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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Modern society is plagued by an intense conflict of political ideologies. These conflicts in many instances reflect very serious religious overtones. Each person or group claims the right to react to socio-political issues on the basis of their own worldviews that are shaped by their cultural backgrounds, religious belief systems and political ideals. Human diversity serve to complicate matters even more and has in many instances found expression in political and religious intolerance, a fact testified to by the large-scale abuse of human rights that took place with increased intensity in the 20th century. Many Christians have failed to challenge the injustices that have resulted from these political ideologies and have instead opted to become 'apolitical' or simply hiding behind the argument that politics and religion does not mix. The author through a careful study of biblical political structures in the ancient Near East attempts to demonstrate the extent to which political ideologies of communities were influenced by the cultural milieu within which they existed. The feelings of ambivalence we experience in our faith are a direct result of these influences. An understanding of political ideology from a biblical perspective is essential to understand current world conflicts especially those that relate to the Middle East region. The author also argues for a reconciliation of politics and religion in the collective psyche of Christians. This would enhance a sense of sociopolitical responsibility in terms of the biblical mandate. The responsibility of government structures in terms of this mandate is also important and needs to be emphasised. The primary responsibility of any government is the welfare of its citizens and the management of public resources in an orderly, moral and efficient manner. A large percentage of government officials find it extremely difficult to face up to the challenge. The perspectives presented not only gives one insight into the historical development of biblical political worldviews. but presents us with challenges to pursue opportunities for peace and justice that would recognise and advance human dignity, human equality and human responsibility. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die moderne samelewing is oorweldig deur konflikte van politieke ideologies. Hierdie konflikte is in baie gevalle 'n weerspieëling van baie ernstige godsdienstige motiewe. Elke persoon of groep behou hom die reg voor om te reageer op socio-politiese aangeleenthede op grond van 'n eie wêreldsiening wat geskep word deur kulturele agtergronde, godsdienstige geloofsstelsels en politieke ideale. Menslike verskeidenheid maak hierdie aangeleenthede meer ingewikkeld en het in baie gevalle gelei na politieke en godsdienstige onverdraagsaamheid. Dit het verder aanleiding gegee tot die grootskaalse menseregte skendings wat plaasgevind het met groter intensiteit gedurende die 20ste eeu. Vele Christene het nie daarin geslaag om die uitdagings van ongeregtighede, wat voortspruit uit hierdie politieke ideologieë, die hoof te bied nie en het verkies om of hulself as 'apolities' te verklaar of om te argumenteer dat politiek en die godsdiens nie bymekaar hoort nie. Die skrywer, deur 'n indringende studie van bybelse politieke strukture van die ou Nabye Ooste te onderneem, poog om te demonstreer dat politiek ideologies gekleur was deur die kulturele samestelling van die gemeenskap. Gevoelens van ambivalensie wat ons ervaar in ons geloof is regstreeks as gevolg van hierdie omstandighede. Politieke ideologie vanuit 'n bybelse perspektief gee vir ons die geleentheid om huidige wêreldkonflikte beter te verstaan veral dit wat betrekking het op die Midde Ooste streek. Die skrywer stel ook voor die versoening van politiek en die godsdiens in die kollektiewe psige van Christene. As gevolg hiervan word die socio-politiese verantwoordelikheid van die Christen verhef in lyn met die bybelse mandaat. Die verantwoordelikheid van regerings strukture in terme van hierdie mandaat is ook belangrik en behoort beklemtoon word. Die primêre doel van enige regering is die welvaart van sy burgers sowel as die bestuur van sy openbare hulpbronne op 'n ordelike, sedelike en doeltreffende manier. 'n Groot aantal regeringsbeamptes vind dit moeilik om hierdie uitdaging die hoof te bied. Hierdie perspektiewe, wat hier aangebied word, gee nie net vir ons insig tot die historiese ontwikkeling van bybelse politieke wêreldsieninge nie, maar daag ons uit om geleenthede vir vrede en geregtigheid wat menslike waardigheid, menslike gelykheid en menslike verantwoordelikheid erken, na te jag.

Text in German, summaries in English and German / Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, wie die paulinische Ethik von der Eschatologie bestimmtwird. Ausgehend von einer Untersuchung der hellenistisch-römischen Jenseitserwartung und ihren (möglichen) ethischen Implikationen werden der 1. Thessalonicherbrief, der1. Korintherbrief und der Römerbrief hinsichtlichdesVerhältnisses von Ethik und Eschatologie analysiert. Durch Bestimmung und Zuordnung eschatologischer Einzelmotive zu ethischen Weisungen wird die These erhoben, dass eschatologische Motive primär der Begründung exklusivethischer Mahnungen dienen, wenngleich sie auch bei inklusiv-ethischen Themen zum Einsatz kommen.Zugleich zeichnet sich ab, dass das (von Paulus charakterisierte)ethisch-moralische Versagen und die Hoffnungslosigkeit der Heiden sowie die Hoffnung und der ethische Anspruch an Christen in Korrelation zueinander stehen. / This thesis examines how Paul’s ethical teaching is determined by his eschatology. Based on a survey of Hellenistic-Roman expectations regarding the hereafter and their potential ethical implications, this study examines 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians and Romans in order to understand the relation between ethics and eschatology. By identifying and matching individual eschatological motifs with ethical directives the thesis proposed that eschatological motifs are primarily utilized as the foundation for exclusive ethical exhortations, although they also appear in the context of inclusive ethical issues. At the same time, it becomes clear that the moral-ethical depravity and hopelessness of the Gentiles (as they are characterised by Paul) as well as hope and the ethical demands on Christians on stand in correlation with each other / New Testament / D. Th. (New Testament)

The present study covers the causes of victory and defeat in the light of chapter eight of the Holy Qur'an. It has been prompted by the current situation facing Muslims in many parts of the world, which is characterized by despair, reversals and loss, This study is thus reflexive in nature. In order to obtain a satisfactory response to this predicament, the relevant text in addition to several of its commentaries were scrutinized. The latter search remained unsatisfactory since their focus of inquiry was merely exegetical and failed to reveal any didactic element, which is crucial for obtaining guidance. This work has successfully managed to deduce this aspect from the text which amplifies the importance of extensive sacrifice for gaining glory. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Islamic studies)

There is presumed dialogue between the book of Proverbs and Shona wisdom poems in dealing with the subject of home based nurturing towards societal stability. The underlying principle in both approaches, it seems, is that preparation for life begins in the home. Its negligence could account for societal breakdown. This study seeks to explore, on the one hand, the contemporary validity of home based nurturing as observed in these traditional settings, and on the other, to investigate whether this dialogue yields a methodological approach of using Africa to interpret the Old Testament. The assumption we are taking in this study is that societal stability begins in the home. A socio-rhetorical reading of Proverbs 1-9 seems to reveal that these texts were written from the perspective of a parent-teacher, with years of experience and attained wisdom, which creates a forum to pass on this knowledge to a child-student. The common approach in both traditional settings is that the speaker employs wisdom poems, (memorable compositions) and local sayings (observed phenomena) to illustrate or illumine a given everyday reality as the prescriptive solution for becoming successful in life. Thus, wisdom poems, both biblical and Shona, are almost consistently used to communicate truth and lessons for life. For that reason, the reading of the book of Proverbs and that of Shona wisdom poems demands a novel hermeneutical approach. / Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

This dissertation examines the legends of the Biblical book of Joshua in an attempt to identify the relics of reminiscence that reside within the document. The initial step in this process is presenting the neuropsychological perspective of myth making and the nature of confabulation in oral tradition. The natural segue is then made to the Deuteronomistic history of the text and the formation of the initial source legend. From this investigation the basic structure of the Primary Conquest Source Legend is exposed. The next step is a comparison of this Source Legend with the history of proto-Israel. This investigation provides a clear contextual epoch for the legend of conquest against Jericho and Ai. A related finding is the contextual epoch for the second source legend used to form the present text of Joshua. / Religious Studies & Arabic / D.Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

This thesis is an investigation into the discrepancies that exist in textual interpretations within Pentacostalism, in view of the ongoing search for a viable hermeneutic model unique to Pentecostalism. Since its birth, the modern Pentecostal movement has been influenced by many other theological traditions, especially Covenant theology and Dispensationalism. Nevertheless, from this research it becomes clear that Pentecostalists themselves have contributed to the discrepancies by failing to distinguish between biblical passages related to national Israel and those related to the church. It is factual that cultural differences and theological backgrounds influence the interpretations ascribed to Scripture. Yet, this research found that scriptural interpretive discrepancies exist amongst Pentecostalists belonging to the same cultural group and same denomination. This study presents a new perspective on biblical interpretation for Pentecostalism, namely the Mediatorial View, which when consistently applied to all tectual interpretations, most certainly will reduce the number of discrepancies that exist. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

ABSTRACT (deutsch) Das Lukasevangelium ist ein literarisches Werk in Form einer Erzählung. Die Pharisäer spielen darin eine zentrale Rolle als wichtigste Gruppe der Gegenspieler Jesu. Die Methode der narrativen Exegese ist daher geeignet, die Darstellung der Pharisäer zu analysieren und eine literarische Charakterisierung vorzunehmen. Eine Untersuchung aller Texte des Lukasevangeliums, in denen Pharisäer erwähnt werden, ergibt ein komplexes und facettenreiches Pharisäerporträt. Die Pharisäer werden primär negativ dargestellt, als religiöse Führer, die die göttliche Sendung Jesu, seine Vollmacht und seinen Auftrag, nicht erkennen und ablehnen. Die Pharisäer haben eine Kontrastfunktion innerhalb der Gesamterzählung des Lukasevangeliums. Sie dienen als Negativfolie, auf der die Bedeutung der Hauptfigur Jesus umso heller aufleuchtet. Ein Merkmal des Lukasevangeliums ist jedoch, dass dieses primär negative Bild durch die erzählerische Darstellung mehrfach abgeschwächt wird. Der Erzähler zeichnet kein einseitiges Pharisäerbild (flat character), sondern differenziert deutlich (mehr als die anderen Synoptiker). Er verzichtet bei der Präsentation ihres Verhaltens und ihrer Worte weitgehend auf explizit feindliche Aspekte. Er deutet eine relative Nähe zwischen Jesus und den Pharisäern an. Eine abschließende negative Wertung oder Verurteilung der Pharisäer unterbleibt. Auffällig ist die komplette Auslassung der Rolle der Pharisäer beim Prozess gegen Jesus. Die Reaktion Jesu auf die Pharisäer ist geprägt von Milde und Hoffnung, trotz vereinzelter scharfer Auseinandersetzungen. Jesus ist bei allen Begegnungen mit den Pharisäern bemüht, ihnen zur Erkenntnis seiner Person als göttlichem Gesandten zu verhelfen und sie zur Umkehr zu bewegen. ABSTRACT (english) The Gospel of Luke is a literary work in narrative form in which the Pharisees play a central role as the most important group in opposition to Jesus. Thus narrative exegesis is an appropriate method to analyse the presentation of the Pharisees and to undertake a literary characterisation of their role. An examination of all the texts in Luke's Gospel which mention the Pharisees yields a complex, multi-facetted portrait of the Pharisees. The Pharisees, characterised primarily negatively as religious leaders, neither recognise nor acknowledge the divine mission of Jesus, nor his authority nor mandate. Rather the Pharisees function in juxtaposition to Christ and his ministry within the overall narrative of Luke's Gospel. They serve as a negative backdrop against which the central figure of Jesus appears all the more significant, indeed even radiant. However, it is one trait of Luke's Gospel that this primarily negative picture is repeatedly softened by the narrative presentation. The narrator does not paint a one-sided picture of the Pharisees (flat character) but differentiates clearly in his presentation (more than the other Synoptic Gospels do). In his presentation of the Pharisees' behaviour and words the author to a large extent forgoes mentioning explicitly hostile aspects, but rather intimates the relative proximity between Jesus and the Pharisees. There is no final negative evaluation or judgement passed on the Pharisees. It is noteworthy that there is a complete omission of the role of the Pharisees in the legal proceedings and court trials against Jesus. Jesus' reaction to the Pharisees is nevertheless one of gentleness and hope, despite a few acrimonious conflicts recounted in the narrative. In all of his encounters with Pharisees Jesus endeavours to help them recognise himself as divine envoy and to move them to repentance. / New Testament / M.Th.

This research has the objective to explore the concept of faith in the Gospel of Mark. An exegetical investigation of the faith terminology (pist-word group) in the Gospel is required for that. An analysis of the model passages with occurrences of the motword group shows the variety of possible connotations of the term. The most paradigmatic of them are in the sense of trust in God [which means to be open towards the highest reality]. Comparison of the results of the analysis with the concept of faith in the Old Testament, Classical Greek, and Hellenistic Greek is helpful to understand the etymology of the Markan use of the pist-word group and to make clear the conceptual meaning of faith in the Gospel which is closer to the Old Testament idea of an active commitment to God expressed in a continuous existence in the presence of Him. / New Testament / M. Th. (New Testament)

Classics and Modern Europe Language / M.A. Ancient Languages and Culture