Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is a critical analysis and evaluation of the teaching of the priesthood of believers and the development of ecclesiology in the Seventh-day Adventist church. The study analyses this development in Seventh-day Adventist ecclesiology by evaluating how the doctrine of the priesthood of believers has been viewed in biblical, historical, and theological contexts. The comparative analysis of (mainly, though not exclusively) the Free church ecclesiology with the aim of contributing towards the understanding of the development of the Seventh-day Adventist ecclesiology is key. The importance of the development of ecclesiology in general and more specifically within the Seventh-day Adventist church is reflected in the discussions on the priesthood of believers by Free Churches and Seventh-day Adventist church historians and theologians. This research demonstrates that the development of ecclesiology cannot be studied in isolation. Therefore the development of ecclesiology in the Seventh-day Adventist church should be viewed with the history of the Christian church in view. For the purposes of this study this implies that the reflection of the Christian church on the priesthood of believers should have an impact on the development of the history of ecclesiology within the Seventh-day Adventist church. The critical analysis and assessment of the development of Seventh-day Adventist ecclesiology highlights the importance of biblical, historical, theological and ecclesiological contexts combined, on the priesthood of believers. Therefore this highlights the importance of the doctrine of priesthood of believers in the development of ecclesiology. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk is ‘n kritieke analisering en evaluering van die leer van die priesterskap van gelowiges en die ontwikkeling van ekklesiologie in die Seventh-day Adventist Kerk. Die studie analiseer die ontwikkeling in die Seventh-day Adventist ekklesiologie deur te evalueer hoe die doktriene van die priesterskap van gelowiges gesien word in bybelse, historiese, en teologiese konteks. Die vergelykende analisering van (hoofsaaklik, tog nie alleenlik nie) die Vrye kerkse ekklesiologie met die doel om by te dra tot die begrip van die ontwikkeling van die Sewendedagse Adventiste ekklesiologie is opperste. Die belangrikheid van die ontwikkeling van ekklesiologie in die algemeen, meer spesifiek in die Seventh-day Adventist Kerk, word gereflekteer in die gesprek oor die priesterdom van gelowiges deur die Vrye Kerke en die Sewendedagse Adventiste geskiedkundiges en teoloë. Hierdie navorsing demonstreer dat die ontwikkeling van ekklesiologie nie in isolasie bestudeer kan word nie. Daarom moet die ontwikkeling van ekklesiologie in die Sewendedagse Adventiste kerk gesien word met die geskiedenis van die Christen kerk in sig. Vir die doel van hierdie studie impliseer dit dat die refleksie van die Christen Kerk op die priesterskap van gelowiges, ‘n impak moet hê op die ontwikkeling van die geskeidenis van ekklesiologie in die Seventh-day Adventist kerk. Die kritieke analisering en assesering van die ontwikkeling van die Seventh-day Adventist ekklesiologie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van die bybelse, geskiedkundige, teologiese en ekklesiologiese konteks saamgebind om die priesterskap van gelowiges. Daarom word die belangrikheid van die doktriene van priesterskap van gelowiges in die ontwikkeling van ekklesiologie beklemtoon.

The messiahship of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark has figured prominently in modern New Testament scholarship. With the increasing awareness of the Jewish context from which the gospel traditions emerged, scholars have also paid close attention to the way Mark portrays Jesus in relation to the temple. Within these discussions, it is not uncommon to find claims that the Markan Jesus regards the Jerusalem institution as completely obsolete, some maintaining that the message of the kingdom of God in Mark is fundamentally opposed to the ancient Levitical system. Yet, there is not a single full-length monograph grappling with the question of how Mark presents Jesus as royal messiah on the one hand, and his interaction with the Jerusalem priests on the other. Such a project is now imperative, not least given the recent advancement in our understanding both of messianic expectations in the late Second Temple period and of the role of the high priesthood in Jewish polity at the turn of the Christian era. In this thesis, I argue that Jewish messianism from the mid-second century BCE to the late first-century CE anticipated the culmination of the Jerusalem priestly institution under the rule of the royal messiah. In portraying Jesus as the end-time king, Mark in turn assumes a similar expectation. However, contrary to the majority scholarly view, the earliest Gospel does not repudiate the Israelite worship as such. Rather, Mark depicts Jesus’s stance towards the priests in terms of a call to allegiance and warning of judgement. And it is in the light of its cumulative narrative context that Jesus’s criticism of the Jerusalem shrine should be read. To Mark, that is, the temple will be destroyed because the priests have rejected Israel’s end-time king, placing themselves outside the messianic kingdom. Nevertheless, Jesus will be vindicated over against his enemies as God’s messianic son. Chapter one examines important passages from the Dead Sea Scrolls, and chapter two focuses on texts from the Pseudepigrapha. In chapter three, I argue, against recent critics, that the Markan Jesus is indeed a royal figure. Then, chapter four looks at the relevant passages in Mark 1–10 in which the Jerusalem priests are in view. Finally, chapter five investigates the climactic clash between Jesus and the temple rulers in Mark 11–16 in comparison to my findings in the previous chapters.

This thesis deals with the Christology of the book of Hebrews, specifically the relationship between the Christological categories of "Son" and "high priest". It is argued here that the rationale for the introduction of a priestly Christology has been insufficiently considered in previous scholarly work on Hebrews Furthermore, in previous studies insufficient consideration has been given to the way in which the interrelationship of the categories of sonship and priesthood functions in the rhetorical structure of Hebrews. This thesis argues that a form of "second Adam" Christology lies behind the Christological thought of Hebrews. It consequently endeavours to establish the rationale for the introduction of priestly Christology by exploring those "second Adam" ideas. Until the 1970s historical-critical methodologies dominated in the study of Hebrews. This is one of the reasons for the lack of scholarly consideration of the interrelationship of the priestly and filial Christological categories in the rhetoric of Hebrews. This thesis underscores the deficiencies of the historical-critical approaches to Hebrews as highlighted by the paucity of results such approaches have produced. It is argued that rhetorical criticism is an appropriate methodology for supplementing more historical-oriented methodologies. A survey of previous rhetorical-critical work on Hebrews is undertaken with a view to showing the potential of rhetorical-critical study of the book. It is argued that the rhetorical purposes of Hebrews is the bolstering of the community's confidence in their confession of faith. Acceptance of such an understanding of purpose leads naturally to the further question of the content of that confession, and specifically to the issue of whether or not it contained a statement of the priesthood of Christ. It is argued that the confession of the Hebrews did not refer to the priesthood of Christ, but can rather be summarized as "Jesus is the Son of God". The core of this thesis is found in a careful exegesis of Heb 2 which is crucial for understanding the relationship of the sonship and priesthood of Jesus in Hebrews. This chapter is introduced by explicit references to Jesus as Son (in Hebrews 1:5-14) and ends with the first explicit application of the word "priest" to him (2:17). It is argued that the underlying Adamic and Edenic themes in the chapter provide the key to understanding the relationship. The significance of such Adamic/Eden themes lies at the heart of this thesis. The rest of Hebrews is then examined with a view to ascertaining if such Adamic/Edenic themes are utilized elsewhere in the work. The rhetorical significance of the Adamic/Edenic allusions found throughout Hebrews is also explored. It is argued that the pattern of usage strongly suggests that Adamic/Edenic themes constitute "common ground" between Auctor and his recipients, which is presupposed in the overall argument of Hebrews rather than being argued in detail. The thesis concludes with a summary of the work as a whole, a statement of conclusions arrived at and an outline various implications arising from it.

Thesis (M.A.)--Cincinnati Bible Seminary, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [104]-109).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1989. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 316-323).

Thesis (S.T.D.)--Catholic University of America. / "Biographical note": leaf at end. Bibliography: p. 247-253.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Pontificia università gregoriana, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [295]-314) and index.

Thesis (M.A.)--B.Y.U. Dept. of Church History and Doctrine.

Thesis (M.S.)--B.Y.U. Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-110).