier^[1]

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