This thesis identifies and examines the tradition of restoration. Particular attention is given to its expression in—what is identified in the present study—as the exilic model of restoration. This model provided one framework through which Jews in the Greco- Roman period could express their dilemmas as well as their hopes and ideas of the future. This particular expression of Israel's restoration is characterized by the features of Israel’s re-gathering, the fate of the nations/enemies, and the establishment of a new Temple. The present study focuses primarily on the first two features (i.e., the re- gathering of Israel and the fate of Israel's enemies) of the exilic model of restoration. The features are identified in a wide number of early Jewish documents and examined for their interpretation. In Chapter One, we examine and submit to critique the most important scholarly work on the use of the pattern of 'exile and return' in early Jewish ideas of restoration. In Chapter Two (The Re-gathering of Israel) we identify and discuss various early Jewish sources that represent the diverse interpretations given to the motif of Israel's eschatological return. In Chapter Three (The Defeat of Israel's Enemies), we examine a number of early Jewish documents that represent the variety of interpretations and emphases given to the hope for the defeat of Israel's adversaries. In Chapter Four (The Restoration of Israel in Luke-Acts), we explore the influence of these early Jewish ideas of restoration on the self-identity and hopes of a formative Christian community.

Daar heers tans 'n verwarring in baie mense se gemoedere, teoloe sowel as ander gelowiges, aangaande die heilsweg. Aan die een kant is daar die mense wat glo dat jy jou moet bekeer om in die verlossing te kan deel (die bekeringsteologie) . Aan die ander kant is daar diegene wat glo dat die mens klaar gered is, en enige poging, hetsy deur geloof of bekering, van mensekant is sinergisme (verbondsteologie) . In ons soeke na 'n oplossing het ons na die verbond as moontlike vertrekpunt gaan kyk, en gevind dat die verbond inderdaad 'n oplossing bied. Die verbond het verskeie prinsipiele eienskappe, en die kern daarvan is dat dit 'n Godgegewe instelling is met duidelike inhoude. Onder andere het die verbond 'n monopleuriese instelling, maar ook 'n dupleuriese werking. Hieruit volg dat die verbond op die verantwoordelikheid van die mens appeleer. Die appel van die verbond kom tot uiting in die oproep om die verlossingsdade van Christus aan te gryp. Vervolgens is gekyk na die manier waardeur 'n mens sy verantwoordelikheid nakom. In sowel die Ou as Nuwe Testament is dit duidelik dat die mens wat nie in 'n verbondsverhouding met die Here leef nie, gevaar loop om uit die verbond gesny te word. Die enigste manier om verseker dat 'n mens in die verbondsbelof tes de el, is deur bekering. Die Bybel maak nie 'n duidelike onderskeid tussen eerste en voortgaande bekering binne die verbond nie. God gee die bekering, maar vereis dit ook / There is presently a great deal of confusion in the minds of people, theologians as well as lay members, regarding the way of salvation. On the one hand there are those who believe that one must be converted before one can share in salvation. It may be called a theology of conversion. On the other hand there are those who believe that the people of the covenant are already saved, and all endevours to claim the salvation by faith or repentance, are forms of synergism. In our attempt to find a solution, we have taken the covenant as pain of departure. The covenant has many qualities, but the central aspect is the fact that the covenant is a God-given entity and therefore has certain specific characteristics like a monopleuric origin (in God} but a dupleuric working (divine and human responsibility) . According to the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, it is clear that those covenant people who do not commit themselves to the God of the covenant, and accept its demands, are in danger of being cut off from the covenant. The only way to restore the covenant relationship is by repentance and conversion. Concerning the covenant the Bible does not make any clear difference between a radical initial conversion and an ongoing one. God gives conversion, but also demands it / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Sistematiese Teologie)

Daar heers tans 'n verwarring in baie mense se gemoedere, teoloe sowel as ander gelowiges, aangaande die heilsweg. Aan die een kant is daar die mense wat glo dat jy jou moet bekeer om in die verlossing te kan deel (die bekeringsteologie) . Aan die ander kant is daar diegene wat glo dat die mens klaar gered is, en enige poging, hetsy deur geloof of bekering, van mensekant is sinergisme (verbondsteologie) . In ons soeke na 'n oplossing het ons na die verbond as moontlike vertrekpunt gaan kyk, en gevind dat die verbond inderdaad 'n oplossing bied. Die verbond het verskeie prinsipiele eienskappe, en die kern daarvan is dat dit 'n Godgegewe instelling is met duidelike inhoude. Onder andere het die verbond 'n monopleuriese instelling, maar ook 'n dupleuriese werking. Hieruit volg dat die verbond op die verantwoordelikheid van die mens appeleer. Die appel van die verbond kom tot uiting in die oproep om die verlossingsdade van Christus aan te gryp. Vervolgens is gekyk na die manier waardeur 'n mens sy verantwoordelikheid nakom. In sowel die Ou as Nuwe Testament is dit duidelik dat die mens wat nie in 'n verbondsverhouding met die Here leef nie, gevaar loop om uit die verbond gesny te word. Die enigste manier om verseker dat 'n mens in die verbondsbelof tes de el, is deur bekering. Die Bybel maak nie 'n duidelike onderskeid tussen eerste en voortgaande bekering binne die verbond nie. God gee die bekering, maar vereis dit ook / There is presently a great deal of confusion in the minds of people, theologians as well as lay members, regarding the way of salvation. On the one hand there are those who believe that one must be converted before one can share in salvation. It may be called a theology of conversion. On the other hand there are those who believe that the people of the covenant are already saved, and all endevours to claim the salvation by faith or repentance, are forms of synergism. In our attempt to find a solution, we have taken the covenant as pain of departure. The covenant has many qualities, but the central aspect is the fact that the covenant is a God-given entity and therefore has certain specific characteristics like a monopleuric origin (in God} but a dupleuric working (divine and human responsibility) . According to the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, it is clear that those covenant people who do not commit themselves to the God of the covenant, and accept its demands, are in danger of being cut off from the covenant. The only way to restore the covenant relationship is by repentance and conversion. Concerning the covenant the Bible does not make any clear difference between a radical initial conversion and an ongoing one. God gives conversion, but also demands it / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Sistematiese Teologie)

The Old Testament is the story of Yahweh and His Covenant relationship with His people Israel. Many other Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) peoples are mentioned in the context of their relationship to Israel. This Covenant relationship which began with Abraham had a core component, the gift of land (Gen 12:7), the Promised Land. The Covenant was ratified at Mount Sinai where the terms, the Ten Commandments were given to Israel. Core to the terms was the obligation that Israel would serve no other god but Yahweh and without any representative image. Israel must be a monotheistic people. Only then would they retain the Promised Land. The Promised Land was occupied by the Canaanites. The Canaanites though difficult to identify with precision, were a people whose religious cult was the direct opposite of Yahwism. They worshipped Baal the fertility god. The fertility cult was a belief that there is no absolute being but a universal realm with a womb of fertility. This womb is the source of fertility and the gods are the agents. In the land of Canaan, Baal was the agent of fertility. The wealth and fertility of the land, crops, livestock, and humans was attributed to Baal. Baal was worshiped through the fertility cult which had cult personnel like prophets, and temple prostitutes. The fertility cult had festivals in which sympathetic magic was performed to induce the gods into action. This magic involved cultic sex and wine consumption in honor of Baal. The Canaanites were driven out of the land lest they influence Israel to copy their ways. This would violate the Covenant and Israel would be ejected out of the land because the occupation was based on keeping the Covenant. There were no strict conditions of obedience in Baal worship like in the Covenant. Baal offered them release from „Covenant Obedience‟ to indulge in sensuality while enjoying the blessings. In the end, the Baal fertility cult had such a negative impact on the Covenant that Israel was ejected out of the Promised Land and deported into the Babylonian Exile as seen in the book of Jeremiah / Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)

The Old Testament is the story of Yahweh and His Covenant relationship with His people Israel. Many other Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) peoples are mentioned in the context of their relationship to Israel. This Covenant relationship which began with Abraham had a core component, the gift of land (Gen 12:7), the Promised Land. The Covenant was ratified at Mount Sinai where the terms, the Ten Commandments were given to Israel. Core to the terms was the obligation that Israel would serve no other god but Yahweh and without any representative image. Israel must be a monotheistic people. Only then would they retain the Promised Land. The Promised Land was occupied by the Canaanites. The Canaanites though difficult to identify with precision, were a people whose religious cult was the direct opposite of Yahwism. They worshipped Baal the fertility god. The fertility cult was a belief that there is no absolute being but a universal realm with a womb of fertility. This womb is the source of fertility and the gods are the agents. In the land of Canaan, Baal was the agent of fertility. The wealth and fertility of the land, crops, livestock, and humans was attributed to Baal. Baal was worshiped through the fertility cult which had cult personnel like prophets, and temple prostitutes. The fertility cult had festivals in which sympathetic magic was performed to induce the gods into action. This magic involved cultic sex and wine consumption in honor of Baal. The Canaanites were driven out of the land lest they influence Israel to copy their ways. This would violate the Covenant and Israel would be ejected out of the land because the occupation was based on keeping the Covenant. There were no strict conditions of obedience in Baal worship like in the Covenant. Baal offered them release from „Covenant Obedience‟ to indulge in sensuality while enjoying the blessings. In the end, the Baal fertility cult had such a negative impact on the Covenant that Israel was ejected out of the Promised Land and deported into the Babylonian Exile as seen in the book of Jeremiah / Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)

Title in German and English, text in German, abstract and keywords in English / This thesis deals primarily with the questions: Is Israel constantly chosen by God or have the devine promises gone over to the chuch? Are jews to be saved without the sacrifice of Christ? Should jews be missionised as gentiles alike? To give responses, the followings steps are worked out: At first an overview on the israelological models that have been opined during church- history is presented. Secondly church-documents are analyzed in spite of their missiological content. Thirdly an exegesis of Romans 9-11 is offered. Following this, those of the church-documents, whose israelology is closest to the witness of scripture, are presented. Finally a conclusion is offered, which states, that jews are constantly chosen, but not to be saved in another manner as gentiles. Therefore the church is continually obliged to bear the Gospel also to Israel. Jews and gentiles alike are to be saved by nothing but the blood of Jesus. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Text in German / This thesis deals primarily with the questions: Is Israel constantly chosen by God or have the devine promises gone over to the chuch? Are jews to be saved without the sacrifice of Christ? Should jews be missionised as gentiles alike? To give responses, the followings steps are worked out: At first an overview on the israelological models that have been opined during church- history is presented. Secondly church-documents are analyzed in spite of their missiological content. Thirdly an exegesis of Romans 9-11 is offered. Following this, those of the church-documents, whose israelology is closest to the witness of scripture, are presented. Finally a conclusion is offered, which states, that jews are constantly chosen, but not to be saved in another manner as gentiles. Therefore the church is continually obliged to bear the Gospel also to Israel. Jews and gentiles alike are to be saved by nothing but the blood of Jesus. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)