Summary This study deals with Jesus and the outsiders in John 4, with particular focus on John 4:1-42. Methodologically, the study focuses on social identity theory, and asks the question of how Jesus gets the Samaritan woman, who is a member of the outside group, into the insider group. The focus of the study is thus what the behaviour and attitude of the historical and non-conventional Jesus, in the strongly hierarchical social structure of his day, was toward outsiders. John 4:1-42 is often used in works that focus on missional tendencies in the church. This research attempts to place the missionary responsibility of the church on the table in a new light, resulting from the research results. Firstly, the inter-relational connection between identity, ethos and ethics with regard to Jesus’ attitude toward the outsiders in John 4:1-42 is researched. Secondly, the interpretation history of John is described, whereafter the social-scientific approach and the way in which social identity theory can be applied to John 4:1-42, is described. The purpose of the study is to suggest a new missional approach for the church, based on the research results of the study. In John 4:1-42 Jesus did not only repair the relationship between Him as a Jew and the Samaritan woman, but also the broken relationship between the Samaritans and the Jews - two previously conflicting ethnic groups who are now born into the new family of God (John 1:12). In the narrative, the Samaritan woman becomes a μαρτυρούσης (John 4:39). The result of the Samaritan woman’s testimony (John 4:39) becomes a personal testimony that eventually convinces the others of Jesus’ true identity (John 4:39). The woman’s testimony provided the initial impetus for them to come to Jesus, but now they have heard for themselves and have drawn their own conclusion. Many had believed in Jesus on account of the Samaritan woman’s testimony. Many more believed on account of Jesus’ word. Jesus’ harvest among the Samaritans therefore signals the return of a part of the unbelieving world to God as a first sign of the universal scope of Jesus’ saving mission. / Thesis (PhD)-- University of Pretoria 2017. / New Testament Studies / PhD / Unrestricted

Thesis (MDiv (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The post-Apartheid South African community is still recognized by dualisms between white and black, rich and poor, public and private, men and women. In this study specific focus has been placed on John 4 which tells the story about the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman with the aim to create a lens through which we can address and breach modern dualism. The focus of the study is the symbolic use of water in the text where it is literary-theologically broken up in order for John to use Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman, to firstly indicate and secondly expose gender, social, political and cultural boundaries in the Ancient-Near East.

Traditionally, it has been argued that the Gospel of John was never a mission book (Missionsschrift) but rather a “Gemeindeschrift” written to confirm or deepen the faith of the early Christians of the Johannine community. In this study however, it is argued that although John’s Gospel may be encouraging to believers, the author rhetorically intended to persuade his readers to embody the missional motif, which started with the mission of Jesus. The narrative of Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4:1-42, is investigated as an example of how Jesus for the sake of His mission crossed all barriers of His time to reach out to the Samaritans and therefore issued a pattern, which is to be followed by His followers. It is also argued that when the mission of Jesus and the narrative of the Samaritan woman are integrated, an ethical missional paradigm is constructed in which the believers as members of God’s family are called to embody the “missional ethics” of Jesus. Finally, it is argued that the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman could be interpreted as a narrative of social and spiritual reunion with moral principles that challenges the contemporary church to embark on missional journeys of restoration as Jesus did with the Samaritans. / Dissertation (MA Theol)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / New Testament Studies / Unrestricted

Den svenska skolan skall bl.a. vila på en kristen tradition enligt Lgr 11, men benämner inte närmre vems kristna tradition eller hur denna tradition bör ta sin form i klassrummet. Att tolka den kristna traditionen kan göras på många sätt, men för att exemplifiera problematiken i tolkningar så utgår uppsatsen från att belysa hur mångfacetterat ett resultat kan bli även vid ett par utvalda bibelberättelser från en relativt homogen grupp uttolkare. Syftet för den här konsumtionsuppsatsen är att undersöka vad kvinnliga exegeter belyser när de beskriver hur kvinnor interagerar med Jesus i två utvalda berättelser ur Nya testamentets evangelier. Exegeternas beskrivningar utreds också komparativt för att finna skiljaktigheter och liknelser. Vidare förs det även en didaktisk diskussion kopplat till skolans religionsundervisning om hur tolkningar kring en och samma berättelse som didaktiskt medel kan berika undervisningssammanhang i klassrummet.     Resultatet i uppsatsen visar både hur exegeterna har laborerat fram sina tolkningar och vad dessa tolkningar resulterat i för bibelberättelserna. I ett komparativt arbetssätt utvidgar exegeterna kontexten för bibelberättelserna på macronivå för att understödja den närmre analys de för på micronivå. De finner stöd i bl.a. lingvistik, utombibliska dokument och kulturella företeelser för att understödja deras argumentation om kvinnorna i de bibliska berättelserna. Kvinnorna i de båda bibliska berättelserna porträtteras på ett nytt sätt och utmärks av vissa exegeter till både apostel och lärjunge.     Resultatet för den religionsdidaktiska diskussionen utmynnas i både hur elever och främst lärare bör anamma en reflexivitet för att granska sig själva och hur tolkningar görs i vardagen för att kartlägga mönster där exotifiering och maktförskjutningar sker när religioner behandlas i klassrummet. Religionsdidaktikernas pedagogiska verktyg gynnar elevernas analyserande förmågor och kritiska tänkande vid exempelvis komparativa tolkningsövningar av urkunder. Hos läraren uppmanas en självkännedom genom att aktivt kunna belysa hur tolkningar av religioner förs i klassrummet och ifall det görs på någons bekostnad. Genus förs som en diskussionspunkt i förhållande till uppsatsens val att låta kvinnor ta plats och tolka religion. Genom genus kan en androgyn syn på religionsdidaktik framföras och låta en inkludering ske i religionsdiskursen där kvinnor inte längre är en åtskild minoritet inom religion, utan en aktiv och inkluderande part.