This dissertation maintains that the new covenant was a significant soteriological, ecclesiological, and ethical category in Paul's theology. Using Ephesians as a test case, it analyzes the relevant texts where Paul seems to appropriate the Old Testament's promises specifically linked with the new covenant. Chapter 1 surveys and assesses various views on the significance of the new covenant to Paul, and offers a way forward in the debate. Chapter 2 surveys the new covenant in the Old Testament. Included is exegesis of the most relevant prophetic texts that point to a day when God would usher in a new covenant with his people. A summary of these texts shows a list of major themes most often associated with the new covenant. Chapter 3 analyzes the blessings of the new covenant in Ephesians 1:3-14. Themes such as election, sonship, forgiveness of sins, and the Spirit indicate the prevalence of the new covenant's promises in Pauline thought. These promises are rooted in the promises to Abraham. Chapter 4 analyzes the new covenant in Ephesians 2:11-22. Paul frames the plight, solution, and new status of the Gentiles in covenantal terms. Peace with God and one another through the death of Christ is at the center of the text and is especially rooted in the promises of Isaiah. The new status for believing Gentiles includes membership within the true people of God, who, fulfilling the covenant ideal in Christ, dwells with his people. Chapter 5 suggests that some of the ethical commands of Ephesians 4:17-5:5 find their background in the ethic of the new covenant. Speaking the truth in love and walking in love summarize the ethic of the new covenant. Included in this chapter is an excursus on the structural similarities between Deuteronomy and Ephesians, which indicates the covenantal framework of Paul's ethics. Chapter 6 summarizes the thesis by comparing the nature of the new covenant in chapter 3 with the findings of chapters 3-5. That many of the promises of the new covenant are found to be present in various texts in Ephesians suggests the prevalence of the concept to Paul as he formulated his soteriology, ecclesiology, and ethics. These conclusions are then set within the context of the broader scholarly discussion concerning Paul's view of the new covenant.

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This thesis will examine closely two aspects of Pauline theology, namely, the timing of the resurrection and the state of the believer who dies before the parousia. Through exegesis of 2 Cor 5:1-10, the basic consistency in Paul's thinking and the arguments for and against the intermediate state will be examined. Chapter 1 analyzes what 1 Thess. 4, 1 Cor. 15, and 2 Cor. 5 have to say on the issue, comparing the passages as to content and compatibility. Chapters 2 and 3 pursue more fully questions related to the issue of postmortem existence. Chapter Two deals with Paul's use of verb $ underline{ eta o iota mu alpha sigma beta alpha iota}$ as a metaphor for death and the idea of the intermediate state as soul-sleep (psychopannychism). Chapter 3 explores the matter of Paul's concept of the "I" or "self" (or "naked" self), raised by Paul in 2 Cor. 5:3. The Pauline anthropology is compared with Hellenistic anthropological dualism in order to show the similarities and differences.

This thesis seeks to illustrate that the classic biblical work on the problem of the innocent sufferer, the Book of Job, is still relevant in twentieth century, Western culture. The exegetical complexity of the Book of Job is outlined in order to show that the work lends itself to diverse interpretations and uses by readers outside the academic community. This thesis then focuses on the writings of Gustavo Gutierrez, a Peruvian Catholic priest, who uses the Book of Job to empower the people's revolt against dictatorships; Elie Wiesel, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, who identifies himself with Job and believes that Job must still be arguing with God; Archibald MacLeish, an American poet, professor, and statesman, who creates a modern Job who eventually realizes that humans have only the love of other humans as a raison d'être for life; Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, who believed that the Book of Job reflects an honest appraisal of the unconscious/God energy - a dualism which Christianity has suppressed much to its detriment. The four authors discussed are not 'critics'. Their use of the Book of Job is not exegetical in the standard sense of the text as object. To them it is a fundamental theme replete with a myriad of archetypal meanings. The conclusions reached are: The existential angst of the second half of the twentieth century is apparent in the work of these four writers. They chose the Book of Job because it provides a foundation for testimony about crucial world conditions. These four radically different individuals find a similar 'core meaning' in the Book of Job. Subjective interpretation of ancient texts can be useful in presenting controversial subjects to the general public.

This dissertation argues that penal substitutionary atonement is necessary for transformation of the created order. This assertion answers the charge that an atonement model that deals with forensic judgments, the moment of justification, and a focus on the individual serves as an obstacle to God's purpose of restoring even the created order itself. Chapter 1 examines the current setting of the debate, illustrating the need for this charge to be answered. This chapter also lays out the thesis as well as the methodology of the dissertation. Chapter 2 asks the question, "What is wrong with the created order?" This chapter demonstrates that the plight of creation is that it is held in bondage to a reign of death which is itself a manifestation of the legal verdict of condemnation that has come to individuals in Adam. Chapter 3 demonstrates that the reason numerous evangelicals deny penal substitution is because of a faulty understanding of the nature of God. This chapter argues that God's righteousness is broader than covenant faithfulness, that it includes an element of retribution, that it is intrinsic to God, and that God's wrath includes his personal inflicting of punishment upon the sinner. After examining God's nature, this chapter ends by noting the necessity and difficulty of removing condemnation from individuals. Chapter 4 illustrates how penal substitutionary atonement accounts for the removal of condemnation from individuals in a manner that is in accord with God's righteousness. This chapter also shows the biblical support for penal substitution through an examination of Romans 3:25-26; 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; and Galatians 3:13. Chapter 5 demonstrates that far from making the resurrection of Christ unnecessary, penal substitution demands the resurrection because Christ dies as the condemned one on behalf of sinners. The reason the resurrection is necessary, then, is because it serves as and manifests Christ's justification. Furthermore, because Christ's resurrection serves as his legal justification and appointment as son as well as an eschatological demonstration of these legal realities, so believers legal verdict of justification and adoption as sons necessitates a demonstration of these realities in their resurrection, wherein they will be revealed as God's sons. At this time, the created order will be restored. Chapter 6 summarizes the argument of the first five chapters, notes an area of possibility for further study, and provides a brief note of conclusion. This chapter concludes that far from obscuring God's cosomological purposes, penal substitution is required for the redemption of the created order.

It has become commonplace for interpreters to refer to Hebrews as a 'mysteiy,' or an 'enigma.' Indeed, many questions have remained unresolved. The aim of this thesis is to provide fresh answers to several questions by employing that branch of social psychology known as social identity theory. Who were the addressees? Relating the text to social identity theory, I conclude that the addressees categorised the world into two groups, 'us' and 'them.' They understood their group, 'us,' to be the 'faithful.' Similarly, they understood 'them' (a symbolic outgroup of 'all others'), to be the 'unfaithful.' How did the addressees understand the faithfulness of Jesus? Why did the author compare Jesus with Moses, Melchizedek, and others? Relating Hebrews to the theories of 'prototypicality' and 'shared life story,' I argue that the author described the faithfulness of Jesus as 'prototypical,' and that he portrayed all others in relation to Jesus. In addition, he integrated both Jesus and the addressees into an ongoing story of faithfulness. What is the meaning of the promised 'rest?' Utilising a model of 'present temporal orientation,' I conclude that the author described the 'antecedent' faithfulness of many 'witnesses' and the 'forthcoming' promised rest of the addressees. He also encouraged them to use 'foresight,' to 'consider their future, by looking to the past.' Finally, what was the purpose of the text? Social identity theorists explain that groups with a negative social identity have two broad options: 'social mobility' and 'social change.' I argue that the author provided internal constraints which were meant to prevent 'social mobility,' and utilised 'social creativity' (an aspect of 'social change') to provide a positive social identity for the addressees.

Isaiah 7 and 8 are set against the Syro-Ephraimite war and the looming threat of an Assyrian invasion. The historical and social circumstances are laced with tension of despair and hope in the pending crisis. These two chapters are also the starting point of Isaiah prophetic utterances directed at King Ahaz and the people of Judah. From the outset of chapter 7, notions of tension between Isaiah and King Ahaz can be detected. In chapter 8, these notions of tension become further more evident in the oracles of Isaiah. Chapter 7 and 8 also contains oracles that give prominence to the three children with the symbolic names of Shear-jashub, Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz. The messages of the children’s oracles are the same that is to trust Yahweh and not to despair in their faith. This study investigates the tension between despair and hope in Isaiah 7 and 8 from a perspective of trauma and posttraumatic growth. To understand trauma within a theological discourse, more precisely, with regards to chapters 7 and 8, this study will provide an overview on trauma and trauma tendencies. This research endeavour also addresses biblical trauma and trauma in prophesy to gain an understanding how to read Isaiah 7 and 8 through a trauma lens. The expositional study of chapters 7 and 8 forms the foundation of the study to identify the notions of despair and hope within the text. A notable theme in Isaiah 7 and 8 is the tension triangle between Ahaz, Isaiah and Yahweh, and the research explores the significance thereof in the pending crisis. Isaiah 7 and 8 reports the metaphorical action behind the names of Isaiah’s children and this study attempts to address the trauma and posttraumatic growth implications of these names. These names construe a prophetic message of despair and judgment but similarly also a message of hope and future expectations. / Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)

Although many in Johannine critical scholarship have argued against viewing Jesus' death as a vicarious atonement (e.g., Bultmann), their arguments have failed to adequately deal with the text of the Fourth Gospel (FG). Morgan-Wynne has recently published a concerted effort to demonstrate that atonement in the FG is indeed vicarious; however, his argumentation can be strengthened. In this discourse, I am arguing that John's understanding of Jesus' death is best seen in light of exodus typology, recognizing Jesus as the climactic fulfillment of exodus and New Exodus figures such as the Passover lamb and the Suffering Servant. Because John chose to portray Jesus in this light, a biblical-theological exegesis which takes these into account will illumine John's understanding of Jesus' death. The goal of this discourse then is to provide such an exegesis, in order to draw out some conclusions about Jesus' death in the FG.

One may easily have the impression that the promise of “everlasting covenant” with Phinehas has been reached under the Sinai covenant. On closer examination of the question, however, general agreement in fact counts for little. Rather, most of the questions on this point appear to be still open. The purpose of this thesis is to re-examine the efficacy of the Phinehasian covenant in light of the Davidic covenant and through some related ancient literature readings. The continuity and significance of the Phinehasian covenant is further discussion in the context of the Gospels and Hebrews as to elucidate the mystery of the Messiah’s priestly identity. In applying all these data, this thesis reveals that Christ Jesus is viewed as the ultimate fulfillment of the Phinehasian covenant.

M.Th. / The counseling' of Jay E Adams must be seen against the background of the rise of the Pastoral Care Movement and, together with it, the propagating of the eductive method of counseling which lays excessive emphasis on the needs of man and the inner potential of man to arrive at a solution of his own problems. Against a humanistic form of counseling, Adams stresses in particular the Scriptures as the counselor's textbook, and the role of sin in human suffering. His counseling has been judged and criticised in various circles, frequently without adequate substantiation or a satisfactory alternative. This dissertation is aimed at researching Adams' counseling thoroughly so that an alternative can be offered from a pentecostal perspective. First a comprehensive exposition was given of the core elements of Adams' counseling, that served as a foundation to discuss the positive and negative criticism of his work. The paradigms underpinning pentecostal thinking in general was also discussed, as the argument in this study was based on a pentecostal framework. Among other things the nature of man, the love and mercy of God, sin and the role of evil were examined. The author feels that no one specific model or technique of counseling can be promoted. Every person and every situation is unique. Therefore every counseling session will also be unique. For this reason it was decided to give guidelines rather than develop a model. Pentecostal counseling was approached from the perspective of systems-thinking and communicative action theory but was also directed by basic assumptions, among other things, that Jesus Christ is the centre of every counseling session (through the operation of the Holy Spirit) and that the congregation as a whole is the object of counseling. Finally the conclusion was reached that pentecostal counseling could definitely find common ground with the counseling of Jay E Adams, with certain adjustments based on pentecostal paradigms.