Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2002 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate by critical interaction with four key areas of Matthean
research that 'restoration from exile' provides a valid and valuable hermeneutical prism for the
interpretation of Matthew's gospel. The investigation is undertaken from a Reformed and Evangelical
perspective and an inclusive approach is adopted with regard to hermeneutics, viz that interpretation
should take note of the historical and literary and theological aspects of Matthew's gospel. The four
key areas of investigation were chosen because they involve both particular texts and the gospel as
a whole and are, respectively, Matthew's genealogy, Matthew's concept of Salvation History, the Plot
of Matthew's gospel and Matthew's Use of the Old Testament. Each of these areas has already
received extensive attention in Matthean scholarship, though in each case the question of'restoration
from exile' has been almost entirely neglected. In each area, a brief critical survey of current
scholarship is provided, both in terms of content and methodology. This survey is then followed by
a discussion ofthe relevant texts and topics, demonstrating both the presence and the hermeneutical
importance of the 'restoration from exile' theme. In this way, the thesis thus shows that 'restoration
from exile' does indeed provide a valid though not exclusive, hermeneutical prism for the
interpretation of Matthew's gospel and that such an interpretation casts fresh light on both familiar
and more troublesome texts and topics of investigation. The final section of the thesis comprises a
brief survey of the theme of 'restoration from exile' within the Hebrew Scriptures and a
representative selection of early Jewish texts. On the basis of this survey, the conclusion is reached
that despite the very real diversity within early Judaism, it is possible to conclude that perhaps the
majority of Jews of the Second Temple Period saw themselves as still 'in exile', at least in theological
and spiritual terms. This in turn suggests that Matthew's presentation of Jesus as the one, who by
his death and resurrection brings the exile to an end, both for Israel and for the human race at large,
is designed to meet a very real spiritual and theological need. Furthermore, the pervasive interest in
'restoration from exile' within representative texts from Second Temple Judaism, and Matthew's
clear interest in this same theme, further support claims for the Jewish-Christian setting of Matthew 's
gospel and its dual function of legitimization for the Matthean communities and evangelistic appeal
to outsiders. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die proefskrif beoog om deur middel van kritiese wisselwerking met vier sleutelgebiede van
navorsing met betrekking tot die Matteusevangelie aan te toon dat 'terugkeer uit ballingskap' 'n
geldige en waardevolle hermeneutiese prisma bied vir die verklaring van die Matteusevangelie. Die
ondersoek word vanuit 'n Gereformeerde en Evangeliese standpunt onderneem. Daar word 'n
inklusiewe hermeneutiese benadering gevolg, d. w.s. die historiese, literere en teologiese aspekte van
die Matteusevangelie word in ag geneem. Die vier sleutelgebiede van ondersoek is gekies vanwee
hulle verb and met spesifieke teksverse en die Matteusevangelie as geheel. Die sleutelgebiede is,
onderskeidelik, die geslagsregister in Matteus I: 1-17, Matteus se konsep van heilsgeskiedenis, die
plot van die Matteusevangelie en Matteus se gebruik van die Ou Testament. Elkeen van hierdie
gebiede is in die verlede al breedvoerig deur geleerdes ondersoek, maar die tema van 'terugkeer uit
ballingskap' is in elkeen van hierdie areas feitlik totaal verontagsaam. 'n Verkorte opsomming en
bespreking van die hooftrekke van die bydraes van geleerdes word vir elk van die vier gebiede
gegee, beide met betrekking tot inhoud en metodiek. Dit word gevolg deur 'n uitleg van sleutelverse
en relevante temas om beide die teenwoordigheid en die belang van die 'terugkeer uit ballingskap'
tema aan te toon. Op die wyse word daar in die proefskrifbewys dat 'terugkeer uit ballingskap' wei
'n geldige en waardevolle, dog nie die enigste nie, hermeneutiese prisma vir die uitleg van die
Matteusevangelie verskaf. Dit is ook duidelik dat so 'n uitleg van Matteus wei nuwe lig op sowel
bekende as minder bekende en moeiliker teksverse en temas gooi. Laastens word daar ondersoek
gedoen na die belangstelling al dan nie in die tema 'terugkeer uit ballingskap' in die Ou Testament
en 'n verteenwoordigende seleksie vroee Joodse geskrifte. Daar word aangetoon dat ondanks die
verskeidenheid van wereldsienings onder die verskillende Joodse groepe, daar tog 'n algemene
beskouing onder die meeste Jode van daardie periode was dat hulle steeds, ten minste in 'n geestelike
en teologiese sin, 'in ballingskap' verkeer. Teen hierdie agtergrond is Matteus se voorstelling van
Jesus as die Een wat die ballingskap vir Israel en die mensdom tot 'n einde bring van uiterste belang.
So 'n belangstelling in 'terugkeer uit ballingskap' versterk ook verder die siening dat Matteus sy
evangelie vir Joodse Christene geskryf het en dat Matteus se geskrif beide 'n legitimerings- en
evangeliseringsfunksie vervul.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52854 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Eloff, Mervyn |
| Contributors | Combrink, H. J. B., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | [301 pages] |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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