Doctoral Degrees (Old and New Testament)

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The centralization of the worship of Yahweh according to the Jewish and Samaritan Pentateuchs : a textual and theological study
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Paulo, Bonifacio; Jonker, Louis C.; Kotze , Gideon; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study is, firstly, to understand the theological implications of the phenomenon of centralization of worship in Deuteronomy 12 according to the Jewish and Samaritan Pentateuchs; secondly, to investigate the different wording between the two readings and the possible factors that contributed to their development; and thirdly, given these different sectarian readings, to understand what might be the place of the Samaritan Pentateuch in the enterprise of Bible translation. To address these objectives, the researcher chose to use an integrated method, which gives him the freedom to bring different approaches, such as historical-scientific, textual/literary, and theological, into conversation. It is through this method that the outcome of this study is outlined as follows: From a historical-scientific viewpoint, it is most likely that the origin of ancient Israel is to be placed in the context of the Mediterranean region in the Iron Age I period. Furthermore, despite their belligerent relations, both Judean and Samaritan populaces are likely to be genetically related and, therefore, from the same ancestral origins. Theologically, the centralization of worship had, to some extent, contributed significantly to the shaping of the ideologies of the Jerusalem temple and Davidic/Israel’s election. In response to these ideologies, the Samaritans rejected any tradition related to Jerusalem temple and to Davidic kingship and put an exclusive claim on the Mosaic tradition as the only authoritative script. Addressed from a textual/literary approach, the two Pentateuchs share the same roots – the Mosaic tradition – and the differences between them are mainly due to editorial activities, where editors acted in favour of their respective site of worship. Lastly, with regard to the place of the Samaritan Pentateuch in the work of Bible translation, it is noted that, despite the different emphases on the place of worship, it has much in common not only with the Jewish Pentateuch but also with other textual witnesses such as the Septuagint and the Dead Seas Scrolls. Moreover, like other textual witnesses, the Samaritan Pentateuch held a significant level of authority over ancient Israeli communities, including Qumran and the early church. If this is the case, then the place of the Samaritan Pentateuch in the enterprise of Bible Translation needs to be reconsidered.
Esther as the new Moses : deliverance motifs in the Book of Esther
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12) Nkhonjera, Lapani Langford Sankhani; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to compare the figures of Moses in the Exodus narratives and Queen Esther in the Esther narratives. The study will proceed to argue that Esther, a remarkable Jewish deliverer figure in the Persian period can be viewed as a reinterpretation of the Moses figure in the Exodus narratives. Within a broad analysis of these narratives, the researcher investigates how Esther fits into the Old Testament deliverance motifs. Commonalities between Moses and Esther and their parallels and characterization as Old Testament deliverer figures assist in drawing a comparative analysis between the two. The study proceeds to prove that Esther is a new Moses figure, arguing that the Esther narratives are presented deliberately in such a way that they reinterpret the Moses narratives. A survey of previous studies that investigated the two narratives provides further evidence for the view that the Esther narratives are reinterpreting the Moses narratives, and hence that Esther can be regarded as a new Moses in the Old Testament deliverance motifs. This study argues that Esther stands within the same category of Old Testament deliverer figures like Moses and that female figures like Esther are not ignored in the deliverance of God’s people. The concluding part of this study investigates what implications the Old Testament narratives of Moses and Esther as deliverer figures may have for the modern-day context of African leadership. The focus is on investigating whether biblical models of leadership and deliverance offer anything to the discourse on African leadership. In the last section, the models of Moses and Esther are applied to modern-day ethical problems of leadership in African societies. It is postulated that Old Testament ethical reflections on biblical characters such as Moses and Esther may inform modern-day reflection on responsible leadership.
Exodus in 2 Chronicles 10-36 : an exegetical study on inner-biblical allusion
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-02-04) Hutchison, Daniel Allen; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A shift in scholarly studies on Chronicles has occurred in the last forty years, from primarily historical examinations to assessments of its literary features. With this shift has come a focus on how Chronicles refers to other biblical books. The primary biblical source for Chronicles is Samuel-Kings, but Chronicles refers to other biblical texts as well. However, a systematic examination of the author’s allusions to a pentateuchal book has not yet been published. This study’s contribution to scholarship is a systematic evaluation of how Chronicles alludes to the book of Exodus in 2 Chr 10-36 and how those allusions impact the rhetorical arguments of that portion of the book. Additionally, this study reveals exegetical insights at specific points in 2 Chr 10-36 (including allusions not previously noted in the scholarship reviewed). The combination of three elements set this study apart from previous studies of inner-biblical allusion in the Hebrew Bible: (1) a systematic approach to finding inner-biblical allusions to one particular source, (2) a subsequent evaluation of those allusions with a robust methodology, and (3) a comparison of those allusions’ rhetorical uses to a narrative analysis of the alluding text. The study identifies sixteen inner-biblical allusions to Exodus in 2 Chr 10-36 with an additional fourteen recurrences of those allusions. Chronicles uses an assortment of lexical, conceptual, and structural markers to indicate its allusions to Exodus in 2 Chr 10-36, though shared language is the primary method. Each of the allusions to Exodus has one or more of the following uses: Moral Evaluation, Elevate the Temple and Priesthood, Establish and Reaffirm a Standard or Truth, Exegesis, and Encouragement. The study also situates the allusions in their narrative context for rhetorical investigation and comparison. The study observes in Chronicles the importance of the Davidic kingship and how the people of Israel can relate to YHWH, their God, through the proper operation of the cult. The significance of the temple and its location in Jerusalem are paramount. The centrality of the temple is not in its grandeur but in its emphasis on a relationship with the God who dwells there. The kings following David succeed or fail (or both) based on how they relate to YHWH. Those who relate well to YHWH and care for his temple receive God’s blessing. Those who spurn YHWH and disrupt or damage his temple receive his judgment. Chronicles uses allusions to Exodus in 2 Chr 10-36 to support at least three of that section’s rhetorical aims: (1) to evaluate the moral character of its characters, (2) to highlight and elevate the status of the temple and its attendants, the Levites, and (3) to establish and reaffirm the standards by which the text evaluates its characters.
‘From beyond the rivers of Cush’ : negotiating ethnic identity and Cushite-Israelite interrelations in the Hebrew Bible
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-11) Burrell, Kevin; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is almost axiomatic that the impetus to study the past is occasioned by contemporary paradigms and circumstances. In recent years the steady flow of critical investigations of ethnic sentiments in the biblical literature can be directly correlated to the salience of ethnic dynamics in our modern, multicultural context. It is reasonable to assert then that the biblical scholar’s primary purpose for studying ethnic dynamics in Israel’s past is to inform, in one way or another, the contemporary struggle for identity in an ethnically and racially fractured social landscape. The primary objective of this work is to investigate representations of Cushites in the Hebrew Bible, and as such it is a study of the past. But relevant to the present, one of the main goals of this project is to provide a more balanced view of Cushite ethnographic representations in the biblical literature by consciously departing from accepted stereotypes of Africa and people of African descent which are largely a feature of the modern age. Varying degrees of racial stereotyping expressed in otherwise competent biblical interpretation tend to emphasize unfavourable portraits of the people the biblical writers called Cushites. Such views are revealed, for example, through a tacit assumption of the slave status of certain Cushites who appear in the pages of the Hebrew Bible. It is a working assumption of this study that modern notions of race and ethnicity were understood differently in the ancient and biblical contexts. Thus, in contrast to racial assumptions, this work seeks to comprehend the biblical view of Cushites first by undertaking a comprehensive examination of comparative representations of Cushites in ancient Egypt and the Mediterranean, and second by a critical examination of the theological outlook of the biblical authors who wrote about them. This study contributes to a clearer understanding of the theological, historical, and ethnic dynamics underpinning representations of Cushites in the Hebrew Bible.
The Hesed and Rahamim of God as resources of hope in contexts of individual and communal loss : a multi-dimensional reading of Lamentations
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) Muriwo, Golden; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation argues for the existence of hope in the book of Lamentations. Although on the surface the picture presented seems to be that of gloom, an analysis of the literary features points to the central part of the book as the peak of the theology of Lamentations. In that central part four Hebrew words are used to express this hope. Once this ray of hope has been lit, it is not quenched by the incessant agony of suffering. It shines throughout the entire remaining laments. This hope is based on a reflection of the hesed and rahamim of God. The hesed and rahamim of God, which are taken as resources for the generation of hope, are studied diachronically and synchronically. It is revealed in this study that the hesed and rahamim of God are social, active and enduring. This is then contrasted to the anger of God, which is temporal. Through a multidimensional analysis of the text of Lamentations, it is also revealed in this dissertation that the book is atemporal and ahistorical. The atemporal and ahistorical nature of Lamentations enhances its portability to other contexts of suffering beyond that of its inception. However, in order to do this responsibly, the author advocates for an analogous reading that recognises the continuities and discontinuities within the various contexts. This work finally brings the Judean context of suffering into dialogue with the Zimbabwean context of suffering. Some useful parallels are then drawn with the aim of offering lasting hope, healing, and identity and dignity construction to victims of Gukurahundi, Murambatsvina and Hondo yeminda.
Identity formation and community solidarity : second temple historiographies in discourse with (South) African theologies of reconstruction
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-03) Cezula, Ntozakhe Simon; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is motivated by a call by some African theologians for an African theology of reconstruction, specifically Mugambi. Its intended contribution is to propose a biblical paradigm from the Old Testament for an African theology of reconstruction. The study is fully convinced that a successful reconstruction process in Africa is possible if the process of identity formation is recognised as a strongly influential force on the process. The identity formation process needs to be consciously driven into a particular direction. The study identifies two factors that influence the success or failure of a reconstruction process. The two factors, which are conversely related, are community solidarity and social conflict. Community solidarity facilitates reconstruction and social conflict retards it. As far as the study is concerned, both of these factors are products of identity formation. If an identity formation process is exclusive it results in social conflict and if it is inclusive it results in community solidarity. The unfortunate part, according to the study, in any newly liberated nation, is that identity formation is inevitable. Because the Judean community of the Second Temple was a newly liberated community, the study suggests an exploration of their identity formation process. Although the contexts might not be the same, the suggestion is based on the hope that some lessons which can be of value to the African identity formation process might be learnt. The different ideologies that endeavoured to direct the identity formation of that community can potentially inform us of important issues to take note of when engaging in an identity formation process. Amongst the diverse historiographies of the Second Temple period, the study will explore two historiographies, namely, Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles. There are two reasons why these particular historiographies are chosen. The first one is that Nehemiah has already been proposed by some scholars as a biblical paradigm for a theology of reconstruction. The second one is that Chronicles, in many respects is related to Nehemiah and therefore provides a suitable comparison for a research study of this nature.
Ideologie en mag in Bybelinterpretasie : op weg na 'n kommunale lees van 2 Samuel 13
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-03) Van der Walt, Charlene; Jonker, Louis C.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die rol wat mag en ideologie speel in die konkrete interkulturele gespreksruimte wat tot stand kom as individue vanuit diverse kontekste mekaar ontmoet rondom Bybeltekste. Die interkulturele gespreksruimte word teoreties gefundeer vanuit die gesamentlike uitgangspunte van die Feminisme en 'n Afrika-hermeneutiek. Die kommunale ruimte bied hiervolgens teoreties die ruimte waarbinne individue vanuit diverse kontekste tot hulle reg kan kom in die kollektief. In Hoofstuk 2 van hierdie studie word die hermeneutiese raamwerk waaruit die studie sy vertrekpunte vind, omskryf wanneer die uitgangspunte van beide die Feminisme en 'n Afrika-hermeneutiek bespreek word. Die Feminisme beklemtoon die belang van die kontekstuele stem van die individu en Afrika-hermeneutiek stel die kommunale ruimte voor waarin die stemme tot hulle reg kan kom. Die interkulturele gesprek wat in hierdie studie ondersoek word, vind plaas met 2 Samuel 13:1-22 as gespreksdokument. In Hoofstuk 3 word 'n multidimensionele eksegetiese raamwerk beskryf wat gebruik word ten einde ‘n deurdagte interpretasie van 2 Samuel 13:1-22 te bied. ‘n In-diepte lesing van die teks word gedoen, sowel as ideologies(retories)-kritiese en leserrespons-kritiese analises. Ten slotte word in dié hoofstuk verwys na die interpretasiegeskiedenis van die teks vanuit ‘n dominant Westerse perspektief asook vanuit die Feminisme en ‘n Afrika-hermeneutiese konteks. Met die tweeledige hermeneutiese raamwerk as uitganspunt, en 2 Samuel 13:1-22 as gespreksdokument, word die empiriese komponent van die studie dan in die volgende hoofstukke beskryf. In die empiriese studie word die teoreties-geformuleerde interkulturele ruimte dan ‘n konkrete realiteit as kultureel-diverse vroue mekaar ontmoet in gesprek rondom die Tamar-verhaal van 2 Samuel 13. Die ontwerp van die empiriese studie wat in Hoofstuk 5 bespreek word, word in die vorige hoofstuk, Hoofstuk 4, gefundeer deur aandag te gee aan, onder andere, die omskrywing van sleutelterme soos kultuur, ideologie en mag. Die kwalitatiewe data wat ingewin is tydens die konkrete interkulturele gesprekke, word daarna geanaliseer en bespreek in Hoofstuk 6. Al die data wat ingewin is tydens die studie word as Bylae tot die proefskrif beskikbaar gestel in ‘n aparte meegaande bundel ten einde die lees-envergelyk- proses te vergemaklik. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie, in Hoofstuk 7, bring al die diverse besprekings soos dit in die argument hanteer is, bymekaar en poog om ‘n sinvolle interpretasie te bied van hoe mag en ideologie funksioneer in die interkulturele Bybelleesproses. Die teoretiese interkulturele ruimte wat deur die Feminisme en 'n Afrikahermeneutiek as oogmerk gestel word, word dus in die studie geproblematiseer deur te vra na die funksionering van mag en ideologie in daardie ruimte. Vanuit 'n kwalitatiewe analise van die data wat ingewin is tydens die empiriese komponent van die studie, word dit duidelik dat die interkulturele ruimte ‘n besondere spasie bied waarin individue tot hulle reg kom en waarin verandering gefasiliteer kan word. Dit wil egter verder blyk dat hierdie ruimte nie sonder uitdaging is nie aangesien die interkulturele ruimte nie die invloed van die magsdinamika vryspring nie. Daar is bevind dat die interkulturele gespreksruimte ‘n besondere instrument is wat ingespan kan word ten einde sosiale transformasie te fasiliteer, maar dit moet met groot omsigtigheid hanteer word.
Life preservation in Genesis and Exodus : an exegetical study of the Tebāh
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-12) Spoelstra, Joshua Joel; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: See full text for the abstract
Maranatha as a hermeneutical key to reinterpreting the imprecatory Psalms
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-11) Slabbert, Sarel Johannes Petrus; Jonker, Louis C.; Punt, Jeremy; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Certain Psalms, known as Imprecatory Psalms, cause problems for both academic and devotional readers. They contain curses and prayers asking for vengeance, judgment, and vindication. These Psalms are part of the Bible, creating the question if Christians today can read and study them. Through the years various attempts, ranging from ignoring, censoring, and defending these curses, have been attempted. However, no single methodology can effectively alleviate the problems and questions caused by the Imprecatory Psalms. This thesis looks at the Aramaic cry, Μαράνα θά, in 1 Corinthians 16 as a possible key to help understand the Imprecatory Psalms. Therefore three Imprecatory Psalms are studied to determine the motivations and context behind the vengeful prayers. Psalms 7, 35, and 59 were studied within their cultural and canonical settings according to the Three Dimensional Reading Methodology. The focus is on the inter-, intra-, and extra-textual aspects. It was determined that the psalmists did not curse for vengeful or personal reasons. The curses were expressed in a time of dire need when enemies were out to destroy the psalmists. Within the covenantal relationship between God and the psalmist, the only option left for the psalmist was to call on God to come to their aid: judging the enemies and vindicating the righteous. Studying the curse within the context of the Ancient Near East it became evident that the curse was commonly used in both Old and New Testament times. In the case of Biblical curses it also becomes clear that executing the curse or not was the sole prerogative of God; the psalmist could not enact vengeance himself. Curses are not only found in the Psalms, but also other books in the Old and New Testament. Μαράνα θά is found next to a curse in the New Testament. Although considered by some as separate, reading ἀνάθεμα Μαράνα θά as a unit echoes a similar essence than the imprecatory prayers: the desire that God will come and act. In the Psalms the desire is that God would come and judge the enemies and vindicate the righteous. Μαράνα θά should be read as an imperative, calling on the Lord to come and act. In the New Testament Μαράνα θά has the παρουσία in mind. Analogous to the Imprecatory Psalms, the παρουσία focuses on judgment of the enemies of God and the vindication of his people. Μαράνα θά can become a prayer that offer an analogy between the hopes and desires of the psalmists and the hopes and desires of those calling on the Lord to return.
Navigating the threshold : an African-feminist reading of the Hagar narrative in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-11) Thabede, Slindile; Jonker, Louis C.; Davids, N.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the experiences of Hagar/Hajar, as depicted through the three monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The scriptures from these traditions locate her in remarkably different ways, bringing into conversation profound considerations of who Hagar/Hajar is, not only concerning the specific faith traditions but what these varying traditions can offer for interreligious dialogue and sense-making. In this regard, the study first provides three vantage points, each couched in a monotheistic milieu, and argues for reconsidering the Hagar/Hajar traditions. Secondly, and more importantly, by focusing on Hagar/Hajar’s geopolitical positioning, the study adopts an African-feminist perspective, which opens new possibilities for the significance of her story. Finally, by emphasising her liminality, this bifocal framework lays bare Hagar/Hajar’s body as a site of multiple oppressions and as hope and transcendence. As a slave woman gifted to the monotheist Abraham, her body adopts an intersectional portrayal of oppression regarding sexuality, gender, culture, race, class, and ethnicity. While centrally located across the three Abrahamic traditions, her story reveals remarkably different contextually-bound interpretations, opening rich deliberations and debates for the position and positioning of women along a historical trajectory. Subsequently, this research aims to create a critical space within which the multiple oppressions exerted on black women in South Africa can be articulated. The study also reveals the structures that continue to oppress and subjugate black women. Hagar/Hajar’s memory is kept alive through the liminal identities of South African women who share similarities with her experience. Therefore, in telling their story through Hagar/Hajar as an African matriarch, her story offers new modes of survival and resistance for South African black women. Consequently, the story of Hagar/Hajar becomes an excellent “threshold” or “third space” where authentic engagement within the three religious traditions can also occur. The study constitutes an attempt to create a conversational space where all three Abrahamic traditions could potentially act as each other’s reflective space. Here they could hold one another accountable through the Hagar/Hajar story and together identify the life-giving or life-denying modes that their respective Hagar/Hajar narratives have established in their worlds of origin.
The Noah flood narrative within the context of cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe : an exegetical and hermeneutical study of Genesis 6:5 – 9:17
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-02 ) Chisango, Andrew; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research entails an investigation into the interpretation of the Genesis Flood story (Genesis 6-9) by Zimbabwean Christians in the Chipinge and Chimanimani areas. The special focus is on finding out the impact that the flooding during Cyclone Idai had on their understanding of the biblical flood narrative. A close look into most of Zimbabwean church leaders and ordinary readers’ appropriations of biblical narratives indicates that they tend to ignore historical-critical and social-scientific methods of biblical interpretation and prefer allegorical and/or literary self-projective reading methods. This kind of reading of the scriptures is applied to the Genesis flood story by most preachers and readers in the Chipinge and Chimanimani areas that had the most damage during Cyclone Idai in 2019. This has far-reaching implications both for how they make sense of the devastating event of the cyclone, as well as on how they may re ad the entire Bible in specific contexts. The research wants to study the methodological implications those Zimbabwean interpretations have for doing critical-scientific exegesis. There are several exegetical methodologies that are typically used in academic study to analyze the stories of the Old Testament and the Bible. These methods normally focus on the literary, historical, and theological dimensions of the biblical texts in order to reveal the intended meanings of a biblical passage, before the passage is interpreted in modern-day contexts. The question that stands central in this research is how, if at all, a combination of scientific methodological insights with lay readings of Genesis 6-9 can enrich our contemporary understandings, given the contextual experience of Zimbabweans during Cyclone Idai. The research therefore engages with the existing methodological tensions between Western and African readers of the Bible and asks how these could be integrated through communal and multidimensional approaches, for the benefit of both critical-scientific and lay readers’ understanding of the Bible within the context of the African continent.
Reading Deuteronomy 16-18 within the context of nepotism and corruption in ECWA, Nigeria : a theological-ethical study
(2021-08-25) Amao, Solomon; Jonker, Louis C.; Hendriks, Hans Jurgens; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nepotism is described as an unjust, unethical, divisive and oppressive disparagement of the “other”, who is marginalized for kinship (family, tribal, ethnic, regional, or cultural), political (granting favours in a patron-client relationship to relatives, friends, benefactors, and privileged kinfolks), and similar prejudicial reasons. This study provokes further discussions by linking the historically established and provocative phenomenon of nepotism (cronyism, patronage, simony and favouritism) with corrupt leadership practices in the Nigerian church, Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), and the Nigerian society. Incongruences between the church’s professions and practices signpost a problem. The Church, a community of faith, lays claim to a unique understanding of God, worship, fellowship, the exercise of authority, and the concept of “God’s household”. It is, therefore, considerably more difficult to rationalize the use of nepotism to provide identity and meaning for Christians than for others in the wider Nigerian society. This study compares the characterizations, factors, and features of nepotism and corruption that occur in church and society. It also analyses how several years of maladministration advance nepotism and a vicious circle of corruption on church and society. In order to address this problem from a biblical perspective, the study employs a historical, contextual and multi-dimensional exegetical approach to Deuteronomy 16-18, and a communal and accountable interpretation of the text. The socio-historical, socio-economical, and religio-cultural contexts ground the formulation of an analogical paradigm for the study. New Testament texts serve to continue the act of constant appropriation of Israel’s values for new and changing contexts. These stir the application of the text’s moral and social implications, ethical demands, and transformational potentials to apply to sacred and secular leadership in modern-day Nigerian situations. Furthermore, the study advocates that faith and non-faith communities opt for diligent, responsible and circumscribed leadership that obeys God’s word and exercise collective power strategies. This framework ensures social justice, corporate solidarity, social ethic, generosity to the economically weak, and the protection of the rights/entitlements of the vulnerable in a safe and secure society. The blunt realities of nepotism and corruption, especially as it pertains to marginalization of people groups, in church and society are reasonably acknowledged. This study endeavours to provide a voice for many of the silenced and ignored interpretive contexts and interests of the disenfranchised. Thus, the study generates platforms for dialogues and for influencing the shared interests of persons and groups in each community. The study also demands justice and equity as normative ethics of obligations, on a sound biblical basis from Deuteronomy 16-18. Besides, ECWA hierarchy, may be motivated to inculcate new attitudes and actions towards people marginalized via nepotism; to become advocates for social justice, and to contribute to transforming church and society based on a covenant obligation towards Yahweh and towards brothers/sisters and fellow citizens.
Sit at my right hand : the Chronicler’s portrait of the tribe of Benjamin in the social context of Yehud
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-04) Giffone, Benjamin D.; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The book of Chronicles is a form of consensus-building literature. The Chronicler’s portrayal of Benjamin in relation to Judah reflects an inclusive vision of “all Israel” that walks a fine line: simultaneously valuing Benjamin as an equal partner with Judah (as his “right hand”), yet still protecting the primacy of David as YHWH’s chosen ruler, the Levites as the priestly tribe, and Jerusalem as the proper cultic center. Chronicles’ portrait of Benjamin differs from that of the Deuteronomistic History, which portrays Benjamin’s relation to Judah as varied and complex. The Chronicler attempts to smooth over these difficulties by highlighting the historically close relationship between the two tribes. In this regard his goals and strategy differ from that of the Deuteronomist, who presents both the high and low points of Judah-Benjamin relations. The Chronicler’s reconstrual of the Judah-Benjamin relationship reflects the socio-political situation of late Persian Yehud, in which the relatively poor Jerusalem cult struggled to gain material support from landed nobility in the region. Material evidence indicates that the historically Benjaminite regions prospered during the Neo-Babylonian and early Persian periods. The Jerusalem cult competed with historically Benjaminite and Josephite cultic locations for the support of wealthier Benjaminite landowners. The Chronicler rewrote Israel’s narrative partly in order to garner Benjaminite support for the Jerusalem cult. This study attempts to synthesize both literary and historical observations: demonstrating a literary phenomenon—the divergent portraits of Benjamin in the Deuteronomistic History and Chronicles—and situating that phenomenon within the historical context of Persian Yehud. The study contributes to the understanding of Yehud during this period, elaborates an important motif in these two sections of the Hebrew Bible, and furthers the investigation of the so-called “Benjaminite substratum” in the Hebrew Bible.
Telling a different story of privilege and poverty : an intercultural Bible reading of Ruth in the context of contemporary South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-02 ) Naude, Stephanus Johannes; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation addresses the profound implications of an analogical hermeneutical model and focuses on its application to understanding the multiple contextual dimensions within religious communities, with an emphasis on authoritative religious texts, particularly the Bible. The research aims to explore how perspectives within particular contexts develop over time, particularly in relation to the Bible, by drawing out the historical, literary and ethical facets. This nuanced understanding of context encompasses the world within the text, its literary setting, historical background and individual interpretation to provide a comprehensive understanding. An analogical hermeneutics model is a powerful tool for uncovering the historical and literary aspects of authoritative texts and how ancient authors and redactors used traditions to elaborate ethical principles. Within this exploration of traditions and interactions, contemporary readers can address pressing social issues based on shared values. This study not only offers exegetical insights into the Ruth narrative, but also demonstrates the transformative potential of the narrative in the specific South African context characterised by inequalities of wealth and poverty. Churches as agents of social change can benefit significantly from the findings of this study. In essence, this study highlights the transformative potential of intercultural Bible reading by creating a harmonious platform for people from different backgrounds to engage with biblical narratives, their personal stories and the shared values that unite them. This approach not only enriches our understanding of the text, but also promotes meaningful interactions within intercultural groups and ultimately contributes to a more inclusive and harmonious society.
A text-critical analysis of the Lamentations manuscripts from Qumran (3QLam, 4QLam, 5QLama and 5QLamb): establishing the content of an Old Testament book according to its textual witnesses among the Dead Sea scrolls
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2011-03) Kotzé, Gideon; Jonker, Louis C.; Cook, Johann; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study takes as its point of departure the contributions of the Dead Sea scrolls to the discipline of Old Testament textual criticism. It deals with a particular approach to this discipline and its application to the four Lamentations manuscripts from Qumran (3QLam, 4QLam, 5QLam a and 5QLam b ). The approach to Old Testament textual criticism followed in the study treats the Qumran manuscripts of Lamentations, the Masoretic text and the ancient translations as witnesses to the content of the book and not merely as witnesses to earlier forms of its Hebrew wording. The unique readings in 3QLam, 4QLam, 5QLam a and 5QLam b and their difficult or ambiguous readings are subjected to a comparative text-critical analysis. This analysis focuses on how the variant readings in the Qumran manuscripts were created by scribes during the process of copying. It therefore examines the influence that the scribal transmission exercised on the wordings of the passages from Lamentations that are preserved in 3QLam, 4QLam, 5QLam a and 5QLam b The analysis also considers whether comparative philology and/or the ancient . Greek, Syriac, Latin and Aramaic translations can shed light on the textual problems which the Hebrew wordings of the Lamentations manuscripts from Qumran share with the Masoretic text. The aims of this study are to establish, by means of this text-critical analysis, how the Lamentations manuscripts from Qumran present the content of the book and thereby gain a better understanding of these manuscripts as textual witnesses.
Toward an Old Testament theology of light : from physical concept to metaphysical analogy
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12) Ruark, Joel D.; Jonker, Louis C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The rise of Cognitive Linguistics as an academic discipline in the last fifty years has spawned a new chapter in linguistic approches to biblical theology. This dissertation utilizes the cognitive theories of embodied cognition and conceptual metaphor theory––both of which are foundational to cognitive lexical semantics––to analyze the referential and metaphorical uses of lexical terms for light in Biblical Hebrew and to propose a consistent and coherent cognitive model that fits the textual evidence within the Old Testament. The Old Testament uses the physical concept of light to conceptualize the abstract concepts of both WISDOM and LIFE, with YHWH as the common and determinative conceptual element. Furthermore, the use of both nominal and verbal concepts suggests the cognitive metaphor YHWH IS SELF-GENERATING LIGHT as an operative theological axiom in the ancient Israelite conceptual world underlying the Old Testament text. This dissertation then conducts a typological analysis of the referential and metaphorical use of light in ancient Israelite culture in comparison with other ancient Near Eastern literature and iconography. While numerous conceptual congruities can be seen among the various cultures, many attestations of the metaphorical use of light in the ancient Near Eastern material can be explained via the conceptual metaphor POWER IS RADIANCE, a metaphor conspicuously absent from the Old Testament. Rather, the Old Testament utilizes the metaphors WISDOM IS LIGHT and LIFE IS LIGHT but always avoids the POWER IS RADIANCE metaphor, even when discussing concepts such as lightning or salvation which necessarily involve the expression of divine power. A conceptual analysis of the lexical data in the Old Testament consistently and coherently displays the conceptual metaphor YHWH IS SELF-GENERATING LIGHT as a genuine metaphysical analogy, yielding a cluster of theological concepts. Light theology in the Old Testament is cataphatic, revealing the omni-temporal sovereignty of YHWH. Light theology in the Old Testament is also dialectical, revealing YHWH in his efficience yet concealing YHWH in his essence. The beneficent nature of this efficience in the physical world reveals the fundamental goodness of YHWH. Finally, light theology in the Old Testament heralds the establishment of YHWH's immanent physical presence in the cosmos during the eschatological age, but falls short of expounding either an incarnational revelation of, or a sacramental participation in, YHWH's divine efficience.
Translating Jonah’s narration and poetry into Sabaot : towards a participatory approach to Bible translation (PABT)
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008-03) Chemorion, Diphus Chosefu; Jonker, Louis C.; Van der Merwe, C. H. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
Recent developments in the field of translation studies have shown that a single translation of the Bible cannot be used for all the functions for which people may need a translation of the Bible. Unlike the case in the past when new versions of the Bible were viewed with suspicion, it is now increasingly acknowledged that different types of the Bible are necessary for different communicative functions. While many African communities have only a pioneer mother tongue translation of the Bible, Scripture use reports indicate that in some situations, the mother tongue translations have not been used as it was intended. The writer of this dissertation supports the view that some of the Christians in their respective target language communities do not use available mother tongue translations because they find them to be inappropriate for their needs. In the light of functionalist theories of translation, it is held in this dissertation that people who find existing translations to be unsuitable for their needs may need special alternative translations that are precisely designed to address their needs. The challenge, however, is how to identify the specific type of the alternative translation. Although the need for alternative versions of the Bible has been widely acknowledged, very few studies have been carried out on strategies for designing and producing functional and acceptable alternative translations that are also directly based on the biblical source texts. This study represents part of the necessary effort to identify theoretical strategies for designing and producing alternative translations with special functions.
חֶסֶד and Ikharari : the book of Ruth from a Lomwe perspective
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-12) Alfredo, Justino Manuel; Jonker, Louis C.; Wendland, Ernest R.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It has been acknowledged in two recent studies that the translation of key biblical terms is an area that needs urgent attention. Many lexicons provide the meaning of a word by describing its etymology, hardly paying any attention to the socio-cultural contexts within which it is used. Thus, lexicons are often of limited value for Bible interpretation and translation. This dissertation argues that the meaning of a word can only be fully determined by taking into consideration the linguistic and socio-cultural contexts within which it functions. A basic assumption is that the biblical source text serves as a frame of reference for the semantic analysis of a particular word. The text provides an integrative semantic and pragmatic framework within which a biblical term must be investigated with reference to its wider socio-cultural setting. In the light of this framework, this study investigates the meaning of dsj in the book of Ruth from a Lomwe perspective. Although the word occurs only three times (Ruth 1:8, 2:20 and 3:10) with reference to Ruth, Boaz and Yahweh as subjects, respectively, the book is a “dsj story”, which represents the essence of the covenant between Yahweh and His people. The essence of this covenant is demonstrated by the main characters of the story, which unveil the theological depth that dsj brings to the understanding of this narrative. Since the aim of the study is to evaluate the suitability of the terms osivela, osivela combined with woororomeleya and ikharari in relation to others that are potentially available in Lomwe to convey the conceptual complexity denoted by dsj, a Cognitive Frames of Reference (CFR) approach was introduced for the translation. To bridge the cognitive gap between the socio-cultural worlds of the biblical audience and the target audience, the study used different dimensions of CFR namely the textual, socio-cultural, communicational and the organizational frames of reference. Using the book of Ruth as a starting point for the translation of the word dsj into Lomwe, it is argued that this approach offers a better understanding of the meaning of dsj in Ruth 1:8, 2:20 and 3:10. Since osivela waya woororomeleya does not do justice to the meaning of dsj in the three passages, the words ikharari (1:8 and 2:20) and oreera murima (3:10) have been proposed as exegetically and socio-culturally more appropriate alternatives.

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Old and New Testament) by browse.metadata.advisor "Jonker, Louis C."

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