In John 5:39-40 we see a dividing line being drawn over the proper interpretation of “the Scriptures” between the Jewish leaders of the first century and the early Christians of the Johannine community. Both parties agreed that “searching the Scriptures” was essential; however, the two groups disagreed about the nature with which one was to “search the Scriptures” and how one was to possess or lay hold of this eternal life. “The Jews” viewed eternal life as a birthright that was maintained by rigorous study of the law and strict observance of its principles. The study of the law became an end in itself. The Christians of the Johannine community, on the other hand, believed that eternal life was only granted as gift when a person comes to the one of whom the Scriptures testified, Jesus Christ. Eternal life was neither a birthright nor something that could be merited, but rather a gift given to those who truly “search the Scriptures” and truly see the one who they are written of. This disagreement between the Johannine community and the first century Jewish leadership is a reflection of the division between Jesus and the Jewish leaders during his day as well as a reflection of the division between Christians and Jews in our day. But perhaps more importantly, it is a reflection of the complacent attitude that pervades much of the church today. The words of this passage are a warning or wake-up call to us all. We must be careful not to presume that eternal life is ours because of any merit or association. We must be careful to search “the Scriptures” with our eyes wide open and without presuppositions that will hinder of from discerning its true meaning. But most importantly, we must look to the one of whom these “Scriptures” testify, Jesus Christ. If we truly want to live, as we assume all men do, then we must do what is necessary to inherit eternal life. We must heed the words of “the Scriptures” and we must heed Jesus’ words: we must come to Jesus who alone is the source of eternal life. This begins and ends with proper interpretation of the Word of God. / Dissertation (MA (New Testament Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / New Testament Studies / MA / unrestricted

This thesis aims to explore the basis for an enlarged understanding of ζωή αἰώνιος; eternal life, in contemporary reception of the Gospel of John. Eternal life is often seen as a promise for life after physical death, but the theologians in focus, Paolo Ricca, Marianne Meye Thompson, John Sanford and Benjamin E. Reynolds, understand eternal life in John as a partially realized eschatology. The method is a comparative reception-historical analysis of these four scholars’ interpretations, including evaluation of their exegetic claims. The theologians’ arguments are mainly based on key passages such as John 5:24 and John 17:3, which points towards a presentic understanding of eternal life. The way the Gospel of John contrasts ψυχή, in John used for physical/earthly life, and ζωή, life in fullness, is another argument by Ricca and Thompson. Eternal life is based on an intimate relationship with God through Christ, and the acceptance of dependence on God. The fact that John often put εἰς; in to, before ζωή αἰώνιος, is another indication that eternal life is something dynamic and process-oriented, as pointed out by Ricca. Reynolds compares John with Jewish apocalyptic literature from the second temple period and discloses many similarities between John and apocalyptic Jewish literature in the understanding of a parallel reality, hidden but revealed. Sanford makes a synthesis of John and Jungian terminology and points out distance from the ego and leaning towards the drawing center (God) as the path to eternal life. Thompson includes the Holy Spirit in enabling eternal life. Ricca places eternal life in relation to salvation history, and presents an understanding of time where the future comes towards us. Love is the most prominent insignia of eternal life, and forms the basis for an ethics which can also imply transformation of society. In that way the soteriology of John can also be seen as something collective, even if the individual’s encounter with God and Christ is in focus.

The author of the Gospel of John recorded the seven miracle accounts in his book and named them distinctively as shmei/on (‘sign’), while in the Synoptics the miracles are usually called du,namij (‘mighty deed’). This particular term signifies that the miracles of Jesus in this Gospel are significant occasions which carry associative theological messages. Thus Johannine research has always had a great deal of interest in this specific field. The important interpretative point to note is that the individual sign does not exist on its own but reciprocates the influence to the associated discourses on the revelatory mentions of Jesus and/or operates together with other signs in the specific features of its macro context. Thus the delivery of the message is maximised. As a result of the comprehensive analysis of the whole signs, it is clear that the author of this Gospel elaborately arranges seven signs, and thus draws his theological messages most efficiently. The main concern of shmei/a in this Gospel is to expose the Christological portraits of Jesus and some related theological themes. The divine identities of Jesus that are exposed by the signs are, for example, ‘the eschatological bridegroom,’ ‘the provider of eternal life,’ ‘the bringer of the eschatological salvation,’ and ‘the Messiah/Christ/King.’ Some related theological themes that are conveyed through the signs are, for example, ‘the replacement of the Jewish tradition,’ ‘the significance of a faith in Jesus,’ ‘glorification of Jesus,’ ‘unbelief,’ and ‘the discipleship.’ It is thus clear that the Johannine signs are written so that people may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing people may have Life in His name (cf. 20:31). / Dissertation (MTh.)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

Who wants to live forever? Jeder. Keiner. Die Suche nach irdischer Unsterblichkeit ist als Gegenstand von Erzählung so alt wie das Erzählen selbst: Seit Anbeginn der Überlieferung bildet diese Suche einen zentralen Stoff menschlicher Fantasie, der sich bis in die aktuellen Formen auch audiovisuellen Erzählens fortgesetzt hat. Ihre Narrative begleiten dabei ein ganz reales Streben um die Verlängerung des Lebens, das sich vom Okkultem zum Religiösen, vom Magischen zum Wissenschaftlichen und bis in die rezenten Life-Science des Silicon Valley an immer neue Kontexte zu heften verstand. Dem Wechselspiel beider Sphären widmet sich die vorliegende Arbeit: Sie verfolgt, wie sich im fortlaufenden Gespräch über die Unsterblichkeit Legenden und Beobachtungen, Geschichten und Untersuchungen, Visionen und Studien, kurz Fiktion und Forschung annähern. Gerade an der entstehenden Schnittstelle kann Erzählung ihr ganzes Potential entfalten: Wo sie zum Simulationsraum einzig in der Fiktion durchzuspielender Phänomene wird, da ist ihr Zugang exklusiv. Ihre Unsterblichen stecken den Rahmen für ein zukünftiges Operieren mit realen Lebensverlängerungsangeboten ab. Ihre Aushandlung von Unsterblichkeit generiert Deutungsangebote, die mit Philosophie, Publizistik und auch Naturwissenschaft um die Legitimität auch einer Interpretation bereits gegenwärtiger Konflikte konkurrieren.:1. Der Wunsch nach ewigem Leben 5 2. Konzepte der Unsterblichkeit 16 2.1 ›Der unsterbliche Sterbliche‹ 19 2.2 Gegenbilder – Weitere Unsterblichkeitskonzepte 22 2.3 Zwischenfazit 33 3. Tücken der Unsterblichkeit 36 3.1 Der Horizont der Religion 37 3.1.1 Unsterblichkeit im antiken Mythos 37 3.1.2 Abrahamitische Legenden – Der wandernde Jude und Al Chadhir 46 3.2 Vom Glaubensrahmen zum Erzählexperiment 64 3.2.1 Aufklärung über die Ewigkeit – Jonathan Swifts »Struldbruggs« 64 3.2.2 Provokation und Ermächtigung – Robert Maturins »Melmoth der Wanderer« und Mary Shelleys »Der sterbliche Unsterbliche« 72 3.2.3 Philosophie der Ewigkeit – Karel Čapeks »Die Sache Makropulos« 82 3.2.4 Die ewige Wiederkehr – Simone de Beauvoirs »Alle Menschen sind sterblich« 91 3.3 Moderne Fantasy – Die Elben des Tolkien-Universums 107 4. Trotz und Trost 118 5. Life-Science und third culture: Fortschritte zur Unsterblichkeit? 127 5.1 Eine Alternative zum Tod? 129 5.2 Annäherungen an die Unsterblichkeit 139 5.3 Mediale Inszenierungen des Lebensquells 153 5.4 Die neuen Herren des Todes 159 6. Narrative Reflexionen des Fortschritts – Neue Tücken der Unsterblichkeit 172 6.1 Leib, Seele, Identität 179 6.2 Distribution und Apartheit 195 6.3 Überbevölkerung 209 6.4 Gerontokratie 219 6.5 Stagnation 228 7. Vision und Warnung 237 8. Popularisierung und Medien 248 8.1 Trost und Trotz im Bild 252 8.2 Vision und Warnung im Bild 263 8.3 Transfer in weitere Erzählräume – Anime, Graphic Novel, Kinderbuch, Gaming 281 9. Fazit 296 10. Quellen- und Literaturverzeichnis 307 10.1 Erzählungen 307 10.1.1 Literatur 307 10.1.2 Audiovisuelles 312 10.2 Forschung und Forschungsquellen 316 10.2.1 Kulturwissenschaft 316 10.2.2 Philosophie 334 10.2.3 Life-Science 342

The concept of love abounds in the Bible but it is questionable whether the same un-derstanding that the antique audiences of the biblical documents could have had of this concept is prevalent in our time. The reason for such doubt lies, simply, in the noticeable absence of regard for each other among (even devout) people. The study was directed towards an investigation of theological and popular views on biblical love as well as a brief overview of lexicographical works by known scholars as regards the noun  and the verb . It was found that, despite the vol-ume of entries, not much in the way of clarification of the meaning of  and re-lated words is available. There is, indeed, a dire lack of contemporary social-scien-tific related data as regards this important concept and related matters. The world of the New Testament differs widely from the one we live in and a brief overview was given from social-scientific sources on the historical-cultural aspects of the first century Mediterranean world. This was done from the perspective of making use of such data in the exegesis of three shorts text-segments selected from the Gospel of John. The text-segments John 3: 16; 13: 34-45 and 21: 15-17 are well-known for the bear-ing they have on the noun  and the verb  in the Fourth Gospel as well as the popular meaning/s that is quite commonly ascribed to the texts. Exegesis was done from a grammatical-historical paradigm with joint usage of applicable historical-cultural data. / Biblical and Ancient studies / D. Th. (New Testament)

Die Johannese geskrifte (Evangelie en Briewe) word veralgemenend binne die Christendom gelees en die uniekheidsbeklemtoninge ten opsigte van Jesus as enige Verlosser word ook so verstaan. Hierdie hoofsaaklik sosiaal-wetenskaplike ondersoek was gefokus op Johannes se aansprake ten opsigte van Jesus en is gedoen om bewus te maak van die sosiaal-kulturele onderbou van die geskrifte. As sodanig is dit bedoe! om heuristies in te werk ten einde bestaande hermeneuse beter te dien sodat die boodskap van die Nuwe Testament effektiewer oorgedra kan word. Dit is ook gepoog om bevindinge uit die studie deur te trek na die gesekulariseerde samelewing en pluralistiese religieuse standpunt wat te Iande bestaan. Die teksgedeeltes wat eksegeties ondersoek is, bevat die aspekte van aanvaarding of verwerping van Jesus as die unieke Godsagent wat ewige /ewe meedeel. Dit het geblyk dat die begrip in Johannes nie net op oneindigheid in die hiemamaals dui nie, maar veral op kwaliteit in die hede. Johannes se postulaat is dat Jesus konstant hierdie lewe meedeel aan hulle wat in Hom glo. Die vraag na relevansie van 'n religie uit Judaistiese oorsprong in 'n AfroWesterse samelewing en kultuur is vanuit die aspekte van kulturele relatiwisme en relatiwiteit hanteer. Dit word aanvaar dat die ingrype van God deur Jesus Christus binne die Israelitiese volksmilieu en Mediterreense kultuur plaasgevind het, maar dat dit wat Johannes aan sy lesers herbevestig het, vir aile mense relevant is. Jesus is die unieke Godsagent wat ewige lewe meedeel, wat, as sodanig, nie menslike sterflikheid negeer nie, maar dit transendeer. / The social-scientific research for this treatise concentrated on John's assertion of Jesus' uniqueness. The selected Scripture portions for exegesis contain the aspects of receiving or rejecting Him as God's Agent who bestows eternal life. Eternal lifo in John does not so much denote never ending life, but rather excellent quality of life in the present. The relevancy of a religion from a Judaistic origin in an Afro-Western cultural society was treated on the aspects of cultural relativism and cultural relativity. The conclusion accedes to the fact that God's interaction with man in the person of Jesus Christ took place within an Israelite national milieu and Mediterranean culture, but what John reasserted is relevant for all time- the life that Jesus bestows does not negate mortality, but transcends it. / New Testament / M. Th. (Nuwe Testament)

The concept of love abounds in the Bible but it is questionable whether the same un-derstanding that the antique audiences of the biblical documents could have had of this concept is prevalent in our time. The reason for such doubt lies, simply, in the noticeable absence of regard for each other among (even devout) people. The study was directed towards an investigation of theological and popular views on biblical love as well as a brief overview of lexicographical works by known scholars as regards the noun  and the verb . It was found that, despite the vol-ume of entries, not much in the way of clarification of the meaning of  and re-lated words is available. There is, indeed, a dire lack of contemporary social-scien-tific related data as regards this important concept and related matters. The world of the New Testament differs widely from the one we live in and a brief overview was given from social-scientific sources on the historical-cultural aspects of the first century Mediterranean world. This was done from the perspective of making use of such data in the exegesis of three shorts text-segments selected from the Gospel of John. The text-segments John 3: 16; 13: 34-45 and 21: 15-17 are well-known for the bear-ing they have on the noun  and the verb  in the Fourth Gospel as well as the popular meaning/s that is quite commonly ascribed to the texts. Exegesis was done from a grammatical-historical paradigm with joint usage of applicable historical-cultural data. / Biblical and Ancient studies / D. Th. (New Testament)

Die Johannese geskrifte (Evangelie en Briewe) word veralgemenend binne die Christendom gelees en die uniekheidsbeklemtoninge ten opsigte van Jesus as enige Verlosser word ook so verstaan. Hierdie hoofsaaklik sosiaal-wetenskaplike ondersoek was gefokus op Johannes se aansprake ten opsigte van Jesus en is gedoen om bewus te maak van die sosiaal-kulturele onderbou van die geskrifte. As sodanig is dit bedoe! om heuristies in te werk ten einde bestaande hermeneuse beter te dien sodat die boodskap van die Nuwe Testament effektiewer oorgedra kan word. Dit is ook gepoog om bevindinge uit die studie deur te trek na die gesekulariseerde samelewing en pluralistiese religieuse standpunt wat te Iande bestaan. Die teksgedeeltes wat eksegeties ondersoek is, bevat die aspekte van aanvaarding of verwerping van Jesus as die unieke Godsagent wat ewige /ewe meedeel. Dit het geblyk dat die begrip in Johannes nie net op oneindigheid in die hiemamaals dui nie, maar veral op kwaliteit in die hede. Johannes se postulaat is dat Jesus konstant hierdie lewe meedeel aan hulle wat in Hom glo. Die vraag na relevansie van 'n religie uit Judaistiese oorsprong in 'n AfroWesterse samelewing en kultuur is vanuit die aspekte van kulturele relatiwisme en relatiwiteit hanteer. Dit word aanvaar dat die ingrype van God deur Jesus Christus binne die Israelitiese volksmilieu en Mediterreense kultuur plaasgevind het, maar dat dit wat Johannes aan sy lesers herbevestig het, vir aile mense relevant is. Jesus is die unieke Godsagent wat ewige lewe meedeel, wat, as sodanig, nie menslike sterflikheid negeer nie, maar dit transendeer. / The social-scientific research for this treatise concentrated on John's assertion of Jesus' uniqueness. The selected Scripture portions for exegesis contain the aspects of receiving or rejecting Him as God's Agent who bestows eternal life. Eternal lifo in John does not so much denote never ending life, but rather excellent quality of life in the present. The relevancy of a religion from a Judaistic origin in an Afro-Western cultural society was treated on the aspects of cultural relativism and cultural relativity. The conclusion accedes to the fact that God's interaction with man in the person of Jesus Christ took place within an Israelite national milieu and Mediterranean culture, but what John reasserted is relevant for all time- the life that Jesus bestows does not negate mortality, but transcends it. / New Testament / M. Th. (Nuwe Testament)

This dissertation explores the traditional Ba Venda concept of the after-life vis-a-vis the Ba Venda Christian understanding of eternal life. In this dissertation a historical background of the traditional Ba Venda and how there were reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ will be given. A comparative study of the traditional Ba Venda and Christian Ba Venda beliefs and practices is given. It will be noted that the Ba Venda Christians of BeitBridge district revert to traditional beliefs and practices concerning the dead. These rituals carried out by the Ba Venda Christians show the syncretistic elements practiced. A central question therefore is "Are the Ba Venda Christians operating on the basis of Christian concept of death and hereafter?" It is argued in this dissertation that the Ba Venda Christian concept of death and after life is the blending of Ba Venda Christian and Ba Venda traditional beliefs and practices, particularly when it comes to death and burial practices. / Religious studies / M.A.(Religious)

This dissertation explores the traditional Ba Venda concept of the after-life vis-a-vis the Ba Venda Christian understanding of eternal life. In this dissertation a historical background of the traditional Ba Venda and how there were reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ will be given. A comparative study of the traditional Ba Venda and Christian Ba Venda beliefs and practices is given. It will be noted that the Ba Venda Christians of BeitBridge district revert to traditional beliefs and practices concerning the dead. These rituals carried out by the Ba Venda Christians show the syncretistic elements practiced. A central question therefore is "Are the Ba Venda Christians operating on the basis of Christian concept of death and hereafter?" It is argued in this dissertation that the Ba Venda Christian concept of death and after life is the blending of Ba Venda Christian and Ba Venda traditional beliefs and practices, particularly when it comes to death and burial practices. / Religious studies / M.A.(Religious)