Friday, December 8, 2017

Open Access Dissertations at University of Pretoria

[First posted in AWOL 23 July 2010, updated 8 December 2017]

University of Pretoria Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Welcome to the Institutional Repository of the University of Pretoria, an open access electronic archive collecting, preserving and distributing digital materials created, owned and hosted by the University of Pretoria. 
 Ancient Languages
  • Psalm 26 and Proverbs : tracing wisdom themes 
    Potgieter, Annette (OpenJournals Publishing, 2014-05-13)
    The discernment of Psalm 26 as a cultic psalm has prevented noticing vital connections with wisdom literature. These connections with Proverbs and other known wisdom psalms provide clues for the composition of Psalm 26 to ...
  • Rhetoric and argument in Chapter VI of Jerome's Vita Malchi Monachi Captivi 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus; Kritzinger, J.P.K. (Insitute for Afro-Hellenic Studies, 2013)
    The authors argue that the density of rhetorical devices in Chapter VI of Jerome’s Vita Malchi Monachi Captivi not only serves as proof of Jerome’s literary competence, but also informs the reader about the real purpose ...
  • Anat-Yahu and the Jews at Elephantine  
    Mondriaan, Marlene Elizabeth (Unisa Press, 2013)
    Important Aramaic papyri documents have been discovered at the fortified city on the island of Elephantine in the Nile River. These documents describe, inter alia, the lives of a group of Jewish mercenaries and their ...
  • Suffering bodies - divine absence : towards a spatial reading of ancient near eastern laments with reference to Psalm 13 and an Assyrian Elegy (K 890) 
    Prinsloo, G.T.M. (Gert Thomas Marthinus) (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2013)
    Suffering is a universal human experience. It causes an existential crisis and a struggle to construct meaning. When suffering is expressed through the medium of language, it is often done in terms of bodily experience in ...
  • Violence in Chrysostom's commentary on the Psalms 
    Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953- (Insitute for Afro-Hellenic Studies, 2013)
    In this study I will critically discuss Chrysostom's treatment of power and violence in his "Commentary on Psalms". When the Jews suffer from violence, Chrysostom believes that it is justified because they have tortured ...
  • Psalm 53 in canonical perspective 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2013)
    Psalm 53 is an adapted version of Ps 14, crafted to fit in among a cluster of psalms consisting of Pss 52-55. Each of these psalms is described in their respective headings as a "Maskil," while Pss 52 and 54 each also have ...
  • A gendered reading for the character of psyche in Apuleius’ Metamorphoses 
    Haskins, Susan L. (Brill, 2014)
    AbstractIn analyses of the Cupid and Psyche story from Apuleius’ Metamorphoses, scholars have been faced with the issue of explaining the presence of a prominent female character. The usual response has been to interpret ...
  • Orthodox ventriloquism in the pseudo-Ephremic sermon on Palm Sunday 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria, 2013)
    One important objection against accepting the authenticity of the Syriac Sermon on Palm Sunday as being from the hand of Ephrem the Syrian, is the use of explicit Trinitarian language in lines 426-431 of the sermon. This ...
  • The bipolarity of sapiential theology 
    Loader, J.A. (James Alfred), 1945- (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2013)
    It is shown that the wisdom of the sages represented in the Book of Proverbs pushes at the limits of wisdom’s rational basis in such a way as to question its own possibilities. The assumption that the Book of Proverbs ...
  • Reading Habakkuk 3 in the light of ancient unit delimiters 
    Prinsloo, G.T.M. (Gert Thomas Marthinus) (AOSIS Open Journals, 2013-08-05)
    Habakkuk 3 is one of the most controversial texts in the Hebrew Bible. Diverging opinions have been expressed on literally every facet of the text. Quite surprising though, interpreters are virtually unanimous in their ...
  • Betekenis van die makarismereeks in Matteus 5 - semantiek en Gattungsforschung 
    Van Aarde, A.G. (Andries G.) (University of Pretoria, 1978)
    Die doel van hierdie studie is om die relevansie van Gattungsforschung by die vasstelling van "betekenis" te ondersoek. Dit word gedoen deur hoofsaaklik die Nuwe-Testamentiese makarisme as Gattung nader te belig en die ...
  • ‘I am like a green olive tree’ : the Wisdom context of Psalm 52 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (AOSIS Open Journals, 2013-07-04)
    The article revisits the thesis of Walter Beyerlin from 1980 that Psalm 52 is a paraeneticdidactic Wisdom poem from the late Persian period. Beyerlin reached his conclusion from a comparison of Psalm 52 with post-exilic ...
  • The profile of the rich antagonist and the pious protagonist in Psalm 52 
    Potgieter, J.H. (Johan Hendrik), 1952- (AOSIS Open Journals, 2013-07-08)
    In this article, a stichometric and poetic analysis of Psalm 52 is offered which forms the basis for a description of the character of the rich but crooked antagonist and the pious protagonist in the psalm. The profile ...
  • Influence of Ugarit on the understanding of the Hebrew Bible 
    Mondriaan, Marlene Elizabeth (Unisa Press, 2013)
    Prior to the discovery of the Ugaritic texts at Ras Shamra in 1929, the Hebrew Bible was considered the leading authority on the Canaanite religion. An abundance of tablets were uncovered at Ras Shamra, disclosing that ...
  • Determining an interpretational framework based on a proposed structure for Psalm 47 
    Schader, Jo-Mari (Unisa Press, 2013)
    The problematic structure of Psalm 47, on which there is no consensus, comes under scrutiny in this study as it makes interpretation of some key themes in the psalm difficult. The main concern of this study is an analysis ...
  • An analysis of the extent to which the trickster archetype can be applied to the goddess Inanna / Ishtar 
    Wessels, Leana (Unisa Press, 2013)
    Inanna/Ishtar is regarded as the most important goddess of the Sumerian pantheon, yet she disrupted the social order and distorted the normative boundaries of Mesopotamian society. The classification of Inanna/Ishtar has ...
  • The honour and shame of Enoch's angels : a comparison between a watcher and an archangel 
    Adendorff, Melissa (Unisa Press, 2013)
    The ancient Near Eastern social values of honour and shame are textually portrayed through the behaviour and beliefs of characters in a narrative. An example of the narrative and textual portrayal of these social values ...
  • The use of the term βάρβαρος in the acts of the Apostles : a Problemanzeige 
    Van der Bergh, Ronald Henry (New Testament Society of South Africa, 2013)
    This article seeks to highlight the problematic use of the term βάρβαρος in the Acts of the Apostles (28:2, 4). In the ancient world this term could function as an ethnic and linguistic marker to designate another people ...
  • The missionary character of Paul's stay on Malta (Acts 28:1-10) according to the early Church 
    Van der Bergh, Ronald Henry (Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria, 2013)
    Paul's apparent lack of preaching to the inhabitants of Malta in Acts 28:1-10 and his seeming indifference to being called 'a god' form a stark contrast to his usual missionary pattern in the narrative of Acts, possibly ...
  • Violence in Chrysostom's commentary on the Psalms 
    Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953- (Institute for Afro-Hellenic Studies, 2012)
    In this study I will critically discuss Chrysostom’s treatment of power and violence in his “Commentary on Psalms”. When the Jews suffer from violence, Chrysostom believes that it is justified because they have tortured ...
  • Making things from the heart : on works of beauty in the Old Testament 
    Loader, J.A. (James Alfred), 1945- (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2012)
    Following on a study of the perception of human beauty in the Old Testament, this article proposes to extend the topic by enquiring into the perception of what is beautiful in that which humans do. Apart from pictorial ...
  • The contrasting structure of Acts 12:5−17 : a spatial reading 
    Van der Bergh, Ronald Henry (AOSIS Open Journals, 2013-04-18)
    The episode of Peter’s rescue from prison in Acts 12:5–17 occupies an intriguing position in the narrative of Acts as a whole. Scholars hold differing views on the episode’s function. These views range from seeing the ...
  • Prosthetic memory in the Old Testament 
    Loader, J.A. (James Alfred), 1945- (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2012)
    In the OT “remembering” often denotes the experience of reliving special events of the past and thereby making them virtually present. Several texts are advanced in an argument that, where remembering is aided by an ...
  • Interpreting ‘Torah’ in Psalm 1 in the light of Psalm 119 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (AOSIS Open Journals, 2012-11-08)
    This article argued that Psalm 37 and Proverbs 1–4 served as sources for the composition of Psalm 1. The emphasis in both donor texts on the righteous people’s inheriting the Promised Land seems to have imprinted also ...
  • The reception of Matthew 27 : 19b (Pilate's wife's dream) in the early Church 
    Van der Bergh, Ronald Henry (Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria, 2012)
    The mysterious dream of Pilate’s wife and its recounting to her husband (Matthew 27:19b) occupies a significant place in discussions on Pilate’s guilt. The present article aims to investigate the reception of this text ...
  • Psalm 91 and its wisdom connections 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2012)
    The paper investigates the literary and theological provenance of Ps 91. It is shown that Ps 91 (in its present form) was composed by someone who had access to Proverbs, in particular Prov 3, while Ps 91 itself played ...
  • Why did the Thebans defeat the normally militarily superior Spartans at the Battle of Leuctra (371 BC)? 
    Straeuli, Christian (Department of Ancient Studies, Stellenbosch University, 2011)
    The battle of Leuctra was fought in 371 BC and represents a turning point in Greek history. For a long time the Spartans had held military dominance on any battlefield they entered, but this battle put an end to that ...
  • The distinction between story and discourse in the analysis of biblical narrative 
    Van der Bergh, Ronald Henry (Stellenbosch University: Department of Ancient Studies, 2008)
    The distinction between story and discourse has become all but canonical in narratology. This article investigates the viability of this approach with reference to the narratological analysis of biblical narratives. It ...
  • “David” in consultation with the prophets : the intertextual relationship of Psalm 31 with the books of Jonah and Jeremiah 
    Potgieter, J.H. (Johan Hendrik), 1952- (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2012)
    Psalm 31 seems to be a late post-exilic text. It displays numerous similarities with other psalms, and also with the prophetic books of Jonah and Jeremiah. This paper proposes to investigate the nature of the literary ...
  • Pride and the suffering of the poor in the Persian period : Psalm 12 in its post-exilic context 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2012)
    This paper contends that Ps 12 should be read, as part of the composition Pss 9–14, as a response to and an explication of Prov 30:1–14 by exponents of Wisdom thinking in the Persian period. The suffering of the righteous ...
  • Who were the Kenites? 
    Mondriaan, Marlene Elizabeth (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2011)
    This article examines the Kenite tribe, particularly considering their importance as suggested by the Kenite hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, the Kenites, and the Midianites, were the peoples who introduced ...
  • The rising of dawn - an investigation of the spatial and religious background of "dawn" in Psalm 139:7-12 
    Sutton, Lodewyk (Unisa Press, 2011)
    This paper focuses on the meaning of shaḥar ( ) in Psalm 139:7-12. A comparison will be made between Psalm 139:7-12 in the Old Testament and mythological imagery in the ancient Near East to get a better understanding ...
  • Chrysostom on hunger and famine 
    Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953- (OpenJournals Publishing, 2011-06)
    This article looked at hunger and famine in Chrysostom’s time. It has always been tragic and ironic that hunger should exist in a world of plenty. This topic has been discussed from an economic, social, theological, ...
  • The poetic face of rhetoric : Ephrem's polemics against the Jews and heretics in Contra Haereses XXV 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria, 1991)
    The hymn Contra Haereses XXV by Ephrem is translated into English and the use of poetic devices such as metaphor, antithesis, apostrophe, invocatio, hyperbole and acoustic techniques to enhance the argumentative quality ...
  • Social values and the interpretation of Psalm 123 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2001)
    It is contended in this article that Biblical texts can no longer be interpreted without taking cognisance of the contribution that the social sciences can make to the process of interpretation. Psalm 123 is analysed ...
  • The 'Enthronement Psalms' : a claim to the world-wide honour of Yahweh 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 1998)
    The so-called Enthronement Psalms, that is Psalms 47, 93, 96, 97, 98 and 99, are described in this investigation as a distinctive group of psalms which constitute a similar illocutionary act. This act is defined against ...
  • The use of imagery as structural element in Amphilochius of Iconium, in mulierem peccatricem [Homily IV] 
    Barkhuizen, J.H., 1940- (Insitute for Afro-Hellenic Studies, 2010)
    Although the use of imagery in Early Christian and Byzantine homiletics can be defined as common device, one does often find examples (i.e. homilies) which are marked by an almost excessive use thereof, such as Amphilochius‘ ...
  • The origin of the Christian doctrine on the 'Descensus Christi ad Inferos' 
    Du Toit, Marietjie (Institute for Afro-Hellenic Studies, 2007)
    The aim of this paper is to show that the origin of the Christian Doctrine on the 'Descensus Christi ad Inferos' can be found in Jewish Christianity. It will also be argued that the development of Jewish hope offered the ...
  • Christ depicted as the honourable leader in the pedagogue of Clement of Alexandria 
    Smit, Gerrit Daniel Stephanus; Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953-; Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Institute for Afro-Hellenic Studies, 2007-03)
    Biblical scholars have become increasingly aware of the importance of looking at texts not only in their historical or literary contexts, but also in their socio-cultural context. Many studies have shown that honour and ...
  • A literary comparison between the prayers of Esther (LXX) and Judith 
    Van der Walt, Larry (C.P.) (Institute for Afro-Hellenic Studies, 2007)
    In this article the author compares the LXX prayers of Esther and Judith, paying special attention to structure and style. The LXX book of Esther is briefly compared to Judith in terms of their setting and Wirkungsgeschichte. ...
  • (Reën)boog na die sondvloed (Gen 9:12-17) 
    Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953- (Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2002)
    The Hebrew word which is used for “rainbow” in Genesis 9:13,16 can also be translated as an archer’s “bow”. It is interesting to note that all the ancient writers used the latter meaning (“war bow”) in their interpretation ...
  • King lists and genealogies in the Hebrew Bible and in Southern Africa 
    Deysel, Lesley Claire Frances (Old Testament Society of South Afric, 2009)
    King lists and genealogies are used in this article as a point of reference from which to consider similarities between the historiographical perspectives of early Israel and traditional Africa, with special reference to ...
  • Theft and robbery in Chrysostom's time 
    Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953- (Faculty of Theology of the University of the Orange Free State, 2009-12)
    The aim of this article is to study what Chrysostom said about theft and robbery in his community. His homilies on the New Testament will be scrutinized for information on this negative feature of the ancient world, since ...
  • Beelde vir die kruis van Christus in die vierde en vyfde eeu 
    Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953- (Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2002)
    The Church Fathers did not have a common theory or system of atonement. Therefore, if one wants to appreciate what they had to say about atonement, one needs to study the rich images that pervade their literature. Their ...
  • Nota oor die vertaling van Jeremia 2:37 ("Met jou hande op jou hoof") 
    Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953- (Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 1998)
    In Jeremiah 2:37 God says to Israel: "You will leave that place (= Egypt) with your hands upon your head". In this article various Bible translations and commentaries are scrutinized to determine how modern exegetes interpret ...
  • "Asaf" und "Jesaja" Eine komparatistische Studie zur These von Tempelsängern als für Jesaja 40-66 verantwortlichem Trägerkreis 
    Weber, Beat, 1955- (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2009)
    Recently, a few scholars questioned the thesis of a prophetic persona responsible for Isaiah 40-55/66. It has been argued (by Prof. Ulrich Berges and others) that temple singers / musicians (as we hear of them in postexilic ...
  • Narrative voice and chronology in the books of Samuel 
    Firth, D.G. (David Graham) (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2009)
    Although the importance of chronology as a device employed within the Old Testament is widely recognised, its analysis has not employed some of the tools made available by literary theorists. This article adopts Genette's ...
  • The ideological interface between Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2005)
    This article is a social-scientific investigation of the ideology displayed in Psalm 1 and the ideology displayed in Psalm 2. It endeavours to describe the ideological points of contact between the two psalms, so as to ...
  • Afrikaanse Bybelvertalings : 'n toekomsvisie 
    Stander, Hennie (Hendrik Frederik), 1953- (Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2001)
    In this article the author argues that there is a need for a new "official" translation of the Bible. He discusses modern trends in Bible translation. He also evaluates Afrikaans translations of the Bible on the basis ...
  • The social setting and strategy of Psalm 34 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 1997)
    This paper endeavours to use the social setting of Psalm 34 as a key to its interpretation. The literary, social, and ideological dimensions of the text are analysed in order to determine its textual strategy, intent and ...
  • ‘The honour of the righteous will be restored’ : Psalm 75 in its social context 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2002)
    Psalm 75 is often assumed to be a psalm of thanksgiving. Others regard it as part of a cultic liturgy celebrating God's judgement on evildoers. But few researchers have recognised the important role played by the social ...
  • Psalm 101 : inaugural address or social code of conduct? 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2004)
    The article presents a literary and social-scientific analysis of the text of Psalm 101. The ideological purpose of the text seems to have been more than a mere declaration of intent made by someone about to ascend the ...
  • Psalm 67 in its literary and ideological context 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2004)
    Psalm 67 has been interpreted for a long time as part of an agricultural liturgy of thanksgiving for Yahweh’s grace. This paper argues that the psalm’s contents, its structure, and its immediate context in the book of ...
  • Psalm 118 and social values in ancient Israel 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2003)
    The relationship between the dramatis personae mentioned in Psalm 118 is investigated to determine for whom the psalm was intended in its present form and what the author or final editor wanted to communicate with the ...
  • A social-scientific reading of Psalm 129 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2002)
    Psalm 129 is analysed as a poetic composition, as well as an ideological document. It was found that the social codes of honour and shame play an important role in what and how the psalm was supposed to communicate. It is ...
  • Intertextuality and the interpretation of Psalm 1 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2005)
    The meaning of the word ‘Torah’ in Psalm 1:2 is investigated in the light of the intratextual context of Psalm 1 itself and in the light of intertextual connections of this psalm with Joshua 1, Jeremiah 17, Psalms 52 and ...
  • Social values in the book of Obadiah 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Old Testament Society of South Africa, 2003)
    This paper presents a poetic and social-scientific analysis of the book of Obadiah. It suggests that the social and theological problems to which the book forms a response is the attempt of the people of Judah to come ...
  • The textual strategy of Ephrem the Syrian’s Hymn Contra Haereses I 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria, 2004)
    The first hymn in Ephrem the Syrian’s cycle Contra Haereses is translated and analysed in terms of its rhetorical and argumentative features. It seems that Ephrem used various rhetorical strategies to construct a polarity ...
  • The paradox between appearance and truth in Ephrem the Syrian’s Hymn de Crucifixione IV 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria, 2002)
    The presence and literary function of certain polarities in this particular hymn are investigated. It concerns polarities formed by the contrast between what was visible during the trial and crucifixion of Christ and ...
  • An analysis of Ephrem the Syrian’s views on the temptation of Christ as exemplified in his Hymn de Virginitate XII 
    Botha, Philippus Jacobus (Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria, 2003)
    Ephrem the Syrian’s twelfth hymn in the cycle De Virginitate is translated and analysed. This hymn describes the temptation of Christ by Satan as a contest in which Satan tried to humiliate Christ, but was defeated and ...

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