David as a Prefiguration of Christ and Redeemed Humanity in the Works of Hilary of Poitiers

Like many others before him, Hilary of Poitiers was not indifferent to the wealth of Christological motifs in the figure of David. As king, prophet and shepherd, David has his place in the history of Salvation between Adam and Christ, as a representation of humanity seeking reconciliation with God. By choosing him among his brothers and preferring him to Saul, by anointing him, God gives him a central place in history and gives him a mission: to anticipate the Kingdom of Christ and be a vessel of the Holy Spirit that announces the Paschal mystery and the salvation of mankind. By transcending the traditional image of a mere prefiguration of Christ or prophet of the Messiah, the king of Israel reaches a fuller level of development and complexity in Hilary’s theology by also becoming the herald of Christians who, being anointed through baptism, are integrated into God’s mission and become joint heirs of His Kingdom.