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Luke’s use and interpretation of his “Scriptures” in acts was investigated on the explicit quotations to be found within the Petrine and Pauline speeches. It became clear that this reflects a threefold problem which could best be described as texthistorical, methodological and hermeneutical in nature. It was established under the textcritical aspect of the problem, that Luke made use of the scrolls of the Torah, Isaiah, the Twelve Prophets and the Psalms. The reconstructed textreading of the Septuagint Textvorlage which he used for his explicit quotations in the Petrine and Pauline speeches, seldom differed from existing LXX texts. Those specific differences seem to be closer to the existing Hebrew versions. Pre-Lukan knowledge of some of the quotations could be found in other literature from early Judaism (especially in the Dead Sea Scrolls) and early Christianity (Paul, Mark and Hebrews), but convincing evidence was also found that Luke himself may have checked several of these quotations again and changed them when applying them in their new context. Two things pointed in this direction: (a) he sometimes quoted longer passages than those known from former traditions, as was the case in the quoted texts from Joel 2(3) and Psalm 15(16) in the second Petrine speech, and (b) he reflected knowledge of the broader context from which those quoted texts were TAKEN. The origin of the remaining quoted texts from the six speeches which were investigated, do not show sufficient proof to assume knowledge from existing written sources, and could therefore be ascribed to Luke himself. The investigation on the methodological aspect of the problem has confirmed that Luke’s explicit quotations are to be found, almost exclusively, in the speeches. His usage of his Scriptural quotations functioned on two levels: (a) and informative level, which focused on events from the past and which (especially) substantiated the events described in the Jesus-kerygma. They have a strong christological tendency, especially in the missionary speeches. But also (b) a normative level, which focused on the present and future and which is presented in a compelling manner to the current hearers (readers). It has a strong prophetic tendency. The hermeneutical aspect of the problem made it clear that Luke’s understanding of his Scriptures is to be placed within the broader frame of this presentation of the salvation-history. This is done from the perspective of a Theo-centric approach, in which God always remains the Subject, while it is being mediated in a pneumatological-prophetical manner by the prophets and fathers of old, and the apostles (here Peter and Paul) of the new age. They are capable and authoritative witnesses who could interpret those Scriptures. The content of the prophecy itself is presented in a kerygmatic form. It deals with specific themes which are coming from their real historical context and which are then related to God’s general and universal plan of salvation via the name of the “kurios”. The quotations function then within the aspects of the Lukan eschatology, Christology and soteriology. / Thesis (DD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 1992. / One copy microfiche. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Two major religions, Judaism and Christianity, use the ancient Hebrew Bible as Holy Scripture. These books were translated in the last three centuries before the common era. The oldest of these translations is the Septuagint, a Greek translation. Not only are the Hebrew and Greek texts that were involved in the original translation process missing, but precious little is known about the doctrine and translation methods of the translators of the Septuagint. Much can be learned about these crucial issues, however, if the translation technique followed by those ancient translators is studied by comparing the present Hebrew and Greek texts. A new method to determine and describe the translation technique of the Septuagint was proposed and tested in this dissertation. This method is based on the use of the Computer Assisted Tools for Septuagint Studies (CATSS) data base and statistical methods. The translation technique of the book Deuteronomy was described using different criteria, all of which measure the frequency of non-literal renderings. Three different groups of criteria were utilized, viz. the Tov criteria as proposed by E. Tov, criteria defined using the markers in the CATSS data base called the CATSS criteria, and grammatical criteria using the person of the verb. Each criterion was applied to the data base individually. The translation units were determined first, after which the translation technique found within the translation unit was described. The methodology implemented discriminates between significant and insignificant trends in translation technique. It became clear that the results of the different criteria indicate different translation units and different translation techniques for each of the criteria. Except for some criteria using the person of the verb, very little indication was found that the traditional translation units are supported by the data used in this study. In fact, it seems as if translation units should be determined before the translation technique is described. The translation technique should then be described according to the indicated units. Not all the Tov criteria could be utilized, but their results are in agreement to some extent. The CATSS criteria proved to be more difficult to implement than expected, but some of the criteria rendered excellent results. The person of the verb was discussed in detail using 12 different criteria. The results of the criteria utilizing the person of the verb are disappointing, and provide some scope for future research. The results rendered by this new approach are firm and easy to interpret. In addition, it is possible to utilize these results when dealing with specific text-critical problems. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die antieke Hebreeuse Bybel word deur twee godsdienstige groepe, Judaisme en die Christendom, as Heilige Skrif gebruik. Hierdie boeke is in die laaste drie eeue voor die begin van die huidige era vertaal. Die oudste vertaling is die Griekse vertaling, genoemd die Septuagint. Die Hebreeuse en die Griekse tekste wat by hierdie vertaalproses betrokke was, is verlore. Daarbenewens is bale min van die lering en vertalingstegniek van die vertalers van die Septuagint bekend. Indien die vertalingstegniek, wat deur hierdie vertalers gevolg is, bestudeer word deur die huidige Hebreeuse en Griekse tekste met mekaar te vergelyk, kan daar lig op hierdie probleme gewerp word. 'n Nuwe metode waarvolgens die vertalingstegniek van die Septuagint bepaal en omskryf kan word, is in hierdie verhandeling voorgestel en getoets. Die metodologie is gebaseer op die gebruik van die Computer Assisted Tools for Septuagint Studies (CATSS) databasis en statistiese metodes. Die vertalingstegniek van die boek Deuteronomium is omskryf deur gebruik te maak van verskillende kriteria, wat almal die frekwensie van nie-letterlike vertalingselemente meet. Drie verskillende groepe kriteria is gebruik, nl. die Tov-kriteria, soos voorgestel deur E. Toy, die CATSS-kriteria, gebaseer op merkers in die CATSS databasis en grammatikale kriteria, in die vorm van die persoon van die werkwoord. Elke kriterium is individueel op die databasis toegepas. Die vertalingseenhede is eers vasgestel, waarna die vertalingstegniek beskryf is. Die metodologie wat gebruik is, onderskei tussen betekenisvolle en nie-betekenisvolle neigings in vertalingstegniek. Dit is duidelik dat die resultate van die verskillende kriteria verskillende vertalingseenhede en verskillende vertalingstegnieke vir elk van die kriteria aandui. Uitgesonder sommige kriteria, wat gebruik maak van die persoon van die werkwoord, is daar baie min ondersteuning gevind vir die handhawing van tradisionele vertalingseenhede. Dit wil eerder voorkom asof vertalingseenhede bepaal moet word voordat daar met die beskrywing van vertalingstegniek voortgegaan kan word. Die vertalingstegniek moet dan beskryf word met inagneming van die verskillende vertalingseenhede. Nie al die Tov-kriteria kon gebruik word nie, maar die resultate van die wat gebruik kon word, stem tot 'n mate ooreen. Dit het geblyk dat die CATSS-kriteria baie moeiliker was om te implementeer as wat verwag is. Sommige van hierdie kriteria het egter uitstekende resultate gelewer. Die persoon van die werkwoord is in nouere besonderhede ondersoek, deur gebruik te maak van 12 verskillende kriteria. Die resultate van die kriteria wat van die persoon van die werkwoord gebruik gemaak het, is teleurstellend, en bied moontlikhede vir addisionele navorsing. Die resultate wat deur die nuwe metode van ondersoek gelewer word, is vas en maklik om te interpreteer. Dit is ook moontlik om hierdie resultate te gebruik wanneer spesifieke tekskritiese probleme ondersoek moet word.

"The Quotations From the Septuagint in the Synoptic Gospels" is the result of a statement made in the Septuagint Class concerning the relation between the quotations of the Septuagint as found in the New Testament. An objective study ensued with the purpose of gathering together these quotations in a comparative study and a tabulation of the results.

The objective of this dissertation is to test some major theories on the discourse function of the Greek indicative verb-forms in narrative. Since the publication of Stanley Porter and Buist Fanning’s doctoral dissertations, verbal aspect has been a major area of research among scholars. Although the debate and research concerning the aspect of Greek verbs continues to be at the forefront of Greek grammatical studies, the question that begs to be answered is whether their answers can satisfactorily account for the varied verb-forms throughout the entirety of a historical narrative. This dissertation seeks to answer this question by testing current proposals on the discourse function of Greek indicative verb-forms within the narrative of Judith. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis of the dissertation, surveys the literature related to Greek grammar, and discusses the need to focus on discourse grammar. Chapter 2 surveys the literature related to discourse grammar, provides a methodology, and discusses the rationale for the selection of the book of Judith. Chapter 3 tests the function of the aorist and the imperfect within the book of Judith. Specifically, it tests the proposal—unless intentionally marked, the aorist is used to describe mainline events, it provides the foundation for the narrative, and thus moves it forward. Whereas the imperfect is used with non-events, giving descriptive or background information, rather than moving it forward. Chapter 4 examines the function of the present within the narrative of Judith. Namely, it evaluates Runge’s rejection of Stanley Porter’s claim that the present indicative verb-form is semantically marked for prominence. Chapter 5 observes the function of the perfect within the narrative of Judith. Specifically, it evaluates the thesis—the perfect is used to show the relevance of the action, idea, or situation to the current discourse. Chapter 6 provides a concluding summary of each chapter in this dissertation and suggests areas for fruitful future research.

What was the Old Greek translator’s literary and theological understanding of the book of Habakkuk? This is the central question of this thesis. The prophecy of Ambakoum (OG translation of “Habakkuk”) shows evidence of Greek rhetoric amidst numerous linguistic transformations. These features reflect part of the translator’s personal literary and translational style in the transformation process – an act of interpretation. The meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures was carried over into a new Greek text by a multi-lingual translator, working in Alexandria sometime in the second century B.C.E. The process of interpretation was affected by more than so-called literalism, but also by socio-historical, linguistic and theological considerations. When the translator was not literal his approach was not simply free or exegetical. A real challenge for the translator was not his comprehension of, or ability with, his Hebrew text, but his choice of words, syntax and grammar in his own language. Sometimes his knowledge of Aramaic, which was more familiar than Classical Hebrew, was a quicker or more logical recourse through which to make decisions when rendering his Koine text. An understanding of the translator’s style is derived from an examination of the linguistics (i.e. lexemes, morphosyntax, semantics, etc.) and literary shapes of the new target text. This provides a basis upon which to then derive the translator’s sense for his Hebrew Vorlage. It is the Greek translation that lays out his view(s). This thesis puts the translator’s style on display by providing studies on the different aspects of it. The shape of the target text highlights subtle differences that reveal the translator’s particular textual and thematic perspective. These studies answer the main question; they draw out and explain the translator’s approach, linguistic hurdles and inventions, Aramaic interference, and some subtle theological distinctions. Only by building upon a study of the Greek document can one then form a constructive response to this enquiry. This thesis contributes to the field by clearly presenting the translator’s adept ability with his own language, which was also marked with some Greek rhetorical devices. It also examines the concept of literalism in the Septuagint by drawing into focus the multi-faceted aspects of the translational, and therefore interpretational, process. And by reading Ambakoum as a religious and historical product, the theological differences with that of MT appear germane to the target text, unbound from our later readings of the source. The translator simply read his Hebrew text differently from the way we read ours; this thesis shows how.

No description available.

Thesis (PhD (Biblical Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The present dissertation is a commentary on Psalms 38 and 145 in the Septuagint (LXX) version, or more accurately, the Old Greek (OG) version. Specifically, this dissertation attempts to understand the semantic meaning of these psalms at the point of their inception, or composition, i.e. as translated literary units derivative of a presumed Semitic Vorlage. Stated differently, this dissertation sets out to understand how these psalms were interpreted in translation by the translator(s). With the task of interpretation comes the assumption that the “original” or “oldest” verifiable text can be first established since neither the OG nor its Vorlage are known to be extant. To this end it is necessary to begin with the best critical editions available while also attempting to reconstruct a viable representative of the OG and Vorlage in the light of standard text-critical criteria and translation technique. Although the Old Greek text is the object of study, the transmission history and related history of interpretation for both the Greek and Hebrew are selectively examined insofar as they are necessary as comparisons for the LXX at the point of its inception, and the Vorlage from which it was derived. This work assumes – in accordance with the way translation may be understood generally – that the translator(s) of the Psalms were attempting to communicate his/her Vorlage to a new audience. In this respect translation may be viewed as communication that crosses a language boundary. As such, both lexical replication and idiomatic representation fall within the scope of interpretation. Both phenomena occur in Ps 38 and 145 in varying degrees and both phenomena comprise aspects of the translator’s cross-lingual communication. Chapter 1 establishes preliminary concepts regarding translation in terms of isomorphic and isosemantic representation, textual criticism of the Psalter, and select MSS and witnesses used throughout the study. Chapter 2 surveys key modern translations of the Septuagint as well as certain trends in Translation and Communication Studies for methodological and hermeneutical approaches. Chapter 3 derives working methodological principles based upon the discussions in chapters 1 and 2. Chapters 4 and 5 are detailed, word-by-word, clause-by-clause, commentaries on Psalms 38 and 145 respectively. Chapter 6 offers a summary and conclusions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling is 'n kommentaar op Psalm 38 en 145 in die Septuagint (LXX), of meer bepaald, die Oud Griekse (OG) weergawe. Die navorsing poog in besonder om die semantiese betekenis van hierdie psalms ten tyde van hul ontstaan of samestelling te verstaan, dit wil sê as vertaalde literere eenhede wat vermoedelik op 'n Semitiese Vorlage gebaseer is. Anders gestel: Hierdie verhandeling is daarop uit om te begryp hoe die vertaler(s) van hierdie psalms die tekste vertolk het. Die taak van vertolking behels die veronderstelling dat die 'oorspronklike' of 'oudste' verifieerbare teks eers bepaal kan word. Sover bekend het nog die OG weergawe nog sy Vorlage egter behoue gebly. Daarom is dit nodig om met die beste beskikbare kritiese uitgawes te begin, en terselfdertyd 'n lewensvatbare weergawe van die OG teks en Vorlage te probeer rekonstrueer aan die hand van standaard- tekskritiese maatstawwe en -vertaaltegnieke. Hoewel dit hoofsaaklik die OG teks is wat bestudeer word, word die oorlewerings- en verwante geskiedenis van vertolking vir sowel die Grieks en Hebreeus ook selektief ondersoek in soverre dit vergelyk kan word met die ontstaansvorm van die LXX sowel as die Vorlage waarop dit gebaseer is. In pas met die waarskynlike algemene opvatting oor vertaling, gaan hierdie navorsing van die veronderstelling uit dat die vertaler(s) van die psalms sy/haar/hul Vorlage aan 'n nuwe gehoor wou probeer oordra. In die opsig kan vertaling as kommunikasie oor taalgrense heen beskou word. As sodanig val sowel leksikale duplisering as idiomatiese verteenwoordiging binne die bestek van vertolking. Albei verskynsels kom in wisselende mate in Psalm 38 en 145 voor en albei behels aspekte van die vertaler se intertaalkommunikasie. Hoofstuk 1 lê voorlopige konsepte met betrekking tot vertaling vas wat betref isomorfiese en isosemantiese verteenwoordiging, tekstekritiek op die Psalter, en uitgesoekte manuskripte (MSS) en getuienisse wat deur die hele studie gebruik word. Hoofstuk 2 ondersoek kernmoderne vertalings van die Septuagint sowel as bepaalde tendense in Vertaling en Kommunikasiestudie vir metodologiese en hermeneutiese benaderings. Op grond van die besprekings in die eerste twee hoofstukke, lê hoofstuk 3 metodologiese werksbeginsels neer. Hoofstuk 4 en 5 bevat uitvoerige, woord-vir-woord-, sinsdeel-vir-sinsdeel-kommentaar op Psalm 38 en 145 onderskeidelik. Hoofstuk 6 sluit af met 'n samevatting en gevolgtrekkings.

This dissertation identifies and addresses key issues in Septuagint lexicography using case studies from the Greek version of Judges. The first chapter outlines the state of the question on the textual history of Judges in Hebrew and Greek, and also presents my lexicographical method and related matters. Chapter two surveys the history of Septuagint lexicography. I demonstrate how data about the meaning of Septuagint vocabulary has been insufficiently or in appropriately derived, expressed, and/or documented. I also highlight debates over the nature of post-classical Greek and the language of the Septuagint, which has predisposed scholars against viewing the Septuagint corpus as part of post-classical Greek in general. By pointing out methodological flaws that have plagued Septuagint lexicography-as well as theoretical problems in a Hebrew-priority view of the language-I argue for a Greek-priority view that evaluates Septuagint vocabulary in light of contemporary sources and emphasizes the importance of documentary evidence. The following chapters provide case studies from Greek Judges that demonstrate the benefits of a Greek-priority view. Many cases of consistent vocabulary disagreement in the textual history of the book cannot be explained on the basis of the Hebrew text nor given the data available in current lexicons. Examination of post-classical Greek evidence demonstrates that the motivation for the language change is multifaceted, but clearly includes matters of style and semantics in Greek independent from the source text. Chapter three focuses on παρατάσσω and παράταξις; chapter four on παιδάριον, παιδίον, νεανίας, and νεάνισκος; and chapter five on ἀπάντησις and συνάντησις. Each chapter concludes by discussing the relevance of the evidence for Septuagint lexicography, the motivation underlying the revision of Greek Judges, and the potential of Septuagint vocabulary to inform Greek lexicography in general. Chapter six summarizes my lexical analysis and discusses the benefits of a Greek-priority approach and its value for Septuagint lexicography. I posit a time-frame for the translation and revision of Greek Judges based on linguistic evidence. I conclude by emphasizing the need for renewed efforts in Septuagint lexicography to incorporate literary and nonliterary post-classical Greek sources. To address this need, I provide several sample lexicon entries for words discussed in the preceding study.

The Old Greek version of the Book of Isaiah (hereafter LXX-Is) should be studied not only as a translation but also as an interpretation reflecting the theology of the translator or translator’s community in Egypt. ‘Free’ translation in LXX-Is usually appears not to originate from any misunderstanding of the probable Hebrew Vorlage or from a different Vorlage, but deliberately and consciously. Also it is important that these Greek renderings should be dealt with in a broader context, not merely verse by verse; because the Septuagint seems to have been regarded as a religious text in itself, circulating among Jews in Egypt. The most conspicuous theme in Septuagint Isaiah is a bold declaration concerning their identity. According to this, the Jewish diaspora in Egypt is the true remnant, and their residence in Egypt should be regarded as due to God’s initiative, thus “Eisodos” instead of “Exodus” is emphasized. Such ideas may be understood as displaying an apologetic concern of the Jewish diaspora to defend their continued residence in Egypt, whereas the Bible states firmly that Jews are not to go down there. Judgments against Egypt appear more strongly than MT, and this is another expression of their identity. LXX-Is supplies a bold translation in 19:18: a temple in Egypt, called the ‘city of righteousness’. The writings of Josephus testify to the existence of the Temple of Onias in Heliopolis under the reign of Ptolemy Philometor who apparently showed great favour towards the Jews. The temple’s significance should be considered as more than a temporary shrine for local Jewish mercenaries. Rather, it aimed to be a new Jerusalem under a lawful Zadokite priest. In addition to this, LXX-Is shares some interesting and distinctive ideas with Hellenistic Jewish literature, including views on priests and sacrifice, and an attitude towards foreign kings shared by Hellenistic Jewish literature of the period. To conclude, through comparing with MT and investigating LXX-Is as it stands, this work shows that LXX-Is is not just a translation but a Hellenistic Jewish document reflecting a particular theology of at least some Jews in Egypt. LXX-Is is shown to have its place within Jewish Hellenistic literature.