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What Christians Should Expect: Life Immediately After Death, Larry Kuka

Masters Theses

This paper examines Old Testament, New Testament, ancient Jewish, Near Eastern, and Christian documents to determine what the Word of God says about life immediately after death (afterlife). I will not examine references to the resurrection or to end times. The research for this paper from primary, secondary, and tertiary sources will be examined and explained, and the conclusions drawn will identify the passages in Scripture and other scholarly sources that explain life immediately after death for believers of Jesus Christ. Theological documents, cultural interpretations, societal perspectives, as well as biblical teachings will be examined to establish understanding, reassurance, and …

The Loaves Of The Tree Of Life: A Historical And Biblical Analysis Of The Origins And Purpose Of The Bread Of The Presence Within The Torah, J. Christian Doling

Masters Theses

The bread of the Presence refers to the twelve loaves of bread which were laid in the presence of God every Sabbath and consumed by the Israelite priesthood as part of the cultic rituals. The wheat for the bread was presented as part of Israel's first fruits offering during the Feast of Weeks, where Israel also presented an elevation offering of bread, a ritual bread with many similarities to the bread of the Presence. Once a week (according to Leviticus) the priests would collect some of this wheat to bake into twelve loaves of bread which were then placed in …

Abiding Presence, Abundant Provision: Water Imagery Within The Temple Motif, Mindy N. Ziegler

Masters Theses

This thesis highlights the richness of the New Testament Christological truths in the Fourth Gospel by tracing the connections John made to the Old Testament history and traditions. John wrote his Gospel account after nearly a lifetime of reflection on the Christ-event and its significance. What had been misunderstood while Jesus walked among his disciples had been illuminated by the Spirit through many years of reflection and study. The New Testament, including the Fourth Gospel, was not written in a vacuum, but drew on a rich and colorful history of Yahweh’s revelation to his people that spanned millennia. The Evangelist’s …

Exegetical Analysis Of The Vision In Daniel 10-12, Sydni M. Howard

Masters Theses

The thesis examines the visions and divine communications described in the Book of Daniel, particularly chapters 10-12. The study demonstrates that God gave his wise people supernatural insight and revelation of his plans to aid and give hope in perilous times .

The research employs an exegetical approach to analyze Daniel 10-12, utilizing a detailed review of prominent scholarly interpretations by Adolf Leo Oppenheim, John Joseph Collins, Tremper Longman III, J. Paul Tanner, John T. Willis, John Walvoord, and John C. Whitcomb. The study focuses on understanding the historical, literary, and cultural contexts of the visions, exploring the mechanisms of …

Feminine Language For God In The Hebrew Bible And The Implications For The Image Of God In Women, Shanté Grossett O'Neal

Masters Theses

Genesis 1:27 affirms that God created males and females in his image, suggesting that there are both masculine and feminine aspects to God's nature. Despite this, evangelical Christians often emphasize God's masculine attributes and minimize God's feminine qualities. This thesis seeks to promote awareness of the feminine language for God in the Hebrew Bible and to consider its implications for understanding the image of God in women. The research begins with a historical overview of feminist and evangelical scholarship on language for God, as well as an introduction to the Conceptual Metaphor Theory and its application in Biblical Studies. The …

An Examination Of The Geographical And Archaeological Evidence Which Supports The Historical Reliability Of The Gospel Of John, Alan R. Peterson

Masters Theses

The question of the historical reliability of the New Testament is one of the central issues in Christian apologetics. This is an area that keeps agnostics and atheists from believing in the Bible and hence God. Few are willing to undertake an in-depth study to ferret out the truth; a simple Google internet search to confirm their secular presuppositions. For example, the top search result using Google for “historical reliability of gospel of John” brings up the following reply “The Gospel of John is a relatively late theological document containing little accurate historical information that is not found in the …

Lessons From Jesus’S Table Talk A Survey Of Selected Texts In Luke’S Gospel, Claudine D. Rogers-Wright

Masters Theses

Luke uses food related motifs to set the scene for controversial, direct, and confrontational conversations about the Kingdom of God through the use of the table talk that Jesus engaged in several texts in his Gospel. The topic, dialogue, and message around the table varied depending on the dining partners. This thesis aims to perform a responsible examination of food and banqueting related passages in Luke, to understand the context and circumstances, the people involved, and the lessons Jesus taught around the table.

An Exegetical Evaluation: Believers’ Differential, Works-Based Heavenly Rewards In The New Testament, Emma Griffith

Masters Theses

While no Bible-believing Christian would deny that salvation comes only through the work of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, several New Testament passages appear to teach that there will be additional, works-based heavenly rewards. This interpretation has become somewhat of a default position within modern Christianity, especially American Christianity. Moreover, it has had very few scholarly challengers, and none have done so from a contextually-based exegesis of the relevant NT texts. Therefore, this thesis exegetes the major NT texts to argue that these specific passages do not teach varying, proportional heavenly rewards for believers in the eschaton, but rather that …

Noticing The Brush Strokes: Literary Markers In Hebrew Narratives, Shelbey Hunt

Masters Theses

As the people who set out to write, edit, and form the Bible may have used embellishments to enhance their narratives, could they also have left literary markers to help the reader chart a course between the historical and the enhanced? The purpose of this thesis is to find these literary markers. Exposing any potential grammatical or syntactical signpost can help the reader understand how they should view a given Biblical story and help reveal the messages the authors behind the scripture were sharing. The book of Jonah will be used as a case study to both discover and elaborate …

A Source-Critical Analysis Of The Synoptic Resurrection Accounts, Austin W. Blunt

Masters Theses

This thesis applies the Four-Source Hypothesis to the study of the resurrection accounts in the Synoptic Gospels. Scholars have addressed the Synoptic Problem in a variety of ways. Some have sought to harmonize the Gospels into one cohesive narrative, while others have concluded that the writings are contradictory and irreconcilable. Addressing the challenges associated with the Synoptic problem, this study evaluates the claims that each Gospel writer makes about the resurrection of Christ while assessing the unique characteristics and points of emphasis in each account. The resurrection narratives are used as a case study because of their importance to Christianity …

Biblical Literacy Among Millennial Christians, Benjamin Rivera Necochea

Masters Theses

The modern Christian has more access to scripture today than in any previous generation. The Bible can be accessed through mobile apps, computers, and the internet as well as by printed copies (Wycliffe.net). Yet, biblical literacy is declining at an alarming rate, especially among the millennial generation (Fulks 9). This thesis will examine why biblical disengagement is occurring and what implications it has on the faith of Christian millennials. To better understand the impact on this generation, research was conducted through a series of research questions: 1. What defines a millennial Christian? 2. Why are they actively leaving the church? …

Echoes Of Creation And Salvation By The Triune God In John 9, Jungeun Lee

Masters Theses

This thesis aims to solve the enigmatic narrative of Jesus’ healing of a man blind from birth at Siloam in the Gospel of John 9, with a particular focus on verses 6–7. Within the context of intertextual connections, this story resonates with numerous narrative patterns and echoes found throughout the Bible. These intertextual connections provide important keys for interpreting this passage. By discerning the intertextual connections between this narrative and other parts of the Bible, readers will gain insight into the broader themes of Creation, Salvation, and the Trinity that are interwoven into this story. It means that this passage …

A Comparison Of Sinaitic Language In Support Of Jewish Claims Concerning The Presence Of God In The Second Temple, Sally Cox

Masters Theses

The Temple stood as the center of cultic Jewish life. It was their location for worship and where God had placed His name. It was a space where sacrifices were offered, and prayers heard. This sacred place was a permanent reminder that God had chosen to dwell among the people of Israel. As long as His presence remained among them, the people knew there was somewhere they could go to find and approach Him. Yet with the devastation of Solomon’s Temple and Ezekiel’s vision of the glory departing prior to its destruction the question remains how did the Jewish people …

Exploring Fiction Writer’S Approaches To Plot Outlining During The Planning Stage Of The Writing Process, Paul A. Wilson Jr.

Masters Theses

This thesis is about one person’s discovery and growth as a writer of creative fiction that spans decades. It specifically explores and analyzes how professional authors approach plot outlining during the planning stages of the writing process. Some professional authors prepare plot outlines prior to writing their first draft, while others do not. Over the course of the author’s writing life, experimenting with both methods has been instructive to the development of a personal approach to plot outlining. The Artist statement provides background on the author. Next, the Critical Paper examines and analyzes plot outlining and plot structure. Plot structure …

Music Literacy And Worship Theology For Volunteer Choir And Worship Teams, Timothy Ray Marsden

Masters Theses

When building a worship team and a worship-leading choir, worship pastors seek gifted volunteers within their congregations to add to the numbers of their groups. Assessing team members' music literacy and theology of worship often comes later in the process, if at all. This project aims to determine the essentials of music literacy for a volunteer choir or worship team member. It will create a curriculum for developing those skills further through weekly rehearsals. The project will also seek to define a theology of worship for the First United Methodist Church of Red Oak, Iowa, and a plan to study …

Genesis 9:6: The Noahic Covenant And The Divine Blood Redeemer, Seth Kenan Pryor

Masters Theses

This thesis analyzes Gen 9:6 and its theological context in Genesis to determine the most exact interpretation of this passage. Chapter one focuses on an exegesis of Gen 9:1-7, arguing for a beth pretii (price or exchange) in Gen 9:6a. This argument is based on an accumulative analysis that considers overarching themes, lack of details, speech patterns, statistics, parallels, and structure. The conclusion is that v.5 presents God as the investigator and reckoner of bloodguilt, v.6a establishes a new principle of justice, and v.6b provides the theological rationale for a serious punishment. Chapter two places Gen 9:1-7 within its theological …

A Reconciliation Of Pauline Complementarian Theology And Egalitarian Narratives In The New Testament, Paul Andrew Morss

Masters Theses

The debate about women having authority over men or serving in leadership roles within the church is a controversial topic that has existed for some time. There are different interpretations of the complementarian and egalitarian debate surrounding specific areas in scripture. The Bible is a source of wisdom and truth that is used to direct the lives of Christians and the church. However, both sides point to the same text as the justification for their beliefs. The complementarian and egalitarian debate is far-reaching, but I plan to look at one subject within the larger debate. The scope of my thesis …

Jesus As Bridegroom Warrior King: The Use Of Psalm 45 In Revelation 19, Robert Brandon Strickland

Masters Theses

While the book of Revelation includes no direct quotes from the OT, it is no secret that allusions to the OT permeate the text of John's apocalyptic vision. In alluding to the OT, John develops thematic links and imagery, resulting in theological messaging that informs his readers of the reality of Christ's rule and reign. This thesis investigates John's theological messaging in Revelation 19. Primarily this thesis will examine the themes and imagery of Revelation 19 in light of Psalm 45. It is my proposal that John borrows both imagery and language from Psalm 45 to depict Jesus as the …

Exploring Strategy Planning And Execution Methods In Church Missions Programs, Jonathan Daniel Deming

Masters Theses

The aim of this thesis is to explore the extent to which church missions programs employ strategic planning and execution methods. In order to validate available literature on the topic of strategic planning (both biblical and secular), the author contributes a current survey dataset which validates the problem and highlights specific areas of potential improvement. This research successfully articulates the need for North American Southern Baptist Convention churches to focus on strategic planning. In analyzing the survey data, one is able to understand the cause-and-effect relationships between successful strategic planning and a church’s ability to optimize their ability to advance …

Revisiting The Future: The Future Indicative And Perfective Aspect In Johannine Literature, Casey Lou Price

Masters Theses

As Greek aspectual studies continue to develop, there remains a significant gap in research on the future as it pertains to aspect. The nature of the future indicative is debated, especially as to whether or not it conveys aspectual value. Using Buist Fanning’s premise that aspect and Aktionsart interact to produce predicable outcomes, Mark O’Brien has shown that future STATIVE verbs consistently create an ingressive meaning that mirrors that of STATIVE verbs in the aorist tense. He has used this to demonstrate that the aorist and future share the same aspect-Aktionsart interactions and that they therefore both communicate perfective aspect. …

Peter, The Apostle To The Gentiles? First Peter’S New Covenant Missional Strategy To Bless The Nations, Cole Victor Laing

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to further develop the message of First Peter within the context of the Apostle Peter’s life and witness. The majority of modern scholars suggest that First Peter is written to a predominantly Gentile audience. This begs the question as to why the apostle to the circumcised (Gal. 2:7) writes to a group of Gentile believers. The study aims to show that Peter, in fact, played a significant role in the earliest church’s mission to the Gentiles. Peter’s exhortation in his first epistle is to a group of believers who are suffering because of their …

The Old Testament’S Contribution To The Baptism Of Jesus In The Gospel Of Matthew, Andrew James Herbst

Masters Theses

The Baptism of Jesus is an often overlooked or misunderstood event. There are numerous interpretations of what the Baptism of Jesus reveals, some of which alternate between Christ’s work and ministry as a man or a revelation of His deity. A clearer understanding of the Baptism event may be discovered through examining the Gospel of Matthew and relevant OT texts. Matthew depicts Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, as the Son of David who would fulfill OT prophecies and become the messianic King and Servant of Yahweh. The voice from heaven, the dove, and the anointing of the Spirit may …

True Pauline Worship Is Trinitarian: A Look At Paul’S Trinitarian Presuppositions, Connie Heberlein

Masters Theses

This thesis seeks to show that true Pauline worship is Trinitarian. Thus, proper Christian worship must be Trinitarian. This work begins by examining the Shema and exploring the unique identity of God presented in the Old Testament and the literature of Second Temple Judaism. Building on this foundation, this work evaluates statements found in Paul’s letters in which Paul reformulates the Shema to include Christ and the Spirit in the divine identity of God. The goal is to understand how the first Christians, who were Jews committed to the exclusive worship of Yahweh, moved from monotheistic worship to Trinitarian worship …

Northwest Semitic Epigraphy And Historicity In The Book Of Jeremiah, Matthew Tyler Bronson

Masters Theses

This thesis examines recent finds in Northwest Semitic epigraphy in an effort to determine their effectiveness for speaking to the historical validity of the prose sections of the Book of Jeremiah. In light of the book’s complex compositional issues, many models for understanding its development have been published over the last century; one foundational theory, expounded primarily by Robert P. Carroll, argues that material in Jeremiah apart from chapters 2–26 (Source A) fail to provide an accurate picture of the Historical Jeremiah. This claim is examined in light of Hebrew epigraphy. Chapter one introduces the issues involved in the study …

Teaching Biblical Development In Early Childhood Education Through Praxial Music, Cheryl Lynn Pearson

Masters Theses

Music has been deemed important since biblical times for both worship and music education and has made its mark in history from ancient philosophers to modern educators. Its value is determined according to individual experiences, be they aesthetic or praxial, for the purposes of entertainment, education, or worship. Music offers a connection to God granting a deepened sense of purpose in fulfillment of our call to worship. Music is valued because it leads to the development of ethical values through active participation and reflection. Music education and spiritual development are mutually beneficial as they develop students toward a greater spiritual …

Visualizing A Woman’S Journey Through The Old Testament Prophetic Books: Improving Female Study Methods Through Visual Supplementation, Olivia Martin Smith

Masters Theses

Christians are often less likely to read the Old Testament prophetic literature compared to other books in Scripture. This poses a problem within the Church for Biblical literacy and understanding Scripture as one complete narrative that points to Christ. The aim of this research was to discover what causes a struggle for Christian women understanding the prophetic literature, why Old Testament prophetic literature is important for women to study, and the best methods for communicating this information to a female audience. The following research questions were asked: 1. What is the standard perspective of an average Christian when studying Old …

An Evaluation Of Rapture Theology, Steven Dale Smith

Masters Theses

In the realm of scholarly debates regarding eschatology, a prominent divisive topic is the Rapture. Entire books and articles elaborate on the biblical support for and against the role that the Rapture plays within pretribulationism, midtribulationism, and posttribulationism. Such works contain the ongoing clash between interpreters, often with each side claiming that the same passages constitute absolute proof of their respective belief systems. Arguments frequently include the possibility of a seven-year tribulation, an antichrist, and a Rapture: terms not found in the book of Revelation and therefore difficult to explain. A central question that continues to draw a line between …

The New Left In American Evangelicalism, Jonathan E. Harris

Masters Theses

In the late 1960s and early 1970s a new kind of evangelical emerged as a result of interaction with New Left ideas. The evangelical left gained strength until the mid 1970s, only to reemerge in the 2010s.

God Sees And God Rescues: The Motif Of Affliction In Genesis, Emily Christine Page

Masters Theses

The book of Genesis mainly centers on the fulfillment of God’s patriarchal promises. However, the book presents characters who first experience hardship before they receive blessings from God. Many of the hardships are described in Genesis as “afflictions” (√ענה), the same word used to describe Israel’s suffering in Egypt (Exod 3:7). Although the motif of affliction receives attention for its appearance in Exodus, few scholars note the significance of this motif in Genesis. The purpose of this thesis is to trace the motif of affliction in Genesis and to determine the pattern of its appearance. The motif serves the larger …

The Theological Implications Of Κατάπαυσίν And Σαββατισμὸς In Hebrews 3:7–4:11, Sean M. Best

Masters Theses

This thesis will argue that rest in Hebrews is entering into humanity’s rightful place, ruling over creation with God, in the full image of God, as intended by God since the seventh day. Rest in the book of Hebrews is a vitally important theme. The word for rest in Greek is κατάπαυσίν and is used eight times in Hebrews 3–4. The definition of rest determines the crux of understanding the warning passage by the author of Hebrews. The basic lexical definition of this word is “rest” or “resting place.” While a basic gloss of the Greek term κατάπαυσίν is easy …