THE METAPHYSICAL CONCEPT OF GOD IN THE EXEGETICS OF HRYHORII SKOVORODA

Abstract

This article examines Hryhorii Skovoroda’s original exegetical concept regarding the image of God and His place in the cosmos. The relevance of this study stems from the need for a more in-depth analysis of Skovoroda’s exegesis, not merely as a theological commentary, but as a complex literary and philosophical model in which the names of God serve as tools for human self-knowledge and for grasping the invisible essence of the world. The aim of the study is to reveal the specific nature of Hryhorii Skovoroda’s exegetical approach to understanding the image of God, and to analyse the allegorical nature of God’s names in the context of allegorical biblical exegesis. This aim is achieved by fulfilling the following tasks: to analyse the concept of the ‘two natures’ (visible and invisible) as the foundation of Skovoroda’s ontology and exegesis; to investigate the issue of the multiplicity of God’s names in the thinker’s works and to explain the reasons for his avoidance of a single personified image; to reveal the symbolic meaning of the image of Jesus Christ in Skovoroda’s hermeneutics, in particular his interpretation as the archetype of the ‘spiritual man’ and a symbol of salvation; To outline the role of the idea of self-knowledge as the primary path of man’s ‘ascent’ to God through catharsis and inner rebirth; to identify the peculiarities of Skovoroda’s use of allegorical ‘vice-figures’ and symbols (the sun, the ring) to explain the divine presence in the world. Results. The study analyses the specific nature of the philosopher’s Baroque thinking, in which God appears as an abstract ‘invisible nature’ that permeates all existence, yet lacks a single personified name. Particular attention is paid to the multiplicity of God’s names (Nature, Mind, Truth), which for Skovoroda are metaphysical signs of approaching the truth. The thinker’s biblical hermeneutics are examined, in particular his interpretation of the image of Jesus Christ as an allegorical symbol of ‘spiritual birth’ and the ‘new man’. It is emphasised that Skovoroda’s path to the knowledge of God is inextricably linked with the idea of self-knowledge: through inner catharsis and the rejection of external vanities, a person will discover the divine principle within themselves. Conclusions. Thus, for Skovoroda, the Bible, Nature and Man are three interrelated ‘books-worlds’ through which the eternal invisible essence is revealed.