<p>The New Testament book known as the epistle to the Hebrews contains little obvious reference to Jesus' resurrection. Modern interpreters generally account for this relative silence by noting that the author's soteriological and christological concerns have led him to emphasize Jesus' death and exaltation while ignoring, spiritualizing, or even denying his resurrection. In particular, the writer's metaphorical appeal to the Yom Kippur sacrifice, with its dual emphasis on the slaughter of the victim and the presentation of the victim's blood by the high priest, allows him to explain the salvific significance of Jesus' death and exaltation. The crucifixion can be likened to the slaughter of the victim, while Jesus' exaltation in heaven can be likened to the high priest entering the holy of holies. In this way the cross can be understood as an atoning sacrifice. Such a model leaves little room for positive or distinct reflection on the soteriological or christological significance of the resurrection. </p> <p>This study argues that the soteriology and high-priestly Christology the author develops depend upon Jesus' bodily resurrection and ascension into heaven. The work begins with a survey of positions on Jesus' resurrection in Hebrews. I then present a case for the presence and role of Jesus' bodily resurrection in the text. First, I demonstrate that the writer's argument in Heb 1-2 for the elevation of Jesus above the angelic spirits assumes that Jesus has his humanity--his blood and flesh--with him in heaven. Second, I show that in Heb 5-7 the writer identifies Jesus' resurrection to an indestructible life as the point when Jesus became a high priest. Third, I explain how this thesis makes coherent the author's consistent claims in Heb 8-10 that Jesus presented his offering to God in heaven. I conclude that Jesus' crucifixion is neither the place nor the moment of atonement for the author of Hebrews. Rather, in keeping with the equation in the Levitical sacrificial system of the presentation of blood to God with the presentation of life, Jesus obtained atonement where and when the writer says--when he presented himself in his ever-living, resurrected humanity before God in heaven. Jesus' bodily resurrection is, therefore, the hinge around which the high-priestly Christology and soteriology of Hebrews turns.</p> / Dissertation

After the Restoration of Independence the Catholic Church in Lithuania can freely proclaim the word of God and perform ministry in any sphere. Lithuanian youth ministry lacks research and theoretical substantiation of how the pastoral process could be organized practically and could help a young person to develop Christian identity, which would be the foundation of their everyday life. Christian identity comprises a number of topics and aspects; therefore, this study focuses on the effective proclamation of the person and activity of Jesus Christ to Lithuanian youth. The pastoral-hermeneutic method was used to create the theoretical model of the conveyance of Christological message. The model was created in three stages: 1) youth situation survey which encompassed the review of sociocultural situation of Lithuanian youths and their openness to Christological message, measured using qualitative research; 2) method of biblical contextual analysis of Christology was used to identify what Christological message and which aspects of it can be conveyed for the youth in a particular sociocultural context; 3) the assumptions of the conveyance of Christological message as well as certain steps, ministerial attitudes and activities are offered. Christological message is presented from the point of view of the disciples, how they understood the message of Jesus. The young people are motivated to make a personal choice to follow Jesus Christ in their everyday life, join in the community... [to full text] / Atgavus Lietuvos Nepriklausomybę Katalikų Bažnyčia turi galimybę nevaržomai skelbti Dievo žodį ir visose srityse vykdyti pastoracinę veiklą. Lietuvoje jaunimo pastoracijos srityje stinga tyrimų apie jaunimo sielovadą ir teorinio jos pagrindimo, kaip praktikoje galėtų būti organizuojamas pastoracinis procesas, galintis padėti jaunuoliams ugdytis krikščioniškąjį tapatumą, kuriuo jie remtųsi kasdienybėje. Krikščioniškasis tapatumas apima daug temų ir aspektų, todėl šiame tyrime problema sutelkiama į Jėzaus Kristaus asmens ir įvykio veiksmingą skelbimą Lietuvos jaunimui. Todėl, naudojantis pastoraciniu-hermeneutiniu metodu, sukuriamas kristologinės žinios perteikimo teorinis modelis. Modelis kuriamas trimis etapais: 1) jaunimo situacijos ištyrimas, kuris apima sociokultūrinę Lietuvos jaunimo situacijos apžvalgą ir kokybiniu tyrimu nustatytą jaunimo atvirumą kristologinei žiniai 2) biblinės kontekstinės kristologinės analizės būdu formuluojama, kokia kristologinė žinia ir kokiais aspektais gali būti perteikiama jaunimui, atitinkant nustatytą jaunimo sociokultūrinę situaciją; 3) kristologinės žinios perteikimo prielaidos ir etapai siūlo konkrečius žingsnius, pastoracines nuostatas ir veiklas. Kristologinė žinia pristatoma atsižvelgiant į tai, kaip Jėzaus žinią suvokė jo mokiniai, skatinant jaunuolius asmeniškai rinktis sekti Jėzumi Kristumi savo kasdienybėje, jungiantis į bendruomenę ir prisiimant atsakomybę Bažnyčioje ir pasaulyje. Modelį, sudarytą iš penkių pakopų, galima taikyti... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Atgavus Lietuvos Nepriklausomybę Katalikų Bažnyčia turi galimybę nevaržomai skelbti Dievo žodį ir visose srityse vykdyti pastoracinę veiklą. Lietuvoje jaunimo pastoracijos srityje stinga tyrimų apie jaunimo sielovadą ir teorinio jos pagrindimo, kaip praktikoje galėtų būti organizuojamas pastoracinis procesas, galintis padėti jaunuoliams ugdytis krikščioniškąjį tapatumą, kuriuo jie remtųsi kasdienybėje. Krikščioniškasis tapatumas apima daug temų ir aspektų, todėl šiame tyrime problema sutelkiama į Jėzaus Kristaus asmens ir įvykio veiksmingą skelbimą Lietuvos jaunimui. Todėl, naudojantis pastoraciniu-hermeneutiniu metodu, sukuriamas kristologinės žinios perteikimo teorinis modelis. Modelis kuriamas trimis etapais: 1) jaunimo situacijos ištyrimas, kuris apima sociokultūrinę Lietuvos jaunimo situacijos apžvalgą ir kokybiniu tyrimu nustatytą jaunimo atvirumą kristologinei žiniai 2) biblinės kontekstinės kristologinės analizės būdu formuluojama, kokia kristologinė žinia ir kokiais aspektais gali būti perteikiama jaunimui, atitinkant nustatytą jaunimo sociokultūrinę situaciją; 3) kristologinės žinios perteikimo prielaidos ir etapai siūlo konkrečius žingsnius, pastoracines nuostatas ir veiklas. Kristologinė žinia pristatoma atsižvelgiant į tai, kaip Jėzaus žinią suvokė jo mokiniai, skatinant jaunuolius asmeniškai rinktis sekti Jėzumi Kristumi savo kasdienybėje, jungiantis į bendruomenę ir prisiimant atsakomybę Bažnyčioje ir pasaulyje. Modelį, sudarytą iš penkių pakopų, galima taikyti... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / After the Restoration of Independence the Catholic Church in Lithuania can freely proclaim the word of God and perform ministry in any sphere. Lithuanian youth ministry lacks research and theoretical substantiation of how the pastoral process could be organized practically and could help a young person to develop Christian identity, which would be the foundation of their everyday life. Christian identity comprises a number of topics and aspects; therefore, this study focuses on the effective proclamation of the person and activity of Jesus Christ to Lithuanian youth. The pastoral-hermeneutic method was used to create the theoretical model of the conveyance of Christological message. The model was created in three stages: 1) youth situation survey which encompassed the review of sociocultural situation of Lithuanian youths and their openness to Christological message, measured using qualitative research; 2) method of biblical contextual analysis of Christology was used to identify what Christological message and which aspects of it can be conveyed for the youth in a particular sociocultural context; 3) the assumptions of the conveyance of Christological message as well as certain steps, ministerial attitudes and activities are offered. Christological message is presented from the point of view of the disciples, how they understood the message of Jesus. The young people are motivated to make a personal choice to follow Jesus Christ in their everyday life, join in the community... [to full text]

Matthew’s Jewish audience was looking for continuity in the newly revealed kingdom.Thus, Matthew needed to connect faith in Jesus to the covenant ideal that was the foundation of their heritage. However, the Matthean community was blended to include formative, common, and Hellenized Jews along with non-Jewish believers. Within this context, Matthew used the concept of plēróō to connect this varied audience to the Jewish heritage. An examination of Matthew’s use of plēróō determines that it reveals the Christological characteristics that endorse Jesus’ divine initiative of proclaiming the coming reign of heaven within the hermeneutics of covenant. After the introduction to the aim, objectives, and methodology, chapter two evaluated the cultural influences on the form and structure of Matthew’s Gospel, demonstrating how this may have motivated his use of plēróō to support the Jewish heritage of covenant, Christology, and kingdom. This study contends that the concept and historical background of Greek drama is the most suitable structure for Matthew to relate the story of Jesus. The Matthean community would be familiar with this literary form and its capacity to depict the drama of Jesus’ life. Chapter three sets the story of Jesus in the dramatic context of his contemporary, Jewish culture. The drama builds on conflict, with many characters taking part in the story. The most prominent is the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees that demonstrates Matthew’s intent that Jesus is the only logical choice to satisfy (fulfil) the requirements of righteousness, law, and prophecy. Prior to the investigation of the plēróō statements, chapter four examines the foundation of the cultic background for the Matthean milieu through the study of the prophets to whom Matthew referred in his plēróō statements. The final chapter is an exegesis of the plēróō statements, dividing them into contextual and prophetic perspectives. The former are statements regarding righteousness and law (Matthew 3:15 and 5:17-20, respectively) in which Matthew speaks to Jesus’ ontological essence set in the events of his baptism and the Sermon on the Mount. The latter reveals the key prophetic fulfilment passages (2:17, 8:17, 12:17, 13:35, 21:14), supporting the Matthean them of Jesus, son of David, son of Abraham. This study concludes that Matthew structured his Gospel like a Greek drama in order to attract both Jew and Gentile to Jesus, who is God’s anointed for both groups. Matthew uses the plēróō statements to confirm Jesus’ ontological nature, which was important to his Hellenized audience, and to confirm Jesus as the fulfilment of the Jewish (messianic) hope of Israel. This bonded both elements of the Matthean community to the nature and purpose of Jesus. / Thesis (PhD (New Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Matthew’s Jewish audience was looking for continuity in the newly revealed kingdom.Thus, Matthew needed to connect faith in Jesus to the covenant ideal that was the foundation of their heritage. However, the Matthean community was blended to include formative, common, and Hellenized Jews along with non-Jewish believers. Within this context, Matthew used the concept of plēróō to connect this varied audience to the Jewish heritage. An examination of Matthew’s use of plēróō determines that it reveals the Christological characteristics that endorse Jesus’ divine initiative of proclaiming the coming reign of heaven within the hermeneutics of covenant. After the introduction to the aim, objectives, and methodology, chapter two evaluated the cultural influences on the form and structure of Matthew’s Gospel, demonstrating how this may have motivated his use of plēróō to support the Jewish heritage of covenant, Christology, and kingdom. This study contends that the concept and historical background of Greek drama is the most suitable structure for Matthew to relate the story of Jesus. The Matthean community would be familiar with this literary form and its capacity to depict the drama of Jesus’ life. Chapter three sets the story of Jesus in the dramatic context of his contemporary, Jewish culture. The drama builds on conflict, with many characters taking part in the story. The most prominent is the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees that demonstrates Matthew’s intent that Jesus is the only logical choice to satisfy (fulfil) the requirements of righteousness, law, and prophecy. Prior to the investigation of the plēróō statements, chapter four examines the foundation of the cultic background for the Matthean milieu through the study of the prophets to whom Matthew referred in his plēróō statements. The final chapter is an exegesis of the plēróō statements, dividing them into contextual and prophetic perspectives. The former are statements regarding righteousness and law (Matthew 3:15 and 5:17-20, respectively) in which Matthew speaks to Jesus’ ontological essence set in the events of his baptism and the Sermon on the Mount. The latter reveals the key prophetic fulfilment passages (2:17, 8:17, 12:17, 13:35, 21:14), supporting the Matthean them of Jesus, son of David, son of Abraham. This study concludes that Matthew structured his Gospel like a Greek drama in order to attract both Jew and Gentile to Jesus, who is God’s anointed for both groups. Matthew uses the plēróō statements to confirm Jesus’ ontological nature, which was important to his Hellenized audience, and to confirm Jesus as the fulfilment of the Jewish (messianic) hope of Israel. This bonded both elements of the Matthean community to the nature and purpose of Jesus. / Thesis (PhD (New Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The thesis is a description of the relationship between the 'one God, the Father' and the 'one Lord, Jesus Christ' in I Cor. 8. 4-6. It analyses Paul's language about God and Christ against the background of contemporary Jewish language about the one God, making use of methodic concepts gleaned eclectically from the structural movement in linguistics and the social sciences. Accordingly, the study falls into two parts: a determination of Paul's Jewish monotheistic presuppositions, and an analysis of I Cor. 8. 4-6 itself. Part one uses the Greek Old Testament, the Apocrypha, the Pseudepigrapha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Philo, Josephus, and the New Testament, in particular some two hundred statements of monotheism collected from these sources (presented in an appendix), to illuminate the oblique references to monotheistic belief in Paul's letters. This part of the study concentrates on answering a series of nine questions about Jewish monotheism designed to shed light on Paul's language in our chosen passage. Part two combines the familiar grammatical-historical methods of biblical scholarship with newer, structural methods of exegesis to investigate the doctrinal content of the quasi-confessional language about God and Christ in I Cor. 8 4-6 in the light of our results from part one. The major conclusions of the study can be summarized in three statements. (1) I Cor. 8. 6 contains two classic statements of monotheism using traditional Jewish language, one in reference to the Father and one in reference to Jesus Christ; in each case, the language of monotheism comprehends not only the explicit confession with 'one', but also the prepositional phrases, which contain elements closely associated with belief in one God in Jewish thought. (2) Paul's paradoxical language about God and Christ in this passage certainly expresses the functional subordination of Christ to God, but it very probably presupposes an identity of these two figures at some undefined point, an identity which may well be essential in nature (by comparison especially with Gal. 4.8). (3) The language about Christ in I Cor. 8. 6. is informed not so much by Jewish Wisdom speculation as by Jewish language about the one God: it is best labelled a 'monotheism christology'. Hence the contribution of the thesis to knowledge lies in three areas. (1) It clarifies the nature and associations of Jewish monotheistic language. (2) It provides scientific support for the view, by no means generally accepted, that the New Testament adumbrates the concept of the ontological deity of Christ, using the most current methods of exegesis and working with a comprehensive selection of comparative Jewish materials. (3) It brings to the fore a christological category - the language of monotheism - which has been largely overlooked by researchers in the field of the origins and development of christology in the early church.

This thesis deals with the Christology of the book of Hebrews, specifically the relationship between the Christological categories of "Son" and "high priest". It is argued here that the rationale for the introduction of a priestly Christology has been insufficiently considered in previous scholarly work on Hebrews Furthermore, in previous studies insufficient consideration has been given to the way in which the interrelationship of the categories of sonship and priesthood functions in the rhetorical structure of Hebrews. This thesis argues that a form of "second Adam" Christology lies behind the Christological thought of Hebrews. It consequently endeavours to establish the rationale for the introduction of priestly Christology by exploring those "second Adam" ideas. Until the 1970s historical-critical methodologies dominated in the study of Hebrews. This is one of the reasons for the lack of scholarly consideration of the interrelationship of the priestly and filial Christological categories in the rhetoric of Hebrews. This thesis underscores the deficiencies of the historical-critical approaches to Hebrews as highlighted by the paucity of results such approaches have produced. It is argued that rhetorical criticism is an appropriate methodology for supplementing more historical-oriented methodologies. A survey of previous rhetorical-critical work on Hebrews is undertaken with a view to showing the potential of rhetorical-critical study of the book. It is argued that the rhetorical purposes of Hebrews is the bolstering of the community's confidence in their confession of faith. Acceptance of such an understanding of purpose leads naturally to the further question of the content of that confession, and specifically to the issue of whether or not it contained a statement of the priesthood of Christ. It is argued that the confession of the Hebrews did not refer to the priesthood of Christ, but can rather be summarized as "Jesus is the Son of God". The core of this thesis is found in a careful exegesis of Heb 2 which is crucial for understanding the relationship of the sonship and priesthood of Jesus in Hebrews. This chapter is introduced by explicit references to Jesus as Son (in Hebrews 1:5-14) and ends with the first explicit application of the word "priest" to him (2:17). It is argued that the underlying Adamic and Edenic themes in the chapter provide the key to understanding the relationship. The significance of such Adamic/Eden themes lies at the heart of this thesis. The rest of Hebrews is then examined with a view to ascertaining if such Adamic/Edenic themes are utilized elsewhere in the work. The rhetorical significance of the Adamic/Edenic allusions found throughout Hebrews is also explored. It is argued that the pattern of usage strongly suggests that Adamic/Edenic themes constitute "common ground" between Auctor and his recipients, which is presupposed in the overall argument of Hebrews rather than being argued in detail. The thesis concludes with a summary of the work as a whole, a statement of conclusions arrived at and an outline various implications arising from it.

Uppsatsens ansats är att undersöka hur den kvinnliga karaktären Eleven kan tolkas som en kristusgestalt. Med hjälp av en narrativ analys av utvalda scener i säsong ett av tv-serien Stranger Things där karaktären Eleven figurerar, analyseras både Elevens handlingar och hennes karaktäristiska drag med hjälp av bland annat Tomas Axelsons förståelse av en kristusgestalt och dess rötter, samt Lloyds Baughs åtta kriterier för kristusgestalter. Resultatet visar att Elevens karaktäristiska drag och handlingar är till stor del förenliga med en kristusgestalts, men är inte oproblematiskt. Många av Elevens handlingar, även de som genomförs med ett beskyddande syfte, genomsyras av våld, vilket inte är kristuslikt alls. Tidigare forskning menar att våld är vanligt förekommande bland dagens kristusgestalter, men frågan kan ställas huruvida detta så vitt skiljande drag bör påverka tolkning av karaktärer som kristusgestalter.

The aim of this thesis is to explore Gregory of Nyssa’s tabernacle imagery, as presented in Life of Moses 2.170-201. This part of Life of Moses has suffered from relative neglect compared to the scholarly attention conferred on Gregory’s apophatic darkness imagery. For the purposes of this study, Life of Moses 2.162-201 has been divided into nine consecutive sections, given the following headings: Darkness; The tabernacle ‘not made with hands’; Christological interpretation; Divine names; Heavenly powers; The earthly tabernacle; Heavenly and earthly worship; The holy of holies; The priestly vestments. Each section is analysed in the same way. Firstly, Gregory’s text is examined, and his biblical sources identified. Secondly, there is a presentation of relevant passages in the work of his Alexandrian predecessors – Philo, Clement and Origen. Thirdly, there is a discussion of the ways in which Gregory’s fourth century theological context has influenced his interpretation, often causing him to differ from his predecessors. It is under this heading of ‘theological context’ that contemporary scholarly discussions about Gregory are most in evidence. Fourthly, a heuristic comparison with a range of heavenly ascent texts from the Hellenistic and Late Antique worlds is undertaken. It is this methodology of heuristic comparison which is the experimental aspect of the thesis. The aim is not to prove influence, but to use heavenly ascent texts as a foil, in order to shed new light on Gregory’s imagery. Does Gregory’s interpretation of the tabernacle come into focus when viewed through the lens of heavenly ascent? In order to answer this question, the scholarship on heavenly ascent texts is mined for new ways of looking at Life of Moses. The conclusions begin by reviewing the methodology. It is argued that although many of the themes explored stem from the biblical text, and occur in Gregory’s Alexandrian predecessors, the richness of possibilities they provide, and therefore the choices made by Gregory, only become apparent when his work is compared and contrasted with a wide range of other heavenly ascent texts. Even in the case of a fourth century Christian work heavily influenced by Platonism, attending to the Jewish matrix of Christian mysticism pays dividends. The conclusions continue by listing the key ideas discovered in Life of Moses 2.170-201. They end by discussing the relationships between mysticism, theology and politics in Gregory’s tabernacle imagery. It is argued that Gregory holds all three together. This is typical of heavenly ascent texts, which combine descriptions of religious experience with claims to authoritative knowledge. For Gregory, the high point of Moses’ ascent into the darkness of Mount Sinai is the mystery of Christian doctrine. The heavenly tabernacle is a type of the heavenly Christ. This mystery is beyond intellectual comprehension, it can only be grasped by faith; and only the select few, destined for positions of responsibility, should even attempt to do so. But its benefits are available to all through the community’s worship in the earthly tabernacle. Anyone can aspire to wear an airy, angelic robe by living a life of virtue, in which faith and practice go hand in hand.

This project develops a feminist Christology by affirming the female body as a hermeneutical lens for Christological reflection. Utilizing the work of feminist theorists Luce Irigaray and Bracha Ettinger, I develop what I term a “matrixial Christology.” In response to feminist contentions regarding the androcentric nature of Christian soteriology, I argue that by interpreting the incarnation of the Word through the lens of the matrixial—the inherently feminine physical and psychic space of the womb—an inclusive and generative landscape for theological reflection emerges. Understanding the union of divine and human natures through the matrixial holds potential to reimagine other key doctrines, including the Trinity, ecclesiology, and eschatology. This dissertation revisits documents from the Councils of Nicaea (325 A.D.), Ephesus (431 A.D.), and Chalcedon (451 A.D.), as well as theologians of antiquity such as Irenaeus, Athanasius, Cyril of Alexander, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Maximus the Confessor, among others, to provide feminist critique and excavate these works for their liberative potential. Feminist scholarship also contributes to this critical constructive work, including authors such as Elizabeth Johnson, Tina Beattie, Mary Daly, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Ada María Isasi-Díaz. I argue that recovering Mary’s role in the incarnation allows for a reinterpretation of key doctrines in the Christian tradition and lays the groundwork for a feminine divine horizon in which women are able to more fully locate themselves in Christian soteriological discourse. Women’s theoretical and theological scholarship is placed in dialogue with ancient texts in order to consider the liberative potential of Christological discourse and to develop a robustly feminine symbolic for divine imagination utilizing Mariology as a primary foundation. The project begins by considering the implications of Mary and Christ’s matrixial maternal-prenatal relation for divine-human relations, then continues by exploring how Mary’s matrixial relation with Christ affects our understanding of his life and crucifixion. The project culminates in an examination of how Mary represents the possibility of resurrection for women traditionally excluded or demonized in the church. By reimagining Mary’s role in the Christian story, new avenues for female liberation and flourishing in the ekklesia might be realized. / 2023-11-30T00:00:00Z