Thesis (DTh (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / In this study the very relevant theological-ethical question of social identity and intergroup conflict is looked at. This is done by reading the Book of Nahum multidimensionally as an “Oracles Concerning the Nations” text, and as part of the Book of the Twelve. The multidimensional methodology includes a combination of synchronic and diachronic reading strategies, the implementation of social identity theory and self-categorization theory, the focus on ideological-critical aspects and theological-ethical questioning. In the process of research the underlying dynamic of social identity construction of ancient Israel is uncovered and theological-ethically appropriated. In the first two chapters the problem of the global rise of extreme nationalism, racism and zenophobia is noted. The very diverse post-apartheid society of South Africa, as well as the post-nazi and post-unification German society is mentioned. The Book of Nahum, an Oracle “Concerning the Nations” text, is chosen as avenue for studying the dynamic underlying the construction of social identity in ancient Israel. It is suggested that while a one-dimensional reading strategy may lead to an exclusivist intepretation of Nahum that fosters a theological ethic of intolerance and hate, a multidimensional reading strategy leads to a theological ethic of liberation, responsibility and peace. Chapters 3 and 4 give a research overview of the study of ancient Israel’s identity as well as how the Book of Nahum is to be understood with regards to its dating, unity, stucture and historical situation. The research overview shows how incorporating social identity theory and self-categorization theory provides a better and more integrated perspective on social identity than what has been done up to now. The social psychology theories are summarized into five working premises. The background study of Nahum comes to the conclusion that Nahum should be read synchronically in its diachronical development from the pre-exilic Assyrian crisis with its polarized political inter-group conflicts to the exilic/post-exilic situation with its unique search for a new beginning, identity and hope. Chapters 5 and 6 contain the exegetical explication of the Book of Nahum. Nahum 1:9- 14;2:2-3:19 is interpreted as a pre-exilic construction of social identity. Nahum 1:2-8;2:1 is read as an exilic/post-exilic text. The inter-group dynamic between the Yahweh-Alone movement and the pro-Assyria party (pre-exilic) as well as the Deutero-Isaiah group with its theological opponents (exilic/post-exilic) are interpreted in terms of the five social identity premises. Although social identity construction in Nahum does follow the main premises of discrimination and prototypical ingroup favouring a surprising ambiguous undercurrent of self-criticism as apposed to ethnocentrism is discovered in both historical situations. Apart from the social identity, a strong movement towards liberation from oppression is present in the Book of Nahum. This underlying ambiguous dynamic of social identity construction and the liberatory rhetoric of Nahum is appropriated theolgical-ethically in Chapter 7. A theological-ethical model, which combines the role of identity in ethics, the concept of “natural law”, the responsibility ethics of Levinas and a focus on liberation, is suggested as a useful instrument for interpreting the theological-ethically uncomfortable Oracles Concerning the Nations texts. Chapter 8 summarizes the study and points out the research’s contribution towards Old Testament methodology (exegetical and ethical), Nahum studies as well as providing a possible theological-ethical solution to intergroup conflicts (religious, cultural, political etc.) from an Old Testament perspective.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As the title suggests, this research is a study of primogeniture in the Old Testament towards a theological-ethical understanding of patriarchy in ancient Israel. Using the Ancient Near East as a wider context of the Old Testament, the research first analysed the Ancient Near East texts relating to primogeniture, i.e., texts relating to inheritance and succession. In so doing the research reveals that primogeniture was a generally practiced custom of most of the Ancient Near East societies, serving as a cornerstone for their patriarchal culture. The research also demonstrates that there were exceptions to the rule. For example, the Elamites practiced matrilineal and matrilocal customs. Within the general practice of primogeniture among most of the Ancient Near East societies, firstborns were often displaced in favour of younger sons. In some cases, daughters and wives could also inherit and own properties, although succession to the throne by daughters was rare. The central focus of the research is a socio-rhetorical criticism of the primogeniture text of Deuteronomy 21:15-17. Like in the Ancient Near East, this study also discovers that primogeniture was a generally practiced custom as well as a cornerstone of ancient Israel’s patriarchy. However, exceptions to this rule in ancient Israel seemed to be even more notorious than in those of other ancient Near East societies. The custom was often not followed. Daughters could also inherit. Firstborns were displaced by their younger brothers for prime heirship of the family as well as succession to the throne. This violation of primogeniture custom was theologically and ethically qualified and politically and ideologically appropriated. The research thus concludes that these theological-ethical qualifications as well as political-ideological appropriation of the violation of primogeniture based on socio-economic and religious-political changes of society indicate that patriarchy according to the Old Testament is not a static divine blueprint for all societies of all generations. Rather, patriarchy in ancient Israel was a dynamic socio-historical and theologicalethical process which was subjected to change, modification, reinterpretation, and re-appropriation according to socio-economic and religious-political developments of a given society. In the name of patriarchy, women had been denied their rights, robbed of their dignity and worth, and regarded as a second class image of God in many societies, then and now. Committed to correcting these wrongs, this research – arguing that patriarchy in the Old Testament is not so much a privilege as it is to a responsibility – challenges the contemporary hierarchical patriarchal ideologies, and contends for gender equality in all walks of life, remembering that we are all created equally in the image of God. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Soos die titel aandui, dek hierdie studie eersgeborenheid in die Ou Testament om 'n teologies-etiese begrip van die patriargie in antieke Israel te bewerkstellig. Teen die Antieke Nabye Ooste (ANO) as wyer konteks van die Ou Testament, analiseer die navorsing ten eerste die ONO-tekste wat betrekking het op eersgeborenheid, met ander woorde tekste wat verwys na vererwing en opvolging. In die proses het die navorsing aan die lig gebring dat eersgeborenheid 'n wydverspreide praktyk in die meeste ANOgemeenskappe was en as hoeksteen vir hul voortbestaan en patriargale stelsels gedien het. Die navorsing het ook aangetoon dat uitsonderings op hierdie reël voorgekom het. So het die Elamiete byvoorbeeld matriliniêre gebruike gehad, asook waar die man by die vrou se familie gaan woon het. In die algemene gebruik van eersgeborenheid onder meeste van die ANO-gemeenskappe, is eersgeborenes dikwels vervang ten gunste van jonger seuns. In sommige gevalle kon dogters en eggenotes ook erflatings ontvang en vaste eiendomme besit, alhoewel troonopvolging deur dogters baie selde voorgekom het. Die sentrale fokus van die navorsing is 'n sosioretoriese kritiek op die eersgeborenheidsteks in Deuteronomium 21:15-17. Soos ten opsigte van die ANO, het die studie ook vasgestel dat eersgeborenheid 'n algemeen aanvaarde praktyk en ook hoeksteen van antieke Israel se patriargie gevorm het. Maar die uitsonderings op hierdie reël in antieke Israel was skynbaar selfs meer opspraakwekkend as in ander ANOgemeenskappe. Die gebruik is dikwels nie nagevolg nie. Dogters kon ook vererf. Eersgeborenes is deur hul jonger broers vir die belangrikste erfporsie van die familie vervang, asook vir troonopvolging. Hierdie verbreking van die eersgeborenheidsgebruik is teologies en eties gekwalifiseer en polities en ideologies toegepas. Die navorsing kom dus tot die gevolgtrekking dat hierdie teologies-etiese kwalifikasies, asook die polities-ideologiese toepassing van die verbreking van eersgeborenheid, gebaseer op sosio-ekonomiese en religieus-politieke veranderinge in die gemeenskap, aandui dat patriargie volgens die Ou testament nie 'n statiese, godgegewe bloudruk vir alle gemeenskappe van alle generasies daarstel nie. Patriargie in antieke Israel was eerder 'n dinamiese sosiohistoriese en telogies-etiese proses, wat onderworpe was aan verandering, aanpassing, herinterpretasie en hertoepassing ingevolge soio-ekonomiese en religieus-politieke ontwikkelinge van 'n gegewe gemeenskap. In die naam van patriargie is vroue in baie gemeenskappe, destyds en vandag nog, ontneem van hul regte, van hul waardigheid en van hul waarde gestroop en beskou as 'n tweede klas beeld van God. Hierdie navorsing is toegewy aan die regstel van hierdie onregte en is van mening dat patriargie in die Ou testament nie sodanig 'n voorreg was nie as 'n verantwoordelikheid en daag daarmee die hedendaagse hiërargiese patriargale ideologieë uit. Dit spreek hom uit ten gunste van geslagsgelykheid in alle gebiede van die lewe, met in ag neming dat ons almal gelyk geskape is in die beeld van God.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2000 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Apart from the literature of Ancient Israel itself, and contemporary literature from the ancient Near East, archaeological data continue to be an important source for the historian seeking to elucidate a history of ancient Israel or certain aspects of that history. Notwithstanding certain developments in the field of Biblical scholarship as well as archaeology, the discipline of Biblical archaeology continues to survive as the framework in which these two disciplines join forces, and, quite possibly, may enter into the historical discourse in meaningful dialogue with each other. The historical discourse of course, is multidimensional, that is to say, the insights deriving from a diversity of methodological approaches are being integrated and related to each other in order to gain an improved understanding of the Old Testament (or certain aspects thereof), and the cultural-historical context from which the Old Testament came to be. Of decisive importance for Biblical archaeology is the foundation on which this dialogue takes place, after all, the basis on which the dialogue takes place has a determining influence on the collection and interpretation of archaeological data; and the use of them, similarly, on the understanding and interpretation of the Bible. The title of this dissertation suffices to indicate that the focus is on burial stories and burial customs in Palestine during the Iron Age. The dissertation then proceeds to show how a certain aspect of Old Testament views of death and dying, that is the coherence between posterity (the living) and the ancestors (those who have died) - which, among other things surface in the genealogical presentation of burial stories - can be understood from the burial customs in Syro-Palestine. In that respect the archaeological data contributes to an understanding of the death notices (presenting themselves as genealogical material in family burial stories) within the culturalhistorical milieu in which they appear. The coherence between religious documents and their cultural embeddedness contributes to a bettter understanding of the theological significance of the relevant texts. In addition to the fact that archaeology expands the database of historical discourse, important aspects of the Old Testament world of experience and historical context come to the fore that have so far been ignored in this discipline. An important aspect of burial customs, in terms of both the archaeological record (family graves) and the literary legacy of Ancient Israel (death notices and genealogies in the Old Testament) is the continuing relationship between the preceeding generations (the ancestors that have passed on) and the posterity (the community of those still living). The connection established in family burial stories between genealogical material (death notices) and the family burial customs highlights an important perspective, that is, the relation between the preceeding generations and the community still living as an element of the expectation of the future, or the future-directedness of Ancient Israel. The expectation of the future, with specific reference to the grave, is defined in terms of continuity in the generational community of familial relations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Naas die literatuur van Ou Israel self, sowel as kontemporere literatuur uit die ou Nabye Ooste, bly argeologiese data In belangrike bron tot beskikking van die historikus wat In geskiedenis van Ou Israel of sekere aspekte daarvan wil verduidelik. Nieteenstaande sekere verwikkelinge op die gebied van die Bybelwetenskap aan die een kant, en van die Argeologie aan die ander kant, bly die dissipline Bybelse argeologie voortleef as die kader waar die twee dissiplines by mekaar aansluit, en bes moontlik tot In sinvolle dialoog met mekaar kan toetree in In historiese diskoers. Die historiese diskoers is uit die aard van die saak multidimensioneel van aard, dit wil se die insigte vanuit In verskeidenheid metodologiese benaderings word geintegreer en in verband tot mekaar gestel ten einde In beter begrip van die Ou Testament (of sekere aspekte daarvan) en die kultuur-historiese milieu - van waaruit die Ou Testament ontstaan het - te verkry. Van deurslaggewende belang vir die Bybelse argeologie is die basis waarop hierdie dialoog plaasvind. Die basis waarop die dialoog plaasvind, het immers In bepalende invloed op die versameling en interpretasie van argeologiese data; en die gebruik daarvan vir die verstaan en interpretasie van die Bybel. Die titel van die proefskrif dui reeds aan dat daar gefokus word op grafvertellinge en grafgebruike gedurende die Ystertyd in Palestina. Vervolgens word aangedui hoe In bepaalde aspek van die Ou-Testamentiese sieninge oor die dood, naamlik die samehang tussen die nageslag (lewendes) en die voorgeslag (ontslapenes) - wat onder meer ter sprake kom in die genealogiese aanbieding van die grafvertellinge - vanuit grafgebruike in Siro-Palestina verstaan kan word. In die opsig dra argeologiese gegewens daartoe by om die doodsberigte (wat by wyse van genealogiese materiaal in die familiegrafvertellinge na vore tree) te verstaan binne die kultuurhistoriese milieu waarin dit voorkom. Die samehang tussen religieuse dokumente en die kulturele bedding daarvan dra daartoe by dat ons die teologiese betekenis van die tekste wat ter sprake kom, beter kan verstaan. Afgesien van die feit dat die argeologie die databasis van die historiese diskoers verbreed, tree belangrike aspekte van die Ou-Testamentiese leefwereld of historiese milieu na vore wat grootliks geignoreer is in die vakgebied. 'n Belangrike aspek in doodsgebruike, beide wat betref die argeologiese rekord (familiegrafte) sowel as die literere nalatenskap van Ou Israel (doodsberigte en geslagsregisters in die Ou Testament), is die verbondenheid wat bly voortbestaan het tussen die voorgeslagte (ontslape voorvaders) en die nageslagte (nog lewende gemeenskap). Die verband wat gele word in die familiegrafvertellinge tussen genealogiese materiaal (doodsberigte) en die familiegraf bring 'n belangrike perspektief na vore, naamlik die verbondenheid tussen die voorgeslagte en die nog lewende gemeenskap as 'n element van die toekomsverwagting of toekomsgerigtheid van Ou Israel. Die toekomsverwagting word, met spesifieke verwysing na die graf, gedefinieer in terme van kontinurteit in familiale verband.

L’elaborato analizza e ricostruisce la storia del testo del brano neotestamentario di Mt 27,51b-53. Il breve componimento, di natura innodica, assume particolare rilievo per la sua collocazione all’interno del racconto della passione, cuore dell’annuncio evangelico. Attraverso l’applicazione di una metodologia che tenga conto delle peculiarità di origine, redazione e trasmissione della letteratura protocristiana, il passo in questione è assunto come caso di studio per una rivalutazione, nella constitutio textus del Nuovo Testamento, della c.d. tradizione indiretta, non sempre adeguatamente valutata dalla filologia tradizionale. Il lavoro è strutturato in due macro-sezioni: la prima, filologica, volta a far emergere, attraverso l’analisi delle citazioni indirette, la forma testuale più antica. Particolare attenzione è rivolta all’espressione «dopo la sua risurrezione», non presente nella fase primitiva del testo. La seconda sezione, storico-teologica, analizza il contesto di formazione e utilizzo della pericope, avallando l’ipotesi di un’origine innodica del brano. Esso sarebbe stato un materiale liturgico precedente, forse giudeo-cristiano, a disposizione della comunità e fatto qui confluire dal redattore del Vangelo per celebrare il sacrificio di Gesù. Vengono, infine, indagate le motivazioni teologiche che potrebbero aver contribuito, tra il III e il IV secolo, alla modifica del dettato testuale più antico. / The thesis aims to reconstruct the history of the text of Matt 27:51b-53. This brief composition, probably a hymn, is particularly relevant for its arrangement in the passion narrative, which is the most important point of the Gospel’s kerygma. By applying a methodology that takes into consideration the peculiarity of the origin, the redaction, and the transmission of the earliest Christian literature, these verses are assumed as a study case, in order to value the indirect tradition in the reconstruction of the text of the New Testament. The work is divided into two parts: the first one, philological, brings out, through the indirect quotations, the earliest form of the text, which is partly different from the canonical one. Here, the sentence «after his resurrection» is relevant because it was not present in the primitive text. The second section analyses the context and the employment of the Matthean pericope in order to confirm the hypothesis of the hymn. It might have been a liturgical material, perhaps Jewish-Christian, used by the community and added to the Gospel by the redactor. Finally, this study takes into account the theological reasons that could have caused, within the third and fourth centuries, the modification of the earliest text.

The Jesus of history and the Christ of faith are two different figures. Two centuries of search for the historical Jesus has led to greater awareness and better use of New Testament criticism, had salutary effects on proper historical biblical research and the desire to look beyond the paucity of material about Jesus in the canonical gospels. Despite proven difficulties the historical Jesus is an endless enterprise eliciting an equally endless fascination. The solution to the Jesus mystery appears better linked to Paul who has never been subjected to the same degree of historical research as Jesus. The figure, character, preaching, and teaching of Jesus was fashioned by the gospel authors not just to fit in. with the primitive church but to provide a natural linkage with Pauline Christianity. Christian faith is only loosely intertwined with Jesus of Nazareth and has everything to do with the Christ de"-ised by Paul. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The semantics of New Testament words is a complex subject as these words often have backgrounds consisting of a usage in both extrabiblical Greek literature and the Septuagint, in extension also being the object of Hebraic influence. Καρδία, often translated ”heart”, is no exception. In some Greek literature, the organ is referred to literally, but in the New Testament, καρδία is exclusively used figuratively. Another layer of complexity is added when the nature of this figurative usage is considered, as it includes aspects of cognition, volition, morality, and more. In this thesis, I studied how καρδία is used in the New Testament in comparison to the Septuagint, investigating the existing notion of a “biblical usage” of the word. This usage was then compared to its usage in periods ranging from 800–270 BCE, further exploring the existence of a distinct biblical usage but from a diachronic perspective. For this study, I adopted an interdisciplinary approach inspired by computational and corpora linguistics, dedicating a substantial part of this thesis to evaluating the approach within the field of New Testament lexicography. Its usage in the New Testament and the Septuagint was found to be similar, and I was able to propose some areas where this similarity became the most evident. This biblical usage of καρδία was not found to share much similarity with its usage in extrabiblical literature, with a biblical “moral” and “theological” usage standing out as being the main points of contrast. For the purposes of New Testament lexicography, the approach was found beneficial regarding the collection of evidence, although some issues will need to be further investigated.

The goal of the thesis is to trace the sequence of materials of different origin in the synoptic Gospels through stylistic features. The question is whether an author's style is typical in the way it employs syntax. Using syntax, the thesis tests whether a sample can be correctly associated with one author, rather than incorrectly associated with another author. 'Syntax,' in this thesis, quite specifically intends 'an assessment of a very broad range of syntax.' The thesis reviews the literary debate over the 'synoptic problem,' finding that Luke knew and depended the triple tradition known to Mark. Luke did not know or use the unique parts of Mark. This set of materials, then, can be used to test whether syntax indicates a similar relationship. Regarding the literature on style in authorship attribution, the thesis develops principles for measuring style through syntax, and compares the distribution of the occurrence-the 'weighted sum of the logs of the ratio'--of syntax in each of three blocks of text. Such a distribution associates a reference block of text with the correct distribution from the distributions in two alternative texts offered. That is, a reference block drawn from the editorial layer in Mark proves to be closer to the remaining editorial layer in Mark (which is correct), than it proves to be to the editorial layer in Luke (which would be incorrect). This is at least a first step towards using this method with sources that appear in New Testament documents, even when they are small or fragmentary. The thesis then applies such an analysis to one of the clearest sources in the synoptic Gospels, namely, the 'triple tradition' as presented by Luke. The analysis is congruent with the results of literary criticism. This supports the idea that syntax can discern or define a source, and so it can help us understand more about the evolution of the New Testament. Nevertheless, the thesis finds that although Luke knew the 'triple tradition' that Mark used, yet Luke appears not to have fully relied on the version of the triple tradition that we know in, and as edited by Mark. / New Testament Studies / D.Th. (New Testament)

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africans are confronted on a daily basis with the social inequality among individuals which greatly inspires violence, victimisation, discrimination and life-denying ethos. These acts of injustice are not simply inspired by formal laws and policies, but spurred on by various ideological and symbolic categories and power structures. In a way, social behaviour can be said to be ‘scripted’ by the ideologies, perceptions and language internalised, normalised and passed on within society at large. One does not have to look very far to see the way in which this ‘script’ functions in South Africa and what impact the pre-determined and ‘scripted’ identity markers of gender and health have on individuals and groups, as categories like man, woman, HIV positive, and disabled already trigger a set of preconceived ideas and expectations regarding these individuals. The normalisation of this ‘script’ and its social hierarchies is extremely counter-productive as it often pre-determines the value, abilities, potential, limitations and ‘appropriate’ ethos of individuals and groups on the basis of the categories they fall into. The scripted nature of society is however not a twenty-first century phenomenon, but something deeply integral also to life in first century Palestine. This script interpreted, determined and reinforced the prescribed status, agency and ethos of different individuals and identity markers of health and gender were paramount in this process of scripting. Part of this ‘scripted’ world was Jesus of Nazareth. However, upon reading the narratives of John 4:1-42 and 9:1-41, it would appear that the relationship between the societal script and the actual ethos of Jesus was anything but simplistic. Upon reading these two episodes against the grain of the first century societal script, Jesus’ ethos as a Jewish man in relation to a somewhat questionable Samaritan female and blind and impure beggar brings forth some inconsistencies toward the script. It would seem as if Jesus was reluctant to read his context one dimensionally and simply comply with popular custom and ideology. The aim of this study would therefore be to explore whether these inconsistencies between the societal script and the ethos of Jesus could be of any significance in an analogously scripted twenty-first century South Africa, a society pleading for critical reflection upon the societal script. When the possible ‘counter-ethos’ of Jesus is considered, faith communities might be challenged to embrace the fragility of social categories and hierarchies and perhaps embody a similar critical attitude and ethos toward the life-denying societal script and its taken-for-granted assumptions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaners word daagliks gekonfronteer met die sosiaal ongelyke stand van ons samelewing. Hierdie ongelykhede is grootliks verantwoordelik vir geweld, viktimisasie, diskriminasie en nie-lewensgewende etos. Die bogenoemde word egter nie bloot deur formele wette geïnspireer nie, maar aangevuur deur verskeie ideologiese en simboliese kategorieë en magstrukture. Sosiale gedrag kan as’t ware gesien word as ʼn voorafbepaalde teks, ondersteun deur die ideologieë, persepsies en taal wat ons internaliseer, normaliseer en aan ander oordra. Hierdie voorafbepaalde ‘samelewingsteks’ is uiters prominent in Suid-Afrika, waar ʼn bepaalde status, etos en grense dikwels aan individue gegee word op die basis van identiteits-merkers van onder andere gender en gesondheid. Die identifisering van iemand as man, vrou, MIV positief, gestremd, ensovoorts spreek ideologiese boekdele van hul plek, doel en perke in die samelewing. In hierdie sin dien die vooropgestelde ‘samelewingsteks’ ʼn uiters teenproduktiewe rol, aangesien dit die waarde, vermoëns, potensiaal, en ‘korrekte’ etos van individue vooraf bepaal op grond van die simboliese kategorieë waarin hul val. Die voorafbepaalde ‘samelewingsteks’ herbevestig dikwels sosiale hiërargieë, wat ongeregtigheid normaliseer en bevorder. Hierdie is egter nie net ʼn een-en-twintigste eeu se verskynsel nie, maar iets wat al reeds prominent voorgekom het in eerste eeu se Palestina. Hierdie ‘samelewingsteks’ het die gepaste status en etos van verskillende individue bepaal op die grond van identiteits-merkers, soos die van gender en gesondheid. Dit is ook die samelewing waarin Jesus van Nasaret homself bevind het. Wanneer die narratiewe van Johannes 4:1-42 en 9:1-41 gelees word, kom dit egter voor asof die verhouding tussen hierdie ‘samelewingsteks’ en die etos beliggaam deur Jesus kompleks was. Wanneer die twee episodes in lig van die voorafbepaalde ‘samelewingsteks’ gelees word, blyk Jesus, ʼn Joodse man, se etos teenoor ʼn redelike verdagte Samaritaanse vrou en blinde en onreine bedelaar in spanning te wees met die etos aan hom voorgeskryf. Dit sou voorkom asof Jesus gewaak het teen die eenvoudige beliggaming van wat deur die ‘samelewingsteks’ as gehoord voorgeskryf en verwag is. Die doel van hierdie studie sou daarom wees om te ondersoek of die spanning tussen die eerste eeu se ‘samelewingsteks’ en die ware beliggaamde etos van Jesus enigsins betekenisvol kan wees in lyn van die een-en-twintigste eeu se voorafbepaalde ‘samelewingsteks’ in ʼn land wat ryp is vir kritiese refleksie op dit wat as ‘normaal’ en ‘korrek’ beskou word. Die moontlike ‘kontra-etos' van Jesus kan geloofsgemeenskappe uitdaag om die broosheid van sosiale en simboliese kategorieë en hiërargieë aan te gryp en ʼn soortgelyke kritiese houding en etos teenoor die nie-lewegewende ‘samelewingsteks’ en sy voorveronderstellings te beliggaam.

Thesis (DLitt (Ancient Studies. Biblical Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The Vorlage of the explicit quotations in Hebrews remains an unresolved matter to date – despite the fact that it is an important pre-requisite before one can attempt to investigate the function of the quotations within their NT context. The selection, origin and version of the explicit quotations is a neglected aspect of previous studies. This Quest attempted to address these matters mainly from a tradition historical and a text critical angle. It follows the ground plan of Hebrews‘ own presentation of two sets of quotations in pairs – the first set consisting of hymnic texts and the second a quotation from the Torah, which is alternated between quotations from the Psalms and from the Prophets. The investigation considers each quotation in the light of possible alternative Vorlage(n) to those of the printed versions and interacts with previously proposed hypotheses – such as the ―Testimony Book‖ hypothesis, liturgy-, homily-, and midrash hypotheses. It became clear during the course of the investigation that, although Hebrews might have known a large number of quotations from the early Jewish (DSS; Philo) and early Christian (Paul, Gospels) traditions, he also expanded on some of those and added some other (mainly the longer) quotations. The latter include, for instance, Pss 40(39), 95(94), and Jer 31(38) – often accompanied by the author‘s reworking and own midrash on the passage with ring compositional features. The quotations are almost always introduced with a verb of saying and with a large number of them being presented in combination with a reference to an existing promise of God. Regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are a number of similarities between particularly 4QMidrEschat, the Hodayot and the Pesharim – documents that are representative of a hermeneutic tradition of creatively working with and interpreting OT passages. Almost all of the Torah quotations are brief and (including the quotation from Prov 3) occurred already in the works of Philo of Alexandria, mainly in his Legum allegoriae 3. Their readings agree with each other – both of them often against the LXX and MT versions, which might be an indication of another version (the ―Old Greek?‖) that was used by both. Quotations that show an overlap with the then existing NT literature at the time that Hebrews wrote, are almost exclusively to be found in Romans and 1 Corinthians. The early Christian liturgical formula of the institution of the Eucharist seemed to have played a role in at least the quotation pair Exod 24:8 (―blood‖) and Ps 40:7-9 (―body‖).

The present work aims to elucidate the role of the Jewish feasts of Passover, Tabernacles and Dedication in the presentation of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel. Specifically, I will seek to gain a clearer understanding of John’s appropriation of the symbolic and traditional backgrounds of these feasts by examining pertinent sources from contemporary Judaism and the manner in which John has made use of the traditions preserved therein. Past studies have achieved consensus on certain points of interpretation but overlooked important evidence at other points. Some scholars have also been too quick to cite John’s treatment of the feasts as evidence of his anti-Jewish posture in the Gospel as a whole. In what follows, therefore, I will give particular attention to those background sources which have not been accorded due attention. I will also attempt to situate my study within the wider question of Judaism in the Fourth Gospel and to suggest how the results achieved in the end may bear upon ongoing debates on this matter.