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Chapter 1 introduces the dissertation's thesis, highlights its methodology and establishes its goals. This dissertation argues that the divine warrior theme is a central Christological feature in both biblical and historical theology, which carries significant implications for contemporary issues in systematic theology. This chapter also sets the argument within the contemporary context of various approaches to theme of warfare in Scripture. Chapter 2 offers a historical analysis of treatments of the divine warrior theme in Christology. It reveals that prominent theologians throughout church history have recognized Christ as warrior king, particularly through their understanding of the atonement as victory. Chapter 3 explores how the divine warrior theme is a central feature in the messianic expectation of the Old Testament. It highlights how a biblical theology of warfare interplays with the Old Testament's emphasis on the unfolding kingdom of God. Chapter 4 argues that the New Testament presents Christ as a warrior king in its messianic fulfillment. The New Testament's treatment of the person and work of Christ presents him as a conquering messianic warrior. In addition, both the inaugurated and consummated dimensions of eschatology center on Christ the warrior king's victory. Chapter 5 demonstrates how the divine warrior theme in biblical theology yields beneficial insights into contemporary issues in systematic theology. It examines how a divine warrior Christology contributes to evangelical theology in the areas of the atonement, salvation, eschatology, and providence. Chapter 6 concludes the dissertation by offering a summary of arguments and considering areas for further research related to the subject. It suggests that evangelical theology could benefit significantly from further exploration of the divine warrior theme in Christology.

ABSTRACT THE ROYAL PRIEST: PSALM 110 IN BIBLICAL- THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE Matthew Habib Emadi, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016 Chair: Dr. James M. Hamilton, Jr. This dissertation develops the biblical-theological rationale for the union of kingship and priesthood in Psalm 110 in the context of the entire canon. The thesis of this project is that a canonical reading of David’s depiction of the eschatological Melchizedekian priest-king develops God’s creational purpose for humanity to establish God’s kingdom (king) by mediating God’s covenantal blessings from his temple sanctuary (priest), and simultaneously advances God’s redemption project by depicting the order of royal priesthood that would bring the promises of the Abrahamic covenant to fruition. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis and methodological issues pertaining to this study, and surveys the research in the modern period in order to identify how scholars have handled the union of kingship and priesthood in a single figure in Psalm 110. Chapter 2 examines the concept of royal priesthood in the Torah. This examination demonstrates that Adam is the Bible’s royal priestly prototype and that his royal priesthood is recapitulated in important covenantal figures—Noah, Abraham, Melchizedek, Israel, and Aaron. Melchizedek, in particular, is a priest-king uniquely associated with Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant. Chapter 3 situates Psalm 110 in its Old Testament context and hones in on the patterns of David’s own life experiences—revealed in 1–2 Samuel—and the content of the Davidic covenant in order to show how David would have arrived at the conclusion that the messiah was to be a royal priest after the order of Melchizedek. Chapter 4 briefly investigates the intertestamental literature in order to show how the union of priesthood and kingship in Psalm 110 influenced the messianic expectations of the authors of the Testament of Levi, 1 Enoch, 2 Enoch, and 11QMelchizedek. Chapter 5 focuses on how the New Testament develops the union of priesthood and kingship in the person and work of Jesus Christ on the basis of Psalm 110. The Gospel of Mark and the epistle to the Hebrews pick up the royal priestly logic of Psalm 110 in their respective Christological arguments. Chapter 6 is the conclusion. It summarizes the arguments of the previous chapters and proposes some theological implications from this study.

This study explores the relationship between the use of the third person for self-reference by Jesus and Yahweh and suggests the potential for both divine and royal themes associated with this manner of speech. Chapter 1 highlights that this issue has received little attention in scholarship. In order to offer a thorough evaluation, the study offers a comprehensive survey of illeim in the Bible, highlighting its prominence and various rhetorical implications. Chapter 2 surveys the use of illeism in antiquity in order to address whether illeism was a common manner of speaking. Though various Greek historians refer to themselves in the third person, evidence indicates that this was a rhetorical effort sometimes used to give a sense of objectivity to their works. No evidence was found that would indicate that illeism was commonly used in direct speech. Chapter 3 surveys the Old Testament and categorizes the various uses of illeism. The study highlights the similar and prominent use by both OT kings and Yahweh. Chapter 4 explores the ANE literature for occurrences of illeism and notes the relatively prominent use among both ANE kings and preeminent pagan gods. Chapter 5 addresses the illeism of Jesus, the only person in the New Testament to use illeism in direct discourse, and finds a similar manner of use and rhetorical intention as that of Old Testament and ANE kings and that of Yahweh. In each case the illeism serves to emphasize the speaker's unique identity and authority associated with royal and/or divine status. The study also notes the illeism of Yahweh and Jesus share the common characteristics of prominence of occurrences, a shifting between first and third person, a variety of distinct self-references, and similar rhetorical intent. Chapter 6 summarizes the study and highlights the suggestive nature of the evidence. In light of the evaluation of the use of illeism by Jesus and Yahweh, based on the similar usage among Old Testament and ANE kings, and ANE gods, as well as the analysis of the various rhetorical implications of illeism, the evidence suggests that a royal and divine theme may be associated with the third-person self-references of Yahweh and Jesus. Furthermore, in light of the parallels between the two uses, the study suggests this manner of speech may be yet another way Jesus presents himself "as God."

M.Litt. et Phil. / Die boek Openbaring word nie net deur helder en dramatiese beelde gekenmerk nie, maar ook deur die verskeidenheid name wat aan Jesus gegee word. Elke naam hou verband met een of meer eienskappe van Jesus en dui op 'n aspek van sy funksie binne God se verlossingsplan. In die simboliek van Openbaring staan die plek en rol van die Lam sentraal in die afloop van die eskatologiese gebeure. Hy wat as Leeu van Juda histories van Dawid afstam, maar as lam "geslag, (tot versoening aan God geoffer) is het die bevoegdheid ontvang om die boekrol met sewe seels in die hand van God oop te maak (hfst.5). Volgens Botha, De Villiers en Engelbrecht (1988:12) bevat Openbaring 'n potpourri van motiewe en idees wat verband hou met ander godsdienste of Bybelse tye byvoorbeeld Persiese, Babiloniese en Gnostiese motiewe. Die invloed van die ou Oosterse mitologie kan duidelik bespeur word in byvoorbeeld die Babiloniese weergawe van die stryd tussen die Skepper en 'n grout seemonster'. Ook die "hemelse tablette" wat tydens die Nuwejaarsfees 'n uiters belangrike rol gespeel het wanneer die god, Marduk, die draak, Tiamat oorwin en die tablette in sy hand geplaas word om sy mag en oorwinning aan te dui. In Openbaring het die Lam alleen die mag om die boek uit die hand van God te neem en die seals daarvan te breek. Die boekrol wat Johannes sien, bevat al die inligting van God se planne met die geskiedenis. Die feit dat die boekrol met sewe seels verseel is, is 'n aanduiding daarvan dat dit volkome geslote en ontoeganklik is. Niemand in die hemel, op die aarde of onder die aarde kon gevind word om God se plan vir die wereldgeskiedenis te laat oopvou nie. Totdat een van die ouderlinge die aandag vestig dat Jesus Christus, die Lam, waardig is om die seels te breek.