The Concept of Virtue in the New Testament from the Viewpoint of Moral Theology

Virtue in the New Covenant is concept that express in the first meaning of the word the quality of God. The virtue of men is not his own ability, perceived by his effort and endeavour, but she is the fruit of grace. This is the principle difference in the conception of the Bible and the conception of the antic philosophers. The typical biblical virtues in The New Covenant are the theological virtues: faith, hope and charity. The first of all the virtues is charity. The justice in the Bible has a more wide meaning as in the philosophy, it is not only a virtue that expresses equality in personal relationships, but she also includes the relationship with God and a goodness to men. In the Bible the fortitude is not a fortitude, which can be attributed to men, to his power, she is coming from God. The human being accepts that gift by confessing his own disability and in a great thrust in God. But the conception of the virtue in the Bible and in the philosophy is not contradictory; it can be considered as supplementing each other, because grace does not destroy the nature of men but she is elevating him.

Keywords: virtue; theological virtue; moral virtue; virtue in philosophy and Bible