عنوان

The background of the barren woman motif in Galatians 4:

Number

TLpq304252970

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

The background of the barren woman motif in Galatians 4:

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

K. A. Blessing

Title Proper by Another Author

27

Subsequent Statement of Responsibility

R. B. Hays

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Duke University

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

1996

Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item

344

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Ph.D.

Body granting the degree

Duke University

Text preceding or following the note

1996

Text of Note

This research poses the question: what is the function of the quotation of Isa 54:1--"Sing, O barren one ... "--at Gal 4:27? The verse seems to have no connection with the surrounding text. Yet the meaning of Gal 4:27 remains largely unexplored. The scholarly literature on this verse tells us little except that Isa 54:1 is addressed to Jerusalem, a figure for the exiled people of God. The tasks of this research are: (1) to find out how the verse applies to the Galatians; and, since the original subject of the verse is the people of God, (2) to determine whether it functions in Galatians as a statement of covenant inclusion. To address these questions, the present study first analyzes Isa 54:1 in its original context, then searches the Second Temple Period literature for allusions to or intertextual echoes of Isa 54:1. The results show that the figure in Isa 54:1 has three basic elements: the matriarch in the history of Israel, barren through no fault of her own; Jerusalem desolate because her children have broken the covenant; and a paradoxical proclamation of covenant restoration. A key to understanding both the barren matriarch and desolate Jerusalem figures is that they do have children. In Deutero-Isaiah, the children pointedly include the Gentiles. The bringing in of the Gentiles is the proof and fulfillment of God's promise of restoration to Israel--because such a "restoration" will vindicate the God of Israel as the only God. This is the quotation's implication for inclusion in the covenant. The key terms and usd\acute\varepsilon\rho\eta\mu o\varsigmausd in Greek Isa 54:1/Gal 4:27 carry much of the weight of these meanings. The meaning of Isa 54:1 in Galatians is: an unheard of restoration is coming, indeed now is (therefore, Rejoice!). It is eschatological (incorporating an end-time perspective) and encompasses the world. Because the restoration includes the Gentiles, it will be the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. These findings suggest further research into the allusions to Isaiah in Galatians and the complex relationship between Paul's thought and Jewish tradition.

Bible

Bible

Philosophy, religion and theology

Religious history

Religious history

Theology

K. A. Blessing

R. B. Hays

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y