Thesis advisor: Pheme Perkins / Psalm 110:1 was not a Second Temple messianic proof-text. Yet, it became the early Christian text par excellence for articulating exaltation Christology: Jesus was exalted to God’s right hand (Acts 2:33, 34-35; 5:31; 7:55-56; Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; Eph 1:20; 1 Pet 3:22; Heb 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2) and κύριος of the cosmos (Phil 2:9-11). Therefore, this unprecedented and singular use of Ps 110:1 by early Christians requires an explanation. This dissertation argues that the unparalleled Christian use of Ps 110:1 is indebted to a Greco-Roman royal ideological concept: rulers as sharers of divine/sacred space, which consisted of three elements: temple sharing, throne sharing, and joint temples of imperials and gods. Greek cities and Roman period provinces made autocrats sharers of sacred space to show appreciation for concrete royal benefactions and to acknowledge the piety of monarchs and divine approval of their regimes. Early Christians adopted two of these practices—temple sharing and throne sharing—for similar purposes, creating a unique variant of the Greco-Roman royal practice and using scripture to justify it (Ps 110:1). Consequently, early Christian use of Ps 110:1, exaltation Christology, and Jesus’s Lordship are indebted to royal messianism. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:27:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Paulo Freitas Barros.pdf: 1152526 bytes, checksum: 1a9117462edd5bc7ccdf8811e53b486e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-30 / The objective of this master s thesis is an exegetical analysis in which will be described the theological dimensions of Psalm 110. Based on philological studies of ancient Hebrew a new translation of this Psalm is presented, as literal as possible. The study covers the historical and cultural context of the Psalm 110 as well as the theological thoughts related to the king and the Lord, God of Israel. Through the principle of canonical exegesis, the study includes the observance of parallels between biblical texts, which explain each other. Psalm 110 will also be researched within the texts of the New Testament, thereby demonstrating its importance for the reflection about Jesus Christ / O objetivo da presente dissertação de mestrado é analisar exegeticamente as dimensões teológicas do Salmo 110. A partir dos estudos filológicos do texto originalmente composto em hebraico, é apresentada uma nova tradução, a mais literal possível. No mais, o estudo abrange o contexto histórico-cultural do Salmo 110, bem como a sua reflexão teológica sobre o rei e o Senhor, Deus de Israel. Acolhendo o princípio da exegese canônica, o estudo aqui apresentado se baseia, sobretudo, na observância dos paralelismos na Bíblia Hebraica, imaginando-se que os textos bíblicos se expliquem de forma mútua. Finalmente, será pesquisado como os textos do Novo Testamento trabalham com a reflexão teológica presente no Salmo 110

Psalms using the language of enmity present a challenge for Christians who wish to use these psalms as prayer. This study investigates the language of enmity in Psalms 110, 119, 129, 137, 139 and 149 as Christian prayer and beyond the normal form category of lament or complaint of the individual. An argument is proposed to understand Book V of the Psalter as an integral unit, which editors have arranged to represent the post-exilic early restoration period. The study begins with an exegesis of each psalm and seeks to determine the perceived suffering of the psalmist(s) at the hands of enemies and the meaning of the responses to these adversaries. It then moves to a limited historical survey of how commentators through Church history have perceived the suffering and responses in these psalms which use language of enmity. This historical survey is used to correct or clarify the findings in the exegesis. In the third movement of this thesis, the results of the individual exegesis and historical survey of Psalms 110, 119, 129, 137, 139 and 149 are compared in order to elucidate the meaning of the language of enmity. The findings suggest that the language of enmity represents images of judgment on a recalcitrant adversary. The psalms are also investigated as prayers and as normative scripture. The use of the language of enmity in these psalms suggests a use of language that differs from normal use. In this regard the rhetorical device of synecdoche is most helpful in explaining how the texts function. The basis for the language of enmity seems to be the unchanging nature of moral evil. The study then investigates the psalms as canonical, normative prayer in order to move towards developing a theology of God’s just dealing with people and his people in particular. In this regard the psalms are approached as prayer, regardless of the voice in which they were composed. It is suggested that the text as normative prayer allows the psalmist, God, and the pray-er to inhabit and celebrate the same sacred time and space. Of particular concern is how each psalm speaks to the issue of how God engages with moral evil and the question of what can be known about moral evil. The findings suggest that these psalms are an invaluable spiritual resource for the church and should remain unaltered in their use as Christian private and public prayer. / PhD (Old Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus in cooperation with Greenwich School of Theology, 2015

Psalms using the language of enmity present a challenge for Christians who wish to use these psalms as prayer. This study investigates the language of enmity in Psalms 110, 119, 129, 137, 139 and 149 as Christian prayer and beyond the normal form category of lament or complaint of the individual. An argument is proposed to understand Book V of the Psalter as an integral unit, which editors have arranged to represent the post-exilic early restoration period. The study begins with an exegesis of each psalm and seeks to determine the perceived suffering of the psalmist(s) at the hands of enemies and the meaning of the responses to these adversaries. It then moves to a limited historical survey of how commentators through Church history have perceived the suffering and responses in these psalms which use language of enmity. This historical survey is used to correct or clarify the findings in the exegesis. In the third movement of this thesis, the results of the individual exegesis and historical survey of Psalms 110, 119, 129, 137, 139 and 149 are compared in order to elucidate the meaning of the language of enmity. The findings suggest that the language of enmity represents images of judgment on a recalcitrant adversary. The psalms are also investigated as prayers and as normative scripture. The use of the language of enmity in these psalms suggests a use of language that differs from normal use. In this regard the rhetorical device of synecdoche is most helpful in explaining how the texts function. The basis for the language of enmity seems to be the unchanging nature of moral evil. The study then investigates the psalms as canonical, normative prayer in order to move towards developing a theology of God’s just dealing with people and his people in particular. In this regard the psalms are approached as prayer, regardless of the voice in which they were composed. It is suggested that the text as normative prayer allows the psalmist, God, and the pray-er to inhabit and celebrate the same sacred time and space. Of particular concern is how each psalm speaks to the issue of how God engages with moral evil and the question of what can be known about moral evil. The findings suggest that these psalms are an invaluable spiritual resource for the church and should remain unaltered in their use as Christian private and public prayer. / PhD (Old Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus in cooperation with Greenwich School of Theology, 2015

This work concerns the shifts in the perception of the figure of Melchizedek in the Old Testament, Intertestamental sources and the New Testament. It explicates three central biblical texts which are speaking about Melchizedek. These texts are: the book of Genesis 14, Psalm 110 and the Epistle to the Hebrews. The work also aims to notice perceiving Melchizedek{\crq}s figure in non-biblical sources, like Qumran texts, Targums, apocryphs or the testimonies of church fathers. The findings coming from these sources are compared together in the conclusion of the work. Each of traditions is different, so we can not make unambiguous conclusion about figure of Melchizedek. Some non-biblical Melchizedekian traditions still continue, some others have disappeared entirely.