Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on covenant in relation to justice and righteousness in Isaiah 42:1-9. The main purpose of the study is to grapple with the idea of whether the Old Testament scholarly research on covenant is relevant for the theological-ethical understanding of covenant amongst African believing communities in general and in particular the Kamba community of Kenya. The research employs the socio-rhetorical approach, a method used to explore textures in a multi-dimensional way. In applying Robbins‘ (1996a, 1996b) textual analysis to the text of Isaiah 42:1-9, both the intra and intertextures are examined in order to gain the narrator‘s rhetorical strategy. It is possible to demonstrate that the mission of the Servant of the Lord was to establish justice and righteousness on earth. We show these terms are relational and ethical in nature. Justice restores damaged relationships in order for a community to have peace with itself. Righteousness on the other hand governs moral relationships and demands each member of the community acts right. These demands are required in order to regulate a cohesive social and cultural community that takes each other‘s social needs into account. Moreover, we show through intertexture in chapter three that texts reconfigure themselves either explicitly or implicitly. It is shown that three concepts, justice, righteousness and covenant exhibit moral characteristics when used together. Within covenant framework they have to do with taking care of the needs of the oppressed. Furthermore, in chapter four through social and cultural texture we show how the Israelites and Judah later are unable to fulfill their obligations to the poor because of the moral decay, which affected all spheres of their life. The Servant of YHWH is promised to usher in a new era of social justice. Additionally, in chapter five it is shown that the ideological texture highlights God‘s theological viewpoint characterized by the tension between the two covenants. We have attempted to show from Isaiah 42:1-9 that the theological-ethical understanding of covenant accommodates the Akamba covenant. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif fokus op die verbond in samehang met reg en geregtigheid in Jesaja 42:1-9. Die primêre doel van die studie is om te vra of Ou-Testamentiese navorsing enige relevansie het vir die teologies-etiese verstaan van die verbond in geloofsge-meenskappe in Afrika oor die algemeen, maar ook in die Kambagemeenskap (Kenia) in die besonder. In die ondersoek word sosio-retoriek benut om tekstuele verbande op 'n multi-dimensionele manier te ondersoek. In die toepassing van Robbins (1996a, 1996b) se tekstuele analise op Jesaja 42:1-9, word beide die intra- sowel as die intertekstuele verbande ondersoek ten einde te bepaal watter retoriese strategie ter sprake is. Dit is moontlik om aan te toon hoe die Dienaar van die Here daarop gemik was om reg en geregtigheid op aarde te vestig as relasionele en etiese begrippe. "Reg" herstel beskadigde verhoudings ten einde 'n samelewing in staat te stel om vrede onderling te ervaar. "Geregtigheid" bepaal die morele verhoudings en vereis dat elke lid van die gemeenskap eties korrek optree. Hierdie vereistes is noodsaaklik ten einde 'n samehangende sosiale en kulturele samelewing daar te stel waarbinne die lede mekaar se behoeftes in ag neem. Daar word in hoofstuk drie aangetoon hoe verbond in Jesaja 40 – 55 implisiet en eksplisiet gerekonfigureer word. Hierdie rekonfigurasie vind plaas wanneer die drie begrippe reg, geregtigheid en verbond morele kenmerke ontwikkel wanneer dit saam gebruik word. Sodoende ontwikkel die verpligting om binne 'n verbondsraamwerk sorgsaamheid vir die behoeftes van die onderdrukte te ontwikkel. Vervolgens word in hoofstuk vier aangetoon hoe aandag vir die sosiale en kulturele verbande van Jesaja 42:1-9 uitwys hoe die Israeliete en Judeërs nie instaat was om hulle verpligtinge teenoor die armes na te kom na aanleiding van die morele verval wat alle tereine van hulle lewe beïnvloed het. Die Dienaar van JHWH word belowe ten einde 'n nuwe era van sosiale geregtigheid te vestig. Ten slotte word daar in hoofstuk vyf uitgewys dat die ideologiese verband beklemtoon hoe God se teologiese alternatief gekenmerk word deur die spanning tus-sen twee sieninge van die verbond (onvoorwaardelik sowel as voorwaardelik). Teen die agtergrond is geargumenteer dat Jesaja 42: 1-9 se teologies-etiese herdefiniëring van die verbond 'n Akamba begrip daarvoor akkommodeer.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is an attempt to address the problem of the relationship between Yahweh and Hope in Isaiah 5:1-7 in the light of parallelism in the book Isaiah. It is an attempt to prove that our hypothesis, that hope in the book Isaiah can be explained theologically in a special manner by means of parallelism (synonymous, antithetical and synthetical); that hope can also not only theologically be understood in concordance (synonymous and synthetical), but also in contradiction (antithetical); that Isaiah 5:1-7 can be used as a good example of antithetical parallelism and that the social, cultural and ideological texture give cause to the different accents of the theological understanding of hope in Isaiah. For this study we used the socio-rhetorical approach of Vernon Robbins. In Chapter 1 we look more closely at the socio-rhetorical approach, we look for possible flaws and make some suggestions. For the clarification of the concepts "hope" and "parallelism" we focus on the meaning of these concepts as included in the hypothesis of this dissertation. An overview of the research of Isaiah 5:1-7 is given and how the history of interpretation has been characterised by three approaches, namely the historical-critical, literary and theological approaches. By the use of the socio-rhetorical approach we attempt to study more fully "God and Hope in Isaiah 5:1-7 in the light of parallelism in the book Isaiah". In Chapter 2 we are focusing on the inner texture of Isaiah 5:1-7. We are looking to the following: - The repetitive texture and pattern; we are looking for the occurrence of words and phrases more than once in a unit. - The progressive texture and pattern; there is a progressive building up from verse 1 to verse 7 in words and phrases. - The narrational texture and pattern; Isaiah 5:1-7 has been characterised by two structural forms, namely a love song and a juridical case. - The opening-middle-closing texture and pattern; the exposition looks as follows: - opening: vv. 1-2d; - middle: vv. 2e-4; - closing: vv. 5-7. - The argumentative texture and pattern; Yahweh is building up an argument. He is using the example of a vineyard and court terms to explain and build up His case. - The sensory-aesthetic texture and pattern; the relationship between Yahweh and his people become sour and we are talking of contradicting emotions and acts, namely excitement and disappointment, pressing (of the grapes) and judgement. In Chapter 3 we are focussing on the intertexture of Isaiah 5:1-7 and its connection with hope. We are looking to the dating of Isaiah 5:1-7. The possible intertextual connections between Isaiah 5:1-7 and the other texts in Isaiah are "recitation", "recontextualization" and "thematic elaboration". Considering that "parallelism" is part of the theme of this dissertation, we are taking antithetical parallelism as point of departure to concentrate on four focus texts, namely Isaiah 5:1-7 (main focus texts), Isaiah 27:2-6, Isaiah 40:27-31 and Isaiah 59:1-21. In terms of parallelism and dating we typify the four texts as follows: - Isaiah 5:1-7: antithetical parallelism; late post-exilic. - Isaiah 27:2-6: late pre-exilic. - Isaiah 40:27-31: antithetical parallelism; exilic. - Isaiah 59:1-21: antithetical parallelism; post-exilic. that play a role in how hope is understood are: "viticulture", "dwellers in Jerusalem", "men of Judah", "house of Israel", "Jacob/Israel" and "Zion". In Chapter 5 we are focussing on the ideological and sacred texture of Isaiah 5:1-7 and its connection with hope. The following issues cast light on how hope must be understood in terms of the ideological texture, namely "the conflict between communities", "the ideological conflict concerning Zion theology", "the people circumstances in the exile" and "class conflict". In terms of the theme, "God and Hope in Isaiah 5:1-7 in the light of parallelism in the book Isaiah", the role of Yahweh is crucial in in the way hope must be understood. In the sacred texture of Isaiah 5:1-7 Yahweh plays the following roles: "Gardener-Viticulturist", "Creator", "King", "Judge", "Warrior" and "Husband". In Chapter 6 we summarise our study and also give a conclusion to the study, the contribution of the dissertation to the field of study in comparison with existing research and suggestions with reference to further research. Therefore, the answer on the question, "How can hope been theologically understood in the book Isaiah in consideration of the literary and historical textures of Isaiah 5:1-7?" is as follows: Hope with parallelisms as point of departure in the book of Isaiah can be theologically understand on how Isaiah 5:1-7 is socio-rhetorically been investigated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die vraagstuk rondom die verhouding tussen God en Hoop in Jesaja 5:1-7 aan die hand van parallelismes in die boek Jesaja. Daar word gepoog om die hipotese te bewys, dat "hoop" in die boek Jesaja op 'n besondere manier by wyse van parallelismes (sinonimiese, antitetiese en sintetiese) teologies verduidelik word; dat hoop teologies nie net in ooreenstemming (sinonimiese en sintetiese parallelisme) nie, maar ook in teenstelling (antitetiese parallelisme) verstaan kan word; dat Jesaja 5:1-7 as 'n goeie voorbeeld van antitetiese parallelismes gebruik kan word; dat die sosiale, kulturele en ideologiese verband aanleiding tot die verskillende aksente binne die teologiese verstaan van hoop in Jesaja gee. Vir hierdie ondersoek word Vernon Robbins se sosio-retoriese benadering gebruik. In hoofstuk 1 word die sosio-retoriese benadering van nader bekyk en word moontlike leemtes aangespreek en sekere voorstelle word gemaak. Ter verheldering van die begrippe "hoop" en "parallelisme" word daar gefokus op die betekenis van die begrippe soos in die hipotese van die proefskrif vervat. Daar word 'n oorsig van die navorsing van Jesaja 5:1-7 gegee en hoe die geskiedenis van interpretasie deur drie benaderings, te wete die histories-kritiese, die literêre en die teologiese benaderings, gekenmerk was. Deur die gebruik van die sosio-retoriese benadering word gepoog om, "God en Hoop in Jesaja 5:1-7 aan die hand van parallelismes in die boek Jesaja", meer volledig te bestudeer. In Hoofstuk 2 word daar na die intratekstuele verband van Jesaja 5:1-7 gekyk. Daar word op die volgende gelet: - Die herhalende verband en patroon; hoe woorde en frases herhaal word. - Die progressiewe verband en patroon; daar is 'n progressiewe opbou vanaf vers 1 tot vers 7 deur woorde en frases. - Die verhalende verband en patroon; Jesaja 5:1-7 het twee strukturele kenmerke wat met 'n liefdeslied en 'n regsaak te make het. - Die oop-middel-sluit verband en patroon; dit kan soos volg uiteengesit word: - oop: vv. 1-2d; - middel: vv. 2e-4; - sluit: vv. 5-7. - Die redenerende verband en patroon; Jahwe is besig om 'n argument op te bou en Hy gebruik die voorbeeld van die wingerd en hofterme om sy saak te verduidelik en op te bou. - Die sensoriese verband en patroon; hier het die verhouding tussen Jahwe en die volk versuur en word van kontrasterende emosies en handeling gepraat, naamlik: opgewondenheid en teleurstelling, oes en oordeel. In Hoofstuk 3 word op die intertekstuele verband van Jesaja 5:1-7 gefokus en die samehang met hoop. Daar word na die datering van Jesaja 5:1-7 gekyk. Die moontlike intertekstuele verbande tussen Jesaja 5:1-7 en sy intertekste in die boek Jesaja is dié van: "herhaling", "tematiese uitbreiding" en "rekontekstualisering". Aangesien daar op parallelisme gefokus word met antitetiese parallelisme as die uitgangspunt, word daar 4 fokustekste behandel, naamlik: Jesaja 5:1-7 (hooffokusteks), Jesaja 27:2-6, Jesaja 40:27-31 en Jesaja 59:1-21. In terme van parallelismes en datering word dit soos volg getipeer: - Jesaja 5:1-7: antitetiese parallelisme, laat post-eksilies. - Jesaja 27:2-6: laat pre-eksilies. - Jesaja 40:27-31: antitetiese parallelisme, eksilies. - Jesaja 59:1-21: antitetiese parallelisme, post-eksilies. Die rede waarom 27:2-6 ook behandel word, is dat dit kanonies as die tweede wingerdlied bekend staan. In Hoofstuk 4 word daar op die sosiale en kulturele verband van Jesaja 5:1-7 en sy intertekste en die verband met hoop gefokus. Ten opsigte van die sosiale en kulturele omstandighede is die godsdienstige reaksies oorwegend "revolusionist" en die retoriek oorwegend "dominant" en "alternative". Die sosiale en kulturele begrippe wat 'n rol speel in hoe hoop verstaan word, is: "wingerdbou", "inwoners van Jerusalem", "manne van Juda", "huis van Israel", "Jakob/Israel" en "Sion". In Hoofstuk 5 word daar op die ideologiese en teologiese verband van Jesaja 5:1-7 en die verband met hoop gefokus. Die volgende kwessies werp lig op hoe hoop in terme van die ideologiese verband verstaan word, naamlik: "die konflik tussen gemeenskappe", "ideologiese konflik betreffende die Sionsteologie", "die volk se omstandighede in ballingskap" en "klassekonflik". In terme van die tema, "God en Hoop in Jesaja 5:1-7 aan die hand van parallelismes in die boek Jesaja", is die rol van Jahwe van deurslaggewende belang in hoe hoop verstaan word. In die teologiese verband van Jesaja 5:1-7 vertolk Jahwe die volgende rolle: "Tuinier-Wingerdboer", "Skepper", "Koning", "Regter", "Kryger" en "Man". In Hoofstuk 6 word 'n opsomming gegee, asook 'n gevolgtrekking van die studie, die bydrae van die proefskif tot navorsing in vergelyking met bestaande navorsing en voorstelle met betrekking tot verdere navorsing. Dus, die antwoord op die vraag: "Hoe word "hoop" teologies in die boek Jesaja verstaan met inagneming van die literêre en historiese verbande van Jesaja 5:1-7?" is soos volg: The reason for taking 27:2-6 as one of the focus texts is that it is canonically speaking known as the second love song. In Chapter 4 we are focussing on the social and cultural texture of Isaiah 5:1-7 and its intertexts and its connection with hope. With regard to the social and cultural circumstances the predominant religious reaction is "revolutionist" and the rhetoric "dominant" and "counterculture" or "alternative". The social and cultural concepts Hoop, met parallelismes in die boek Jesaja as uitgangspunt, word teologies verstaan deur Jesaja 5:1-7 sosio-retories na te vors.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: See full text for the abstract / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sien volteks vir die opsomming

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As human society develops, people often face unpleasant affairs in their daily lives. However, when they do not solve matters, they might resort to solving such matters through lawsuits. In the same way, serious problems sometimes appear in the church, so that Christians are forced to rely upon lawsuits. Different opinions can be suggested regarding going to the court to solve problems in Christian communities. Many people use 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 to support that Christians should not have lawsuits against fellow Christians. The question this dissertation investigates is, did Paul really say that Christians should not have lawsuits and should not go to the secular court? In the first century C.E. a situation occurred in the Corinthian community where believers tried to solve trivial matters among themselves in a secular court, rather than within the community (1 Corinthians 6:1-11). In chapter 2, a general understanding of litigation in the first century C.E. is treated in different categories, focusing on the first century Roman society. This chapter sketches the Roman legal context for understanding civil lawsuits that happened in the Corinthian community. Chapter 3 concentrates on the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 as the text in focus in this study, in the light of its historical context. In particular, this chapter investigates various factors pertaining to the nature of lawsuits in Corinth with regard to the historical context. In chapter 4, 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 is examined in a literary analysis and subjected to an exegetical study. These literary devices allow for in depth investigation of the text, and structural and hermeneutical findings regarding Paul’s argument is presented. In chapter 5 the lawsuit is investigated in the light of two theological aspects, namely eschatology and ethics. Paul uses these two important notions to instruct the Corinthian believers regarding their new identity as God’s people and suggest the significant principle how to live as Jesus followers in their lives. In sum, according to 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Paul argues that lawsuits are not appropriate in the community of the faithful because it is harmful to the unity and the purity of the community. However, Paul’s concern is not for the lawsuits as such, but for how believers should behave and live ethically as Jesus followers before God. Believers as God’s people have to reveal the love of God through their behaviour and in their daily lives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In gemeenskappe, word mense soms gekonfronteer met onaangename ervarings in interaksie met andere in hulle daaglikse lewens. Wanneer hulle sulke sake nie self kan bylê nie, mag hulle besluit om hulle tot geregshowe te wend vir 'n oplossing. Op soortgelyke wyse ontstaan daar soms ernstige probleme in die kerk, wat Christene noop om hulle te wend tot onderlinge hofsake. Verskillende opinies word aangevoer oor die toepaslikheid van hofsake onder Christene. In werklikheid vind vele mense in 1 Korintiërs 6:1-11 ondersteuning vir die siening dat Christene nie hofsake behoort te hê teen mede-Christene nie. Hierdie proefskrif loods ‘n ondersoek na die aard en omvang van Paulus se opdrag tov hofsake tussen gelowiges in 1 Korintiërs 6:1-11. Tydens die eerste eeu A.J. het 'n situasie in die Korintiese gemeenskap ontstaan, waar gelowiges 'n nietige saak wat onder hulle opgeduik het, probeer oplos het deur hulle tot 'n sekulêre hof te wend, eerder as om dit binne hulle eie gemeenskap op te los (1 Korintiërs 6:1- 11). Om Paulus se denke oor hofsake te begryp, word verskeie aspekte rondom hofsake vervolgens ondersoek. In hoofstuk 2 word 'n breë uiteensetting gegee van litigasie in die eerste eeu A.J., in verskillende kategorieë, met die fokus op die eerste-eeuse Romeinse samelewing. Hierdie hoofstuk bespreek die breër Romeinse Regskonteks waarbinne hofsake in die Korintiese gemeenskap verstaan kan word. Hoofstuk 3 konsentreer op die interpretasie van 1 Korintiërs 6:1-11 as die hoofteks in die lig van die historiese konteks en met besondere fokus op regsgedinge. In hoofstuk 4 word 'n literêre analise en eksegetiese studie van 1 Korintiërs 6:1-11 gedoen, met klem op die strukturele aspekte en hermeneutiese belang van die perikoop. In hoofstuk 5 word die hofsake ondersoek teen die agtergrond van twee teologiese aspekte, naamlik eskatologie en etiek, en binne 'n breër perspektief word besin oor hoe Christene, as navolgers van Jesus, behoort op te tree in die huidige tydsgewrig. Paulus se perspektief op regsgedinge in 1 Korintiërs 6:1-11 beklemtoon Paulus se bekommernis oor die eenheid en die suiwerheid van die gemeenskap. Dit blyk dat Paulus se besorgdheid nie soseer oor die regsgedinge self is nie, maar oor hoe gelowiges eties moet optree en leef soos Jesus se volgelinge. Gelowiges as God se mense moet die liefde van God openbaar deur hulle gedrag en in hulle daaglikse lewens.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The book of Chronicles is a form of consensus-building literature. The Chronicler’s portrayal of Benjamin in relation to Judah reflects an inclusive vision of “all Israel” that walks a fine line: simultaneously valuing Benjamin as an equal partner with Judah (as his “right hand”), yet still protecting the primacy of David as YHWH’s chosen ruler, the Levites as the priestly tribe, and Jerusalem as the proper cultic center. Chronicles’ portrait of Benjamin differs from that of the Deuteronomistic History, which portrays Benjamin’s relation to Judah as varied and complex. The Chronicler attempts to smooth over these difficulties by highlighting the historically close relationship between the two tribes. In this regard his goals and strategy differ from that of the Deuteronomist, who presents both the high and low points of Judah-Benjamin relations. The Chronicler’s reconstrual of the Judah-Benjamin relationship reflects the socio-political situation of late Persian Yehud, in which the relatively poor Jerusalem cult struggled to gain material support from landed nobility in the region. Material evidence indicates that the historically Benjaminite regions prospered during the Neo-Babylonian and early Persian periods. The Jerusalem cult competed with historically Benjaminite and Josephite cultic locations for the support of wealthier Benjaminite landowners. The Chronicler rewrote Israel’s narrative partly in order to garner Benjaminite support for the Jerusalem cult. This study attempts to synthesize both literary and historical observations: demonstrating a literary phenomenon—the divergent portraits of Benjamin in the Deuteronomistic History and Chronicles—and situating that phenomenon within the historical context of Persian Yehud. The study contributes to the understanding of Yehud during this period, elaborates an important motif in these two sections of the Hebrew Bible, and furthers the investigation of the so-called “Benjaminite substratum” in the Hebrew Bible. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die boek Kronieke is ‘n vorm van konsensus-vormende literatuur. Kronieke se voorstelling van Benjamin in verhouding tot Juda weerspieël ‘n inklusiewe visie van “die hele Israel” wat ‘n fyn lyn bewandel: Benjamin word tegelyk as ‘n gelyke vennoot van Juda (as sy “regterhand”) gewaardeer, terwyl die prioriteit van Dawid as JHWH se uitverkore heerser, van die Leviete as priesterlike stam, en van Jerusalem as eintlike kultiese sentrum beskerm word. Kronieke se beeld van Benjamin verskil van dié van die Deuteronomistiese Geskiedenis, wat Benjamin se verhouding tot Juda as geskakeerd en kompleks uitbeeld. Die Kronis probeer hierdie oneffenhede gelykstryk deur die histories eng verhouding tussen die twee stamme te beklemtoon. Hierin verskil sy doel en strategie van dié van die Deuteronomis, wat beide die hoogtepunte en laagtepunte van die Juda-Benjamin verhouding aanbied. Die Kronis se her-uitbeelding van die Juda-Benjamin verhouding weerspieël die sosiopolitieke situasie van die laat Persiese Jehud, waarin die relatiewe karige Jerusalem kultus gesukkel het om materiële steun te kry van die landbesitters in die streek. Materiële bewyse dui daarop dat die streke wat histories met Benjamin geassosieer is, ekonomies opgebloei het gedurende die Neo- Babiloniese en vroeë Persiese periodes. Die Jerusalem kultus het meegeding met die kultiese plekke wat histories met Benjamin en Josef geassosieer is om die steun van die ryker Benjaminitiese landbesitters te verkry. Die Kronis het Israel se verhaal herskryf, onder andere om Benjaminitiese steun vir die Jerusalem kultus te kry. Hierdie studie probeer om beide literêre en historiese waarnemings te integreer: die literêre fenomeen word verduidelik—naamlik die uiteenlopende uitbeeldings van Benjamin in die Deuteronomistiese Geskiedenis en Kronieke—terwyl die fenomeen in die historiese konteks van Persiese periode Jehud geplaas word. Die studie dra by tot ‘n beter verstaan van Jehud gedurende hierdie periode, brei uit oor ‘n belangrike motief in hierdie twee dele van die Hebreeuse Bybel, en dra by tot navorsing oor die sogenaamde “Benjamin substratum” in die Hebreeuse Bybel.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates one of the central aspects of a Kenyan woman’s identity, namely the notion of sexuality, which unfortunately also underlies numerous socio-economic and developmental challenges currently confronting Kenyan women. The research shows that in Kenya, patriarchal ideologies are used to control the sexuality of women in the name of ‘our culture’. Thus, it is and has been difficult for many Kenyan women to live with dignity as beings equally created in the image and likeness of God. The study, therefore, sought to identify, expose, criticize, destabilize and to deconstruct patriarchal ideologies that deny Kenyan women the right to live with dignity. Patriarchal ideologies that have been used to mute the voices of Kenyan women on matters of sex and sexuality are challenged by introducing the voices of Kenyan women. The latter is done with reference to poetry that reflects the voices and experiences of Kenyan women as a means of expressing who they really are in the midst of a society that silences them. It is shown that, by means of poetry, the full power and energy of these women may be mobilized. Moreover, the voices and experiences of Kenyan women offer a contextual re-reading of the Song of Songs for their dignity. The study presents the female voice in the Song of Songs (a text from a male pen) as responding in a new way to the patriarchal Old Testament society on matters of sex and sexuality. In the process, a twofold strategy is proposed with which negative perceptions of the sexuality of women in the worldview of Kenya may be addressed: First, this study proposes that it is important to purposefully steer conversations regarding issues of sex and sexuality. The latter is done in the conviction that this is one way of creating a platform for addressing other gender-based injustices that deny Kenyan women the right to live with dignity. Second, by focusing on Kenyan poetry, as well as on the female voice in the Song of Songs, there is a possibility of reconstructing positive aspects of the sexuality of Kenyan women, which may allow them to live with dignity. To achieve the aim of this study, to re-read the Song of Songs for the dignity of Kenyan women, an African Women’s Theological approach is used within the broader context of feminist and womanist approaches to the Song. Through an African Women’s approach to the Song of Songs, the study asks how the female voice that spoke boldly in the patriarchal setting of the Old Testament can also be liberating in the Kenyan patriarchal setting. The female voice in Song of Songs presents issues of sex and sexuality in a new way. As such, it is proposed that the latter voice, read through the hermeneutical lens of Kenyan women’s poetry or poetry on Kenyan women, has the potential to inform and therefore to transform the patriarchal setting of the Kenyan society. It is only if Kenyan women are empowered to negotiate safe sex and to express their sexuality on their own terms and conditions, that this will be fully realized. / AFRIKKANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek een van die sentrale aspekte van ’n Keniaanse vrou se identiteit, naamlik die idee van seksualiteit, wat ongelukkig ook onderliggend is aan talle sosio-ekonomiese en ontwikkelingsuitdagings wat Keniaanse vroue tans konfronteer. Die navorsing toon in Kenia word patriargale ideologieë gebruik om die seksualiteit van vroue te beheer in die naam van ‘ons kultuur’. Dit is dus moeilik vir baie Keniaanse vroue om met waardigheid te leef as gelyk-geskape na die beeld en gelykenis van God. Hierdie studie poog om patriargale ideologieë wat Keniaanse vrouens die reg om met waardigheid te leef ontneem te identifiseer, te kritiseer, te destabiliseer en te dekonstrueer. Die studie daag patriargale ideologieë uit wat gebruik is en word om die stemme van Keniaanse vrouens oor seks en seksualiteit stil te maak. Dit word spesifiek gedoen deur die stemme en ervarings van Keniaanse vrouens in poësie te gebruik (soms in die gedigte van manlike digters!) as uitdrukking van hulle lewens te midde van ”’n patriargale samelewing. Dit word getoon hoedat hiedie gedigte die krag en energie van hierdie vroue kan mobiliseer. Meer nog, die stemme van Keniaanse vrouens bied die geleentheid tot ’n kontekstuele herlees van Hooglied met die oog op die erkening en beskerming van hulle waardigheid. Die vroulike stem in Hooglied word verstaan as ’n nuwe reaksie op die Ou Testamentiese samelewing met betrekking tot kwessies soos seks en seksualiteit. In die proses word daar met ’n tweeledige strategie voorendag gekom waarmee die negatiewe opvattings oor die seksualiteit van vroue in die wêreldbeeld van Keniaanse mans aangespreek kan word. Eerstens word die noodsaak voorgestel van ’n doelbewuste rigtinggewing aan gesprekke oor seks en seksualiteit. Dit word gedoen vanuit die oortuiging dat dit een manier is om ’n platform te skep waar gelsagsgebasseerde ongeregtighede wat Keniaanse vroue die reg op ’n menswaardige lewe ontsê aangespreek kan word. Tweedens, deur op Keniaanse poësie en die vroulike stem in Hooglied te fokus, word voorgestel dat dat posititewe aspekte van die seksualiteit van Keniaanse vroue herkonstrueer kan word, wat dan kan meewerk om hulle met waardigheid te kan laat leef. Ten einde bogenoemde doelwit van hierdie studie te bereik, word ’n Afrika-vrouebenadering toegepas in die lees van Hooglied. Dit vind plaas binne ’n breër konteks van Feministiese en sogenaamde “Womanist” benaderings tot die boek. Met ’n Afrika vroue benadering as leesstrategie, word aangedui dat en hoe die vroulike stem wat vreesloos in haar eie patriargale, Ou Testamentiese konteks spreek ook bevrydend kan funksioneer binne die Keniaanse patriargale konteks. Daar word dus getoon dat die vroulike stem in Hooglied seks en seksualiteit op ’n nuwe manier aanbied. Gevolglik stel hierdie studie voor dat die vroulike stem in Hooglied, gelees deur die hermeneutiese lens van Keniaanse gedigte oor of deur vroue, die potensiaal het om die patriargale konteks van die Keniaanse samelewing eendersyds te ontbloot en andersyds te transformeer. Dit is slegs wanneer Keniaanse vroue bemagtig word om vir veilige seks te kan onderhandel en hulle seksualiteit op hulle eie terme uit te kan druk, dat hulle menswaardigheid ten volle gerealiseer sal word.

Thesis (MTh (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This paper undertakes a detailed study of Matt 6:19-34 for the specific purpose of accounting for the unique context and content of the material/financial ethic being articulated here by Jesus. The passage, made up of four pericopes, is located within the first of the five discourses of Jesus recorded in Matthew’s Gospel in which Jesus evidently articulates the ethical standards required of the children of the emerging Kingdom of God. The need for such a study stems from an understanding that the passage, indeed the Sermon as a whole, has been treated by traditional scholarship in a somewhat distanced and abstract manner i.e. it has been read without adequate cognisance being taken of the particular socio-linguistic and socio-historical context in which it was originally formulated and articulated. Relatively recent social-scientific and socio-historical New Testament scholarship, however, has provided a specific set of interpretive tools that enable a modern reader to make a far more dynamic and context-sensitive interpretation possible. Accordingly, this paper undertakes a socio-rhetorical analysis of Matt 6:19-34, together with a social-scientific and socio-historic/financial/religious analysis of the eastern Mediterranean world of late Second Temple times. Together these interpretive tools shed new light on the text and provide the opportunity for re-reading that text in a way that, hopefully, more closely articulates the ethic as an original audience might have heard it. Specifically, the use of these interpretive tools provide insights into why it was that Jesus explicitly prohibited worry, some six times in the passage, amongst the children of the Kingdom concerning the provision of their food, drink and clothing i.e. the tools provide something of an explanation for both the rhetorical force of the ethic and the underlying realities that gave rise to its formulation in the first place. These insights are then applied in an attempt at formulating a dynamically equivalent ethic that might be appropriated and applied by present day children of the Kingdom reading the passage today.

Thesis (MTh (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The present study focuses on the difficulties surrounding the identification of an object and subject for the discipline of Old Testament theology. The goal thereof is to address these difficulties by establishing the legitimacy of an interdisciplinary engagement therewith. In order to achieve this goal the significance of the Greek translations of the Jewish scriptures, the Septuagint, for determining the object and subject of Old Testament theology is pursued. The problems surrounding the object of study in Old Testament theology are identified and discussed in terms of both canon and text. The advent of Canon criticism, with its focus on the nature, function and history of the biblical canon, as well as the study of the recent textual discoveries in the area surrounding the Dead Sea, have rendered previous consensus regarding the formation of the biblical canon(s) and the history of the biblical texts problematic. This necessitates a thorough reconsidering of the scope of the term “Old Testament”, and consequently, the basis on which the discipline of Old Testament theology is practiced. The rise to prominence of a so-called new or postmodern epistemological situation and the resulting influence of developments and shifts in literary studies on Biblical criticism, coupled with new challenges within the historical study of the biblical texts and a rediscovery of the importance of Wisdom literature forces upon the Old Testament theologian the responsibility to indicate and clarify the relationship between the Old Testament and divine revelation. Consequently, the nature of the Old Testament’s theology, and therefore, the subject of study in the discipline of Old Testament theology come under scrutiny. The focus of the study subsequently shifts to topics treated in the study of the Septuagint in order to indicate how these relate to the problems plaguing the discipline of Old Testament theology. Issues relating to the proper use of terminology in Septuagint-studies, theories of the origin of the Septuagint, and the techniques that were employed in translating the Semitic source texts of the Jewish scriptures into Greek, occupy the student in this regard. As a result, the legitimacy of employing insights from Septuagint-studies in delineating the object and subject of study in Old Testament theology is demonstrated. The final chapter identifies several overtures for furthering the study of the significance of the Septuagint for Old Testament theology in general. A number of methodological problems in the latter can be subsumed under the twin heading of the scope of the “Old Testament” and the nature of its theology. Chapter 36 of the Greek translation of the book of Job acts as a brief case study in order to demonstrate the suggestions that are made in this concluding chapter of the study.

Thesis (MPhil (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Since the dismantling of Apartheid in 1994, those who were dispossessed of their land under South Africa’s previous government are being restored or compensated for land that had been taken away from them prior to 1994. Christians, through their theological pronouncements and writings on justice, peace and liberation, played an active role in helping to dismantle Apartheid. And today they continue to sustain a theological role in a number of different ways relative to reconstructing our country. One such area is land restoration. Leviticus 25:8-55 (hereinafter named ‘Leviticus 25’) has become a key text for this purpose. It is an ancient legal code on land restoration for the ancient Israelites. Since it is an ancient legal text it is understandably difficult to find consensus among modern Old Testament theologians about its prescriptions. Therefore this study will discuss the perspectives of six recent scholars in their commentaries. Three of these scholars approach their perspectives from an evangelical trend (which is essentially my position), two from a Jewish trend, and one from a critical trend. The two key questions that this study will attempt to answer are: (1) What is the theological understanding of six scholars on land restoration in their commentaries on Leviticus 25 during the past twenty-six years? (2) How do they agree or differ in their theological understanding of land restoration in Leviticus 25? The first three chapters will lay the groundwork for the discussion of ‘Theological Perspectives on Land Restoration in Leviticus 25.’ Chapter one introduces the study by defining its research problem, and formulating its hypothesis, and indicating its methodology. Thereafter, chapter two will briefly discuss five basic concepts in the book of Leviticus that impact upon land restoration in Leviticus 25. These concepts are covenant, land, holiness, atonement and Jubilee. Chapter three will be a research survey on the book of Leviticus in which the following topics will be looked at: (1) The relation of Leviticus to the Pentateuch as a whole; (2) its authorship and date; (3) its contents and structure; (4) how Leviticus is interpreted; and (5) the two theological axes upon which the book revolves. Chapter four is the heart of this study. It will discuss, chronologically, the perspectives of six recent Old Testament scholars in their commentaries on Leviticus 25. It will also compare their perspectives to show how they agree or disagree with each other. The aim of this chapter is to show how different perspectives on land restoration in Leviticus 25 aid us today in understanding this great theme. Chapter five, the final chapter, will show how this study proved its hypothesis, while also showing how the different theological trends of the six scholars studied influenced their interpretations of Leviticus 25.

Thesis (MTh (Old and New Testament))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This study examines the exodus event and its impact on identity formation in the light of the origin and migration narratives of the Yoruba people. On the one hand, it is observed that migration is not only an ancient but a universal phenomenon. Its rootedness in Africa and its profound influence on identity formation are therefore brought to the fore by comparing the origin and migration narratives of the Yoruba with those of the Tiv and the amaZulu. The findings show that certain elements of the origin and migration narratives such as a common ancestor, a common ancestral home, a common belief in Supreme Deity etc., provide a basis for identity formation and recognition among these Africans, in particular, the Yoruba. On the other hand, the study focuses on the Sea event in Exodus 14-15:18 which is composed of both a narrative and a poetic rendition of the sea-crossing by the children of Israel. In the Sea event, Israel acknowledged in story and song that it was Yahweh who as a warrior, delivered its people from the hand of Pharaoh and took them safely to the other side of the Sea. This research shows that a literary consideration of the text and especially of the interplay between prose and poetry points to Yahweh as the main character in the Sea event. Consequently, Israel’s identity is defined in Yahweh whose own identity as warrior and deliverer brought Israel victory over the Egyptians and paved the way for a new nation in a new land. In this sense, Israel’s identity is assumed to be a theological one. It is argued that the Yoruba origin and migration narratives help to bring to light the memories of exodus and Israel’s recollection of Yahweh as the root of its identity. The narratives help to appreciate more clearly Yahweh’s role in the midst of his people and the his centrality to Israel’s self-understanding even as they show that these can provide valuable resources in today’s world where migration and the struggle for identity are features that are not likely to fade away. Besides, the juxtaposition of cosmogonic myths and migration theories in attesting to the elements of Yoruba identity formation, have a parallel in the blending of both cosmic and migration elements in Exodus 14-15:18. This blending also foregrounds the role of Yahweh in the Sea event. In addition, the study suggests that the interaction between prose and poetry in the Sea event is an instance of a separate genre which further research may confirm in Yoruba, especially in folk-tales and in oríkì-oríle (praise names/epithet).