Thesis (S.T.M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [57]-61).

Thesis (M. Div.)--Grace Theological Seminary, 1985. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-61).

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relationship between the nation of Israel, Jesus Christ, and the church. An examination of the biblical texts with particular attention to the nature of typology indicates that the reigning systems of evangelical theology—covenant and dispensational theology—have improperly formulated their ecclesiologies with respect to the Israel-church relationship. Chapter 1 surveys the importance of typology in the covenant and dispensational debate and presents a theological resolution. Chapter 2 evaluates the various proposals for the nature of typology. After affirming that typology is to be distinguished from allegory, the specific features of the type and antitype correspondence are offered. The notion of fulfillment in typological patterns and how types are textually identified are also presented. Chapter 3 surveys the hermeneutics of covenant theology. Attention is focused on the covenant of works and the covenant of grace as an interpretative framework for the structuring of redemptive history. Covenant theologians put together the Israel-church relationship in their ecclesiology in a manner that leads to direct continuity. How they conceive of this typological relationship is also analyzed. Chapter 4 moves to the other prominent system of evangelical theology: dispensationalism. The various forms or varieties of dispensational thinking along with their hermeneutical commitments are surveyed. The distinction between Israel and the church is the hallmark of dispensationalism, which means discontinuity is emphasized. The dispensational proposals for typology and why the nation of Israel is not viewed as a type of Christ or the church receive subsequent focus. Chapter 5 argues that national, Old Testament Israel is a type of Jesus Christ in accord with the characteristics of typology as elucidated in chapter 2. Israel’s identity and roles expressed through the sonship, seed of Abraham, servanthood, and vineyard themes, among others, demonstrate that Israel is a typological pattern that reaches antitypical fulfillment in Christ. Such analysis has negative implications for both dispensational and covenant theologies since these ecclesiological systems either do not recognize this typological relationship or they do not draw proper conclusions from the entailments of the Israel-Christ typological pattern. Chapter 6 develops the Christ-church relationship first, examining the symmetry of personal and corporate union with Christ. Having analyzed Israel’s relationship to Christ (chapter 5) and the church’s union with Christ, the Israel-church relationship is explored and is found to be of a typological nature, but only through Christ. Ecclesiological conclusions for dispensational and covenant theologies are offered. Lastly, potential defeater texts from the New Testament are evaluated and shown to not unsettle the conclusion that national Israel is a type of Christ and the church. Chapter 7 summarizes the thesis and briefly presents progressive covenantalism as the solution to overcoming the ecclesiological problems found in covenant and dispensational theology.

The present thesis investigates Paul's understanding of covenant in Gal 3:15-18 and relates it to covenantal thought in Judaism. The Biblical covenant is commonly thought of as a contract with the result that the law is not seen as a covenant in itself but only as part of a covenant. This covenantal view of the law is seen as the specific OT and Jewish view and forms the background against which Paul's treatment of the law is studied. The contractual view of covenant and the resultant way of relating Paul's treatment of the law to Jewish thought is challenged. The problem of defining Paul's covenant concept is approached from a study of Gal 3:15. The attempts to interpret this text as a description of some institution of the Greco-Roman world are found deficient. A fresh attempt is made to understand this text as referring to the OT covenant. It is argued that diathēkē means "an enactment" or "ordinance." This claim counters the common notion that the specific idea in this term is that of one-sidedness in an arrangement, a nuance absent from the Hebraic term běrît. By understanding the OT covenant as an enactment, Paul works with the definition of covenant reflected in the OT and universally held in Judaism. There is therefore no disparity between Paul and Judaism in definition of covenant, as is often assumed. Since covenant is an enactment, law itself is a covenant rather than being part of a covenant. This notion lies behind the singular covenant motif seen in the literature from Qumran. The sectaries saw only one covenant between God and his people, of which the various covenant formulations of the OT are only renewals. The one covenant is identified with the law. Other Jewish sources surveyed reflect the same theology of covenant. Paul also understands the law as a covenant but denies the singular covenant motif. In Gal 3:17-18 he treats the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenant formulations as separate and mutually exclusive covenants. By breaking with the singular covenant motif, Paul finds himself outside the pale of Jewish covenantal thought. Paul's break with the Jewish understanding of law lies thus in his interpretation of the OT covenant formulations. / Arts, Faculty of / Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Department of / Graduate

Thesis (Th. M.)--Western Seminary, Portland, OR, 2007. / Abstract. Typescript. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-152).

Thesis (M.A.)--Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-92).

Thesis (M.A.)--Columbia Biblical Seminary, 1987. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-76).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-186).

Thesis (M.A.)--Columbia Biblical Seminary, 1987. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-76).

Thesis (S.T.M.)--Concordia Seminary, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-121).