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The Two Witnesses Of Revelation 11:1-13: Arguments, Issues Of Interpretation, And A Way Forward, Ian R. Brown

Dissertations

The narrative of Rev 11:1-13 involves two prophet-witnesses. The question of the identity of the two witnesses of Rev 11:1-13 has been answered in a variety of ways. In the history of exegetical investigation, they have been seen as two actual people, a symbol for a larger group, or even a symbol for inanimate objects. Clearly, some proposals seem more plausible than others do; however, the debate remains open. Indeed, the possibility exists that a stronger case could be made for a previous proposal or that a new one could be found that is more agreeable to scholars of Revelation. …

Representing The Government Of God: Christ As The Hilasterion In Romans 3:25, Valentin Zywietz

Master's Theses

Problem

In Romans 3:25, Paul describes how the public display of Christ as the i``lasthrion demonstrates the righteousness of God. However, it is unclear what exactly Paul means by the term i``lasthrion, and how it is connected to the cover of the Ark of the Covenant for which it is usually used in the LXX.

Method

The first chapter of this paper consists of an exegetical investigation of Romans 3:25-26 paying consideration also to systematical implications for Paul’s understanding of atonement and the character of God. The second chapter is an analysis of the meaning and the function of the …

Justice, Cult, And Salvation In Isaiah 56-59: A Literary-Theological Study, Hudyard Y. Muskita

Dissertations

The main focus of this dissertation is the interconnection among the themes of justice, cult, and salvation in Isaiah 56-59. The investigation will analyze and explore the theological importance of these themes, which include questions such as, What are the descriptions of these themes in these chapters? How are they related to each other? As divine salvation is portrayed as moving back and forth from immanence to distance several times throughout this particular section of the book of Isaiah, what factors are responsible for this dynamic? What is the role of cult and social justice in this salvation? In what …

The Background And Meaning Of The Image Of The Beast In Rev. 13:14, 15, Rebekah Yi Liu

Dissertations

Problem

This dissertation investigates the first century Greco-Roman cultural backgrounds and the literary context of the motif of the image of the beast in Rev 13:14, 15, in order to answer the problem of the author’s intended meaning of the image of the beast to his first century Greco-Roman readers.

Method

There are six steps necessary to accomplish the task of this dissertation. These steps are taken in the form of the exegetical studies which are done in six chapters, respectively. Following the introductory chapter, the second chapter is a brief history of the historical interpretations of the image of …

The Expansion Of Judah Under Uzziah Into Philistia: The Historical Credibility Of 2 Chronicles 26:6-7a In Light Of Archaeological Evidence, Jeffrey P. Hudon

Dissertations

The Problem

Since the eighteenth century, many biblical scholars and historians have seriously questioned the historical reliability of the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles for two important reasons. First, these books were clearly composed no earlier than the late sixth and most likely during the fifth century B.C. Consequently, the question arises as to whether the author, writing during the Persian Period, was able to access annalistic sources from the Iron Age II. Secondly, the author seems to display a strong theological tendentious view that often appears to influence his portrayal of the kings and people of Judah and …

A Theology Of Missional Leadership In The Book Of Revelation, Gyeongchun Choi

Dissertations

Problem

Leadership styles and the attendant behavior of mission practitioners and church administrators too often demonstrate leadership attitudes and practices that reflect cultural norms while violating biblical norms. There is both historical and contemporary evidence of a predictable migration from leadership as service to leadership as control—such as autocracy, coercion, self-ascendancy, and dominance. These problems are found in leadership practices primarily informed by cultural norms apart from God’s Word. These norms vary widely and may even be practiced within the faith community thus violating biblical principles. This reality creates an urgent need for the application of biblical principles that transcend …

Prophetic Conflict And Yahwistic Tradition : A Synthetic Study Of True And False Prophecy (Jeremiah 26-29), M. Sashi Jamir

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Luke's Legato Historiography : Remembering The Continuity Of Salvation History Through Rhetorical Transitions, David Brack

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Form And Function Of Mark 1:1-15, Bradley T. Johnson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Obedience Across Romans : Tracing A Book Wide Theme And Illustrating Obedience With Greco-Roman Literature, Jason Andrew Myers

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Preaching Isaiah's Message Today, Bill Thompson

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

The Function Of 'Hope' As A Lexical And Theological Keyword In The Psalter: A Structural-Theological Study Of Five Psalms (Pss 42-43, 52, 62, 69, 71) Within Their Final Shape Context (Pss 42-72), Christine Maria Vetne

Dissertations

The shape and message of the Psalter has been of central interest for many Old Testament scholars during the last thirty years. At the core of shape scholarship stands the issue of hope. Often this is related to what is commonly considered a major hope-shift in the Psalter, which moves its focus from hoping in the Davidic covenant (Books I-III) to hoping in God (Books IV-V). However, when considering the shape and message of Book II, there is evidence that these two hopes coexist, side by side, as also seen in the introduction to the Psalter (Ps 2).

This dissertation …

A Study On The Influence Of Philosophical Presuppositions Relating To The Notion Of The God-Human Relation Upon The Interpretation Of Exodus, Tiago Arrais

Dissertations

Abstract

No exegesis or act of interpretation is presuppositionless. Accordingly, this study addresses the question of the influence of philosophical presuppositions upon the interpretation of the God-human relation in Exodus.

Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to why such analysis is necessary. The chapter explores the neglected issue of presuppositions in exegesis and why Exodus is an appropriate platform upon which to evaluate them. This introductory chapter also presents the purpose and methodological approach of this study, namely, the descriptive analysis of the text.

Chapter 2 addresses the philosophical issues behind the conception of the God-human relation, namely the notion …

Cleansing The Common: A Narrative-Intertextual Study Of Mark 7:1-23, Eike Arend Mueller

Dissertations

The conflict story of Mark 7:1–23 between Jesus and the religious leaders over the issue of defilement is the meeting point of a variety of disciplines: Purity studies, Jewish studies, exegetical studies, Historical Jesus studies, and studies on Jesus and the law. The crux of the passage, the meaning of the parable in v. 15 and the ensuing “cleansing” in v. 19, has been interpreted very differently. Scholars doing exegetical studies and studies on the relationship between Jesus and the law have maintained that the Gospel writer correctly reflects in 7:19 the meaning of Jesus’ parable (7:15), abrogating the clean/unclean …

Revelation 6:9-11: An Exegesis Of The Fifth Seal In The Light Of The Problem Of The Eschatological Delay, Patrice Allet

Dissertations

The fifth seal of Revelation has most often been treated from an anthropological perspective that appears to be clearly inadequate to account for the depth of this trigger passage located in a climactic setting. In and around the fifth seal, the text suggests indeed that the persecution of the last days has occurred. Imminence and delay do seem to intersect in the passage, creating a crisis of eschatological proportions which, in turn, raises questions of theodicy.

The purpose of this dissertation is to increase understanding of the fifth seal as a whole through a focused study of its delay motif …

Using The Bible In Christian Ethics, Clive Beed, Cara Beed

Journal of Religion and Business Ethics

Various Christian ethicists commented on a disconnection of Christian ethics from the Bible in the 1960s and 70s. Although this tendency is thought to have been remedied, this paper argues otherwise. The distance and detachment of Christian ethics from the Bible continues. The contention is demonstrated from examining Christian ethics’ books published from 2001-2011, plus two influential works from the 90s — Hays, and Peschke. Their separation from the Bible is indicated by their selective analysis of the biblical text, by their ‘plain reading’ interpretation, by their placing more weight on Christian tradition than the Bible, by not relying on …

The Spirit Of The Lord And Obedience To God's Law : An Exegetical, Intertextual, And Theological Study Of Ezekiel 36:27, James Waita Mutua

Dissertations

Problem

In Ezek 36:27, God foretells that he will put his Spirit within his people and he will “do” so that Israel will obey his laws. Ezekiel 36:27 indicates a close relationship between the Spirit of God and Israel in observing the statutes and judgments of God in the Babylonian exile among the nations and after the exile. In this text, every major phrase and clause has varied interpretations or calls for further investigation. Not only do scholars have different interpretations of the verse, but also the English Bible versions vary in their translations. This leads to the following questions: …

The Divine Name In Exodus As Promise And Fulfillment, Jeremiah K. Garrett

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Interpretive Tool For Understanding The Book Of Hebrews, Stuart L. Love

Leaven

No abstract provided.

"Clothes Make The (One Like A Son Of) Man": Dress Imagery In Revelation 1 As An Indicator Of High Priestly Status, Ross E. Winkle

Dissertations

Problem . The Epistle to the Hebrews is the only document in the New Testament that explicitly describes Jesus as a high priest. The purpose of this dissertation is to ascertain whether or not the book of Revelation, in particular, in John's description of the "one like a son of man" in his inaugural vision (1:12-16), implicitly presents Jesus as having a high priestly status.

Method . This study focuses on Revelation since it is the work closest to Hebrews in terms of its rich cultic imagery, and it analyzes Revelation's first chapter since that is the part of Revelation …

Renaming Abraham's Children: Election, Ethnicity And The Interpretation Of Scripture In Romans 9, Robert Bruce Foster

Dissertations (1934 -)

In this study, I attempt to reconstruct Paul's pre-epistolary exegesis of Genesis that I hypothesize lies beneath Rom 9. This exegesis goes beyond the discussion of the patriarchs in Rom 9:6-13 and supports the reconfiguration of God's family in Rom 9:24-29. It enables Paul to view Israel as simultaneously chosen and rejected by God.

Adopting a method from Carol Stockhausen, I offer several criteria to establish this project's legitimacy. The Pauline exegesis that I propose is plausible to the extent that (1) it is rooted in his text; (2) it is historically credible; (3) it illuminates the argument in Rom …

Hans-Georg Gadamer: His Philosophical Hermeneutics And Its Importance For Evangelical Biblical Hermeneutics, Russell Meek

Liberty Theological Review

Hans-Georg Gadamer’s influence on hermeneutics can hardly be understated.  This article offers an evangelical perspective on the importance of his work and how it can be used to interpret the biblical text more faithfully.  It discusses his influences and some of the major aspects of his work and offers suggestions for applying his work to biblical hermeneutics. The article concludes that his work is vitally important and should be utilized by the biblical interpreter, though not without caution.

Ears To Hear : Re-Engaging John's Apocalypse In 21st Century Doxological Communities, Chad David Brooks

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Exegetical Analysis Of Jeremiah 1:5: The Presence Of Free Will And Choice, Daniel Xisto

Papers

This research paper will show that even during the collapse of the kingdom of Judah, the Lord, wanting to save His children, never forced or predestined the will of Jeremiah. The following exegesis points to an alternate reading, one of free will and choice.

Sacred Times: The Book Of Jubilees At Qumran, J. Amanda Mcguire

Papers

Given the evidence that Jubilees was so influential at Qumran, this paper seeks to answer the following questions: How did the book of Jubilees understand sacred times in general and the Sabbath in particular? How did its sacred time theology affect the theology of the Qumran community? This paper will not contribute any novel or unique ideas regarding either Jubilees or the Qumran community, as such. It will, however, endeavor to bring the various facets of scholarship on the subjects together, making the relationship between the two more concrete.

Messianic Allusions Of Zechariah 13:6 Revisited, Ingram London

Papers

This study seeks to demonstrate that the best way to understand Zech 13:6 is to locate the text within the larger structure of Zechariah in relation to parallel passages and the theological center of the larger context combined with careful textual analysis reveals that the text does indeed have at the very least messianic applications if not direct allusions whether primary or secondary.

Katapausis And Sabbatismos In Hebrews 4, Erhard Gallos

Dissertations

Problem. Enthusiasm for the subject has not resulted in a general consensus regarding the meaning of “rest” in Heb 4. The dissertation studies the meaning of katapausis and sabbatismos in Heb 4 together with its relation to the neglected gatherings in Heb 10.

Method. The study consists of an analysis of those passages in which the rest motif is found explicitly (Heb 3-4) as well as the unit (Heb 10) which exhibits cohesion to the rest motif in Heb 4, giving special attention to the use of the term katapausis in the Septuagint, sabbatismos in Christian and non-Christian literature, and …

Ezekiel 5:5-17 And Theodicy: A Theological Investigation Of The Character Of God, Paul Onyango Wahonya

Dissertations

The question of the character of God has been an issue of contention among many biblical scholars, particularly when considering the severe punitive actions that he unleashes upon humanity from time to time. This contention makes it imperative to reexamine the biblical corpus to ascertain its portrayal of YHWH's character in the light of his harsh and severe judgments.

The exegetical examination of Ezek 5:5-17 in the context of Ezek 1-24 has revealed that YHWH is a God who upholds the terms of the covenant. When his people breach the covenant stipulations, as the Israelites did, he takes appropriate disciplinary …

The Sabbath In The Pentateuch: An Exegetical And Theological Study, Mathilde Frey

Dissertations

Many studies have explored the seventh-day Sabbath in the Pentateuch from historical-critical, theological, and historical perspectives. However, systematic contextual exegesis and close reading of the pentateuchal Sabbath texts have been neglected. This dissertation investigates literary features of these passages in their respective contexts and develops an integrated Sabbath theology from the viewpoint of the Pentateuch as a whole.

In chapter 1, an overview of literature on the biblical Sabbath introduces the topic and describes the methodology of the study. Chapters 2 to 5 explore specific contextual, stylistic, and linguistic elements of the pentateuchal Sabbath pericopes, which contribute to expression of …

Toward A Mediating Understanding Of Tongues: A Historical And Exegetical Examination Of Early Literature, Shane M. Kraeger

Liberty Theological Review

Studies regarding pneumatology and charismata have maintained distinctions largely due to previously held presuppositions. Christians have debated Luke’s and Paul’s usage of specific words and have taken diametrically opposite positions on this issue. This study will not attempt to answer the question of the legitimacy of spiritual gifts; we must, rather, begin from a proper understanding of words and concepts, thus allowing God’s Word to change us if we are to be mindful of our obedience toward Him. This study will examine the historic meaning of the word and concept of tongues in order to better gauge Luke’s and Paul’s—and …