Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. Th. (Old Testament)

M.Th.(Old Testament)

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This dissertation is comprised of two major analyses: (1) an investigation into whether the Lucianic recension exists in the manuscript tradition of the Greek Ecclesiastes and (2) the application of the classical, text-critical principle of recensio to the manuscript tradition of the Greek Ecclesiastes.

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.

In this thesis we will explore the question of Jesus' revelation as a central motif of the Johannine Christology from the perspectives of literary criticism, Jewish apocalypticism and Graeco-Roman dramatic literature. In particular, we will attempt to solve the riddle of the visions developed in John 12.20-36, by answering the fragmentary theory of the text, the claim for the divergent christologies, the question of realised eschatology with or without future eschatology, and the claim that the Johannine community its symbolic world creates is 'sectarian'. A special attention will be paid to the Son of man as presented in the pericope under discussion as well as in the Fourth Gospel as a whole. The thesis will be summarised as follows: 1. Over against the fragment theory, the concentric arrangement of Jesus' saying formed predominantly in parallelism shows a deliberate literary design of the author. Set at the end of the earthly ministry of Jesus, John 12.20-36 is a culminating point of the revelatory process of Jesus. 2. The overall conceptual framework to understand John 12.20-36, and thus the Fourth Gospel as a whole, is the apocalyptic idea of the divine mysteries concerning the .end time. The revelation is centred on Jesus the Son of man, identified as the human-like figure of Dan 7, which culminates in his cross as his glorification/lifting-up. The vision of the revealed mysteries in Jesus on the cross embraces the eschatological Messiah, the restoration of Israel and of the Temple, salvation, the vindication of the righteous and the condemnation of the evil, and the Gentiles' pilgrimage, which is comparable to contemporary Jewish apocalyptic writings. 3. The cross of Jesus as the focus of the apocalyptic vision of the end time lies behind the apparently divergent christologies (the Son of man, the Davidic Messiah, divine Wisdom), which are integrated in the text in such a manner that it is impossible for each to be understood in isolation. The combination of these is already found in the Jewish apocalyptic-eschatological hope. The fact that the lifting-up and glorification of the Son of man is given precedence to the Davidic Kingly Messiah deprives a political and military aspect of the popular Jewish expectation. 4. At the same time, the revelatory pattern of the Johannine Jesus is not only explicable in Jewish apocalyptic terms, but it has to be understand in view of the anagnorisis, a popular Graeco-Roman dramatic convention. Within the main plot of the Fourth Gospel Jesus is depicted as the divine homecoming hero-king, as in Homer's Odyssey, whose messianic identity is closed to many and disclosed to those who receive him with faith (and hospitality). This pattern is relevant for most of the Johannine Son of man sayings as well. In this plot development John 12.20-36 is situated in a climactic place where the Jewish crowd fails to recognise Jesus who points to the decisive moment of his revelation on the cross. 5. The Johannine Eschatology is Jesus centred, and its realised aspect is strongly emphasised, because the eschatological terminology is overwhelmingly applied to him. Thus Jesus on the cross is the embodiment of the eschaton. At the same time, the post-Easter period, the time of the church, is open toward its future culmination because of the mission perspective. 6. The revelation of Jesus as the core of the divine mysteries concerning the end-time centres on the cross, which is presented as both the judgement and the salvation of the world. The Johannine understanding of the cross is expressed within the framework of the vindication/exaltation of the suffering righteous. It is implied that Jesus' death and resurrection inaugurates the new, eschatological covenant for the new people of God embracing both Jews and Gentiles. 7. John 12.20-36 envisages an apocalyptic vision of the end-time judgement and salvation, in which the new covenant people is created as a new people of God. The basis of the new 'children of the Light' is no longer the Law as in the old covenant but the faith in Jesus the Light (and to love each other as a new law). This faith is not individualistic but geared towards community building, which includes the believers from the Gentiles. The community itself is the result of the cross of Jesus. The purpose of Jesus' death for 'bearing much fruit' and gathering of 'all' (nations) to his own house is to be accomplished in the community through its mission to the world, despite the probable persecutions.

D.Litt. et Phil. / A semiotic method, devised by Wolmarans (1994a) to analyse ideological shift in Biblical texts, is applied to Colossians. The method is simplified into two steps, (1) a structural analysis and (2) a pragmatic analysis. The structural analysis is divided into three steps: (i) delimitation of textual units utilised in the analysis (ii) syntactical and semantic analysis, and (iii) an analysis of the proposition and argumentation. The pragmatic analysis is also divided into three steps: (i) communicative strategy, (ii) a description of the unacceptable practical or epistemic situation, the textual actual world, followed by a description of the alternative proposed by the author, the world as it should be, the alternative possible world, and (iii) a description of how the author attempts to move his reader by means of certain transuniversal relations. The application of this method to Colossians delivers some exciting results: The epistle exhibits the classical partes orationis, namely a prologue (exordium 1:1-14) containing the narratio (reason why the epistle is written-1:3-8) and a propositio (position of the author-1:9-14); an argumentatio (1:15-4:1), consisting of a hymn (1:15-20) from which implications for a Christian belief system is drawn (con firmatio 1:21-2:5), an opposing system of belief is refined (confutatio 2:6-15) and practical implications for daily life are deduced (exhortatio 3:1-4:6). The third and final part of the epistle, an epilogue (peroratio 4:7-18), contains references to various Pauline associates serving as role models (or exempla). Colossians is shown to be a pseudepigraphic document, written round about 85 AD somewhere in the Western part of the Roman Empire. The content of the epistle displays development of basic Pauline doctrines. The unacceptable situation against which the author reacted, was caused by believers who lost hope in the early second coming of the Lord Jesus. They reverted to a syncretistic form of mystery cult. During certain feasts, they practised particular forms of asceticism (refraining from sexual intercourse; abstaining from certain kinds of food and drink) accompanied by purifying rituals, thereby hoping to attain some form of union with divine powers, like angels. This union would result in renewal or rebirth, climaxing in an epiphany. Finally, the . asceticism would be reversed and the flesh indulged. This type of religion led to exclusivism, social, ethnic and gender inequality, conflict, as well as to certain vices. As an alternative, the author argues the proposition that the readers must remain in Christ. He connects Christ to God, Paul and his school to Christ, and the believers to the body of Christ through the Pauline instruction. An ethical way of life is deduced based on principles of equality and inclusivity, and strengthened by a hope in the return of the Lord. To argue his proposition the author uses the authority of the Christian tradition, of non-Christian philosophy, of general tenets in the mystery cults, and of role models. He also uses analogical arguments, emotional arguments based on the fear of punishment and the expectation of reward, as well as rational arguments (implications deduced from the hymn of Christ).

I wish to argue the following points: 1. MT Jeremiah gives a more complex text form in its more intricate poetic structure and, therefore, represents a more ancient or earlier form of verses 10:1-18. 2. LXX Jeremiah demonstrates later interpretative and textual developments in its logical structure of verses 10:1-18, which gives emphasis to verse 11 in its structural placement of verse 9 within that of verse 5, along with the necessary deletions of verses 10:6-8 and 10. 3. Qumran, apocryphal, and pseudepigraphtical material demonstrate the cultural and scribal milieu that readily explains the alterations evident in the Septuagint text form of 10:1-18. These three primary arguments will be expressed in greater detail in chapters 2, 3, and 4. Chapter 2 concerns the Masoretic text form of 10:1-18 and explicates its text form's structure. Chapter 3 discusses the Septuagint text form of 10:1-18 and analyzes its textual developments and translation technique. Chapter 4 surveys Second Temple Period Jewish literature that contains the text of Jer 10:1-18 or references its material. I will study Jeremiah 10:1-18 with the traditional tools of textual criticism along with other biblical criticisms as well. In this thesis, I wish to argue that the texts of 4Q71 (4QJerb) and LXX Jer 10 show evidence of a secondary nature in comparison to the MT tradition as reflected in 4Q70 (4QJera). The abbreviation of the passage and the transposition of 10:9 within 10:5 reflected in 4Q71 and LXX 10 demonstrate an easier and later textual variant in comparison to the more original text form of MT Jer 10. I shall observe that 4Q71 and LXX Jer 10:1-18's alterations to MT's older text form were done for the sake of attempting to smooth out the logical flow of the pericope.

M.A. (Biblical Studies) / In recent decades the church member's life style and involvement in the congregation and the church, increasingly became a point of interest in the church. Enterprises to build up the congregation concentrate on leading, motivating and activating church members to become involved in numerous activities launched by the congregation. In spite of this it looks as if only a minority of church members really do get involved in serving the Lord The contention of this study is that church members' defective realisation of their Christian identity is the reason that the quality of their spiritual life and their involvement in church activities leaves much to be desired. Scientific Biblical research specifically from the New Testament concerning the Christian identity of the church member is therefore necessary. This Biblical information will help church members to realise their identity as believers. This in tum will enable them to fulfill their task as believers by becoming closely involved in the church. According to Erikson (1971 :90) a defective comprehension of identity leads to a misunderstanding of one's role. Such persons will try to be everything to everyone and will be never be themselves. The measure in which individuals find their identity is the measure in which they grow in stability and self-confidence. This may also be true for the member of the church. An intensive study of the abundant material in Scripture would be impossible within the confines of this treatise. For this reason the research will be confined to the Pauline material which in tum can't be used in full. Thus the theme : Relevant Pauline perspectives on the Christian identity of the church member. The object of this research is to ascertain if, and if so, which perspectives the Corpus Paulinum (C P) gives on the identity of the church member.