LIBERTATEA DE CREDINȚĂ ÎNTRE CERCETAREA CONTEMPORANĂ ȘI EXEGEZA BIBLICĂ: MATEI 10:23 ȘI MISIUNEA APOSTOLICĂ
FREEDOM OF FAITH BETWEEN CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH AND BIBLICAL EXEGESIS: MATTHEW 10:23 AND THE APOSTOLIC MISSION

Summary/Abstract: Freedom of Faith between Contemporary Research and Biblical Exegesis: Matthew 10:23 and the Apostolic Mission. This study combines bibliometric analysis and biblical exegesis to explore the meaning of freedom of faith. A visualization of the 1000 most relevant Web of Science publications (2014–2019) shows that the discourse on religious freedom is dominated by legal, political, and philosophical frameworks, while the biblical foundations of the concept remain largely overlooked. To address this gap, the paper turns to Matthew 10:23, a text often considered problematic for its apparent reference to the timing of the Son of Man’s coming. We argue that the verse should be read not as a failed prediction of parousia but as a multilayered statement uniting eschatological urgency with missionary responsibility and freedom of conscience. The “towns of Israel” designate both the immediate horizon of the apostolic mission and the universal call to proclamation, while the “coming of the Son of Man” encompasses judgment on Jerusalem, Christ’s continuous presence in history, and his eschatological return. Within the tolerant yet volatile framework of the Roman Empire, this passage illustrates an early Christian vision of religious freedom: the Gospel is to be proclaimed with authority but never imposed by coercion. In dialogue with contemporary research trends, the study highlights the theological roots of liberty of faith as essential for understanding its modern articulations.

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