In this dissertation, I explore the history of research of John 10: 1-18, I attempt to make a contribution to the understanding of this very important chapter in John by using Literary Theory for exegetical purposes, draw some conclusions with regard to the Christology of John and open some avenues of the understanding of the significance of the shepherd metaphor for our own context. In John's own time, this chapter definitely had social, religious as well as political significance. I attempt to determine how these facts interact with Jeremiah 23: 1-8 and Ezekiel 34: 1-6. I also draw some conclusions which may serve as guidelines in our own context and especially our own pastoral needs in the situation of conflict in our society, leaders who lead the flock of God astray and the need of unity among Christians. / Thesis (M.Theol.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1994.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate what can be discovered from Luke-Acts about early Christian baptism, recognising that the environment in which Luke's tradition developed was both Jewish and Gentile. The thesis begins with a brief survey of the Jewish practice of ritual washings. The ideas and practices which encouraged the formal rite of John the Baptist and the early church are identified and evaluated. The second chapter focuses attention on Acts 2:37-3:21. Baptism is defined in this passage (Ac. 2:38) in the context of the proclamation by Peter (Ac. 2:14-36) and the life of the community, which includes koinonia (Ac. 2:42-47), the performance of a miracle (Ac. 3:1-1 0), and a further proclamation (Ac. 3:12-26). Using the methods of redaktiongeschichte and narratological analyses, the literary unity of Luke-Acts will be shown in the light of the elements of baptism. In the third chapter the different accounts of baptism recorded in Luke-Acts will be analysed and compared in order to determine how the church tradition which Luke represents understood baptism, and what was the significance of the rite and the practice of baptism in the early church. Finally, in order to emphasise the importance in the Greek world of the ideas and example of the moral philosophers, the meaning of terms related to baptism, such as akouo, metanoeo and pisteuo, is examined in the light of both Jewish and Greek concepts. The community life of the baptised expressed also practices and ideas which appear to owe more to the Greek world than the Jewish. These concepts include parrhesia, koinonia, and the way in which Christianity is described by its members and outsiders- Christianoi, hairesis, hodos. Finally the setting of the Christian meetings in the Gentile context is discussed. The conclusion indicated by the evidence is that Christianity was organised in a form which was scarcely distinguishable from a school under a kathegetes. Baptism initiated the believer into a relationship with a teacher. It was the nature of the teacher as well as the content of the teaching which gave to Christianity its uniqueness.

Given the importance of Paul for Dante's characterization of the pilgrim, and his invocation of the Pauline Epistles throughout the Commedia, this thesis began by asking how important Paul was to Dante's fourteenth-century readers. It examines the use of the Pauline Epistles by the Trecento commentators of Dante's Commedia in order to contribute to our understanding of how both were read in late medieval Italy. Part One examines reading practices in the Middle Ages, and introduces commentary writing as a genre. The fourteenth century commentators are then described, with a focus on personal circumstances that may have influenced their interpretations. Part Two examines the use of Paul in the commentaries, differentiating between different forms of citation, such as when the commentators used Paul because they identified Pauline references or allusions in the poem, or when they included Paul in their interpretations for other reasons. This produced close readings of selected commentaries which reveal how the commentators read Paul and understood Dante. Jacopo della Lana used Paul when copying Aquinas, and his knowledge of the Epistles themselves, it is argued, was often confused and inaccurate. Pietro Alighieri repeatedly used Paul in combination with other sources in order implicitly to link canti. Guido da Pisa viewed the Commedia as a prophetic dream vision, and equated Dante with Biblical figures, including Paul. This comparison allowed Guido to justify his use of Dante as a life model for his dedicatee. The commentators acknowledge the importance of Paul when Dante clearly alludes to the Epistles, but in general, they simply use Paul as an authoritative voice. Finally, this thesis demonstrates their understanding of Dante not just as narrator/character, but also as reader.

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die inhoud en vorm van 'n preek is 'n eenheid. Beide aspekte vorm deel van die teologiese teorie van die prediking. In hierdie studie word daar teoreties besin oor 'n bepaalde vorm van prediking. Dit behels 'n ondersoek na die literere vorm waarin die boodskap gestruktureer en verwoord word. Die Skrif bevat 'n verskeidenheid literere vorme wat deur Bybelskrywers aangewend is om die intensie van die teks effektief te kommunikeer. Elk van hierdie vorme besit 'n eiendomlike kommunikatiewe aard. Die ontwikkeling van die moderne literatuurwetenskap sedert die tagtigerjare van die twintigste eeu het stukrag verleen aan die insig dat die Bybel ook as 'n versameling godsdienstige literatuur bestudeer kan word. Dit het meegebring dat die intensie van die teks van die Bybel op 'n teologies verantwoordbare wyse, met inagneming van die historiese verbande, beter begryp kan word deur die gebruikmaking van insigte uit ander literatuur. As sodanig word erkende literere kunsvorme wat naas die logies-analitiese ook die emotiewe betrek, aanvaar. Die resultaat van hierdie ondersoek dui aan dat die preek as kunsvorm geevalueer en in die moderne preekteorie geregverdig kan word. Die proses van transformasie wat die moderne hermeneutiese benadering kenmerk; die veranderde beleweniswereld en verstaanshorison van die huidige hoorders asook die eiesoortige aard van Bybelse literatuur is vanuit 'n kommunikatiewe aanname in 'n kunsvorm binne die moderne homiletiese teorie haalbaar. Die teorie orienteer binne die kommunikatiewe handelingsteorie as meta-teorie wat ingestel is op dialogiese kommunikasie wat betekenisgewing deur waarnemerbetrokkenheid bevorder en 'n bepaalde denkwyse by die hoorders tot gevolg het. Die tradisionele vorm van prediking, gekenmerk deur absolute dominasie van die rede en intellektualisme uit die modernistiese tydvak, het teen die einde van die tweede millennium in ernstige diskrediet gekom. Die radikale verandering in die samelewing deur die moderniseringsproses met gepaardgaande paradigma verskuiwinge dwing die homiletiek om teoreties te herbesin. In hierdie studie word die preek as kunsvorm afgebaken tot die verhalende preekvorm, konseptueel ontwikkel en teoreties omskryf asook geplaas binne die moderne homiletiese teorie as komponent wat daarby pas. Die resultaat is verkry deur 'n vergelykende studie van gemeenskaplike wesenstrekke wat voorkom by erkende kunsvorme in die moderne kunsteorie; die verhalende kunsvorm in die moderne literere teorie met spesifieke verwysing na die Afrikaanse roman asook die verhalende preekvorm in die moderne homiletiese teorie. Deur hierdie vorm van prediking in die moderne preekteorie op te neem, kan 'n sinvolle bydrae gemaak word om die Christelike boodskap deur oortuiging sander enige vorm van dwang te kommunikeer. / In a sermon form and content are one. Both aspects form part of the theological theory of preaching. This theoretical survey investigates one of the various literary forms through which the biblical writers attempted to communicate the intention of the biblical text in the most effective way. Each of these forms possesses a distinctive communicative character. The development of modern literary theory since the eighties of the twentieth century was a propulsive force leading to the conviction that the Bible was also a collection of religious literature. This conviction implied that the intention of the biblical text could be more clearly understood in a theological justified manner within the historical context by using insights gained from other literature. Acknowledged literary art forms adhering to the emotive as well as the logic-analytical are embraced as such. In this study the sermon as an art form is limited to narrative preaching, developed as a concept; theoretically described and placed within the modern homiletical theory as a suitable component. Results are obtained by means of a comparative study of mutual features that are distinctive to acknowledged art forms in the modern theory of art; narrative art forms in modern literature theory specifically in the modern Afrikaans novel, as well as the narrative form of preaching in the modern homiletical theory. The modern homiletical theory is orientated within the communicative acts theory as meta-theory focusing on dialogical communication which promotes meaning through the involvement of the observer. The conclusions reached indicate that the sermon as an art form can be evaluated and justified within the modem homiletical theory. Taken up in this theory, it can prove significant in communicating the Christian message to the listeners in a convincing rather than compulsive manner. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Practical theology)

Denna uppsats söker besvara frågan ”Hur tolkas Jesu mor i nutida bibelkommentarer till Johannesevangeliet, utifrån de exegetiska forskningsfälten historicitet, litterärkritik och teologi?”. Syftet är att bidra till ett kritiskt och reflekterande samtal kring den exegetiska bibelkommentaren som genre, och i synnerhet bidra till en ökad förståelse av hur nutida exegetiska bibelkommentarer behandlar en teologiskt omstridd biblisk gestalt. Uppsatsen utgår från en teoretisk utgångspunkt som innebär att exegetik inte kan bedrivas opåverkad av exegetens egna föreställningar, varför skillnader mellan olika tolkningar är att förvänta. Uppsatsen har en kvalitativ, hermeneutisk metodansats. Det metodologiska tillvägagångssättet är att med hjälp av problemformuleringen och arbetsfrågorna analysera och diskutera hur Jesu moders historiska, litterära och teologiska roll i bibeltexterna Joh 2:1-11 och 19:25-27 tolkas i nio utvalda exegetiska kommentarer till Johannesevangeliet.I kapitel 1 introduceras teori, metod, avgränsningar, begrepp, angränsande forskning, material och disposition. I kapitel 2 presenteras de grekiska texterna till de aktuella perikoperna 2:1-11 och 19:25-27, som ett stöd för läsaren. I kapitel 3 analyseras de nio bibelkommentarerna i tur och ordning enligt arbetsfrågorna. I kapitel 4 sätts bibelkommentarernas respektive tolkningar i relation till varandra; och en diskussion kring likheter, skillnader och mönster förs. I samma kapitel presenteras en sammanfattande diskussion, uppsatsens slutsatser och förslag till framtida forskning.Uppsatsens slutsatser är (1) att Jesu mor som historisk gestalt är indirekt föremål för diskussion, genom en mer övergripande diskussion om Johannesevangeliet som ögonvittnesskildring eller ej, (2) att Jesu mor i allmänhet framstår som en rund, statisk (se 1.3 Teori och metod för en förklaring av dessa begrepp) karaktär i de analyserade kommentarerna, och (3) att Jesu mor av de flesta anses som en viktig teologisk gestalt, framförallt som en del i en uppfattad johanneisk teologi om en familj av troende som instiftas av Jesus; en ståndpunkt som dock väcker debatt och möter motstånd

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die inhoud en vorm van 'n preek is 'n eenheid. Beide aspekte vorm deel van die teologiese teorie van die prediking. In hierdie studie word daar teoreties besin oor 'n bepaalde vorm van prediking. Dit behels 'n ondersoek na die literere vorm waarin die boodskap gestruktureer en verwoord word. Die Skrif bevat 'n verskeidenheid literere vorme wat deur Bybelskrywers aangewend is om die intensie van die teks effektief te kommunikeer. Elk van hierdie vorme besit 'n eiendomlike kommunikatiewe aard. Die ontwikkeling van die moderne literatuurwetenskap sedert die tagtigerjare van die twintigste eeu het stukrag verleen aan die insig dat die Bybel ook as 'n versameling godsdienstige literatuur bestudeer kan word. Dit het meegebring dat die intensie van die teks van die Bybel op 'n teologies verantwoordbare wyse, met inagneming van die historiese verbande, beter begryp kan word deur die gebruikmaking van insigte uit ander literatuur. As sodanig word erkende literere kunsvorme wat naas die logies-analitiese ook die emotiewe betrek, aanvaar. Die resultaat van hierdie ondersoek dui aan dat die preek as kunsvorm geevalueer en in die moderne preekteorie geregverdig kan word. Die proses van transformasie wat die moderne hermeneutiese benadering kenmerk; die veranderde beleweniswereld en verstaanshorison van die huidige hoorders asook die eiesoortige aard van Bybelse literatuur is vanuit 'n kommunikatiewe aanname in 'n kunsvorm binne die moderne homiletiese teorie haalbaar. Die teorie orienteer binne die kommunikatiewe handelingsteorie as meta-teorie wat ingestel is op dialogiese kommunikasie wat betekenisgewing deur waarnemerbetrokkenheid bevorder en 'n bepaalde denkwyse by die hoorders tot gevolg het. Die tradisionele vorm van prediking, gekenmerk deur absolute dominasie van die rede en intellektualisme uit die modernistiese tydvak, het teen die einde van die tweede millennium in ernstige diskrediet gekom. Die radikale verandering in die samelewing deur die moderniseringsproses met gepaardgaande paradigma verskuiwinge dwing die homiletiek om teoreties te herbesin. In hierdie studie word die preek as kunsvorm afgebaken tot die verhalende preekvorm, konseptueel ontwikkel en teoreties omskryf asook geplaas binne die moderne homiletiese teorie as komponent wat daarby pas. Die resultaat is verkry deur 'n vergelykende studie van gemeenskaplike wesenstrekke wat voorkom by erkende kunsvorme in die moderne kunsteorie; die verhalende kunsvorm in die moderne literere teorie met spesifieke verwysing na die Afrikaanse roman asook die verhalende preekvorm in die moderne homiletiese teorie. Deur hierdie vorm van prediking in die moderne preekteorie op te neem, kan 'n sinvolle bydrae gemaak word om die Christelike boodskap deur oortuiging sander enige vorm van dwang te kommunikeer. / In a sermon form and content are one. Both aspects form part of the theological theory of preaching. This theoretical survey investigates one of the various literary forms through which the biblical writers attempted to communicate the intention of the biblical text in the most effective way. Each of these forms possesses a distinctive communicative character. The development of modern literary theory since the eighties of the twentieth century was a propulsive force leading to the conviction that the Bible was also a collection of religious literature. This conviction implied that the intention of the biblical text could be more clearly understood in a theological justified manner within the historical context by using insights gained from other literature. Acknowledged literary art forms adhering to the emotive as well as the logic-analytical are embraced as such. In this study the sermon as an art form is limited to narrative preaching, developed as a concept; theoretically described and placed within the modern homiletical theory as a suitable component. Results are obtained by means of a comparative study of mutual features that are distinctive to acknowledged art forms in the modern theory of art; narrative art forms in modern literature theory specifically in the modern Afrikaans novel, as well as the narrative form of preaching in the modern homiletical theory. The modern homiletical theory is orientated within the communicative acts theory as meta-theory focusing on dialogical communication which promotes meaning through the involvement of the observer. The conclusions reached indicate that the sermon as an art form can be evaluated and justified within the modem homiletical theory. Taken up in this theory, it can prove significant in communicating the Christian message to the listeners in a convincing rather than compulsive manner. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical theology)