Thesis advisor: Angela Kim Harkins / Thesis advisor: Margaret E. Guider / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

Thesis advisor: Thomas D. Stegman / Thesis advisor: Matthew S. Monnig / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

In spite of the wealth of material on Mark 13:14 the phrase [greek characters] has not been syntactically exegeted sufficiently in respect to chapter 13, nor its place assessed in the formation of Mark's gospel. Our study demonstrates the fundamental significance of v.14 as the syntactical focal point of vv.5-13, that content, temporal indicators and link words are shaped syntactically in w.5-13 to peak at v.14, and that [greek characters] is uniquely to of v.4. A realization of this connection is the single indispensable clue unlocking eschatological notions in chapter 13. Further, by positing that v.14, coupled with v.26-27, produces a double focus in the chapter, we demonstrate its importance for vv.15-37. The advent of [greek characters] is the sign launching the end-time setting in motion an imminent parousia. This sign is connected with the Jerusalem temple's destruction by the Roman commander Titus in September 70 C.E. Titus is the referent in 13:14, though our contention is that originally in pre-Markan material in v.l4, the reference was to the crisis in 39-41 C.E. when the emperor Gaius Caligula attempted to erect an image of himself in the temple in Jerusalem. Mark obtained material from this episode and adapted it to indicate not the deified image of a Roman emperor but an individual abominator, Titus, who was [greek characters]. An examination of Josephus' War demonstrates that Judeans inhabiting the region after September 70 C.E. were in a position to flee according to 13:14b. Mark's Jewish Gentile community, located in Syria or one of the Transjordanian Hellenistic cities, must brace itself for a worsening period of turmoil in the light of the operational end-time sign in the temple in Jerusalem. The task of the community is to proclaim the gospel among the nations (13:10). Their final vindication will occur with the parousia of the Son of Man.

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Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: My provisional identification of chiasm in Mark 7:24-31 initiated this multidisciplinary study of the literary shape of this interesting text. New Testament scholars tend to agree that the genre (form, content and function) of the Gospel of Mark exhibits the literary characteristics typical of ancient, first century AD, Greco-Roman biography thereby evidencing, in a broad sense, Greco-Roman form and function, and Jewish content. As a result, the New Testament Gospels have been described as a "tertium quid'. However, until fairly recently, few scholars appear to have taken the possibility of finding Jewish rhetorical form, in the shape of chiasm, into account in their examination of New Testament texts and have almost exclusively tended to focus on classical Greek rhetorical forms. As a result, this study opens itself to the possibility of finding both Jewish and Greco- Roman literary forms in the text, thereby attempting to obtain a greater presence of understanding of what the implied author was doing with the text. This study therefore endeavours to understand, not only what the implied author intended to communicate through the literary form of the text to the implied reader but also, at the level of discourse, the "how" of that communication within the literary context of the Gospel as a whole. In the light of the aforegoing, the research questions appear as follows. (1) What, on a balance of probability, is the literary form or structure of Mark 7:24- 3 1 within its literary context? If the form of the text is found, on a balance of probability, to exhibit the characteristics of chiasm: (2) What implied effect would this have on an implied reader when understood and interpreted within the context of Greco-Roman biography? And, (3) what effect would the answers to (1) and (2) above have on a modern (present) reader of the Gospel of Mark? After a brief overview of the socio-historical and cultural setting to the Gospel of Mark that serves as essential background material necessary for an understanding of the text, this study proceeds to consider the ancient roots of chiasm with regard to the literature of the Ancient Near East and briefly traces its prevalence from the ancient past through to the period of the New Testament. Because chiasm is a particular form of parallelism, the importance of understanding Biblical parallelisms in the Hebrew literature in general and its significance with regard to the New Testament and Mark's Gospel in particular is considered. A discussion of various definitions of chiasm follows. After considering the Gospel of Mark and the literary context of the subject text, its literary form is examined in the light of known ancient literary conventions, including Biblical narrative and the various forms evidenced in the exchange of dialogue are considered and the text examined for further correspondences. Thereafter the text is reviewed within its literary context and, what follows, is an explanation of how the form of the text may function within its literary location. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: My voorlopige identifiesering van chiasme in Markus 7:24-31 inisieer 'n multidimensionele studie van die literêre vorm van dié interessante teks. Nuwe-Testamentici neig om saam te stem dat die genre (vorm, inhoud en funksie) van die evangelie volgens Markus die literêre kenmerke toon, tipies van antieke, eerste eeuse (AD) Grieks-Romeinse biografie en stel so, in 'n breë sin, Grieks-Romeinse vorm en funksie sowel as Joodse inhoud ten toon. As 'n resultaat is die Nuwe Testamentiese Evangelies beskryf as 'n "tertium quid." Tog, tot redelik onlangs het weinig Nuwe-Testamentici die moontlikheid in ag geneem om Joodse retoriese vorm, in die vorm van giasme, te vind in hulle ondersoek van Nuwe Testamentiese tekste en het geneig om bykans uitsluitlik te fokus op klassieke Griekse retoriese vorme. As 'n gevolg open hierdie studie ditself tot die moontlikheid om Joodse, sowel as Grieks-Romeinse literêre vorme binne die teks te vind en sodoende 'n groter begrip mee te bring van wat die geïmpliseerde outeur met die teks gemaak het. Die studie onderneem dus om nie net aan te dui wat die geïmpliseerde outeur beoog het om te kommunikeer d.m.v. die literêre vorm van die teks aan die geïmpliseerde gehoor nie, maar ook op die vlak van diskoers, die "hoe" van die kommunikasie binne die literêre konteks van die evangelie as geheel. In die lig van die voorafgaande kan die ondersoekvrae as volg geformuleer word. (1) Wat is die literêre vorm of struktuur van Markus 7:24-31 binne die bepaalde literêre konteks? lndien die vorm van die teks die kenmerke van chiasme vertoon: (2) Watter geïmpliseerde effek sal dit hê op 'n geïmpliseerde gehoor indien die teks verstaan en geïnterpreteer word binne die konteks van Grieks-Romeinse biografie? En (3) watter effek sal die antwoorde tot vrae (1) en (2) hê op die moderne (eietydse) leser van die Evangelie volgens Markus? Na 'n kort oorsig oor die sosio-historiese en kulturele plasing van die Evangelie volgens Markus wat dien as noodsaaklike agtergrond materiaal, noodsaaklik vir 'n verstaan van die teks, gaan die studie voort om die antieke wortels van chiasme te oorweeg, met inagneming die literatuur van die ou Nabye Ooste en gaan kortliks die belang hiervan na, vanaf die antieke tye tot en met die Nuwe Testamentiese tydperk. Aangesien chiasme 'n spesifieke vorm van parallelisme is, word die belang van die verstaan van Bybelse parallelisme binne die Hebreeuse literatuur in die algemeen en die belang daarvan rakende die Nuwe Testament en die Evangelie volgens Markus in besonder, oorweeg. 'n Bespreking van verskeie definisies van chiasme volg. Na 'n bespreking van die Evangelie volgens Markus, sowel as die literêre konteks van die bepaalde perikoop, word die literêre vorm ondersoek in die lig van bekende antieke literêre konvensies, insluitende Bybelse narratief en verskeie vorme wat, waarneembaar binne die uitruil van dialoog ondesoek, en word die teks ondersoek vir verdere ooreenstemminge. Om hiedie rede word die teks oorweeg binne die literêre konteks en wat daarop volg is 'n verduideliking van hoe die vorm van die teks kan funksioneer binne die literêre plasing daarvan.

M.A. (Greek) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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The flat narratives presented in Children’s Bibles typify the assumption that children are incapable of engaging theologically and critically with the Biblical texts. The manner in which Biblical stories are told to children during their formative years can have negative repercussions as children perceive the Scriptures as static and irrelevant. By denying children the chance to explore the dynamic text, they will never discover the depth and potential of the life-giving message of the Bible and can become despondent with Christianity, perceiving it as immaterial as the Biblical narratives show no resemblance to reality. Developing a habit of blindly accepting Christian teachings can also develop a faith which allows unhealthy indoctrination and oppressive beliefs into the Christian’s life. This thesis explores what is necessary to enable and encourage children to critically and theologically engage with the Bible. Using the story of the Widow’s Offering in Mark 12 as an example, the traditional readings present in Children’s Bibles were compared to a critical reading of the text. A Contextual Bible Study was then conducted with two case studies from grade 1 and 4 at Scottsville Primary in order to determine whether children are able to critically and theologically engage with the concepts of Christian Humanism and textual criticism. The findings reveal that this is an important area of research that requires urgent further investigation. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mark 11:12-25 has been identified as an intercalation or sandwich structure (A-B-A) by many scholars as consisting of three linked episodes: the cursing of the fig tree (11:12- 14), the cleaning of the temple (11:15-19), and the withered fig tree (11:20-25). Using the function of intercalation, Mark 11:12-25 is then interpreted symbolically as a prophecy of the destruction of the temple. This interpretation, however, the researcher argues, is implausible. To substantiate this claim, the research aims to interpret Mark 11:12-25 in the light of narrative criticism and the oral aspect of Mark. Chapter 2 lays the basic foundation for the current research. This includes a brief history of the study of Mark, the historical interpretation of Mark 11:12-25, a comparison between Matthew and Mark, and of studies concerned with intercalation. Various differing opinions of intercalation are given that complicate our understanding of its function. The main goal of chapter 3 is to examine Mark 11:12-25 according to three narrative elements, namely setting, characters and events. On the grounds that every scene in Mark 11 is connected naturally in the time and space setting, it will be argued that Mark did not arrange the two stories in Mark 11:12-25 as intercalation with a theological purpose. Although some argue that the two stories do not fit the character of Jesus, on the contrary, it will be argued that both stories strengthens the authority and power of Jesus as it is depicted in the Gospel of Mark. If Jesus teaching is considered (11:20-25), then the symbolic interpretation of the prophecy of the destruction of the temple cannot be sustained. Chapter 4 deals with the oral aspect of Mark. Mark’s community were in all likelihood not readers, but hearers. Dewey offers some characteristics of oral narratives, particularly their additive and aggregative structures and their participatory character. These, she argues, helps the reader to interpret the various aspects of Mark that have divided both scholars and literary critics of the Gospel. Therefore, the fig tree story and the temple story will be examined in the light of the oral aspect of Mark. The final chapter will offer a summary of each chapter and a synthesized conclusion. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om Markus 11:12-25 korrek te interpreteer is vir 'n lang tyd reeds ʼn debatteerbare saak. Die gedeelte word dikwels as 'n invoeging (A-B-A) geïdentifiseer wat uit drie verweefde episodes bestaan: die vloek van die vyeboom (11:12-14), die skoonmaak van die tempel (11:15-19), en die verdorde vyeboom (11:20-25). Deur klem te lê op die funksie van die invoeging, interpreteer baie geleerdes Markus 11:12-25 as 'n simboliese voorspelling van die vernietiging van die tempel. Hierdie interpretasie, argumenteer die navorser egter, is onhoudbaar. Om die stelling te staaf, poog die navorsing om Markus 11:12-25 in die lig van vertellingskritiek en die mondelinge aspek van Markus te lees. Hoofstuk 2 lê die basiese fondasie van die skripsie. Dit sluit ‘n kort geskiedenis in van die studie van Markus, die historiese interpretasie van Markus 11:12-25, ‘n vergelyking tussen Matteus en Markus, en 'n opsomming van studies gemoeid met invoegings. Die verskillende menings oor die funksie van invoegings, wat die verstaan van Markus 11:12- 25 bemoeilik sal ook bespreek word. Die hoofdoel van hoofstuk 3 is om Markus 11:12-25 te ondersoek volgens drie narratiewe elemente, naamlik die setting, die karakter en die gebeure daarin vervat. Op grond daarvan dat elke toneel in Markus 11 verbind is ten opsigte van tyd en ruimte word aangevoer word dat Markus nie die twee stories in Markus 11:12-25 as invoeging met 'n teologiese doel georden het nie. Alhoewel sommige argumenteer dat die twee stories nie by die karakter van Jesus pas nie, sal dit in teendeel aangevoer word naamlik dat beide stories die gesag en mag van Jesus, soos dit uitgebeeld word in die evangelie van Markus, versterk. Hoofstuk 4 handel oor die mondelinge dimensie van Markus. Markus se gemeenskap was in alle waarskynlikheid nie lesers nie, maar hoorders. In die verband bied Dewey 'n paar eienskappe van mondelinge vertelling aan, veral die toevoeging en kumulatiewe strukture en deelnemende karakter daarvan. Hierdie, betoog sy, help die leser om die verskillende aspekte van Markus wat kritici van die Evangelie verdeel, te interpreteer. Die laaste hoofstuk bestaan uit ‘n opsomming van elke hoofstuk en ‘n gesintetiseerde gevolgtrekking.