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Item Open Access Jezus, de unieke drager van Gods Geest(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Dingemans, G. D. J.English: Research of the “historical Jesus” has produced a considerable number of books and articles, but has not given us a reliable view on Jesus. Scholars do not get further than Jesus as a charismatic teacher. The “traditional Christ of the church” with the doctrine of the two natures causes many problems for modern man because of the old philosophic framework and its static character. In my opinion a linguistic analysis of the New Testament shows that the witnesses of Jesus were deeply impressed by the mystery of Jesus’ charismatic appearance, both during his lifetime and after his death. In his attitude, his words and activities they have experienced the real presence of God. For all of the authors of the New Testament the divine presence culminated in the experience of the Risen Lord. To express that mystery I plead for a kind of “pneuma-christology”: Jesus was born as a human being and he received the Holy Spirit as he was baptised by John the Baptist — as most of the Gospels tell us. Especially after his death and resurrection the Risen Lord works in the world as the Spirit of Christ. Christ is the human face of God. A pneumachristology is more dynamic than the doctrine of the two natures and gives more room for the idea that Jesus was a real man (vere homo). At the same time the experience is expressed that in him God himself (vere Deus) — in the shape of the Holy Spirit — was active in a complete and absolute way. In that way he was the unique Bearer of the Holy Spirit — in contrast with other bearers of the Spirit like prophets and apostles.Item Open Access The angle of incidence of Paul Roux's catechism — a study on the theology of a French refugee at the Cape(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) D’Assonville, V. E.English: With the Belijdenis of Paul Roux we have an indigenous document of early eighteenth century theological reflection among some French refugees of the first generations at the Cape. It provides us with useful opportunities to analyse the theology of an important part of the history of the Huguenots. In this study, attention is given to the matter of the introductory question of this catechism book with regard to its importance as well as its content. It is argued that the angle of incidence of this catechism is pointing to a shift away from the reformed heritage towards the Aufklärung and Rationalism. Whether this applies to the rest of the Belijdenis in its entirety is not object of this analysis, though.Item Open Access Aktiewe gemeente-betrokkenheid by die missionêre diakonaat — 'n ondersoek in 'n gemeente van die NGKA in Mangaung(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Verster, P.English: Research within the community which does not take into account the need and knowledge of the community is not beneficial. Using the notion of the four squares of knowledge, research was conducted in the informal housing community in Mangaung. From the perspective of the congregation of the Christian church, the congregation developed a strategy to get involved in the community. In this way the poor were able to reach out to people in need and seek solutions from within. This has a sound Biblical base.Item Open Access Die impak van die verbond op'n paradigma vir pastoraat(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Janse van Rensburg, J.; Hoffman, L.English: This article points out that the covenant has a more comprehensive impact on pastoral care than other paradigms. It is indicated that the contents communicated to the believer as well as the techniques used are influenced by a covenantal paradigm for pastoral care. From a covenantal perspective, a believer can be equipped to regard his/her life within the framework of the covenant. The actions and experiences of the believer are influenced by this sentence: “I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you … to be your God and the God of your descendants” (Gen. 17:7)Item Open Access The relevance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for New Testament interpretation: with a bibliographical appendix(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Frey, J.English: The article demonstrates why the Dead Sea Scrolls are important for NT scholarship. After a sketch of the main periods of Qumran research, the author discusses four patterns of relating Qumran with the NT which he considers problematic. Neither was the Qumran community a prototype of Early Christianity, nor do Qumran texts reflect Early Christian history. The opinion that NT texts can be found in the fragments from Cave 7 is erroneous, and the view that an Essene Quarter in Jerusalem formed the nucleus of the Primitive Christian Community there cannot be established. Based on the fact that the Qumran library is not the literary production of a single “sect” but a broader collection of texts from different groups in Ancient Judaism, the relevance of the Qumran library is rather that it shows the pluriformity of Judaism at the turn of the era, and that numerous terms and ideas in the NT which were thought to be non-Jewish can now be explained from the variety of Jewish texts from the library. The interpretative value of Qumran is then demonstrated by two examples: John the Baptist can be interpreted more precisely in contrast with the purification rites and Scripture interpretation of Qumran, and some of the Pauline anthropological terms, especially the notion of sinful flesh, can be seen as influenced by Palestinian Jewish Wisdom traditions. As an appendix, the author presents a select and commented bibliography for the study of Qumran texts and their relation with the NT.Item Open Access Jesus, history and the gospels(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Moyise, S.English: This article considers the reasons why modern scholars have felt the need to go behind the four Gospels and search for the historical Jesus. After a short discussion on methodology, especially the criteria used to detect the earliest and most reliable traditions about Jesus, a number of recent proposals are discussed: Jesus as Jewish restoration prophet; Jesus as Galilean rabbi; Jesus as subversive reformer; Jesus as Jewish messiah. This diversity might suggest that the whole enterprise is misguided but there are positive gains for the Church, not least the recovery of the Jewishness of Jesus.Item Open Access Narrative temporality and Johannine symbolism(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Ito, H.English: How does narrative temporality affect the understanding of Johannine symbolism? To investigate this is the purpose of this article. The notion of narrative temporality is not new in the study of Biblical texts. However, there have not been many studies which make this notion their main thrust. Rather, generally speaking, it has merely been used as a “guide” or framework by which one can investigate some other important aspects such as the interpretation of a certain piece of literature, narrative, or part of a narrative. Against this background, this article wishes to put more focus on the possibility and impact this notion can provide in Biblical studies. In order to do this, this article takes up the subject of Johannine symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, especially the symbol of light, simply because it is not easy to understand. The more difficult the subject is, the clearer this notion can display its impact and usability in the readings of Biblical narratives.Item Open Access Proclaiming the gospel in Macedonia, Achaia and in every place. Missions and 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) De Villiers, P. G. R.English: In this article the author analyses 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8 in order to illuminate missiological activities of Pauline Christianity. Paul is often regarded as the zealous missionary who took the rural, Palestinian gospel of Jesus to key cities in the Roman Empire and thus contributed decisively to the founding of Christianity. Information in this passage gives a more balanced picture of Pauline mission, illuminating its corporate nature, its outward nature and its expectations that converts should become actively involved in spreading the word in a life-embracing manner.Item Open Access Die vrede van Münster/Westfale en die betekenis daarvan vir die vestiging van die gereformeerde godsdiens aan die Kaap(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) D’Assonville, V. E.English: The significance of the Peace of Münster (as part of the more comprehensive Peace of Westphalia of 1648) is well-acknowledged within the European and Dutch historiography. In the South African writing of church history, however, this is not the case — not only is the epoch-making Peace of Münster nearly being neglected in general, but the relation between this central historical landmark on the one hand, and the founding of a refreshment post at the Cape of Good Hope by the DEIC in 1652 (with the consequential influence on the South African church history) on the other hand is almost ignored. The aim of this article is to demonstrate that 1652 as the founding date of the reformed religion at the Cape of Good Hope is historiographically not handled satisfactorily if the Peace of Münster is not sufficiently taken into consideration. The Peace Treaty finally enabled the Dutch to proceed — now for the first time in total freedom — with their sea voyages to India and the Far East. Thus an opportunity was created to found a refreshment post and eventually to further the reformed religion at the Cape.Item Open Access Kerk, koerant en die kwessie van nuus toegepas op die Rapport-berig oor huise van NG Welsyn Vrystaat vir predikante(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Strauss, P. J.English: This article analyses the question of what news and news values are as well as the handling of church news in daily or weekly newspapers. The author deems the norms for news as accepted and applied by these papers to be acceptable from a Christian ethical point of view. In his opinion there is no need for conflict between church and newspaper in this regard. Conflict may, however, arise when it relates to the construction of news or a practical application of these values in a specific news report. A case study on such a report in the Afrikaans Sunday newspaper, Rapport, confirms this observation. This report focuses on houses of DRC Welfare in the Free State which have been sold to ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church.Item Open Access 'n Eksegeties-teologiese interpretasie van Habakuk 3(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Snyman, S. D.English: In this article Habakkuk 3 is subjected to an exegetical-theological interpretation. After a preliminary translation serving as a working translation to clear obscurities in the Afrikaans version of Habakkuk 3, attention is paid to the demarcation of the unit, text critical matters, a structural analysis of the text (revealing an inclusio), genre (mixture of Gattungen), setting in life, tradition material (Sinai, Exodus, Conquest and Creation) and redactional issues. Habakkuk 3 provides a vision of Yahweh amidst the troubling times of the pending Babylonian exile. As He once revealed Himself in a majestic theophany, He will do so again. In the mean time believers must patiently await His intervention which will surely happen in due course.Item Open Access Grammatical case in the text of Revelation 4 and 5(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Riekert, S. J. P. K.English: It is generally assumed that the Greek case system does not function in the usual way in the book of Revelation. Using the distinction between abstract Case and morpho-phonological case one can reconsider the use of case in Revelation in the light of the development in case markings, including new morpho-phonological realisations of certain participles. The Greek grammar of Revelation is generally considered as very remarkable, peculiar and foreign to the language system itself (cf. Swete [1908] 1968: cxxv; Charles 1915:79; Thompson 1985:2-7, 106-108; Dougherty 1992:1- 33 and Musser 1992:1). The use of cases is typical of this remarkable language usage (cf. Bousset [1906] 1966:159, 163; Swete [1908] 1968:cxxiii; Charles 1915:83-4, 86, 89-90; [1920] 1971:clii-iv; Mussies 1980:167; Dougherty 1992:7, 10). If the so-called “foreign” usage of morphological case in Revelation were considered in the framework of the Case sub-theory of the Government- Binding (GB) Theory of Chomsky, one would have a better mechanism whereby to decide whether the “foreign” usage is truly “foreign”. The Government- Binding Theory propagates the view that the totality of the formulated rules and principles regarding language comprises the grammar of a language (Chomsky 1991:417). The grammar as an interdependent system of rules and principles provides the basis for the grammatical sentences of a language. One should therefore be able to distinguish between sentences and non-sentences, as well as between well-constructed sentences and nonwell- constructed sentences. One should therefore be able to obtain an observationally adequate description (Radford 1981:25,26; 1988:27-30, cf. Botha 1982:26-7; Haegeman 1991:5). There is, however, one aspect that restricts our search for a descriptive adequate formulation, namely the lack of mother-tongue intuitions that could give us guidance regarding the grammaticality and acceptability of constructions in the Greek text (cf. Riekert 1985:26; Haegeman 1991:6-8).Item Open Access 'n Kruiskulturele ondersoek na Christelike moraliteit onder universiteitstudente(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Le Roux, A.English: The world is currently experiencing a serious moral crisis. On the one hand, South Africa is considered one of the world’s most Christian societies, but on the other hand, it also has exceptionally high crime rates, in particular murder and rape, with HIV/AIDS growing at an alarming rate. As these factors are closely related to human morality, the researcher was interested in investigating the state of Christian morality on a South African campus. The moral values of students of two different culture groups at the University of the Free State were measured and compared. The results showed no significant difference between the moral values of black and white students. However, there was a very significant difference between male and female morality. The scores of the female students were significantly higher than those of the male students, implying that their Christian moral values are considerably stronger than those of their male counterparts.Item Open Access Singend is die geloof in sy element ... gemeentesang as kommunikatiewe handeling(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Kloppers, E. C.English: In the worship service the faith is communicated on various levels by means of symbolic language and actions. Departing from the theory of communicative actions, it is shown that communicative actions are ways of communicating symbolically, by being part, taking part, and becoming part of an action. In this article it is argued that in many ways music has the qualities of a symbolic or metaphorical language. Singing and making music in the church service are therefore also communicative actions through which the experience of faith is expressed and communicated with others. Communicating the faith through music is determined by the work of the Holy Spirit — singing is a pneumatic act.Item Open Access The foxes that ruin the vineyards - a literal interpretation of Song of Songs 2:15(Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, 2003) Fischer, S.English: This article focuses on a literal interpretation of Song of Songs 2:15. Initially, this verse is identified as an independent unit, as a song intended to scare off. Now it forms part of a garden/countryside scenery (2:8-17). In 2:15 the co-workers of the lover are addressed. They are asked to create an intimate mood by setting the lover free from his work, and to catch the foxes instead of him.