Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2006 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the most striking literary phenomena in the entire Old Testament, Ezekiel's
recognition formula is repeated over seventy times. According to S. R. Driver that refrain,
"You shall know that I am Yahweh," strikes the keynote of the prophecy. Though one
might expect to find many monographs and journal articles treating at length the formula's
literary and theological function in Ezekiel, the only substantial work on the subject comes
from Walther Zimmerli and is nearly fifty years old. More recent scholarly discussion has
tended to be oblique, occasional, or subordinate to other interests.
Brevard Childs has suggested that Ezekiel shows a "preoccupation with Scripture."
Applying this insight, the dissertation at hand argues the thesis that the seventy-odd
recognition formulae in Ezekiel mark a theological nexus and intertextual relationship
between the prophecy and the book of Exodus (in some recensional form), and that those
formulae are best interpreted alongside the numerous recognition formulae in Exodus.
Interpreted intertextually, Ezekiel's formula points readers of the oracles to know Yahweh as
the God of the Exodus, who still acts, in covenant, to judge and to deliver. Here the term
intertextuality is used in a broader sense to include both a more diachronic "intertextuality
of production" (Ellen van Wolde), in which a text can only be written in relationship to
other texts, and a more synchronic "intertextuality of reception," in which a text can be read
only in relationship to other texts. With regard to methodology, the approach of innerbiblical
interpretation is employed to explore the text-production angle and the questions
which emerge concerning the re-use and re-presentation of Scriptural "traditions." Also
appropriate is a synchronic intertextual approach which inquires how Exodus and Ezekiel
texts-in particular the recognition formulae-may be read together from a text-reception
angle. Both approaches used together reveal a large number of parallels between Exodus
and Ezekiel and indicate how well the recognition formulae may be read together.
This study contributes to scholarship by offering an extensive review of past scholarship
on the formula; a fresh exegetical research of the formula's use in Ezekiel and in other
Bible books, with comparisons drawn; a study of the socio-historical and religious context
addressed by Ezekiel's oracles and the formula; and a theological interpretation of the
recognition formulae in Ezekiel alongside those in Exodus. There are many strong
conjunctions (or continuities) between the formulae in Ezekiel and Exodus: a covenant
stress; no positive use of the formula when spoken to the nations; an unbreakable link to
announcements of Yahweh's mighty acts in history; etc. Yet there is also a jarring
disjunction (or discontinuity) between the formulae in Ezekiel and Exodus: the prophecy
repeatedly declares that Israel "shall know that I am Yahweh" in judgment. This is "a
radical inversion of its former usage" (Carley); elsewhere in Scripture the formula always
sounds a positive note when spoken to Israel. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die mees opvallende .literere kenmerke van die hele Ou Testament, is Esegiel se
gebruikmaking van die erkenningsformule - meer as 70 maal! Volgens S.R. Driver vorm
hierdie refrein, "JulIe sal weet dat Ek Jahwe is", die kern van die profesie. Hoewel 'n mens
sou verwag dat talle monografiee en tydskrifartikels aan hierdie formule gewy sou word, is dit
slegs Walther Zimmerli wat byna 50 jaar gelede grondige navorsing in die verband gedoen
het. Meer onlangse navorsing was ondeursigtig en ondergeskik aan ander oorwegings.
Brevard Childs het voorgestel dat Esegiel 'n "preoccupation with Scripture" vertoon. Teen
hierdie agtergrond argumenteer hierdie proefskrif dat die erkenningsformules in die boek
Esegiel die teologiese kern aandui en dat daar 'n intertekstuele verb and tussen die profesie
van Esegiel en die Eksodusboek bestaan. Wanneer die erkenningsformule in Esegiel
intertekstueel verstaan word, dan ontstaan daar 'n verband tussen die godsprake en Jahwe as
die God van die Eksodus, wie steeds binne verbondsverband as Regter en Redder optree. In
die verband word die begrip "intertekstualiteit" in 'n bree sin verstaan en dit sluit in 'n meer
diakroniese "intertextuality of production" (Ellen van Wolde). Hiervolgens kan 'n teks slegs
in verhouding tot ander tekste geskryf word. In dieselfde asem moet daar ook na die meer
sinkroniese "intertextuality of reception" verwys word, waarvolgens 'n teks slegs gelees kan
word in verband met ander tekste. Op metodologiese vlak word "innerbiblical interpretation"
benut om ondersoek in te stel na teksproduksie en die vrae wat ontstaan na aanleiding van die
hergebruik en hervoorstelling van Bybelse "tradisies". Dit is verder ook van toepassing om 'n
sinkroniese intertekstuele benadering te gebruik wat vrae stel oor hoe Eksodus en Esegiel
(veral die erkenningsformules) in samehang gelees kan word indien dit vanuit 'n teksresepsie
hoek benader word.. Beide benaderings kan deur saam gebruik te word, 'n groot aantal
parallele tussen Eksodus en Esegiel ontdek en aantoon hoe die erkenningsformules saam
gelees kan word.
Hierdie proefskrif se bydrae tot die vakgebied behels 'n omvattende oorsig van bestaande
navorsing oor die erkenningsformule; 'n vars eksegetiese ondersoek en vergelyking van die
erkenningsformule se gebruik in Esegiel en in ander boeke van die Bybel; 'n studie van die
sosio-historiese en godsdienstige konteks wat deur die godsprake en erkenningsformule in
Esegiel aangespreek word; asook 'n teologiese interpretasie van die erkenningsformules in
Esegiel en in samehang met die formules in Eksodus. Daar is opvallende voorbeelde van sterk
verbande tussen die formules in Esegiel en Eksodus: die klem op die verbond; geen positiewe
gebruik van die formules wanneer dit met die vreemde nasies in verband gebring word nie; 'n
onlosmaaklike band met die aankondigings van Jahwe se magtige dade in die geskiedenis;
ens. Tog is daar ook 'n mate van steurende diskontinu'iteit tussen die formules in Esegiel en
Eksodus: die profesiee wat telkens herhaal dat Israel juis binne die oordeel "sal weet dat Ek
Jahwe is". Dit behels 'n radikale omkeer van die bestaande gebruik (Carley); omdat daar
elders in die Bybel slegs voorbeelde is waar die erkenningsformules in 'n positiewe manier
ten opsigte van Israel uitgespreek word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50569 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Evans, John Frederick |
| Contributors | Bosman, H. L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology . Dept. Old and New Testament. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 371 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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