1. The Old Testament background. The prehistory of the theological concept of grace is to be attached to the terms תסד and תו in the ОТ. Both appear as χάρις in the LXX. They do not signify proprieties or entities, but, like the ОТ concept of justice, a social attitude, and its deployment in action rather than merely the mental disposition. Hence the concepts of תס¸צדקה and שד are closely connected with them, as is also שלום. Hence, in contrast to our notion of grace, תסד may be attributed to both partners in the relationsh…