Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-179).

Thesis (M.A.E.T.)--Western Seminary, Portland, OR, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-95).

Thesis (M.A.R.)--Emmanuel School of Religion, Johnson City, Tennessee, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-138).

Thesis (M.A.)--Southern California College, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-145).

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 1972. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-104). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Oklahoma, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 240-271).

published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Philosophy

This thesis is a thematic examination of two primary texts from the Second-Temple period of Judaism. 1st and 2nd Maccabees, two "histories" which cover the same political events from diverging perspectives, were examined exhaustively for their depiction of women. These depictions were catalogued and analysed, resulting in the creation of seven original categories which organized the results. The results were compared with contemporaneous depictions of women, and it was decided that the literary treatment of women was, in both works, in keeping with a patriarchal Greco-Roman Jewish status quo, with some noteworthy exceptions.

This dissertation examines John 13: 1-20, the pericope which describes Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. For a variety of reasons, there is no scholarly consensus concerning the meaning of this passage. In addition, very little reflection has been devoted to the place religious footwashing may have held in the Johannine community. This dissertation reexamines the fundamental issues raised by the passage and investigates the likelihood that footwashing was a community rite. Chapter one gives an overview of the prominent interpretations of John 13: 1-20 in the history of interpretation. This chapter also presents an elaboration of the dissertation's purpose, together with a preview of and justification for the methodology employed, which includes text-critical, background-historical, literary-exegetical, and historical-reconstructive components. In view of the decisive bearing on interpretation, the textual problem found in John 13: 10 receives considerable attention in chapter two. Here a decision is made in favor of the inclusion of the longer reading, because of superior external evidence and internal probability. In chapter three a survey of the practice of footwashing in Jewish and Graeco-Roman antiquity uncovers first-century attitudes to footwashing, which in turn leads to a more informed interpretation of footwashing's significance in John 13. The survey reveals that footwashing functioned as an act of hospitality, an expression of love, a sign of servitude, and a sign of preparation generally. Chapter four is devoted to a literary and exegetical analysis of the text of John 13: 1-20. This investigation indicates the pericope's literary context within the Fourth Gospel, as the first episode in both the "Book of Glory" (John 13-21) and the farewell materials (John 13-17). The role of the disciples in the preceding narrative (John 1-12) is also explored. An exegetical study follows, which seeks to interpret the text of John 13: 1-20 as it now stands in the Fourth Gospel. The analysis finds that the footwashing of John 13 is best understood as a sign for the forgiveness of the disciples' post-conversion sin. The analysis concludes with reflection scholarly discussion about the literary unity of the footwashing pericope. The evidence which makes likely that the Johannine community engaged in footwashing as a religious rite is explored in chapter five. This examination utilizes information from the implied readers in the Fourth Gospel, from actual readers of the Fourth Gospel in the early church, and from the practice of footwashing in early Christianity. An examination of similar categories of evidence suggests that footwashing signified the forgiveness of post-conversion sin for the Johannine community. The final section of the dissertation is devoted to a set of conclusions and suggestions for future research.

In the first three sections of the thesis it is shown how the figure of Abraham functioned in different types of Middle Jewish works. In several different contexts, Abraham functioned as the ideal Jew. The most popular traditions were that Abraham was the first monotheist and anti-idolater, he was obedient to the Mosaic law, and he was hospitable. In Galatians Paul employed the first two Jewish traditions of Abraham in the context of early Christianity to define those who are now members of the people of God. Paul argued forcefully that obedience to law was inferior to being "in Christ" (Gal 3:10- 12, 17, 19, 23-26) because his Jewish Christian opponents were employing the figure of Abraham who was obedient to the Mosaic law to persuade Gentile Christian converts to adhere to the law. The figure of Abraham as the first anti-idolater and monotheist further informed the interpretation of Galatians. Obedience to the law was tantamount to idolatry (Gal 4:1-11). All those who were true children of Abraham should shun the law, just as Abraham was known to have shunned idolatry. In Romans, Paul played upon the tradition which connected Abraham with the Mosaic law (Rom 4:3). He redefined the faith of Abraham as the faith in the one God who gave life to the dead and who called into being the things that do not exist (Rom 4:17). He explained that the faith of Abraham in the God who gave life to the dead is the same as faith in the God who resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead for the forgiveness of sin (Rom 4:23-25). Paul reshaped the tradition of the monotheistic belief of Abraham into faith in the God of Christ. Through this analysis the thesis attempts to demonstrate the fruitfulness of setting Paul's discussion of Abraham in the context of Middle Jewish traditions about Abraham which have first been viewed in their own right and not simply subsumed under the categories of Paul's own gospel.