Browsing by Author "Etukumana, Godwin"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    “Do this in remembrance of Me :” The Christological and social significance of Luke 22:14-30 for restoring human dignity
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-12) Etukumana, Godwin; Mouton, Elna; Nel, Marius Johannes; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Using social-rhetorical hermeneutics, this study examines Jesus’ statement “Do this in remembrance of Me” during the last meal He had with his disciples before He went to the cross – both in the light of the Lucan context and our/modern present context. A careful examination of the text in Luke 22:14-30 poses a challenge to Lucan scholarship as it delves into the reason of the insertion of the phrase in the context of this meal. In the first place, different views as regards the meal are examined so as to present the motif of the meal. It has been discovered that Luke wanted his community to use this meal as a medium of remembering what Jesus was to humanity during his time on earth. Socio-rhetorical analysis helps to appreciate Luke’s rhetorical nuances in presenting this meal scene to his audience. In Chapter two it is revealed that Luke used his sources rhetorically in different textures and patterns to present to his audience that Jesus was the Saviour and a servant-leader. The intertexture of Luke’s material of the meal shows that Luke appealed to his community using Ancient Near Eastern, Greco-Roman socio-cultural rhetoric in order to reiterate what his audience needed to know about Jesus. It reveals Jesus as a broker, patron, and benefactor to his community with the aim of restoring the dignity of humanity. The sacred texture of the Lucan meal shows the ever abiding presence of Jesus in the midst of the community whenever they meet due to the divine power of Jesus. Socio-rhetorical hermeneutics of Luke 22:14-30 explicates that the phrase “Do this in remembrance of Me” in the context is Luke’s rhetorical strategy of encouraging his audience to remember Jesus with the view to imitate his lifestyle and his inclusive approach to the marginalised and the outcasts of society. It is when the community eats the meal concomitantly with the imitation of his lifestyle, especially his approach to God and humanity, that the community will truly remember Jesus and thus restore human dignity in society.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    How does one interpret the Synoptic Gospels’ warning passages while affirming the irrevocable nature of salvation?
    (AOSIS, 2018) Etukumana, Godwin
    The interpretation of the warning passages in the Synoptic Gospels seems confusing, if not totally unimportant, to many modern biblical interpreters and preachers. Some of these passages have a direct link to the salvation promised to believers in Christ Jesus. The interpretation of such passages in the Synoptic Gospels, while still affirming the irrevocable nature of salvation, becomes problematic. As a result of this, this work sets to develop a methodology for reading such passages with the aim of assuring Christians that their salvation in Christ is an irrevocable gift that God in Christ has provided to those that accepted him as their Saviour.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Leadership, violent conflict and reconciliation in Africa : the theological-sociocultural engagement of Luke’s Gospel in social transformation
    (Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust, 2018) Agbiji, Obaji Mbeh; Etukumana, Godwin
    This article considers anew the important role of leadership in a meliorating violent conflict and achieving reconciliation in African societies, using the Lukan Jesus’ model of subversive leadership. The article critically engages Luke’s narrative of Jesus’ leadership style in achieving reconciliation in the context of violent conflict by using theological-sociocultural hermeneutical lenses. The Lukan Jesus, his leadership style and the manner in which he sought reconciliation in contexts of violent conflict offer African socio-political and religious leaders a model of effective leadership that could assist them in dealing with the social challenges Africa faces, such as poor leadership, violent conflicts and underdevelopment.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The reconciliation of lepers in Luke 5:12-15 and its implications for human dignity : an African perspective
    (African Sun Media, 2020) Etukumana, Godwin
    Reconciliation is an important topic in contemporary political, social, economic and religious spheres since it has the ability to redefine human relationships therein. Without the possibility of reconciliation it would be impossible for humanity to live together in the modern world. The same was true of the ancient world in which the New Testament was written. The focus of this chapter2 is on the various ways in which the Gospel according to Luke describes the reconciliation of those who had become estranged from their communities with special reference to the case of lepers3 in Luke 5:11-16. Based on Luke’s account, this estrangement directly deprived the sufferer from having contact with the community of people and thereby denied him or her, in a violent manner, the right to liberty and human dignity. By using a socio-historical hermeneutics this chapter will investigate whether the metaphors used in Luke are similar to those used in African4 society’s engagement with lepers.