scholarly journals The year of jubilee: a hermeneutic for social and moral transformation in South Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Barry
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Good News ◽  
Book Of Revelation ◽  
Moral Transformation ◽  
Ecological Responsibility ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
To Come ◽  
Justice Restoration

This article aims to show that the Old Testament concept of the year of jubilee is neither an anachronistic, nor a peripheral de- tail of Scripture. It is an integral part of it and indeed one her- meneutical tool for interpreting and applying it to social and mo- ral transformation in South Africa.  Israel, liberated from slavery and returning to God, became a paradigm for the liberated slave to return to his inheritance in the year of jubilee celebrated every 50th year. Its underlying concerns are: justice, freedom, human dignity and rights.  Jesus clearly understood his mission in terms of the proclama- tion of “the year of the Lord’s favour” (Luke 4:14-21), and de- monstrated this by preaching good news to the poor, freeing the prisoners, restoring sight to the blind, and releasing the op- pressed. He linked the mission of his followers with his own and with the promise and gift of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost, seen as fulfilment and announcement of God’s promise, demonstrates that the kingdom of God is already here and still to come.   The Book of Revelation gathers together this scriptural theme and presents the jubilee as good news for now and the future. Indeed, God’s future is presented as the ultimate jubilee. Although these institutions cannot be imposed on a secular democracy, there are implications here for holistic evangelism and mission as well as for social and moral transformation in South Africa.   These implications, it is argued, should include a reference to the ‘missio Dei’ as Jesus expressed it: holistic evangelism; a commitment to the values and practices of restorative justice; restoration, healing and hope; economic justice and land re- form; ecological responsibility; and moral restoration.

Function and Nature of the Heavenly Sanctuary/Temple and its Earthly Counterparts in the New Testament Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles: A Motif Study of Major Passages

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Leonardo Nunes
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Book Of Revelation ◽  
New Covenant ◽  
Final Destination ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
Canonical Order

The present dissertation examines the function and nature of the heavenly sanctuary/temple and its relationship to the earthly counterparts in the major passages of the New Testament (NT) Gospels, Acts, Pauline and General Epistles where the sanctuary/temple motif is found (a total of twenty-two passages). After the introductory chapter, chapters 2, 3, and 4 are devoted to the exegetical analysis of these major passages following canonical order and divisions of the NT. This exegetical analysis has detected the relevance of the heavenly sanctuary/temple motif for NT studies, i.e., how its function, nature, and relationship to the earthly counterparts influence the understanding of important themes of the NT such as salvation, intercession, spiritual gifts, love, holiness, eradication of evil, among others. This investigation has identified that the heavenly sanctuary/temple in the NT function as God’s dwelling place. It is a place for reunion, reconciliation, and sending of the Holy Spirit, from where every spiritual blessing is bestowed upon the believers. In the heavenly sanctuary/temple Jesus is enthroned to exercise authority, power, sovereignty, and rulership; it is where judgment and vindication are made, the new covenant is ratified. It is a place to present praise and worship to God, celebrating Christ's victory over evil. The heavenly sanctuary/temple is where Christ presents His once-for-all sacrifice, "obtains eternal redemption," and intercedes in our behalf, giving assurance that God's salvific purpose and the heirs' hope will be fulfilled. The heavenly sanctuary/temple also functions as the motivation and ground for holy living, the driving force for sacrificial service and endurance of suffering for Christ. The heavenly sanctuary/temple is also the final destination of the Christian journey where all believers will gather together with the godhead and the angels in a festal assembly. Regarding the nature of the heavenly sanctuary/temple in the NT, the passages surveyed show that architecture is not the main concern of the NT writers. However, in tune with the Old Testament (OT), they describe the heavenly sanctuary/temple in terms of a spatiotemporal reality where the corporeal resurrected Jesus is at work and the bodily resurrected believers will live. This NT ontological perspective safeguards the actuality of the heavenly sanctuary/temple many functions. The spatiotemporal nature of the heavenly sanctuary/temple is strengthened when one looks at its relationship to the earthly counterparts. The NT passages examined demonstrate that there is structural and functional correspondence between OT and NT heavenly and earthly counterparts within a typological framework, as well as dynamic interaction among them. Chapter 5 offers a theological synthesis of the heavenly sanctuary/temple motif presented in the previous chapters. A summary of the findings is first provided followed by inferences of theological implications in the three main areas of this dissertation (function, nature, and relationship). After these concluding remarks, an appendix is provided with a brief treatment of twenty-five NT passages not dealt with in the main text (including thirteen passages in the book of Revelation) in order to give the reader a more comprehensive perspective of the pervasiveness of the heavenly sanctuary/temple motif in the NT. In conclusion, the study of the heavenly sanctuary/temple motif in the NT seems to be needed in order to have a sound and balanced understanding of NT theology.

scholarly journals Teologia kapłaństwa i urzędu kapłańskiego w I wieku chrześcijaństwa

2010 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Dariusz Kasprzak
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Good News ◽  
New Covenant ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Church

Neither the Apostles nor any Christian minister is admitted to use the priest’s title in the text of the New Testament. Nevertheless, in the New Testament we can perceive the development of the doctrine of the priest ministry in the early Church. Albert Vanhoye maintains that the lack of the term “priest” in the New Testament suggests the way of understanding of the Christian ministry, different from this in the Old Testament. It can’t be considered as a continuation of Jewish priesthood, which was concentrated mainly on ritual action and ceremonies. In the first century the Church developed the Christology of priesthood (Hbr) and ecclesiology of priesthood (1 P). Early Christians focused first on the redemptive event of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant. Only then the religious communities adopted the priest’s title for their ministry.In the early years of the Church, all the ministries were regarded as a charismatic service among the Christian communities. In their services the early Christians followed Jesus Christ sent by God to serve. The Holy Spirit sent by God in the name of Jesus bestowed the spiritual gifts upon the Church (1 Kor 12–13). Consequently the disciples of Jesus and their successors could continue his mission. The Twelve Apostles’ ministry was the very first and most important Christian ministry. It was closely connected to the service of Jesus Christ himself. The Apostles were sent by the authority of Jesus Christ to continue his mission upon earth and they preached the Good News of the risen Christ. The Apostolicity was the fundamental base for every Church ministry established in different Christian communities. Successive ministries were established in order to transmit the teaching of Jesus Christ and to lead the community. For the early Christians the priesthood was not an individual privilege. It had rather the community character.

scholarly journals A case of therapeutic preaching done well: Theological diagnostics in Von Balthasar’s sermon, ‘Joy in the Midst of Anxiety’

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil F. Pembroke
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Good News ◽  
Self Help ◽  
The World ◽  
The Holy Spirit

It is argued that the proper way to construct and deliver a therapeutic sermon is to take a theocentric approach. Preaching, rightly understood, is proclamation of the good news that God has redeemed the world through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is by definition theological. Feeling pressure to be relevant, engaging and contemporary, a significant number of preachers fall into administering mini-doses of psychological self-help from the pulpit. Hans Urs von Balthasar’s homily, ‘Joy in the Midst of Anxiety’, is offered as a positive alternative. The sermon is theologically and homiletically analysed to show why it is an excellent example of theocentric therapeutic preaching.

Luke's Understanding of Baptism in the Holy Spirit: A Pentecostal Dialogues with the Reformed Tradition

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-101
Author(s):  
Robert P. Menzies
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Biblical Theology ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Good News ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Reformed Tradition ◽  
Spirit Baptism ◽  
The World ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
The Church

AbstractIn this article, Menzies notes that Reformed theologians have tended to read Luke's writings in the light of Paul's epistles. As a result, their theological reflection on the Spirit has centered more on his work in the Word and sacraments, the 'inner witness' of the Spirit, and less on his mission to the world. Additionally, this methodology has encouraged Reformed scholars to associate the Pentecostal gift (i.e. Spirit baptism) with conversion and regeneration. However, through an examination of key passages in Luke-Acts, Menzies argues that Luke has a unique contribution to make to a holistic biblical theology of the Spirit. Luke's understanding of baptism in the Holy Spirit is different from that of Paul. It is missiological rather than soteriological in nature. The Spirit of Pentecost is, in reality, the Spirit for others - the Spirit that compels and empowers the church to bring the 'good news' of Jesus to a lost and dying world. It is this Lukan, missiological perspective that shapes a Pentecostal understanding of baptism in the Holy Spirit. Menzies concludes that the clarity and vigor of Luke's message is lost when his narrative is read through Pauline lenses. Luke has a distinctive voice and it is a voice the church needs to hear.

scholarly journals Pentecostals and the pulpit: A case study of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Nel
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Comparative Literature ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Worship Service ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
Pentecostal Churches ◽  
Apostolic Faith Mission ◽  
Comparative Literature Study

In general, early Pentecostals did not use any pulpits in their halls in order to underline their emphasis that each believer is a prophet and priest equipped by the Holy Spirit with gifts for the edification of other members of the assembly. All participated in the worship service by way of praying, prophesying, witnessing and bringing a message from God. From the 1940s, Pentecostals in their desire to be acceptable in their communities formed an alliance with evangelicals, accepted their hermeneutical viewpoint and built traditional churches in accordance with the Protestant tradition. From the 1980s, the pulpit started disappearing from the front of Pentecostal churches. This is explained in terms of new alliances that Pentecostals made with neo-Pentecostalist churches and a new hermeneutical viewpoint. The hypothesis of the article is that the Pentecostal stance towards the pulpit was determined by its hermeneutical perspectives. It is described by way of a comparative literature study and applied to a specific case study, the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa.

Christology—a Jewish view

1971 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-200
Author(s):  
Steven Katz
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
The Other ◽  
Christian Doctrine ◽  
The World ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
Doctrine Of The Trinity ◽  
The Trinity

In this paper I would like to discuss what the Old Testament has to say about the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. I take it as agreed that this task is both important and necessary for a real understanding of the New Testament, which by itself, is neither complete, meaningful nor self-authenticating. I do not make any claims to completeness on this crucial topic, but wish only to suggest what I feel are some important points for consideration. I want to discuss the three persons of the Trinity separately, beginning with the Father, then proceeding to the Holy Spirit and then to the Son. My remarks about the Father will be brief. I only wish to make the point that the Old Testament as well as the new Testament is fully aware of God's Fatherhood and alive to the reality that God loves mankind. It is clear that Israel has a special place as indicated by such passages as Exod. 4.22 where God addresses Israel saying: ‘Israel is my first born son.’ Yet at the same time it is basic to an understanding of Old Testament thought that God is the Father of the other nations of the world, though they are not the ‘first born’. This is a cardinal position of Old Testament theology and is based on the belief, given expression in Genesis, that all belongs to and was created by God.

scholarly journals SAKRAMEN BAPTIS SEBAGAI SAKRMEN KESELAMATAN DAN PERSEKUTUAN PARA MURID KRISTUS

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-128
Author(s):  
Ola Rongan Wilhelmus
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Good News ◽  
Evil Spirit ◽  
Disciples Of Christ ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Spirit Baptism ◽  
The World ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
God's Grace

Baptism is a sacrament instituted and used by God Himself through Christ to purify, sanctify and to save human being out of  the power of evil spirit. Baptism celebration maintaining in a proper and faithful manner will be brought about the fullness grace and favor of God to the Catholic faithful. The experiences of the Catholic faithful regarding God’s grace and favor should not be only responded by full faith but also be properly responded by full action to bring it to the entire nations and human races. The Catholic Church as a communion of Christ disciples has been sent and guided by the Holy Spirit to spread out such grace and favor of God to all nations. Pastoral assembly of Surabaya Diocese conducted in 2019 strongly articulated that Baptism is a mean exactly used by God Himself to channel His grace and salvation to the entire human beings. Hence, the Disciples of Christ have to fully respond it by full faith and opened hart.  Christ Himself has sent His disciples to collectively spread out the grace, favor and salvation of God to all over the world.  This good news has to be brought firstly to the inner circle of the Catholic families, neighbours, communities, parishes, and diocese then to the society in general.

scholarly journals Biblical hermeneutics as the structuralist of the poetics of "The Word of Law and Grace" of Ilarion

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Eternal Life ◽  
Biblical Hermeneutics ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
The Law ◽  
Allegorical Interpretation

The article states that, for the purpose of interpreting the Biblical topos of the Law and Grace, Hilarion refers to the genre of the word. Hilarion takes first place in the title, and then in the text of the work God brings out wisdom. By law, he believes the Old Testament, which has already fulfilled its task, and Grace - the New Testament, which outlines the existence of man, his relationship with God, gives hope for eternal life. The subject of the "Word" breaks the sermon into four fragments. In the first of them, we notice the allegorical meaning of reading the Scriptures in relation to the history of mankind. The second part is devoted to the interpretation of the image of Jesus Christ, which appears as a synthesis of God and human nature. The third fragment depicts events beyond the boundary of the Bible. It is devoted to the baptism of Rus. In the fourth fragment Prince Volodymyr is glorified. Following the best traditions of Byzantine oratory prose, the author of the Word simply pours his text into quotations from the Bible and adds to them a predominantly allegorical interpretation, emphasizing that the work is not intended for proclamation, but for reading, which enabled the author to interpret the Scriptures and in the literal, and in allegorical sense. The advantage of the New Testament over the Old Testament is embodied by the author in the images of the free wife of Abraham Sarah - Grace and his servant Hagar - Law. Laconic retelling of God-inspired text, Hilarion interprets the old-czarist images, as those that represent the new covenants at the level of allusions, presented them in the form of additional parallel antithesis. The same anti-colored color is also depicted by the images of their children. Isaac was born from a free woman, which means that he represents freedom, Ishmael is from a slave, hence his image symbolizes slavery. He who receives Grace receives goodness, love, becomes the son of God, and begins to live a new life in the Holy Spirit through which the believer is through. The overcoming of the Law and the perception of Grace means, according to Hilarion, the acquisition of spiritual freedom.

scholarly journals REMEMBERING AND COMMEMORATING THE THEOLOGICAL LEGACY OF JOHN G. LAKE IN SOUTH AFRICA AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-170
Author(s):  
Marius Nel
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
African American ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
Pentecostal Churches ◽  
Apostolic Faith Mission ◽  
Azusa Street

John G. Lake visited South Africa in 1908 as part of a missionary team with the aim to propagate the message of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as experienced at the Apostolic Faith Gospel Mission in 312 Azusa Street, Los Angeles under the leadership of William Seymour, son of African-American slaves. Lake’s missionary endeavours that ended in 1913 established the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa and eventually also the African Pentecostal churches (‘spiritual churches’, ‘Spirit-type churches’, ‘independent African Pentecostal churches’ or ‘prophet-healing churches’) constituting the majority of so-called African Independent/Initiated/Instituted (or indigenous) churches (AICs). This article calls for remembering and commemorating Lake’s theological legacy in South Africa in terms of these two groups of churches.

scholarly journals MAKNA KEBANGKITAN YESUS BERDASARKAN SURAT-SURAT PAULUS

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-28
Author(s):  
Resa Junias ◽  
Dorce Sondopen
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Bodily Resurrection ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
The Dead ◽  
To Come ◽  
The Impact

Abstract: Basically, Jesus was willing to offer himself to come down to earth to teach the gospel to every human being and was willing to be tortured, crucified, and died to atone for human sins. The purpose of this research is to answer the question: What does God want about His resurrection? How important is the resurrection of Jesus for the lives of believers? What effect will the resurrection of Jesus Christ have on the lives of believers? The answer was: (1) His bodily resurrection and eternity. Everything is possible because Christ, after He rose from the dead, did not die again, in other words, He lives and continues to live. The resurrection of Christ happened a transfer of power, Christ went from being ruled by death to being ruler over death. (2) Without the resurrection, Christian faith is not possible. His disciples are only symbols of defeat and destruction. Without the resurrection, Jesus' position as Messiah and King would be inexplicable. Without the resurrection, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit would leave an inexplicable mystery. Without the resurrection, the source of the disciples' testimony was lost. (3) The impact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ for the lives of believers is that as long as man is in God, whatever he does, all his efforts in God, will receive a reward or reward from God. Abstrak: Pada dasarnya Yesus rela mempersembahkan diri-Nya untuk turun ke bumi guna mengajarkan injil bagi setiap manusia dan rela disiksa, serta disalibkan, dan mati bagi menebus dosa manusia. Tujuan penelitian ini menjawab pertanyaan: Apakah yang Tuhan inginkan tentang kebangkitan-Nya? Bagaimana pentingnya kebangkitan Yesus untuk kehidupan orang percaya? Apa dampak kebangkitan Yesus Kristus bagi kehidupan orang percaya? Jawabnya adalah: (1) Kebangkitan tubuhnya dan berlanjut dalam kekekalan. Semuanya dapat terjadi karena Kristus, sesudah Ia bangkit dari antara orang mati, tidak mati lagi, dengan kata lain, Ia hidup dan terus hidup. Kebangkitan Kristus terjadi peralihan kekuasaan, Kristus beralih dari dikuasai oleh maut menjadi penguasa atas maut. (2) Tanpa kebangkitan, iman Kristen tidak mungkin muncul. Murid-murid-Nya hanyalah simbol kekalahan dan kehancuran. Tanpa kebangkitan, posisi Yesus sebagai Mesias dan Raja tidak akan terjelaskan.  Tanpa kebangkitan, pencurahan Roh Kudus akan meninggalkan misteri yang tidak dapat dijelaskan. Tanpa kebangkitan, sumber kesaksian murid-murid hilang. (3) Dampak kebangkitan Yesus Kristus bagi kehidupan orang percaya adalah  selama manusia ada di dalam Tuhan, apapun yang ia kerjakan, semua jerih payahnya dalam Tuhan, akan mendapat balasan atau upah dari Tuhan.

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