Theses
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Item Ouranology in the Book of Revelation:Its Epochs and Chiastic Structure(South African Theological Seminary) Wellman, Jared C.; Domeris, William R.The disposition of ouranological scholarship, that is the study(ology)of Heaven(ouranos),has been to emphasize its eschatological nature. This thesis offers an exegetical study on the subject of Heaven in Scripture, particularly in the book of Revelation, which is considered the most erudite work on Heaven in literature, in order to determine whether the scriptures show Heaven as having a vital non-eschatological nature, too. This thesis concludes that Revelation presents Jesus as inimitably involved with Heaven, and that this involvement presents Heaven as having a past, present, and future nature. Moreover, within these three chronological eras exist seven specific epochs of Heaven, which are fashioned by the ministry of Jesus Christ. The exegetical data in this thesis will therefore show Heaven is best understood when it is expanded beyond the boundaries of eschatology. One unique contribution of this thesis is it rhetorically analyzes its exegetical findings. Rhetorical analysis is a relatively new field in NT exegetical studies, which asserts that design impacts meaning. The conclusion of this analysis shows the purported epochs are structured as achiasm, which presents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as the apex of ouranology. This is helpful in that it affirms the importance of understanding ouranology outside the boundaries of eschatology, because this is not observable when the doctrine is limited to a doctrine of last things. It is also helpful in that it correlates with a recent trend in biblical theology, which asserts the scriptures are best understood as a meta-story, specifically as a Christological metanarrative.Item One Gospel, Two façades: The Change of the Intended Reader in the Beginning of the Fourth Gospel (John 1:1-34)(South African Theological Seminary) Schmidt, Sergio Alejandro; Domeris, William R.For many years, exegetes have been speaking of the possibility that the Gospel of John might have had another façade. If such were the case, the actual prologue, John 1:1-18, would have been a later insertion. For all this exegetical analysis it is essential to focus on John 1:6-8(9).15. Since the XVIII century, biblical scholars have affirmed that the two statements regarding John the Baptist break the flow of the prologue of John. It was also conjectured that, perhaps, the first façade of the Fourth Gospel began with John 1:6ff.19-34. To my knowledge, there has been no research analysing the historical reasons behind the significant change at the beginning of this gospel. If the above mentioned hypothesis could be proved, then this change to the beginning of the Gospel of John would have catalyzed a change in the intended reader of this gospel. A change in the intended reader could imply, in turn, that there had been a change in the context of the Johannine Community. The main problem in the present research is how, why and where was there a change in the intended reader in the Prologue of the Gospel of John? This study begins by analysing the redactional history of John 1:1-18 in search of the evidence that would prove that this powerful pericope was not the first façade of this gospel. This analysis suggests that the Fourth Gospel had once begun with John 1:6.7ac.15.19-34. The next step is the analysis of the intended reader of both façades. Once this examination is completed, through the comparison of the two façades, it would be possible to state that, perhaps, in the first façade, the intended reader was the Israelite community, the context of which would have been Palestine, before 70 AD; in the second façade, the intended reader was universal, for all believers, and the setting would have been in Ephesus, approximately 85-90 AD. This analysis affords a better understanding of the Fourth Gospel, while providing a lesson for sharing the kerygma today in the same faithful and flexible way as the Johannine Community, certainly did.Item The Progressive Publication of Matthew an Explanation of the Writing of the Synoptic Gospels(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg, South Africa) Powers, Ward; Smith, Kevin G.; Domeris, William R.The Synoptic Gospels are remarkable for the extent of their similarities and the significance of their differences. There is along standing widely-held consensus that the explanation of these features is the Mark an Priority hypothesis, which places Mark as written first of all, and then used by the other two authors. This dissertation presents an alternative explanation of the evidence: that the Gospel of Matthew was published progressively over several decades in a series of documents, some of which were later collected and used by Luke in writing his Gospel; and then Mark wrote third, using the other two Synoptics together with the preaching of Peter. The existence of such early pre-Gospel documents is referred to by Luke in his Preface, and by Papias. The evidence is presented for the writing of such documents by the apostle Matthew and their use by Luke for the writing of his Gospel.The testimony of the early church Fathers is that John Mark wrote the Second Gospel from Peters preaching, commencing shortly prior to Peters death, and completing and publishing his work soon after the death of this apostle. Marks Gospels explained as a handbook for preachers and evangelists in the early church, embodying the kerygma they proclaimed-the action stories showing who Jesus was, and what he did. Mark drew upon the two Major Synoptics for his material and his structure (first following the sequence of Luke and then of Matthew). However, Marks vocabulary and his grammar reflect to a considerable extent the language of the preaching of Peter. A chapter of significant statistics supports this, showing the large extent to which the Gospel of Mark differs in these features from Matthew and Luke. The two major Synoptic explanations, Markan Priority and Markan Posteriority,and the arguments in support of each, are examined for validity and coherence. The demonstration is given to show that Markan Dependence (the hypothesis that Mark is dependent upon Mark, Luke, and Peter) is superior in its explanation of the text of the Synoptic Gospels, and of other available evidence (including the church Fathers).FurtherchaptersprovidemoredetailedconsiderationoftherelationshipofLukeand Matthew,precise details of the relationship of Mark to the Majors in the matter of pericope sequence, a consideration of other Synoptic explanations which have been put forward,and a detailed comparison of the text of the Rich Young Man pericope in the three Synoptics. The Progressive Publication of Matthew hypothesis (including Markan Dependence) is shown to offer a better explanation of the data than Markan Priority or other hypotheses currently offeredItem Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31) as Roman-à-clef: Attack on High Priest Caiaphas(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg) Shearer, Glen 1955; Churchill, Timothy; Churchill, TimothyThe pericope of Lazarus and the Rich Man (LRM; Luke 16:19-31) is a well-known biblical story, often considered another parable told by Jesus. The LRM is recorded only in the gospel of Luke and describes an anonymous man of great wealth in contrast to a starving poor man, who is named Lazarus (Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar; literally ‘God helps’), lying at his gate. The rich man, although unnamed, is described as wearing the most expensive clothing available (purple and fine linen) and celebrating with luxurious feasts every day while the poor Lazarus lies outside his gate starving and covered with sores, but the rich man does nothing to help. Both men die. Lazarus is carried to the Bosom of Abraham by angels while the rich man is simply buried. In the supernatural second setting of the narrative, the rich man is in torment in Hades while Lazarus is in bliss with Father Abraham. This shocking reversal of fate story historically has been interpreted in three main fashions: (1) a teaching about the intermediate state after death but before judgment. (2) A teaching about the actual conditions in heaven and hell. (3) A moral teaching about the rich versus the poor (wealth versus poverty). I hypothesize that the narrative is not a parable but actually a thinly veiled attack on the extant Second Temple religious leadership in the form of a Roman-à-clef (novel with a key). The Roman-à-clef literary form uses a thinly veiled fiction to tell an inflammatory or condemning story about supposedly fictional characters. In truth, however, the fictional characters are real and certain “keys” within the story provide information which the audience can use to identify the real person. The description of the rich man’s wealth, clothing, gated residence and, importantly, his “brothers” point to High Priest Caiaphas as the “certain rich man”. Hence, I hypothesize that the LRM is actually a Roman-à-clef attack upon High Priest Caiaphas directly and thus upon the extant Second Temple leadership indirectly.Item Diversidad y estilos de iglesiasen el Nuevo Testamento y sus desafíos para el tiempo presente; con especial referencia a la Unión Misionera Neotestamentaria(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg) López, Esteban Samuel 1976-; Roldán, Alberto F.El principio fundamental de la presente obra busca determinar el propósito de la iglesia para el tiempo presente, partiendo de la base de la declaración de Jesucristo: “edificaré mi iglesia; y las puertas del Hades no prevalecerán contra ella” (Mt. 16.18b), y entendiendo que la iglesia es un organismo y no una organización, con funciones prácticas, que naturalmente son limitadas o potenciadas según el contexto. Para el propósito de análisis, según diversidad y estilos, las referencias tomadas son las iglesias del Nuevo Testamento con mayor nivel de significación del término “iglesia”, presentes en el corpus paulino: Galacia, Filipos y Corinto; cuyas comunidades de fe han sido formadas y desarrolladas en contextos diferentes, tanto culturales, políticos, económicos y religiosos, bajo un mismo imperio dominante: el Imperio Romano. Considerando que el contexto mencionado ha influido o ha sido influenciado por la iglesia, se hace un breve recorrido histórico de las iglesias, para finalmente desembarcar en el contexto latinoamericano, con especial alusión a la Unión Misionera Neotestamentaria, escudriñando el tiempo actual y proponiendo cambios o ajustes con una mirada más global, buscando entender mejor las dimensiones del propósito eterno y de la gracia de Dios, y así llegar a apreciar las altas metas que Dios tiene para la iglesia.Item Translatingthe term ‘spirits’in 1 Peter 3:19 into Sangu, alanguageof Tanzania(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg) Huber, Andy 1975-; Kruger, Veroni; Wendland, ErnstThe identity of the ‘spirits’ in 1 Peter 3:19 has puzzled many Christians. When the Sangu Bible translation team got to this passage, the question arose as to how this challenging passage could be translated well for the Sangu audience, especially as they do not have a generic term for ‘spirit’. In order to show the process, the translation team had to work through to get a good solution, in the first section, the translation style of the Sangu team will be defined and placed in the wider frame of what constitutes Bible translation. Along with this, the Sangu team is presented as part of the larger Mbeya Cluster Project which serves 13 different Bantu languages in Bible translation, a grouping which tries to make use of important synergies. In the second section, the influence of the Swahili Union Version as the major Bible translation in Tanzania on translation choices will be described. It will be shown how this version impacts the translation, as it influences the Sangu translators in their understanding of a passage and the Sangu people group as the recipient audience, who compare the new translation in their vernacular with the translation in Swahili to see how well the Bible has been translated. In a third section, the Sangu spirit worldview will be presented in the way it has been elicited during different interviews with the Sangu community. This will help to get an inventory of words that could be used for ‘spirits’. Exegesis makes up the fourth part of the thesis, in which the question asked is what interpretation of the ‘spirits’ could be the best for the purpose of the letter of 1 Peter, also giving insight into how different interpretations of 1 Peter 3:19 evolved. The fifth and last section summarizes and weaves the previous chapters together and presents a translation model which the Sangu team could follow in translating the term ‘spirits’ in 1 Peter 3:19.Item The Tabernacle as a Heuristic Device in the Interpretation of the Christology of the Epistle to the Hebrews.(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg, South Africa) Asumang, Annang; Domeris, William R.; Domeris, William R.ABSTRACT: The Christological argument of the epistle to the Hebrews is presented as a series of comparisons and contrasts of Jesus the Son of God and our eternal High Priest, with the angels, Moses, Joshua and Aaron. There is no consensus among Biblical scholars regarding the reasons for these comparisons. Suggestions have ranged from the author’s polemical or rhetorical strategy to dissuade faltering Jewish Christians from defecting back to Judaism, to a pastoral strategy of expounding the glorious honour of Christ in order to encourage suffering and persecuted believers. Examination of the expositions of the epistle shows that each of these comparisons is framed in a space or place. Some of these spaces are real physical places; others are metaphorical, utopian or virtual spaces. Jesus is compared to the angels first in heaven, and then in the world. He is compared to Moses and Joshua in the house of God and to Aaron in the Holy of Holies. Using sociological and literary theories in Spatiality to examine the expositions, this thesis will demonstrate, that the author of Hebrews has organized his argument based on these a priori spaces, that the comparisons are a reflection of the contested nature of spaces and that they exhibit elements of territoriality and hierarchy of personalities based on power and knowledge. The pattern of arrangement of the spaces in the epistle, together with the nature of the theological and figurative argument in each space also indicate that the author uses the spatiality of the Pentateuchal wilderness camp and tabernacle as a typological heuristic device in structuring the exposition. By comparing the expositions of Hebrews with its exhortations through this lens, the thesis will also show, that the author uses the typology of the wilderness tabernacle as his primary vehicle to channel his pastoral teaching aimed at addressing the problems of social liminality and spiritual malaise of the congregation. The implications of this approach for understanding the epistle’s argument and a modern application of the theology of the wilderness tabernacle are also briefly discussed.Item Corporate Responsibility Before God? An Examination of the Seven Letters to Asia Minor in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg, South Africa) Watton, John; Lioy, Dan T.Revelation chapters 2 and 3 appear to contain language that refers to the corporate deeds, the corporate faithfulness and the corporate perseverance of the recipients. Does this indicate that the members of a local church bear responsibility as a group before God for how their local church, as a body,measures up to expectations of the Lord? Is Jesus expecting a local congregation to respond together in unity? The purpose of this study is to answer these questions by seeking to identify the presence of corporate language in Jesus’directives of Revelation 2:1-3:22. Following an exegetical research model,this study utilizes are view of scholarly literature, a study of context as well as various analyses to determine the pericope’s meaning. The findings of this research point to a presence of corporate language in the pericope. This is evidenced by whom Jesus addresses the letters to and by the way Jesus uses singular and plural pronouns in his communications within each letter. Although it appears that Jesus is directing all communication to the angel of each church, the context and details of each letter relate to the earthly realm rather than the heavenly realm. Communicating such practical and earthly information,using pronouns set in the second person singular, indicates that the heavenly perspective of a local congregation is that of a “body of one”. Since Jesus presents the majority of his directives in Revelation 2:1-3:22 to a singular “body of one”, it is the finding of this study that Jesus is therefore expecting a corporate response from each of the seven congregations of Asia Minor. Building on the significance of the use and meaning of the number seven in Revelation, the seven churches represent all churches everywhere. Therefore,the heavenly perspective of all contemporary local churches is that they too are “bodies of one”. As Jesus directed the seven congregations of Asia Minor to respond with corporate repentance, corporate deeds and corporate perseverance, Jesus requires contemporary congregations to respond in the same corporate manner.