ebook img

PROMISES OF PROSPERITY ACCORDING TO THE OLD TESTAMENT: A THEOLOGICAL ... PDF

267 Pages·2013·5 MB·English
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download
Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.

Preview PROMISES OF PROSPERITY ACCORDING TO THE OLD TESTAMENT: A THEOLOGICAL ...

PROMISES OF PROSPERITY ACCORDING TO THE OLD TESTAMENT: A THEOLOGICAL-ETHICAL STUDY BY Jordan Stuart Murray Pickering (Student Number 16403533) THESIS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF THEOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH SUPERVISOR: PROF. HENDRIK L. BOSMAN March 2013 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and has not beforehand in its entirety or in part been submitted at any university for a degree. Signature: ……………………………. Date: ………………………………….. Copyright (C) 2013 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT Prosperity is an important theme in scripture and there is great diversity of perspectives regarding the place of wealth in the life of God’s people. This diversity is reflected in the variety of theological responses to wealth in the church, but the importance of this subject is not reflected in scholarship. Attempts to develop a positive theology of prosperity that does justice to the biblical data are surprisingly rare. There is a need for a careful biblical theology of prosperity. This study aims to lay the foundation of a fuller biblical theology, showing that conflicting biblical views of blessing, prosperity, and wealth can be unified if proper attention is given to certain roles, namely: blessing belongs within a God-man relationship defined by His grace and our dependence; the Promised Land is the exclusive environment in which blessing is promised; and blessing is not given mechanically while sin threatens, but rather the relationship must be forged through testing. This study is only the beginning of a biblical theology of prosperity, examining these roles by means of careful exegesis of four key chapters in the Old Testament from a range of bodies of literature. Firstly, the study of Genesis 12 shows that blessing is graciously offered to Abram as God’s response to the curse that accumulates through Genesis 1-11, and that blessing is intended to extend to the whole world. The blessings are based on a new God-man relationship into which Abram is called, but Abram immediately experiences the complexity of that relationship: though he acts faithfully, he meets with testing rather than prosperity, and this prompts his dependence upon God to falter. Deuteronomy 6 emphasises that covenant faithfulness is the guardian of the God-man relationship in which blessing is found. However, covenant-keeping does not merit favour; the chapter puts undeserved redemption from Egypt – grace – at its centre as the motivation of obedience. Jeremiah 32 is set in the midst of God’s enactment of curses that were promised for disobedience. However, out of the nation’s hopelessness, God speaks words of grace, consolation and New Covenant, a covenant in which hearts will not forget YHWH and blessing can be given unreservedly. Finally, Psalm 128 connects wisdom language (showing that fear of YHWH is the wise way of life that brings prosperity) with priestly blessing language (focusing the eyes of the blessed on the Giver). While God prospers those who fear Him, prosperity always operates within a complex relationship of grace and dependence. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Voorspoed is ‘n belangrike tema in die Bybel en daar is ‘n groot verskeidenheid perspektiewe op die plek wat rykdom in die lewe van die volk van God inneem. Hierdie diversiteit word gereflekteer in die verskeidenheid van teologiese reaksies op rykdom in die kerk, maar die belang van hierdie onderwerp word nie in huidige navorsing gereflekteer nie. Pogings om ‘n positiewe voorspoedsteologie te ontwikkel wat reg laat geskied aan die Bybelse gegewens is verbasend skaars. Daar is ‘n behoefte aan ‘n noukeurige Bybelse voorspoedsteologie. Hierdie studie beoog om die grondslag te lê vir ‘n meer omvattende Bybelse teologie, wat reg laat geskied aan die teenstrydige Bybelse beskouings oor seëning, voorspoed en rykdom deur behoorlike aandag te skenk aan bepaalde verhoudings: seëning vorm deel van ‘n God-mens verhouding wat gedefinieer word deur God se genade en die mens se afhanklikheid; die Beloofde Land is die eksklusiewe omgewing waarbinne seëning beloof word; en seëning word nie outomaties verskaf wanneer sonde dreig nie, maar dit vorm deel van ‘n verhouding wat deur beproewing gelouter is. Die studie is slegs die begin van ‘n Bybelse voorspoedsteologie, waarvolgens die verskillende verhoudings deur middel van noukeurige eksegese van vier sleutelhoofstukke in die Ou Testament plaasvind. Ten eerste, die studie van Genesis 12 toon dat seëning vanuit genade aan Abraham deur God geskenk word as ‘n reaksie op die vervloeking wat in Genesis 1-11 opgebou het, en dat die seëning bedoel was om na die hele wêreld uit te brei. Die seëninge word gebaseer op ‘n nuwe verhouding tussen God en mens waartoe Abram geroep is, maar dat Abram onmiddelik die ingewikkeldheid van die verhouding beleef: hoewel hy gelowig optree, ervaar hy meer beproewing as voorspoed, en dit gee aanleiding dat sy afhanklikheid van God begin wankel. Vervolgens, Deuteronomium 6 beklemtoon dat getrouheid aan die verbond die verhouding tussen God-en-mens bewaar te midde waarvan die seëning gevind word. Tog, word die hou van die verbond nie ‘n manier om guns te verdien nie; die betrokke hoofstuk plaas die onverdiende en genadige verlossing vanuit Egipte in die sentrum van die motivering van gehoorsaamheid. Jeremia 32 word geplaas in die midde van God se uitvoering van vervloeking wat beloof was in reaksie op ongehoorsaamheid. Tog, te midde van die volk se gebrek aan hoop, spreek God sy woorde van genade, troos en ‘n Nuwe Verbond, ‘n verbond waarbinne JHWH nie vergeet sal word nie en waar seëning sonder voorbehoud geskenk kan word. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Ten slotte, Psalm 128 lê ‘n verband tussen wysheidsuitsprake (wat aantoon dat die vrees van JHWH die verstandige lewenswyse is wat tot voorspoed lei) en priesterlike seëning bewerkstellig (wat die fokus van die geseënde op God as Gewer rig). Hoewel God voorspoed skenk aan die wie Hom vrees, funksioneer voorspoed altyd binne die komplekse verhouding van genade en afhanklikheid. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za CONTENTS 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background to the study .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research Question ....................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Hypotheses ................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................ 5 1.5 The vocabulary of prosperity ....................................................................................................................... 9 1.6 Structure ..................................................................................................................................................... 23 1.7 The Promised Land ..................................................................................................................................... 27 2. Genesis 12 ............................................................................................................................. 31 2.1 Translation .................................................................................................................................................. 31 2.2 Exegesis ...................................................................................................................................................... 34 2.3 Intertextual connections ............................................................................................................................ 50 2.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................ 59 3. Deuteronomy 6 ...................................................................................................................... 63 3.1 Date and Sitz im Leben of Deuteronomy .................................................................................................... 63 3.2 Translation .................................................................................................................................................. 64 3.3 Exegesis ...................................................................................................................................................... 66 3.4 Intertextual connections ............................................................................................................................ 94 3.5 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................. 112 4. Jeremiah 32 ......................................................................................................................... 119 4.1 Translation ................................................................................................................................................ 119 4.2 Exegesis .................................................................................................................................................... 122 4.3 Intertextual connections .......................................................................................................................... 152 4.4 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................. 157 5. Psalm 128 ............................................................................................................................ 163 5.1 Translation ................................................................................................................................................ 163 5.2 Exegesis .................................................................................................................................................... 164 5.3 Cause-And-Effect Dynamics in Wisdom ................................................................................................... 176 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za 5.4 Intertextual connections .......................................................................................................................... 183 5.5 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................. 187 6. Discussion of Findings and Conclusion................................................................................... 191 6.1 Overview of findings ................................................................................................................................. 191 6.2 Contribution ............................................................................................................................................. 203 6.3 Suggestions for Further Research ............................................................................................................ 205 6.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................ 217 7. Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 219 7.1 Appendix A: Verse references by word & category ................................................................................. 219 7.2 Appendix B: Chapter-by-chapter distribution .......................................................................................... 221 7.3 Appendix C: Genesis 12 Grammatical Diagram ........................................................................................ 228 7.4 Appendix D: Deuteronomy 6 Grammatical Diagram ................................................................................ 231 7.5 Appendix E: Date of Deuteronomy .......................................................................................................... 236 7.6 Appendix F: Jeremiah 32 Grammatical Diagram ...................................................................................... 242 7.7 Appendix G: Psalm 128 Grammatical Diagram ........................................................................................ 252 8. Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 255 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za PROMISES OF PRSOteSllePnEboRsIcTh YUn AiveCrsCitOy RhttDp:I//NscGho TlaOr.s uTnH.aEc. zOaLD TESTAMENT 1. I NTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY With the wide range of disagreement in the Christian church over how prosperity should be understood and sought, there needs to be careful consideration of what the scriptures teach on the matter. It is all the more necessary for this work to be done because of the surprisingly large following that so-called Prosperity Gospel has gained throughout the Christian world for the last few decades, often on a minimal and weak biblical basis. Yet because the movements associated with Prosperity Gospel tend to be excessive, materialistic, and vulgar, and because the theologising that underpins the movements is so impoverished, it has perhaps now become a subject of ill-repute, and academia seems to have steered clear of it in recent times. The doctrine of prosperity is a matter of some importance in Africa and in other developing regions, because it directly concerns the message of hope in the gospel. When poverty is rampant, the offer of prosperity is naturally irresistible, and yet if this offer is being made in error, it will only serve to obscure the true location of hope in the gospel. It is necessary, therefore, that the church is more involved in directly addressing this matter in more seriously biblical and theological terms. This thesis hopes to be part of that process. It would be a research paper of its own to accurately describe the ‘state of play’ of prosperity theology in modern Christianity or the response to it. Nevertheless, within popular church movements it is possible to discern trends in this regard, and I do not think it is unfair to identify a twin problem within church conversations about prosperity. Firstly, there is the weakness in the theologising in which teachers of so-called prosperity gospel are engaged. For example, Jones (1999) says, 1 Stellenbosch 1U.n Iivnetrsritoy dhuttpc:/t/siochno lar.sun.ac.za ‘Researcher Edward Pousson best stated the prosperity view on the application of the Abrahamic covenant when he wrote, “Christians are Abraham’s spiritual children and heirs to the blessings of faith.... This Abrahamic inheritance is unpacked primarily in terms of material entitlements.” In other words, according to the prosperity gospel, the primary purpose of the Abrahamic covenant was for God to bless Abraham materially. Since believers are now “Abraham’s spiritual children,” they consequently have inherited these financial blessings of the covenant.’ Prosperity teaching following this reasoning takes a true statement (that we are Abraham’s children) but recontextualises it presumptuously (Abraham’s blessings continue to be expressed materially), and applies it directly and injudiciously to Christians. Yet secondly, the naysaying church response to prosperity teaching is also problematic, because it typically responds by pointing out the errors in the thinking of the opponents but rarely produces a positive theology of prosperity in its place. Such responses may offer positive statements about prosperity, but these are usually by way of rebuttal and not necessarily justified by a more credible theological process than the ones they criticise. For example, the same article by Jones (1999) says, ‘To support this claim [that we are heirs also of Abraham’s material blessings], prosperity teachers such as Copeland and Hagin appeal to Gal. 3:14, which says “that the blessings1 of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus…” … Two glaring problems need to be addressed. First, in their appeal to Gal. 3:14, prosperity teachers ignore the second half of the verse, which reads, “That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” In this verse Paul clearly was reminding the Galatians of the spiritual blessing of salvation, not the material blessing of wealth.’ Again, there is truth in pointing out that Paul particularly has the gift of the Spirit in mind, but the text nevertheless does make Christians heirs of Abrahamic blessing. What does this practically mean? Is what is meant by ‘the gift of the Spirit’ merely ‘salvation’ (a concept that Jones regards as ‘spiritual’ and seemingly therefore divorced from the material)?2 What is the place of wealth for Abraham and for us? Theological statements such as Jones’ here are as presumptuous and selective as those that he aims to correct. These sorts of problems in the church – whether of over-hasty claiming of the material benefits promised in some of the Bible’s pages or the similarly shallow denials of these blessings – may not be universal or typical enough to represent modern prosperity teaching at large, but they at least 1 The word in Galatians 3:14 is ἡ εὑλογια, which is singular not plural. 2 I have personally come across a number of teachers who ‘solve’ the problem of seeming contradiction between Old and New Testaments by considering the latter to be a ‘spiritual’ covenant, and the former to have been more physical and material; prosperity used to be a material blessing in the Old Testament, but it is now experienced as spiritual blessings. This view fails to do justice to the inextricable mix of spiritual and physical elements in both sides of the Christian Bible, and it creates more problems than it solves. This thesis hopes to describe a better solution. 2

Description:
This study is only the beginning of a biblical theology of prosperity, examining these roles by means of careful fokus van die geseënde op God as Gewer rig). Hoewel God the chapter, the author describes Abram's time in Egypt with a detailed list of the wealth that he gathered, including separate
See more

The list of books you might like

Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.