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An Investigation Into The New Testament Understanding Of "Israel", Ashton Hurst

Honors Theses

God chose his people in the Old Testament (OT) beginning with a man named Abraham. In Genesis chapter 12, God makes a promise to Abraham, "I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you." 1 From Abraham, Israel developed into a great nation that followed God intently sometimes but ultimately found themselves in a never-ending circle of betraying, …

The Significance Of Hosea 13:11: A Study Of The Monarchy In Ancient Israel, Tuo Wang

Master's Theses

Problem

In Hosea 13:11, God said that "I gave you a king in My anger and took him away in My wrath." Why did God say that? What is the meaning of this expression? It is obvious that God expressed a negative view in this verse. Regarding the reason, why God held such an attitude, there are four common understandings: (1) because of the sins of the Israelites, (2) because the Israelites did not trust God in demanding a king for themselves, (3) because God wanted to give the Israelites a lesson in their disobedience, (4) because God denied the …

Life With Yahweh After Death: How The Psalter’S References To Life After Death Cohere, Bill Tackmier

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Tackmier, Bill J. “Life with Yahweh after Death: How the Psalter’s References to Life after Death Cohere.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2020. 237 pp.

This dissertation demonstrates how seven Psalms passages that refer to life beyond death reflect a single, coherent view of postmortem existence held in ancient Israel. Although it has been argued by some over the past hundred years that four of the passages (Pss 6:6; 30:10; 88:10–12; and 115:17) reflect a time when Israel either did not believe in an afterlife or had a very limited view of postmortem existence, this dissertation argues that the seven passages …

My Eyes Have Seen Your Consolation_ Παρακλησις In Luke-Acts, Alexandre Vieira

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Vieira, Alexandre Teixeira. “My Eyes Have Seen Your Consolation: Παράκλησις in Luke-Acts.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2018. 216 pp.

Luke describes Simeon as a faithful Jew who was “awaiting the consolation of Israel.” Many interpreters say that this description conveys Luke’s idea that there is a separate hope for the nation of Israel, which would be made manifest at some point in the future when the Messiah would bring about political deliverance for them. Others argue that, although Luke himself did not think that was the case, Simeon and other Jews in Luke’s narrative did, but the narrative Luke writes …

Covenant Relationships And The Editing Of The Hebrew Psalter : An Investigation Of The Relationship Between The Davidic Covenant And The Abrahamic And Mosaic Convenants As Reflected In The Editing Of The Psalter, Adam Daniel Hensley

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Hensley, Adam, D. "Covenant Relationships and the Editing of the Hebrew Psalter: An Investigation of the Relationship between the Davidic Covenant and the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants as Reflected in the Editing of the Psalter." Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2015. 386 pp.

This dissertation examines the relationship between the Davidic covenant and Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants as it is reflected in the editorial shape and shaping of the Masoretic Psalter. It hypothesizes that editors understood these covenants as a theological unity, whose common fulfillment centers on the anticipated royal successor of David. The promises and obligations of the covenants would …

Honorable Shame: The Rhetorical Use Of Didactic Shame Discourse In Ezekiel 36:16-32, Ronald Mudge

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Mudge, Ronald R. "Honorable Shame: The Rhetorical Use of Didactic Shame Discourse in Ezekiel 36:16-36" Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2012.328 pp.

After promising Israel such wonderful gifts as a new heart and a return to the land, Ezek36:16-32 ends with a command for Israel to be ashamed. Biblical scholars have offered a number of different explanations for this unusual order without consensus.

A methodology that employs sociological interpretation and rhetorical analysis covers new ground and resolves the crux of Ezek 36:16-32. A basic word study demonstrates that primary shame lexemes in Ezekiel refer to low status as judged by an …

Cut Off From(One's) People_Punitive Expulsion In The Torah, G Thomas Hobson

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Hobson, G. Thomas. “‘Cut Off From (One’s) People’: Punitive Expulsion in the Torah.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2010. 245 pp.

This dissertation argues that the Torah’s penalty “cut off from (one’s) people” (kareth) is normally a form of expulsion from the community of Israel, in contrast to the view that this penalty is a threatened divine extermination curse, a view reflected in the LXX and rabbinic traditions. The author traces a punitive expulsion interpretation from the fifth century B.C.E. Jewish community, to Maccabean-era practice as described by Josephus, to expulsion at Qumran. The use of the verb כדת is examined, …

The Israel Of God: A Literary-Historical And Sociological Examination Of Paul's Use Of Israel, Thomas Joshua Whitley

MA in Religion Theses

This paper attempts to test the hypothesis that the meaning of the term "Israel" actually was open to debate and that Paul was not the only one who defined "Israel" in such a way as to endorse a particular understanding of the term. This paper further examines whether there was literary precedence for Paul's use of Israel. These claims are examined how the use of "Israel" expanded during the relatively short period of time between the appearance of post-exilic Israelite literature and Paul's writings. This is accomplished by citing various examples of Jewish and Christian literature during this time period.

A Household To Be Gathered-The Anointing At Bethany And The Day Of Jesus' Death In The Gospel According To John, Jonathan A. Blanke

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Blanke, Jonathan A. "A Household to Be Gathered: The Anointing at Bethany and the Day of Jesus' Death in the Gospel according to John." Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2007.224 pp.

This dissertation focuses on the theological significance of the anointing at Bethany in the Fourth Gospel and its relationship to the passion and death of Jesus. The dissertation responds to the conclusion of much twentieth-century scholarship that John 12:1-7 is essentially meaningful as a text that evolved from an oral tradition comparable to other anointings of Jesus with perfume by unnamed women in the Synoptic Gospels. It supplements this prior …

Portraits Of Moses, John Sharp

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

What about different portraits of Moses? What can be said about how Moses is portrayed in the book of Exodus? How does that compare with modern retellings of the life of this great man of God? We will explore some of these issues here. We will begin with modern critical approaches to the text of Exodus. These approaches yield a certain picture or pictures of the man called Moses. Then the text of Exodus as it stands in the canon will be examined. It will yield its own portrayal of Moses. It will be argued here that the portrait of …

The Lamb Of God Image Of Christ In Revelation, Donald Fitzner

Master of Art Theology Thesis

The identification of Christ as the Lamb of God provides great potential for comfort to God's people. Although this designation of our Lord Jesus Christ occurs only twice in Holy Scripture, I a shortened version, the Lamb, is used extensively in the book of Revelation as one of His titles. While there is much debate as to the origin and precise meaning of this term, there is a significant amount of scriptural background that provides a context for understanding this title of the Lord Jesus.

The prominence of lambs in the sacrificial cultus of the Old Testament' prefigures the presentation …

Isaiah's Oracle Against Philistia: An Exegetical And Historical Study Of Isaiah 14:28-32, Paul Wenz

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Isaiah's oracle against Philistia in 14:28-32 presents some unique problems to the exegete. Itis the only oracle with a chronological marker in Isaiah, i.e., it is dated at King Ahaz's death (v. 28), which raises questions of authorship for some. Chapter 1 introduces Isaiah's use of “Oracles against the Nations" (OAN) and specifically how Isaiah's oracle against Philistia is a good example of the genre, yet points out some of its unique characteristics. The translation of the pericope, with its exegetical details, is treated in chapter 2. Chapter 3 gives comments on the oracle and its setting, which is Isaiah's …

Remembrance And Worship In Israel-A Study Of Gerhard Von Rad's Theology Of Worship In The Old Testament, Brian Whittle

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

In this study we will attempt to establish a basis upon which these issues can properly be answered. The primary focus will be upon worship in the Old Testament, though to limit any study of worship to the time and writings before God incarnated Himself would be to answer inadequately any applicable question regarding worship in the modem context. Therefore, this study will also look to see how the analysis of worship in the Old Testament context is manifested in the New Testament. When the proper correlation is made, then one is ready to address the questions and concerns regarding …

Ransomed/Redeemed - At What Price A Study Of The Λυτρον Group Of Words, Frederick Schmitt

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

A major problem in word studies is how much of the meanings and implications found in earlier word usage carries over into later usage, or in moving from one language to another. Today when we use the words "ransom" or "redeem" many of the aspects common to their usage 200 years ago will not be inferred or understood by today's average hearer. Nor is it likely that most of the nuances of the corresponding biblical Greek and Hebrew terms for "ransom" and "redeem" would be picked up by today's audience. But was there a significant change in understanding in these …

The Arrest Of Jesus: An Exegesis Of Matthew 26:47-56, Michael Schmidt

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper will examine Matthew 26: 47-56, the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Only the larger context of Matthew and what Matthew had available to him (i.e., the Old Testament) will be drawn upon to understand this pericope. This paper has been divided into the following parts: I)Translation and Notes, II) Limits, Structure, and Themes, and III) Genre and Literary Setting, IV) Concluding Thoughts.

The Priesthood Of All The Baptized:An Exegetical And Theological Investigation, Thomas Winger

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

For all the emphasis placed on the "priesthood of all believers" as an article of faith, very little critical research has been done into its exegetical, dogmatic, and historical foundations. In his monumental study, John Elliott notes that a detailed exegetical treatment of 1Peter 2 had never before been done in the history of Christianity. 2 Yet he declines any attempt to relate his conclusions to a "dogma" of priesthood. The most extensive historical study, undertaken in two volumes by Cyril Eastwood, attempts to trace the influence of this doctrine in the history of the church, but it fails to …

The Annals Of Obadiah: A Record Of The Wars And Peace Treaties In The History Of Its Interpretation, Joel Elowsky

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is the contention of this thesis, that in the war over Obadiah's interpretation, the translator and the historian could, by and large, sign" peace treaties" of agreement. The theologian and the homiletician, however, were engaged in nothing less than a battle to the death. The questions regarding translation and isagogics were two areas where Jewish and Christian interpreters could find much agreement and even help from the other side. The questions regarding fulfillment, significance and application of the text, however, found little if any agreement. If anything, they only helped to fuel the anomysity between the two sides which …

Israel's Quest For The Promised Land: A Journey From Nether To Other, Evelyn Van Galbraith

Theses and Dissertations

Adam, the father of all men initiated a fall from innocence; the story of postlapsarian humanity discloses an omnipresent attempt to return to the Garden, the state of innocence. This journey back to consciously achieved innocence is revealed in the story of Israel's quest for the Promised Land, a land covenanted to this people by YHWH. To live in a holy land (sacred space), Israel must put off all attachments to mortal aims, she must sacrifice the profane, horizontal world and enter the sacralized, vertical sphere to become hale, healthy, holy, and whole: wholeness accompanies this return to the center. …

Aspects Of The Calendar Of The Hebrew Bible And Its Theological Significance, Charles Blanco

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of the thesis is twofold. We endeavor to provide the exegetical base for the understanding of the calendar used by God's4people in the Old Testament. There is, of course, a certain heuristic value to our topic for Old Testament studies at large. Beyond that, we find our study to be unique in its approach. Apart from the confessional position outlined above, we came to the texts without any preconceived notions about the nature, structure, and use of the Hebrew calendar. Conversely, the vast majority of works on the calendar are undertaken to prove a particular point of view. …

The Theology Of Israel's Sea Crossing, Rodger Dalman

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

In Exodus 14:2, God commanded Israel to do a strange thing. God directed Israel to turn from their route, and to walk into a trap. By wandering to the shores of a reed sea, Israel intentionally gave Pharaoh the impression that they were lost, and tempted him to pursue them. Why would God command this? After all, Egypt had already been destroyed. Thousands of Egyptians had died. Pharaoh's will had been broken, and he had let Israel go.. The nation was already leaving Egypt for Palestine. Why did Israel not simply pass through the border fortresses and go on their …

An Examination Of ΕαββατισμóΣ And ΚατáΠανσις In Hebrews 3:7-4:13 In Light Of Their Old Testament Background, Richard P. Belcher Jr.

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This paper will attempt to investigate and further define the two ideas of rest in Hebrews 3:7-4:13.

The Consummation Of The Exodus: A Study Of The Exodus Motif In The Revelation, Philip S. Haugen

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The study of the Exodus motif grew out of the author's curiosity concerning the clear reference to the Exodus in Revelation 15:3. The question which arose concerned the extent to which the Exodus motif is used in the Apocalypse, and its significance. Therefore, the purpose o this study is to examine and demonstrate the use of the Exodus motif in the Revelation.

The study will commence with a discussion in chapter one of typology and the unity of Scripture. Because the Exodus is a major source of Old Testament types, an attempt will be made in chapter one to illustrate …

A Study Of The Rhetorical And Thematic Structure Of The So-Called "Holiness Code" (Leviticus 17- 26) In Order To Evaluate Unity And Authenticity, Roger Cotton

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

My purpose is not to disprove the critic3,1 assumptions, methods, or theories~, but to do a fresh, straightforward, and thorough literary .analysis of the canonical text of Leviticus 17- 26 o I want to investigate the rhetorical and thematic ·structural aspects of the text and consider how these affect the interpretation of its meaning. 7 I want to determine what organization, what structure, what unity and purpose, if any, there are in Leviticus 17-26, and if it is authentic to Leviticus as a whole.

A Critical And Exegetical Analysis Of Exodus Twenty-Four With Special Attention To Covenant Ratification, Peter Talia

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The discussion employed in this treatise, first, sets forth the original text of Exodus 24 in its original languages, in order to present the evidence for the traditional view and to test it by an examination of these languages. This rather fresh procedure has been done in order to put the case in its most favorable light, reduce the limits of uncertainty proportionally in favor of the traditional view and support the originality and integrity of the chapter in question. In this way the internal tests of the trustworthiness of these texts will be exhibited and the historic character of …

Echoes Of Pauline Concepts In The Speech At Antioch, Paul E. Deterding

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The present study will examine the speech of Acts 13 in view of these denials of its genuineness. The vocabulary, methodology, and theological concepts of this address will be compared with the thirteen letters Of Paul. This comparison will center on five major topics: The use of the Old Testament, the use of rabbinic ideas and procedures, the ministry of John the Baptizer, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and the teaching of justification. Finally, we will review the arguments against the authenticity of the speech at Antioch in light of the findings of this study in order to …

A Contemporary Application Of The Parables Of Growth, Victor Raj

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of our study is to look at the canonical text of the four parables of growth; namely, the Sower, the Mustard Seed, the Weeds among the Wheat, and the Automatic Action of the Soil. We will do so in order to interpret them for their application for us today. The second chapter is devoted to a textual exposition of these parables. In the third chapter some basic motifs from the parables of growth receive some further discussion with a view to finding the significance of these parables for the growth of the Church.

The point of the fourth …

Melchizedek, The Man And The Tradition, Ann Nicholls Madsen

Theses and Dissertations

The common elements which emerge from this study are: Melchizedek was a priest-king, ruling a small city-state and presiding over the cult. He lived among a people far advanced from the primitive. There is no consensus among scholars concerning the meaning of his name but "Sedeq (a name for God) is my King" is a possible translation. Melchizedek's city-state was named Salem and of the four plausible geographical locations postulated, the Salem-Shechem theory leaves fewer problems. Abraham and Melchizedek worshiped the same God who was known by several names, among which were 'El 'elyon, God Most High and Yahweh. All …

A History Of The Research Of Exodus 18:1-12 With A Critical Evaluation And Suggestions For Further Progress, Andrew Chiu

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

In order to capture an over-all view of the research of Ex. 18:1-12, the study will proceed from a historical perspective, stating and critically evaluating in chronological order the theses of major scholars both for and against the Kenite hypothesis. Then the research will turn to a new dimension of the study of this pericope. Finally, the dissertation will present a critical scrutiny of the text itself. By way of textual criticism, literary criticism, form criticism, tradition criticism, redaction criticism, and historical analysis of the text, the study will make an attempt to search out what the text meant in …

Shepherd, Sheep, And Goats; A Study In Old Testament Concepts And Imagery, Jack Ferguson

Master of Divinity Thesis

The problem which this paper is concerned with, therefore, has to do with the meaning of flock imagery when itis applied to the nation of Israel, especially when Israelis compared to a goat or to a mixed flock of sheep and goats. Consequently, it is my purpose: (a) to examine the nature and composition of the flocks in the Old Testament; (b) to place a new emphasis on the nature, value, and necessity of goats as members of a flock; (c) to demonstrate the fact and significance of the combined flock, especially when it becomes a phrase which refers to …

The Relationship Of Amos To The Cult, Alfred John Johnson

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis will examine the prophecy of Amos and attempt to show that Amos was not inimical toward the cult. Through an investigation of the background and vocation of Amos it will be shown that he did not live a life of isolation, but that he had frequent intercourse with his countrymen. Through an examination of the speech forms used by Amos, it will be shown that he had a broad acquaintance with the literary arts and skills of his culture and an intimate knowledge of the cultic system of the religion of Israel.