Chapter One contains a lengthy discussion of tafsír, outlining its meaning, its need to the present study and the different forms in which it exists, whilst at the same time clarifying its obscurities and commending it as an indispensable science. Chapter Two offers a concise overview of five Qur'ánic commentators selected for this particular study. This assessment is based on the eras from which they emerged which has a definite bearing on their commentaries. Chapter Three is a résumé of my subject's biography adopted primarily from Qur'ánic sources. As a frequently mentioned prophet in the Qur'án the story of Músá [p.b.u.h] is drawn from various chapters highlighting substantial aspects of his life. Chapter Four concentrates on two frequently mentioned events in the life of prophet Músá [ p.b.u.h], namely, his call to prophethood and the proclamation to the pharaoh and his people. Chapter Five concludes this work by presenting an overview of the perspectives of the different commentators. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A.

This dissertation constitutes a fresh interpretation of Exodus 34:29-35 and analyzes how the passage is used in both the Old and New Testaments. Chapter 1 is a historical overview of how this passage has been interpreted through the centuries. Chapter 2 provides an exegetical discussion of Exodus 32-34, which makes up the context of the passage in question. Chapter 3 argues that the primarily exegetical problem within this passage, the identification of the meaning of the verbal form of "qrn," is resolved by the recognition that it means "to shine" or "emanate light/rays" as opposed to "had horns" or other interpretations. The function of the entire phrase--"the skin of his face shone"--is fourfold: as a reminder or extension of Yhwh's presence at Sinai, to distinguish Moses in terms of status, to communicate Yhwh's "goodness," and to transition from the rebellion narrative in chapters 32-34 to the building of the tabernacle in 35-40. Knowing the function of the phrase sheds light on the concomitant matter of Moses' veil ("masweh"), which is more akin to a scarf than to a mask, and which functions simply to hide Moses' face when he is uninvolved with his role as mediator because his face was frightening and disturbing to the Israelites. The exegetical study in chapter 3 culminates in an explanation of the theology of Exodus 34:29-35, focusing on God's presence, glory, grace/compassion, and life/light. This thesis is developed in chapter 4, which shows that how certain OT passages highlight the image of a shining face as a theological metaphor for grace and compassion. Many later biblical texts (e.g., Num 6:24-27, portions of the Psalter and the book of Daniel) also echo this language in prayers and songs. In addition, idiomatic expressions about the "face" or the brightness of the face are found in some extrabiblical sources and ANE inscriptions, which confirm and validate the interpretation in chapter 3. Three further texts are examined with relation to the role of Sinai theophanies (1 Kgs 19), the "veiling" of God's presence in the future (Hab 3:1-4), and images of God's eschatological glory (Isa 60:1-5, 19-20). Chapter 5 applies the OT study to the NT, where special attention is given to three passages: the narrative of the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17:1-8, Paul's statements in 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 about the old and new covenants, and the prologue to John's Gospel in John 1:1-18. Chapter 6 summarizes the study and concludes the work.

The search for a ‘historical Moses’ is one which has been debated for several centuries. In spite of copious archaeological finds in Egypt and other parts of the ancient Near East, no material remains have been found to substantiate the Exodus story. Mythological stories from the ancient Near East bear striking similarities to the Moses narrative found in the Hebrew Bible. The inconsistencies found in the Hebrew Bible further hamper the attempt to find a historical Moses, instead Moses is found only in tradition. Taking these issues into consideration, other possibilities need to be investigated. This dissertation places Moses growing up in the court of Akhenaten an 18th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh in the middle of the 14th century BCE. The study investigates the possibility of Moses as a son of Akhenaten with Nefertiti as a stepmother, his own biological mother, a Mitannian princess, having died giving birth to Moses. Several similarities between Akhenaten and Moses are discussed throughout the study. The study moves into the 21st century with the groundbreaking discovery of DNA, which provides new conclusions which before were only debated. / Biblical & Ancient Studies / M.A. (Biblical Archaeology)

This dissertation examines the Christological witness function of the Old Testament characters in the Gospel of John. Chapter 1 discusses the problem concomitant to the bi-partite nature of the Christian Bible and the scholarly solutions suggested to remedy this issue. The importance of Christology for John and the Gospel's indebtedness to the Jewish heritage is also noted. Combining these two aspects, some scholarly attempts to account for Johannine Christology in terms of Jewish hero redivivus theories are reviewed. An important consensus has emerged from German scholarship that sees the role of the Old Testament as Christological witness. This perspective gave impetus to the present research concerning the same witness function of the Old Testament characters. The rest of chapter 1 discusses the preliminary questions, such as, the justification, contributions, methodology, terms, and limits of the present study. Chapter 2 investigates the contribution of Jacob and Abraham to Johannine Christological understanding in view of relevant intertestamental Jewish literature. In contrast to some scholarly arguments, the main function of these patriarchs is to undergird the messianic identity of Jesus. Chapter 3 concerns Elijah in early Judaism and John. The eschatological expectation of Elijah in the former period is marked by his militant subjugation of the gentiles along with the reconciliation ministry. The contextual reading of the passages related to Elijah in John reveals that he is a type of John the Baptist rather than Jesus. Chapter 4 examines David, probably the most influential messianic prefiguration of the intertestamental period. He is characterized by his competence as a ruler, his loyalty to Judaism, and his status as an eschatological figure. While the first half of John's Gospel does not portray Jesus as a Davidic figure, the latter half is replete with the references to the Davidic trials. Although one can argue for a correspondence between David and Jesus in the Johannine passion accounts, the analogy is more evident between Yahweh and Jesus, let alone the suffering aspect of David, which did not constitute the messianic expectations of early Judaism. Chapter 5 engages in a study of Moses as depicted in early Judaism and John. In contrast to the perspectives of the Hebrew scriptural traditions, in which Moses is understood as the prophet par excellence, the fourth evangelist presents him merely as a Christological witness, not as a messianic prefiguration. Chapter 6 summarizes the foregoing observations and offers hermeneutical implications for the study of the Gospel of John, especially with reference to the redactional capability of the fourth evangelist and the value of the intertestamental Jewish literature. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

The search for a ‘historical Moses’ is one which has been debated for several centuries. In spite of copious archaeological finds in Egypt and other parts of the ancient Near East, no material remains have been found to substantiate the Exodus story. Mythological stories from the ancient Near East bear striking similarities to the Moses narrative found in the Hebrew Bible. The inconsistencies found in the Hebrew Bible further hamper the attempt to find a historical Moses, instead Moses is found only in tradition. Taking these issues into consideration, other possibilities need to be investigated. This dissertation places Moses growing up in the court of Akhenaten an 18th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh in the middle of the 14th century BCE. The study investigates the possibility of Moses as a son of Akhenaten with Nefertiti as a stepmother, his own biological mother, a Mitannian princess, having died giving birth to Moses. Several similarities between Akhenaten and Moses are discussed throughout the study. The study moves into the 21st century with the groundbreaking discovery of DNA, which provides new conclusions which before were only debated. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Biblical Archaeology)