Cyril of Alexandria left to posterity a sizable body of exegetical literature. This thesis attempts to reconstruct his theology of Scripture in order to suggest that his exegetical practice is inseparable from, and must be interpreted in light of, his overarching theological vision. I argue that the most important intellectual factor shaping his exegesis is his Christologically focused, pro-Nicene Trinitarianism, an inheritance that he received from fourth-century authors. Cyril’s appropriation of pro-Nicene thought is evident in his theology of revelation and his theology of exegesis. Revelation, in his understanding, proceeds from the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit, following the order of Trinitarian relations. Moreover, this pattern applies to the inspiration of Scripture as well, insofar as inspiration occurs when the Son indwells human authors by the Spirit and speaks the words of the Father. Corresponding to this movement of God towards humanity in revelation is humanity’s growth in understanding that occurs according to a reverse pattern—in the Spirit, through the Son, unto the Father. This scheme applies broadly to Cyril’s soteriology, but also to his understanding of exegesis, since he regarded biblical interpretation as a means of participating in the divine life. More specifically, this Trinitarian pattern implies that the Spirit is required to read Scripture properly, and that in the act of interpretation the Spirit directs the reader to a Christological reading of Scripture, through which the believer gains a limited but genuine apprehension of the Trinitarian mystery. This process continues until the final eschatological vision when the types and riddles of Scripture will be done away with in light of the overwhelming clarity of the vision of the Father.

This thesis is an analysis and interpretation of six chapters from al-Nabulusi's commentary. One of these is an account of his intentions for writing the commentary and the other five are commentaries on parts of the Fusus al-hikam. These chapters chosen from al-Nabulusi's commentary treat important subjects in the Fusus al-hikam which exemplify Ibn 'Arabi's thought particularly well. They are concerned with certain issues which were perceived to have a special importance in the Islamic religious tradition. One issue, for example, is that of Pharaoh's profession of faith which was a prominent subject of debate and discussion in Islamic literature. Ibn 'Arabi's position on this was severely criticised by many. The thesis argues that there are four ways in which to appreciate the commentary's intellectual and religious outlook: first, with respect to its approach to Ibn 'Arabi's ideas; second, with respect to its use of Qur'an and hadith in the specific context of developing an independence from Ibn 'Arabi's thought and in the general context of Qur'anic exegesis; third, in its use of language, narrative and metaphor, finally, in its legal approach towards the issue of Pharaoh's faith evincing arguments similar to those of Ibn 'Arabi, but not identical, and, like Ibn 'Arabi, adopting positions different from those of the wider Islamic religious tradition. The thesis demonstrates that the commentary's significance can be appreciated in two historical contexts: the anti-Ibn 'Arabi tendency manifest in late 17^th century Damascus; and the enduring tradition of polemics surrounding Ibn 'Arabi's thought.

Much research has been done on Chrysostom’s life, work and character. He is extensively quoted in debates on homosexuality, ( Feinberg, J.S. (1996, c1993). Ethics for a Brave New World. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books.) textual criticism, ( Robertson, A. (1997). Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. V c1932, Vol. VI c1933. Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems) homiletics and exegesis. (MacArthur, J. (1997, c1992). Rediscovering Expository Preaching (p. 44-45). Dallas: Word Pub.) The information important in this research, focussed on aspects of honour and shame in Chrysostom’s preaching, as well as his theological focus points with regards to the letter of Paul to the Romans. It is clear from Chrysostom's preaching that he regarded his individual congregants very highly. He placed a high value on the ability of every individual to make informed and correct choices. ( Landman, C. (2001). John Chrysostom as Pastoral Counselor. Acta Patristica et Byzantina, Volume 12. Department Antieke Tale (Ancient Languages), Pretoria: Universiteit van (University of Pretoria.)) In keeping with this aspect of his work, the research noted a divergence in the homilies with regards to a more recent concept of individuality. A recent conception of individuality maintains that an individual’s need for identity does not have to be embedded in his or her role and function in society. It is rather seen as a need to know himself or herself, and to know his or her place in society as a free and unbound individual, gifted with choice. (Meyer, W.F., Moore C.&Viljoen H.G. (1997). Personologie. Van Individu tot Ekosisteem (bl. 185). Johannesburg: Heinemann.) This is in stark contrast with both the view of Chrysostom and the New Testament, which rather works with a diadic concept of who a person really is, and moves it to a subjective experience of a person as unique. Initially the researcher focussed on exposing information on specific remarks on “honour” and “shame” within the corpus of Chrysostoms Homilies on Romans. It soon became clear that Chrysostom placed other values on the same concepts. Where he diverged from the conventional view of what “honour” and “shame” is, it was mainly to justify the choices that the new community of believers were making to leave the old ways and start anew. By doing so, he was justifying a change in worldview, departing both from the Jewish as well as gentile ways of determining honour and shame. By changing the rules of the game, Chrysostom first of all gives his congregants justification of their faith, and thereafter provides them with a new means by which they can decide what is the honourable life to live. In this process the time-honoured way in which honour and shame was determined, is changed. The specific impact of Chrysostom’s perspective is then taken as an explanation of subtle changes to individual faith-experiences. The categories in which the research is compiled, include the hearers’ reaction to the Gospel message, humility, the practice of a just life and the law, steadfastness in adverse times, interaction across cultural boundaries, homosexuality and unrelated examples of honourable behaviour. <ul> <li>Honour: Denotes leadership, good family, ritual cleanliness correct behaviour.</li> <li>Shame: Denotes propriety, sense of humility, correct behaviour. </li> <li>Homiletics: The science and theory of preaching.</li> <li>Exegesis: The analysis and explanation of parts of the Bible.</li> <li>Congregants: Individual members of a church, congregation.</li> <li>Subjective: As experienced by a single person</li> <li>Individuality: A sense of Self as experienced in likes, dislikes and function in society.</li> <li>Diadic: Established through interaction between several people.</li> <li>Textual Criticism: Judging and measuring the worth of certain texts, specifically the Bible.</li> <li>Worldview: A shared set of values, beliefs and cultural practices.</li> </ul> / Dissertation (MA (Ancient Languages and Cultures Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Ancient Languages / unrestricted

The Qur'an has always been a medium through and upon which Islam and the Muslim faith are structured and built. It mediates the relationship between Muslims and God. Despite its alleged divine origin, the Qur'an as a scriptural and textual reality remains to be understood by Muslims. Many theories and principles have been developed out of the long Qur'anic interpretive tradition to address the Muslims' theological and legal needs. One of the most interesting, yet controversial, exegetical legal theories is the theory of naskh, a theory stipulating the abrogation of a verse of the Qur'an by another. The discourse of naskh raises many unsettling theological and legal questions. The present proposed research attempts to reassess the early Muslim understanding of the theory of Qur'anic abrogation. It raises fundamental questions about the accuracy of the assumptions of the early Muslim conception of textual annulment and the ongoing legal discourse of Islamic law in Muslim scholarship. It is the thesis of this proposed study that the theory of abrogation has been historically and traditionally conceived and discussed in a very rigid and dogmatic fashion as a result of the theological misconception of the immutability of both the divine will and revelation, and that the theory of naskh, as such, has failed to appropriate the legal contents of the law within the structures of juridical discourse. In other words, the rigidity and dogmatic nature of the theory of naskh has rendered the theory an inadequate conceptual framework to deal with an ever changing legal need of our time. Muslims to this day have struggled to preserve, adapt and redefine their social and legal norms in the face of changing situations. A central issue in this ongoing struggle has been the question of the nature, status, authority, and viability of the Qur'an and the Islamic law. The intellectual tradition of Islam has provided the underpinnings for adaptation, reform, and evolution. It is within this tradition of Islamic intellectualism that this proposed research intends to contribute. The theological component of this research will influence the way revelation is understood in Islam, while the legal component hopes to initiate a new Muslim attitude towards Islamic law. The exegetical consideration will hopefully create a reorientation of hermeneutical principle in Qur'anic exegesis. This study of naskh, for all its intent and purpose as outlined above, is primarily a study of naskh al-Qur'an as captured by the formative sources of `Sunni' Islam. It is therefore the case that this study should be strictly understood as one that does not pretend to include nor represent the views of Shi`ism on naskh in the Qur'an or the theory of naskh in itself. / Religion

In this thesis I argue, against much recent scholarship on early Christian exegesis, that the traditional distinction between the two exegetical schools of Alexandria and Antioch, the allegorists and the literalists respectively, ought to be maintained. Despite much overlap in terms of the school members’ training in grammar and rhetoric (one of the major arguments put forward by those who wish to do away with the two schools), a critical distinction lies in the ways the exegetes of the two early Christian centres used Scripture for the spiritual development of their audiences. This I demonstrate through a close analysis of the exegetical treatments of five passages from the Gospel of John by four authors, two Alexandrians, Origen and Cyril, and two Antiochenes, John Chrysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia. I attend to my authors’ use of a shared exegetical principle that Scripture is inherently “beneficial” or “useful,” and therefore it is the exegete’s duty to draw out Scripture’s benefits, whether from the literal narrative or by moving beyond the letter to the non-literal plane. Examination of this principle allows us to understand these authors’ rationale—namely, the spiritual development of their audiences—for providing either a literal or a non-literal reading, rather than simplistically designating Alexandrians as “allegorists” and Antiochenes as “literalists.” I demonstrate that other than one brief instance, the Antiochenes remain at the literal level of the text to draw out Scripture’s benefits, whereas in every case the Alexandrians draw out benefit from the literal and the non-literal levels of the text. Moreover, I argue that one of the distinctive features of Alexandrian exegesis was that one of the most important benefits provided by the biblical text was its direct application to these authors’ contemporary church settings, situations, and even to the individual Christian souls. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / In this thesis I seek to provide an answer to the question of whether there were two distinct schools of scriptural interpretation in the two major centres of Alexandria and Antioch in the church of late antiquity. Traditionally scholars have characterized the Alexandrian exegesis as allegorical or spiritual and Antiochene as historical or literal. In recent decades, scholars have sought to do away with the distinction, tending to focus on the school members’ shared training in rhetoric and grammar. I argue that the traditional distinction ought to be maintained, but I draw attention to a critical distinction between the two schools, namely, the ways in which the exegetes of the two centres apply Scripture to their respective church settings. I demonstrate this by comparing the interpretations of five passages from the Gospel of John by two Alexandrian authors, Origen and Cyril, and two Antiochenes, John Chrysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia.

The composition of Joshua 3 and 4 forms the main focus of this study. Although Joshua 3 and 4 have been the subject of many studies, there have been no satisfactory explanation of the many contradictions and incoherence in these chapters. Apart form the literary problems regarding the composition of Joshua 3 and 4, some challenging historical questions arise from the study of these chapters. Therefore, this literary study of Joshua 3 and 4 will not also involve some broader literary questions like the position of the book of Joshua in the Canon, but it will also attempt to answer historical questions about Israel`s past. My hypothesis is that that the final text of Joshua 3 and 4 is the result of several redactions. The original narrative of the Jordan crossing forms the main part of these chapters. This original deuteronomistic narrative was originally part of a Deuteronomistic History that encompassed Deuteronomy, Joshua, and some parts of 1 and 2 Samuel as well as the books of 1 and 2 Kings. The Deuteronomistic History originated in the exile, and was the subject of major editing up to the Persian era. Joshua 3 and 4 reflects the process of the formation of the Pentateuch. The original deuteronomistic narrative of the Jordan crossing was subsequently supplemented by a post-priestly narrative which enhanced the miracle of the crossing. This supplement probably took place when the priestly composition (Ex-Num) was joined to the deuteronomistic composition (Deut-2 Kon) as part of an compromise between rival priestly groups. The book of Deuteronomy was eventually incorporated in the foregoing books (Ex-Num) to form a Pentateuch. As a result of this process, the book of Joshua was cut off from Deuteronomy and became a post-Deuteronomic book. This explains not only the affinities and differences between Joshua and Deuteronomy, but also the peculiar position of the book of Joshua in the Canon. The narrative of the twelve memorial stones (Joshua 4) forms part of an etiological formula, found throughout Joshua 1-12. These etiological reference points reflects the lists of the returning exiles and the builders of the Jerusalem`s walls in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Furthermore, these etiological references reflects the borders of the post-exilic Israel. Joshua 4 is the post-exilic Israel`s way of interpreting the pre-exilic conquest narratives in Joshua 1-12 in order to make sense of their present situation. There are also references to the post-deuteronomistic emphasis on many sanctuaries (which probably served to legitimize the Samaritan Temple at Mount Gerizim. The book of Joshua is not to be classified as history. This study enhances the hypothesis that the book of Joshua embodies the ideology of post-exilic Judaism. In its final form, the book probably served as an attempt to bring a compromise between rival priesthoods and rival ideologies. Although the book had pre-exilic (deuteronomistic) origins, it was subsequently edited to function in a post-exilic context when the people of Israel were facing a new future with new possibilities. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Old Testament Studies / unrestricted

The thesis presented consists of three main sections: 1. Section A includes comprehensive and detailed critical analyses of Buber's monographs on the Old Testament, "Konigtum Gottes", "Der Gesalbte", "Der Glaube der Propheten", "Abraham der Seher", "Moses", "Recht und Unrecht. Deutung einiger Psalmen"; furthermore the translation of the Hebrew Bible into German is studied, a work Buber had carried out with the aid of Franz Rosenzweig. Buber's statements and interpretation are elaborated and compared with those of recent and contemporary scholars. This investigation brings to light Buber's peculiar and very often individualistic view. He rejects literary criticism which assumes written sources such as J, E, P in the Pentateuch; correspondingly he tries to trace strands of orally and then literarily transmitted traditions which were ingeniously combined by the Redactor(s). This redactional achievement is regarded by Buber as of great importance and of high quality. Modern research has made evident that Buber frequently perceives the proper relations and facts, more, however, through intuition than through convincing arguments (the details of the ancient traditions being usually far more complicated than Buber thinks them to be). His idea of Yahweh as Melekh of the wandering Israelite tribes e.g. has been proved to be wrong, but the conception of the leading and wayfaring God was expounded by Buber earlier and more clearly than in the studies of other scholars. Peculiar to Buber is the idea of an essential uUity of the Hebrew Bible to which so called "guiding words" ("Leitworte") make reference. In his translation (which shows a masterly command and sympathetic understanding of both Hebrew and German) he makes use of such "guiding words" and of the sensuous basic meaning of the individual verbal roots. The fundamental and predominant principle of Buber's hermeneutics appears in all his books on the Bible. It is the principle of dialogue between God and Man; and it is here that Buber finds the essence both of prophecy and of Israel's faith as a whole. 2. Section B tries to elucidate the theological, philosophical, and biographical background of Buber's hermeneutics. It comes out in his view of myth, saga, and historical reality. There is a clearly rationalistic approach to biblical miracle stories, but besides this an irrational intuition leads him to deeper understanding. Dilthey's influence becomes evident. Buber cannot be understood apart from the role that mysticism and chassidism played in his life; it was, however, the Hebrew Bible which helped him to overcome self-sufficient mysticism and chassidic gnosticism. Knowing about the relation of dialogue between God and Man, Buber can remain neither a pure mystic nor a pure existentialist (in the sense of modern existential philosophy). He is "atypical". His interpretation of the Bible is critical, not orthodox or fundamentalist in its approach, although he cannot deny the Jewish and rabbinical background of his learning. Personal religious experience goes hand in hand with scholarly methods of criticism. The principles of dialogue and existential commitment make him strictly discriminate between prophecy and apocalyptic. God speaks to Man in the present historical situation and claims a personal decision. There is no room for any speculations or taking a peep into an already certain and immutable future. The directness of the eternal revelation at every time and the continuous possibility of dialogue between God and Man are theological conceptions that exclude a particular salvation history ("Heilsgesohichte"). Buber is primarily interested in God's speaking, not in God's acting in oertain historical events. Buber's understanding of divine revelation cannot but regard every religion on earth as a sphere of God's disclosure. In opposition to the religion of the Bible, however, the pagan religions misunderstand God and his disclosure. But even for those living with biblical traditions God Himself may disappear for a time as the sun disappears in eclipse. Yet an eclipse is no extinction, and Buber demonstrates, by reference to Job and Deutero-Isaiah, the relevance of the Old Testament as a source of hope in a dark age. Section C summarizes the conclusions of the thesis and appreciates the work of Buber as an outstanding scholar - a work that is fascinating and stimulating even where we have to reject not a few of its results.

Our work deals with the role of Psalm 118 in the New Testament, which is also the name of our work. In order to figure out the function of Psalm 118 in the New Testament we analyzed the Psalm itself and offered quotations and remarks of it. Our thesis is that authors of the New Testament have found a new meaning for Psalm 118. This meaning is Christological and along with that we hope that these authors do not take our cited quotations out of context too harshly. Consequently, we provided the reader with an analysis of three New Testament quotations of selected verses, namely the concept of context, exegesis and the use of the psalm 118. The first selected texts deal with confidence in God and the second ones with rejected corner stone. Lastly, we considered the exultations and blessings of the King. We are looking at interpretation of our Psalm and the use of the context of cited verses.

Studierende von zwei verschiedenen Universitäten erforschen gemeinsam ein konkretes Thema. Ihre Forschungsergebnisse diskutieren, veranschaulichen und überarbeiten sie in einem Wiki. Diesen Weg des forschenden Lernens verfolgte das Projekt Exegese- WerkstattWiki, das an den theologischen Instituten der TU Dresden und der Universität Leipzig durchgeführt wurde.

Os Evangelhos canônicos de Mateus, Marcos, Lucas e João constituem o cerne do Novo Testamento bíblico e correspondem aos textos fundadores do mito cristão. Utilizando-se de estratégias de manipulação, convidam o leitor a crer na fé que apresentam, cujo centro de referência é a figura de Jesus. Ao narrarem suas ações e discursos, mobilizam o leitor a acreditar em seu teor e no conjunto de valores por eles transmitidos, os quais são tratados pela semântica discursiva como eufóricos, em detrimento dos valores a que são contrários e, por isto, disfóricos. Dentre estes, estão as estruturas constituídas de poder, tanto o religioso quanto o político, enquanto se constituem meios para tolher a liberdade humana e impedir a convivência pacífica e integral dos seres humanos entre si e com seu Criador. O leitor, uma vez inserido no universo de crenças proposto, é direcionado a realizar um programa narrativo a exemplo do programa realizado nos textos por Jesus: uma série de ações que culminam na conjunção da vida eterna como objeto de valor. A vida eterna é alcançada por Jesus, de acordo com os textos, após oferecer-se em sacrifício pela expiação dos pecados da Humanidade. Da mesma forma, ao leitor é proposto um sacrifício, não idêntico ao de Jesus, mas identificado como o abandono de valores prejudiciais à própria Humanidade, como a injustiça, a soberba e o orgulho. Tendo cumprido esta ação, da mesma forma lhe é dada a ressurreição e, com ela, a vida eterna. A ressurreição e a vida eterna correspondem, por sua vez, à realização, nos textos, em níveis mais profundos, do fazer emissivo e da continuidade da continuidade, equivale à síntese dialética, após a série de transformações por que passa o sujeito. O mito cristão, portanto, constantemente promove a mobilização do sujeito, levando-o a uma constante reavaliação do seu modo de vida e à transformação para que se adéquem aos valores propostos nos Evangelhos. Os cristãos católicos, ortodoxos e anglicanos, por sua vez, bem como alguns outros grupos, podem experimentar a ressurreição no sacramento da Eucaristia, o qual se apresenta como um microcosmo das narrativas dos Evangelhos. Esta vivência sacramental visa, ao lado da leitura das Escrituras, colocar os cristãos em contínua reflexão sobre suas ações para que possam verificar, ainda durante a realização de seu programa narrativo, a sanção que lhes seria dada pelo destinador figurativizado pela divindade. Este trabalho visa, portanto, analisar os textos dos Evangelhos canônicos acerca da paixão, morte e ressurreição de Jesus, conforme a tradução da Bíblia de Jerusalém (2002) numa perspectiva da Teoria Semiótica Greimasiana, como proposta no Dicionário de Semiótica (GREIMAS e COURTÉS, 2008) e seus posteriores desenvolvimentos realizados por Fontanille e Zilberberg (2001), Panier (2010) e Zilberberg (2006a, 2006b, 2011). As reflexões acerca do mito são dadas principalmente por Campbell (2002, 2008b), Eliade (2010) e Lévi-Strauss (1976, 1985). Por sua vez, as reflexões teológicas e exegéticas dos textos tem como base, principalmente, Boff (2012a, 2012b), Grün (2009, 2011a, 2011b, 2012a e 2012b) e Leloup (2000, 2007). / The canon of the New Testament, by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, constitutes the core of the biblical New Testament, and corresponds to the founding texts of the Christian myth. Utilizing manipulation strategies, these texts invite the reader to believe in the faith they present, whose referential center is the figure of Jesus. By narrating their actions and speeches, the texts mobilizes the reader to believe in their contents and in the set of values communicated by them, values that are treated as euphoric by the discursive semantics, to the detriment of opposite values which are, therefore, dysphoric. Among these values, there are the established power structures both religious and political , while they represent means to hamper human freedom and hinder thorough and peaceful coexistence of human beings with each other and their Creator. Once inserted in the presented universe of beliefs, the reader is directed to perform a narrative program, similar to that performed by Jesus in the texts: a series of actions that culminate in the conjunction of eternal life as a valuable object. Eternal life is reached by Jesus, according to the texts, after His self-sacrifice for the absolution of humanitys sins. Equally, a sacrifice is proposed to the reader; this sacrifice is not identical to Jesus, but it is identified as the abandonment of values that are harmful to humanity itself, as injustice, presumption and pride. Having completed this action, in the same form, the reader is given resurrection and, with it, eternal life. In the texts, resurrection and eternal life thus correspond to the accomplishment, in deeper levels, of emissive doing and of continuity of continuity, and equals to dialectic syntax, after a series of transformations which the subject suffers. The Christian myth, therefore, constantly promotes the mobilization of the subject, leading him/her to a constant revaluation of his/her lifestyle and to the transformation to meet the values proposed in the Gospels. The Catholic Christians, both Orthodox and Anglican, as well as some other groups, may experience resurrection in the sacramental rite of Eucharist, which presents itself as a microcosm of Gospels narratives. This sacramental experience, paired with the reading of the Gospels, aims at putting Christians into continuous reflection in order to verify, while still performing their narrative program, the sanction that would be given to them by the destinator represented by the deity. This research therefore aims to analyze the texts of the canonical Gospels on the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, as the translation of the Jerusalem Bible (2002) perspective Greimasian Semiotics Theory, as proposed in Semiotics Dictionary (Greimas and Courtes, 2008) and its subsequent developments made by Fontanille and Zilberberg (2001), Panier (2010) and Zilberberg (2006a , 2006b, 2011). The reflections on the myth are mainly given by Campbell (2002, 2008b) , Eliade (2010) and Lévi- Strauss (1976, 1985). In turn, the theological and exegetical reflections of texts is based mainly Boff (2012a, 2012b ), Grün (2009, 2011a, 2011b, 2012a and 2012b) and Leloup (2000, 2007).