This dissertation argues that penal substitutionary atonement is necessary for transformation of the created order. This assertion answers the charge that an atonement model that deals with forensic judgments, the moment of justification, and a focus on the individual serves as an obstacle to God's purpose of restoring even the created order itself. Chapter 1 examines the current setting of the debate, illustrating the need for this charge to be answered. This chapter also lays out the thesis as well as the methodology of the dissertation. Chapter 2 asks the question, "What is wrong with the created order?" This chapter demonstrates that the plight of creation is that it is held in bondage to a reign of death which is itself a manifestation of the legal verdict of condemnation that has come to individuals in Adam. Chapter 3 demonstrates that the reason numerous evangelicals deny penal substitution is because of a faulty understanding of the nature of God. This chapter argues that God's righteousness is broader than covenant faithfulness, that it includes an element of retribution, that it is intrinsic to God, and that God's wrath includes his personal inflicting of punishment upon the sinner. After examining God's nature, this chapter ends by noting the necessity and difficulty of removing condemnation from individuals. Chapter 4 illustrates how penal substitutionary atonement accounts for the removal of condemnation from individuals in a manner that is in accord with God's righteousness. This chapter also shows the biblical support for penal substitution through an examination of Romans 3:25-26; 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; and Galatians 3:13. Chapter 5 demonstrates that far from making the resurrection of Christ unnecessary, penal substitution demands the resurrection because Christ dies as the condemned one on behalf of sinners. The reason the resurrection is necessary, then, is because it serves as and manifests Christ's justification. Furthermore, because Christ's resurrection serves as his legal justification and appointment as son as well as an eschatological demonstration of these legal realities, so believers legal verdict of justification and adoption as sons necessitates a demonstration of these realities in their resurrection, wherein they will be revealed as God's sons. At this time, the created order will be restored. Chapter 6 summarizes the argument of the first five chapters, notes an area of possibility for further study, and provides a brief note of conclusion. This chapter concludes that far from obscuring God's cosomological purposes, penal substitution is required for the redemption of the created order.

From a close reading of both the Book of Job and Deuteronomy I would propose that the former might be intentionally responding to and challenging the prevailing Deuteronomic doctrine of divine retributive justice as it is expressed clearly in the notion of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy (11:26-28; chs. 27-28). It is also claimed that in order not to offend or upset the mainstream theological position too much, the author of Job chooses to adopt another theological position, the principle of divine providence, to balance the radical nature of his/her project. The two theological themes intertwine and they address different circles of audience, the orthodox and the liberal. This may provide an explanation for the existence of the seemingly self-contradictory elements in the Book of Job. / I will place the Book of Job in the post-exilic historical background and relate it to the contemporary intellectual context, that is, the Deuteronomistic historical writings (hereafter DH). While fully acknowledging the scholarly hypothetical nature of the DH, it can nevertheless be observed that the theme of "a just divine retribution" (Noth) works through the writings of the Deuteronomists. It is in this sense that some scholars label the DH as "a theodicy" (Romer), i.e., a defense of divine justice in the face of the national tragedy of exile. Since the Book of Job also seriously questions the validity of divine retributive justice it seems quite reasonable to read it in the light of the Deuteronomistic works and their theological doctrines. / Many biblical scholars have stated, the Book of Job relates to the issue of the validity/applicability of divine justice (Jastrow, Crenshaw, etc.). There are others who disagree and they consider the book offers a strong confirmation of divine providence (e.g. Andersen). This is especially true with YHWH speeches (38:1-40:2; 40:6-41:34) and the so called "happy ending" (42:7-17). Though most scholars would acknowledge the complexity and even contradictions in the book and observe that there is more than one single theme, few would present competing ideas as parallel discourses of comparable significance. To my view, the dimensions of questioning the validity of divine justice and the confirmation of divine providence are juxtaposed in the book. They come into conflicts and contradict one with the other. What the present author intends to do in this thesis is to explore how the two discourses work together in creative tension in the book and why the two seemingly competing theological claims are employed by the author in his/her construction of the text. / This dissertation will employ multiple approaches. Classical theory of poetry, contemporary drama theory, and Intertextual reading strategies will be adopted in different stages of its argument. Basically, the literary-critical method will be relied on in the analysis of the text of Job. / 張纓. / Adviser: Archie C. C. Lee. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0638. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 267-288). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Zhang Ying.

Perhaps the most perplexing issue in Psalm 82 is its obvious cultic and polytheistic background with its source remains elusive to scholars. Consequently, to grasp the main intention and purpose of this psalm becomes an equally baffling exercise. This thesis will take up these two pertinent issues. It attempts to take the psalm as a whole. This paper will put forward two arguments. First, the genre of 'cultic prophetic psalm' is not only the most helpful, but also the most befitting approach to grasp its holistic intent. Second, Psalm 82 is seminal in developing a new cultic motif on "righteous judgment" from the cult of the "living and dying god" of the ancient traditions. / Psalm 82---a text notorious of its brevity, yet profound complex concepts is the subject of this thesis. Since the last two extensive works which were published in the late 1960s by James. S. Ackerman and Hans-Winfried Jungling, there are several other pieces which develop from these two contributions but concentrate only on some aspects of the psalm, and not a comprehensive study of it. It is therefore more appropriate and necessary than ever, that at the beginning of the 21st century when the academia on the ancient Near East has flourished in leaps and bounds, a re-examination of the scholarship on Psalm 82 will be fruitful venture. / Therefore, I shall present my thesis as follows: In chapter one, I shall review the past research results on Psalm 82. This sets up a starting point for the thesis and raises the main issues for discussion. It is proposed that Psalm 82 is a cultic prophetic psalm, which is performed in the temple expressing the Israelite belief of a just God. It is proposed that Psalm 82 is a cultic prophetic psalm with performance in the temple and expresses the Israelite belief in a Just God. In chapter two, I shall analyze and present the contents and the structure of the whole cultic drama. It will attempt to prove that the core content of this psalm is 'Belief in the Just God' and that this content is both inherited and developed from the motif of the "living and dying god" in the ancient traditions. Hence, a new cultic motif is formed that the just God of Israel judges the unjust gods and pronounces a death sentence. In chapter three, the whole psalm is submitted under the framework of a cultic drama, and I will attempt to analyze the words and the complex concepts in the psalm. These include "the council of gods", the relationship between "God" and the "gods", the righteous God of Israel judging the unjust gods, the meaning of "the poor", "orphans", "widows" and "the wicked", the usage of the image and meaning of both "the foundations of the earth" and "the shaking of the foundations of the earth", the function of "the nations" and "inheritance", and the significance of the death of the gods. Finally in chapter four, after comparing the concepts and usage of words mentioned above with the myths and stories of the ancient Canaanites. I shall further verify that Psalm 82 mainly absorbs and uses the mythical and religious elements of ancient Canaan. The psalm expresses the firm belief in the just God Yahweh, albeit in a polytheistic setting. By using the idea of "the council of gods" in the ancient Near East, especially in Canaan, the psalm integrates many mythical elements and ideas of the ancient religious traditions, and finally develops a new cultic motif on "righteous judgment" from the cult of the "living and dying god" of the ancient traditions. / 徐雪梅. / Adviser: Archie C. C. Lee. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-08, Section: A, page: 3183. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-253). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Xu Xuemei.

AFRIKAANS: Hierdie studie poog om deur 'n omvattende eksegetiese ondersoek van Psalms 9 en l0 op literêre - , semantiese - en sosiologiese vlak tot 'n verantwoordbare verstaan van die vyand in Psalms 9 en 10 te kom. Die eksegetiese ondersoek maak gebruik van die mees resente navorsing op die gebied van die literatuurwetenskap. Die eksegetiese resultate van die twee psalms word met mekaar vergelyk en word dan as basis gebruik om 'n semantiese analise te doen van die woordveld 'vyand'. Die studie toets die hipotese dat daar nie soos in die verlede net gevra moet word na die identiteit van die vyand in die betrokke psalms nie, maar of die vyand nie eerder 'n funksionele en teologiese rol vervul nie. Insigte vanuit die sosiologie word bygewerk om groter lig te werp op die omstandighede waarin die psalms afspeel. Hier is dus gekies vir 'n komplementêre benadering waar insigte uit verskillende dissiplines sinergisties kan bydrae tot 'n beter verstaan van die rol van die vyand. In die studie het dit duidelik geword dat Psalms 9 en 10 'n afgeronde en weldeurdagte struktuur vertoon. Dit het verder duidelik geword dat die woordvelde 'JHWH', 'regverdige' en 'vyand' in beide psalms in 'n driehoeksverhouding staan. Hierdie navorsing het die hipotese bevestig dat dit nie soseer om die identiteit van die vyand gaan nie, maar eerder om die funksie wat die vervul in terme van die regverdige se verhouding ten opsigte van JHWH en van sy gemeenskap. In hierdie driehoeksverhouding het dit nie om 'n ewewigsverhouding gegaan nie, maar was die vyand 'n middel tot 'n doel om veral die regverdige se posisie te verstewig. Belangrike gevolgtrekkings waartoe gekom is, is dat allerlei strategieë aangewend word om digotomies-ideologiese kategorisering teweeg te bring waardeur 'n polariteit bewerkstellig is tussen JHWH en die vyand, en die regverdige en die vyand. Daar is gevolglik 'n skerp dissosiasie met die vyand. Die digter skets homself as getrou aan JHWH en soek sodoende gemeenskaplikheid met JH WH. Deur hierdie strategie bewerk hy ook ‘n simpatie by sy nabye gemeenskap. Die sosiologiese ondersoek het hierdie resultate bevestig. Geen teks funksioneer in 'n vakuum nie. Aan die een kant dra die teks die stem en funksie van die sosiale realiteit waarin dit gebed is, en aan die ander kant is dit ook 'n teenstem teen die konvensionele en die ideologies-gemanipuleerde realiteit. Psalms 9 en 10 breek dus deur die huidige sosiale ervaring en poog om 'n nuwe realiteit te skep. Die realiteit is ook 'n funksie en 'n gevolg van die teks. Dit is dus nie net die omstandighede wat die teks bepaal nie, maar die teks het ook ten doel om die omstandighede van die regverdige te bepaal. Die twee psalms is 'n politieke daad om 'n nuwe sosiale moontlikheid vir die digter te skep. Die sosiale kernwaardes van 'eer' en 'skande' speel 'n baic belangrikc rol binne die driehoeksverhouding van Psalms 9 en 10. JHWH se eer is op die spel. Binne die verbondsverhouding waarin die regverdige lojaal aan JHWH is, het JHWH die vcrantwoordelikheid om die rcgverdige te verlos van sy krisis en sy sosiale status te versterk. JHWH moet die vyand tot skande maak om sodoende groter eer te verkry en die verbond te bevestig. ENGLISH: This study attempts to reach a justifiable understanding of the enemy in Psalms 9 and 10 by way of a comprehensive exegetic exploration on a literary, semantic and sociological level. The exegetic exploration uses the most recent research in the field of literature. The results of this exegesis of the two psalms are compared with each other and then used as a basis for a semantic analysis of the semantic field 'enemy", The study tests the hypothesis that one should not simply ask, as was done in the past, about the identity of the enemy in the particular psalms, but whether the enemy does not in fact fulfil a functional and theological role. Sociological insights are included to illuminate the circumstances in which the psalms are set. A complementary approach has therefore been chosen. Insights from various disciplines contributed synergistically to a better understanding of the role of the enemy. It became clear during the study that Psalms 9 and 10 show a well thought-out, rounded-off structure. Furthermore, it became clear that the semantic fields 'YHWH', 'righteous" and 'enemy' are in a triangular relationship. This research has confirmed the hypothesis that the function of the enemy is rather to be sought in terms of the relationship of the righteous with YHWH and his community and that the identity of the enemy is not so important. This triangular relationship is not a balanced one. The enemy is a means to an end to strengthen the position of the righteous, An important conclusion reached is that a variety of strategies were applied to establish dichotomic-ideological categorizing. From this a polarity is established between YHWH and the enemy on the one hand, and the righteous and the enemy on the other. There is thus a sharp disassociation from the enemy. The poet shows himself as true to YHWH and looks for common ground with YHWH. By using this strategy, he also manages to evoke sympathy from his close community. The sociological research confirmed these results. No text functions in a vacuum. On the one hand the text carries the voice and function of the social reality in which it is embedded. On the other hand, it is also a vote against conventional and ideologically manipulated reality. Psalms 9 and 10 therefore break through their current social experience and try to create a new reality. The social core values of 'honour' and 'shame' play an important role within the triangular relationship of Psalms 9 and 10. YHWH's honour is at stake. Inside the covenant relations where the righteous is loyal to YHWH, YHWH has a responsibility to liberate the righteous from his crisis and strengthen his social status. YHWH has to shame the enemy in order to gain greater honour and confirm the covenant relationship. / Dissertation (MA (Semitic Languages))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Ancient Languages / unrestricted