The rapid changes in society today have caused many a leader in different environments to admit that they feel overwhelmed by, and inadequate to face the reality that this brings along. Our society is, according to many, in a transition, or as Roxburgh (2010) calls it, in an “in-between time”. This “in-between time” can be labelled as post-modern, post-colonial, post-democratic, or whatever language seems fitting; the fact of the matter is that studies are starting to show that leaders are struggling to lead in this changing landscape. This has also become particularly true in church leadership. This issue has been visited by many practical theologians of late. What has not been done yet was to visit this problem from an Old Testament perspective and to see if the Old Testament can contribute to this issue. In this study the Old Testament prophetic book of Ezekiel is taken as case study to see if it can shed any light on the matter. Ezekiel as prophet needs to speak to an audience that is also in rapidly changing circumstances. The lives of most Judeans changed with the first Babylonian exile of 597 BCE and got worse with the final exile in 586 BCE that also included the fall of Jerusalem. Suddenly the “known” became “unknown” and the familiar surroundings and lifestyle of Judea were substituted by the unfamiliar surroundings of Babylon and life as exiles. In these times people look to their prophets and their leaders to make sense of the reality and to offer some hope for the future. Ezekiel responds to this with communication. His communication criticises and energises. His communication seems vivid and metaphorically loaded and in the end stirs up imagination. This imagination gives clarity and hope for the future. What this study therefore attempts to do is to look for the process of this communication. It tries to find the different stages that Ezekiel goes through in his communication process. Out of these stages or steps it then builds a process of communication that is suggested as a possible Old Testament perspective on a modern-day problem. In this endeavour it proposes to build a bridge between practical issues of church life, leadership in the church and Biblical Studies. / Old Testament & Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

The motif of hastening the Lord's coming: 2 Peter 3:1-13 and its alleged parallels and background is a study of an aspect of 2 Peter's message and the problems related to that aspect. The study consists of seven chapters. Chapter one is an orientative survey of 2 Peter research defining and describing the nature and scope of the problems which are investigated in later chapters, as well as indicating the importance of the study and its general outline. In chapter two, broad hermeneutical issues which influence the investigation in chapters three, four, five and six are highlighted. Chapter three investigates the use and meanings of a1fe 6 6 <.t> derivatives in the New Testament and finds out that apart from 2 Peter, those concerned are generally not explicitly used in association with Christ's Parousia. In chapter four, relevant sections of 2 Peter are exegeted to determine this motifs role and meaning within the message of 2 Peter. Chapter four's investigation finds out that this salient motif in 2 Peter emphasises the Christian community's role of being God's important partner in the achievement of the eschatological promises associated with Christ's Parousia. Chapter five then studies alleged parallels of this motif in the New Testament outside of 2 Peter and finds out that the ideas, which 2 Peter expressed through this motif are echoed within most of the passages. In chapter six the religious background of 2 Peter is investigated and it is discovered that ideas expressed through this motif in 2 Peter appear to be generally in discontinuity with those contained in the investigated backgrounds. The final chapter highlights the contemporary relevance of the study with reference to (i) New Testament study in general, (ii) 2 Peter research in particular; and (iii) the calling and responsibilities of the church in the context of today's problems. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (New Testament)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie is as doelwit gestel 'n nuwe benadering tot die verklaring van die boek Openbaring. Die rede hiervoor is dat sommige verklaringsmetodes nie by 'n duidelike formulering van die boodskap van Openbaring uitkorn nie. Sommige rnetodes is kunsrnatig, terwyl ander weer so ingewikkeld is dat dit die boek onverstaanbaar maak. In die werkshipotese van die studie word die hermeneutiese presupposisie gestel dat die boek self riglyne oor sy verklaring gee, veral in sy eerste hoofstuk. Die tema en die strekking van die boodskap wys uit hoe die boek verklaar rnoet word. Die heerskappy van God is die hoofmotif van Openbaring en die vertrekpunt van die uitleg daarvan. Dit word ontplooi deur Christus wat op aarde heers. Prinsipieel gesien beteken sy heerskappy dat Hy besig is om te kom as verlosser van sy uitverkorenes en as regter wat sy vyande oordeel en straf. Sy koms is nie slegs eindgebeure nie, maar dis nou reeds aan die gang (so is die hoofmotif dan ook 'n eskatalogiese motif) en sal die vooruitbepaalde voleinding dan gebeur soos God dit wil. Dit maak dat die boek nie as 'n suiwer apokalips geklassifiseer mag word nie, maar wel 'n egte profesie, hoewel met apokaliptiese trekke. Wanneer die struktuur van die boek wetenskaplik ondersoek word, word gevind dat hierdie wyse van verklaring as geldige een ondersteun word deur die struktuur. Eers word byvoorbeeld die nabyheid van Christus geleer, dan sy heerskappy oor die geskiedenis en die voleinding daarvan en hoe dit die kerk en die wereld raak. Die volgende aspek wat in die studie ondersoek is, is die begrip "heerskappy van God". Nadat die sisternaties-teologiese forrnulering van die begrip vasgestel is, word gekyk na wat Openbaring daaroor te se het. Ten slotte word 'n paar hoofstukke uit die boek Openbaring ondersoek om vas te stel of dit die aannames en persepsies oor die motif ondersteun. Aangesien die betrokke hoofstukke berekende capita selecta is wat 'n goeie oorsig bied oor wat in hoofsaak in Openharing gelees word, is dit belangrik om te let op hoe die inhoud van die boek telkens die hoofmotif van God se heerskappy uitspel en beklemtoon. In die laaste hoofstuk van hierdie studie word die boodskap van die boek Openbaring uiteengesit. Met die proklamering van die heerskappy van God wat deur Christus op aarde uitgevoer word, is die boodskap van die boek duidelik en verstaanbaar met die troos: God regeer en Christus beheer alles op die aarde tot aan die einde, daarom hoef die kerk nie te vrees nie, maar kan voortgaan om te groei en te lewe tot die eer van God die almagtige. / The objective of this study was to establish a new approach to the interpretation of the book of Revelation. This was undertaken because some of the methods used to interpret the book, did not succeed in delivering an acceptable or even a comprehensible message. Some methods are superficial, while others are so complicated that the book becomes more of a mystery. As a working hypothesis for this study the hermeneutical presupposition is posed that John's Revelation has its own guidelines as to its interpretation, as it is given primarily in its first chapter. The theme and message of the book clearly shows the way to its interpretation. The supremacy of God and his power as the Almighty proclaims his rule over this world and this forms the basis for the message to his people. Christ is given the authority as king of this world and He maintains the governing of this world till the end. This means that He as ruler over this world reveals his coming as happening in the salvation of his chosen people and in the judging and punishing of his enemies. His coming is already underway and now is the eschatological time in progress. He is already the Redeemer of his people and the judge of his enemies. But this motif is further developed in the fact that the end will come according to the will of God. In the light of this prophetic revelations the book is not a pure apocalypse in the apocalyptic tradition, but it is genuine prophecy although there are apocalyptic terms and trends used in the book. When the structure of the book is analysed, it is found that this method of interpretation is really plausible. The first overall message being the assurance of the presence of Christ in his church under all circumstances and his controlling of the history and bringing this world to its end according to God's will, thus revealing the effect this has on the church and the world at large, all this is sustained by the structure of the book. Another aspect researched in this study is the meaning of the term "the supremacy of God". First a survey of the systematic theological formulation of this concept is done and then a systematic summary of this concept in the book of Revelation is made. A selection of a number of chapters from the book of Revelation is studied with the purpose of showing how this motif is proved by the contents of the book. These capita selecta are specially selected for this purpose, but they do give an overall view of the book's message. The last chapter of this study formulates the message of the book of Revelation. With the proclamation of the supremacy of God as illustrated by the reign of Christ as Lord of this world, this paranesis is given to his people clear and simple: God is the Almighty and through Christ He has everything under his control, therefore the church must never fear but can continue serving Him and growing to his glory as his kingdom. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / Th. D. (Nuwe Testament)

Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (New Testament)

Deur na die kriteria en uitsprake rondom die voorkomstes van die term 'Verborgenheid' in die Tweelingbriewe Kolossense en Efesiers te kyk, teen die agtergrond van die 'Toekomstige Dinge' (Jh 16.13) wat deur die Heilige Gees in die Progressiewe Openbaring van God aan die skrywers van die Nuwe Testament bekend gemaak was, word dit ontdek dat daar 'n splintemuwe skepping, die Corpus Christi, waarvan Christus die Hoof is, as hierdie Verborgenheid aan Paulus, na Handelinge 28 in die i gevangenis geopenbaar was, naamlik die Kerk wat daar I eers tot stand gekom het. Die Kerk, wat hoofsaaklik uit gelowige Heidene bestaan, het sedertdien as God se kanaal van heil tot die wereld gedien in die plek en onafhanklik van nasionale Israel, wat volgens Ou Testa- mentiese profesie, God se kanaal van Heil tot die wereld moes wees, onder en saam met wie die Heidene die Here moes dien. God het dus tot op Handelinge 28 steeds verbondmatig met Israel omgegaan om hulle tot bekering te probeer lei en het dit gevolglik tot op daardie stadium uitsluitlik gegaan om dit wat die Ou Testament geprofeteer het, naamlik die Koninkryk van God vir Israel. Maar weens hulle onboetvaardigheid, is Israel deur God verhard en in Handelinge 28 ter syde gestel as Sy kanaal en het Hy Sy Koninkryk program opgeskort en het God Hom tot die Heiden gewend. Daar was dus geen sprake van 'n 'Kerk' in die Handelinge tydperk gewees nie! / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. Th. (New Testament)

Opposition to Paul as central to the occasion of the letter to the Galatians ·(expressed in scholarly circles in terms of different opponent hypotheses) is identified as a pivotal factor in the interpretation of that letter. An analysis of some of the received opponent hypotheses reveals that today, as throughout the history of the critical interpretation of the letter, they are basically different proposals sharing the same historical and methodological components. Both components are critically examined and it is suggested that inadequate assumptions lead to an anachronistic and ethnocentric view of the nature of the conflict and consequently, from a his­ torical point of view, a distorted cypher key to the interpretation of the letter. The proposal of a social-scientific approach to the letter presents, at the meth­ odological level, the components of an alternative cypher key. It attempts to be interdisciplinary in that it accounts for the otherness of foreign cultures and distant historical eras in an integrated and explicit way. Because of the methodological components an alternative set of historical com­ ponents can be suggested. A focus on contemporary views on first-century Judaism and the expansion of the Pauline communities in the first-century world not only . points to shortcomings in the received views but provides an alternative perspective on the communicative context of the letter. A first but important step is taken to construct a probable first-century Mediterranean communicative context for the interpretation of the letter. In view of this alternative communicative context it is possible to redefine the con­ flict as a truly first-century Mediterranean one in which Paul's authority and honour were at stake. This makes it possible to construe the text in a different way. Instead of regarding the letter to the Galatians as a document of intra-Christian struggle about conflicting theological or doctrinal convictions, it is suggested that the letter be construed as the product of Paul's missionary endeavour within the household setting, the subculture of first-century Judaism, and the confines of orality and reli­ gion in the first-century world. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (New Testament)

The pnmary purpose of this dissertation is to define the function of Psalm 90 and its relationship with regard to adjacent psalms. Keeping this purpose in mind, the dissertation is composed of two main parts. The first part deals with textual notes, structural analysis, the date of the psalm and the possible situation it arose from, and then an attempt is made about the function of the psalm. Concerning the structural analysis, this study reveals that the psalm forms a unity in contrast to the views of Muller and Zenger who have argued for the division of the psalm into two parts. The function that the psalm has within itself is to appeal to Yahweh to intervene in the dilemma the psalmist was facing in the exilic or postexilic situation. However, since the psalm itself does not hint at any clue as to what the actual situation for the appeal was, the study is extended to the examination of the canonical perspective with regard to adjacent Psalms 89 and 91. This consists of the second part, and here Psalm 90 is compared to Psalms 89 and 91 in terms of lexical, thematic, and structural aspects. The study of this part shows that Psalm 90 forms close links with the lament section of Psalm 89 (vv. 39-51) as well as Psalm 91, and the conclusion suggests that Psalm 90 should be interpreted in the light of Psalm 89, thus reflecting the destruction of the Davidic dynasty described in Psalm 89. Concerning the relationship between Psalms 90 and 91, the latter serves as an answer to the former in order to persuade the readers that Yahweh 1s a refuge to those who seek security and protection from him. / Old Testament / Th. M.(Old Testament)

Text in Dutch / In deze verhandeling worden een aantal perikopen uit het boek Hosea, namelijk Hosea 2, 4, 5:1-7, 8, 9, 10 en 14:2-9, uitgelegd aan de hand van het kemwoord afgodendienst. Vergelijk: de afgodendienst in het boek Hosea. Tevens wordt een beschrijving gegeven van de New Age-beweging en wordt een aantal zienswijzen van deze beweging uitgediept. Vergelijk: het nieuwe-tijdsdenken. Het doel van deze verhandeling is het vergelijken van de afgodendienst in het boek Hosea met het nieuwe-tijdsdenken en de overeenkomsten aan te geven. Vergelijk: vergeleken met. In hoofdstuk 1 (Probleemstelling en hypothese) wordt het probleem aan de orde gesteld dat de Kanaanitische natuurgodsdienst de Israelitische godsdienst binnengedrongen was en leidde tot afgodendienst. Tevens wordt gesteld dat heden ten dage de godskennis minimaal is, kerken leeglopen maar semi-godsdiensten zich mogen verheugen in een enorme toeloop. De New Age-beweging is hiervan een voorbeeld. Elementen uit de gedachtewereld van de afgodendienst ten tijde van de profeet Hosea blijken overeen te komen met denkbeelden die deel uitmaken van het nieuwe-tijdsdenken. In hoofdstuk 2 (Werkwijze) wordt de weg aangegeven die in deze verhandeling gevolgd is om te komen tot het beschrijven van de overeenkomsten tussen de afgodendienst in het boek Hosea en het nieuwe-tijdsdenken. In hoofdstuk 3 ((Godsdienst)geschiedschrijving) wordt een aantal benaderingen besproken die kunnen leiden tot een evenwichtige beschrijving van de geschiedenis van een godsdienst. Tevens wordt aangegeven waarvan de geschiedschrijver gebruik moet maken om tot een zo objectief mogelijke beschrijving te komen. In hoofdstuk 4 (De geschiedenis van Israel en Juda in de achtste eeuw voor Christus) wordt de geschiedenis van Israel en Juda in de achtste eeuw voor Christus beschreven aan de hand van de regeringen van de koningen Uzzia, Jotam, Achaz en Jechizkia van Juda en Jerobeam van Israel. Age-beweging is hiervan een voorbeeld. Elementen uit de gedachtewereld van de afgodendienst ten tijde van de profeet Hosea blijken overeen te komen met denkbeelden die deel uitmaken van het nieuwe-tijdsdenken. In hoofdstuk 2 (Werkwijze) wordt de weg aangegeven die in deze verhandeling gevolgd is om te komen tot het beschrijven van de overeenkomsten tussen de afgodendienst in het boek Hosea en het nieuwe-tijdsdenken. In hoofdstuk 3 ((Godsdienst)geschiedschrijving) wordt een aantal benaderingen besproken die kunnen leiden tot een evenwichtige beschrijving van de geschiedenis van een godsdienst. Tevens wordt aangegeven waarvan de geschiedschrijver gebruik moet maken om tot een zo objectief mogelijke beschrijving te komen. In hoofdstuk 4 (De geschiedenis van Israel en Juda in de achtste eeuw voor Christus) wordt de geschiedenis van Israel en Juda in de achtste eeuw voor Christus beschreven aan de hand van de regeringen van de koningen Uzzia, Jotam, Achaz en Jechizkia van Juda en Jerobeam van Israel. In hoofdstuk 5 (De geschiedenis van Israels godsdienst in de achtste eeuw voor Christus) wordt allereerst J erobeam I ten tonele gevoerd omdat hij de drijvende kracht was achter de ontwikkeling van Betel en Dan tot nationale heiligdommen in het noordelijke Israel. Deze ontwikkeling kan gezien worden als de aanleiding van de afgodendienst ten tijde van Hosea. Vervolgens wordt de invloed van de Kanaanitische godsdienst op de Israelitische godsdienst aan de orde gesteld. In hoofdstuk 6 (De profeet Hosea) worden de persoon en de prediking van de profeet Hosea uitgediept. In hoofdstuk 7 (Uitleg van enkele perikopen uit Hosea) worden de perikopen uit de aanhef van deze samenvatting uitgelegd aan de hand van het kemwoord afgodendienst. In hoofdstuk 8 (De Kanaanitische god Baal) wordt een aantal facetten van Baal belicht die wellicht kunnen bijdragen tot een beter verstaan van Israels godsdienst in de achtste eeuw voor Christus. In hoofdstuk 9 (New Age) wordt een beschrijving gegeven van de New Age-beweging en een aantal zienswijzen nader onder de loep genomen. In hoofdstuk 10 (Gevolgtrekkingen) wordt enerzijds de achtste eeuw voor Christus vergeleken met de post-twintigste eeuw en anderzijds de overeenkomsten opgesomd tussen de afgodendienst in het boek Hosea en het nieuwe-tijdsdenken. / This thesis compares idolatry in Hosea with the New Age movement. A number of pericopes from Hosea are explained in view of idolatry. Canaanite nature worship had entered into Israelite religion. Among the kings of Israel in the eighth century BC, Jeroboam I in particular was the moving force behind the development of Bethel and Dan into national sanctuaries. This development can be seen as the immediate cause for idolatry in Hosea's days. Also nowadays knowledge of God is very poor. There are fewer and fewer churchgoers, but semi-religions like the New Age movement attract a hugh number of people. Elements from the realm of thought of idolatry at Hosea's time appear to correspond closely with concepts that are essential in the New Age movement. / Old Testament & Ancient Near Eastern Studies

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to compare the figures of Moses in the Exodus narratives and Queen Esther in the Esther narratives. The study will proceed to argue that Esther, a remarkable Jewish deliverer figure in the Persian period can be viewed as a reinterpretation of the Moses figure in the Exodus narratives. Within a broad analysis of these narratives, the researcher investigates how Esther fits into the Old Testament deliverance motifs. Commonalities between Moses and Esther and their parallels and characterization as Old Testament deliverer figures assist in drawing a comparative analysis between the two. The study proceeds to prove that Esther is a new Moses figure, arguing that the Esther narratives are presented deliberately in such a way that they reinterpret the Moses narratives. A survey of previous studies that investigated the two narratives provides further evidence for the view that the Esther narratives are reinterpreting the Moses narratives, and hence that Esther can be regarded as a new Moses in the Old Testament deliverance motifs. This study argues that Esther stands within the same category of Old Testament deliverer figures like Moses and that female figures like Esther are not ignored in the deliverance of God’s people. The concluding part of this study investigates what implications the Old Testament narratives of Moses and Esther as deliverer figures may have for the modern-day context of African leadership. The focus is on investigating whether biblical models of leadership and deliverance offer anything to the discourse on African leadership. In the last section, the models of Moses and Esther are applied to modern-day ethical problems of leadership in African societies. It is postulated that Old Testament ethical reflections on biblical characters such as Moses and Esther may inform modern-day reflection on responsible leadership. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie vergelyk die rol wat Moses in die Exodus-verhaalsiklus speel met die rol van Ester in die Ester-verhaal. Die argument is dat Ester se rol as ʼn merkwaardige bevrydingsfiguur uit die Persiese tyd dié van Moses herinterpreteer. Die studie is ʼn breë narratiewe analise wat nagaan of Ester binne die Ou Testamentiese bevrydingsliteratuur ʼn geïsoleerde figuur is al dan nie. Die ooreenkomste tussen Moses en Ester saam met tipiese eienskappe van Ou Testamentiese bevrydingsfigure lei die studie tot ʼn suksesvolle vergelykende analise van die twee figure. Trouens, dit word duidelik dat Ester ʼn nuwe Moses is waar Moses se rol doelbewus herinterpreteer word. ʼn Oorsig oor bestaande studies wat die twee verhale nagana, verskaf verdere stawing vir die seining dat die Ester-siklus die van Moses herinterpreteer. As sodanig is Ester ʼn tweede Moses binne die Ou Testamentiese bevrydingsliteratuur en staan sy geen tree terug as ʼn vroulike figuur in die rol nie. In die laaste en samevattende gedeelte van die navorsing word die implikasies van bevrydingsfigure soos Moses en Ester toegepas op leierskap in Afrika. Die oogmerk is om hierdie Bybelse bevrydingsfigure as model voor te hou en om dan daarmee in gesprek te gaan met die aard van leierskap in Afrika. Die Ou Testamentiese verhale en leiers het bepaalde waardes en oortuigings wat huidige leierskap in Afrika krities onder die loep kan neem. Dit kan ʼn vormende invloed op Christelike morele waardes, identiteit en die verstaan van mag uitoefen. As sodanig sal Moses en Ester as modelle voorgehou word om moderne etiese leierskapprobleme en -uitdagings aan te spreek. Die studie is oortuig dat Ou Testamentiese leiers waardevolle insig bied vir etiese refleksie en kontekstuele riglyne virverantwoordelike leierskap.

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