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חור in Ezekiel 37 and Πνευμα in John 3: Allusion, Pun And

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חור in Ezekiel 37 and Πνευμα in John 3: Allusion, Pun And 1 CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY OF EDMONTON :IN EZEKIEL 37 AND πνευμα IN JOHN 3 רוח ALLUSION, PUN AND TYPOLOGY SUBMITTED TO DR. ANDERSON IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THES 712 THESIS BY MELISSA BUCK April 15, 2016 2 CONTENTS PREFACE........................................................................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………….…..6 CHAPTER ONE: TEXT, TRANSLATIONS AND LINGUISTICS …………………………….9 in Ezekiel 37:1-14 9 רוח Hebrew Text and Translation of in the Hebrew Bible and Ezekiel 37:1-14 11 רוח Word Study of in the Septuagint’s Version of Ezekiel 37:1-14 16 רוח Greek Text and Translation of πνευμα in John 3:1-21 18 Word Study of John 3:1-21 18 4Q385 Deutero-Ezekiel 22 Chapter Summary 25 CHAPTER TWO: ALLUSION, PUN, AND TYPOLOGY AS METHODOLOGY……......…..26 Allusion 26 Examples of Allusion 29 Pun 30 Examples of Pun 32 Typology 33 Examples of Typology 39 Chapter Summary 40 CHAPTER THREE: EXEGESIS OF EZEKIEL 37:1-14 IN CONTEXT……………………….42 Introduction to Ezekiel 37:1-14 42 Exegesis of Ezekiel 37:1-14 44 3 The Implications of Exile in Ezekiel 37:1-14 45 Creation and Re-Creation in Genesis 2 and Ezekiel 37 55 in Ezekiel 37:1, 5, 6 and 8 57 רוח Exegetical Focus on Ecclesiastes and Ezekiel 37:1-14 59 Typology in Ezekiel 37:1-14 61 Chapter Summary 62 CHAPTER FOUR: EXEGESIS OF JOHN 3 IN CONTEXT…………………………………...63 Introduction and Literary Structure of John 3:1-21 63 Exegesis of John 3:1-21 64 Ecclesiastes 1:6 and John 3 67 The Kingdom of God, Regeneration and Baptism 68 Ezekiel 37:1-14, and John 3:1-21 and God’s Unique Work 70 Heaven and Earth: Wind, Breath, and Spirit in John 3:1-21 72 ανωθεν and 4Q385 in Rebirth by the Spirit 73 The Meaning of the Dialogue and Baptism in John 3:1-21 77 Connections with Rebirth, Baptism and the Insufflation in John 20:22 78 Chapter Summary 81 CHAPTER FIVE: RESTORATION AND CORPORATE AND BODILY RESURRECTION..82 Death and Afterlife in the Old Testament 82 Daniel 12:2 82 Isaiah 26:18 83 Intertestamental References to Resurrection in 2 Maccabees 83 A Typological Reading of Ezekiel 37:1-14 84 4 Typology and Pun in Ezekiel 37 and John 3 for Rebirth and Resurrection 87 Agency of Rebirth and Love 93 Chapter Summary 97 CHAPTER SIX: WIND, BREATH, AND SPIRIT IN EZEKIEL 37 AND JOHN 3…………...98 Ecclesiastes in the Mix 102 Wind and Water: Spirit and Baptism 108 Chapter Summary 109 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………………111 APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………………….……120 Appendix 1 Hebrew Text of Ezekiel 37:1-14 120 Appendix 2 Translation of Ezekiel 37:1-14 121 Appendix 3 Greek Text of John 3:1-21 122 Appendix 4 Translation of John 3:1-21 123 BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………………...….124 5 PREFACE The idea for this thesis came about during the MA course Intermediate Hebrew Grammar and Readings with Dr. Anderson and myself. Through the process of translating Ezekiel 37:1-14, I came to appreciate the text. Specifically I liked the intimate nature of the language. When I brought this to Dr. Anderson’s attention, he thought that there might be a comparison there with John 3. Though it was not expected, the second Hebrew course The Hebrew Exegesis of Qoheleth with Dr. Anderson and my colleague Camoy Williams, also contributed to the ideas and its full semantic range became clear in that course. I הבל present in this thesis. The nature of am indebted to the discussions Dr. Anderson and I had about how this connected to Ezekiel 37:1- 14. Thus, though this is not necessarily the thesis I thought I was going to end up writing, I am sincerely grateful to Dr. Anderson, and Camoy for the dialogue they provided during these Hebrew courses and in MA supervisions. 6 INTRODUCTION is used in Ezekiel 37:1-14 and the Greek word רוח This thesis examines how the Hebrew word πνευμα is used in John 3:1-21. Greek and Hebrew are two very different languages. Yet they often are paired together, since they are the two main languages used in the Christian Bible. They certainly have their differences, some are superficial like different letters and vowels, different grammatical rules, and even the direction in which they are written and read. However, some are more fundamental differences, for example Hebrew is known for its relatively few rules and many exceptions; whereas Greek is quite the opposite. However, despite all of these differences, the two languages do share some similarities. Coincidently, one of these similarities is the concept of “breath, wind, or spirit,” a rather wide semantic range for a singular word. Breath, wind or spirit is conveyed in the Hebrew word and Greek word πνευμα. These two words will be the main focus of the first chapter of this רוח thesis. This thesis will also explore possible allusion, pun, and typology in these two texts. I will in Ezekiel 37 with the use of πνευμα in John 3. I will see if there are any רוח compare the use of demonstrable uses of allusion, pun and typology between these two texts. I will be looking to see if there are any thematic, symbolic, situational, or literary parallels, or commonalities between these two literary units. The main focus of this examination will begin with a linguistic analysis of the concept of “breath, wind and spirit,” and the different activities of each. in Ezekiel 37: 1-14. This will be followed by a word study on רוח Chapter 1 will examine Then I will examine the Greek text of Ezekiel 37 in the Septuagint. I will also provide a .רוח translation and perform a word study on πνευμα there too. The complete texts in the original 7 languages, as well as their translations, can be found in the appendices. I will, however, only deal .is explicitly found רוח with the texts where Chapter 2 will discuss allusion, pun and typology as hermeneutics with a theological application. I will discuss a few examples of how these have been used within the Bible itself, and by biblical scholars. Finally I will outline how I intend to use these methods in this thesis. In chapters 3 and 4, I will do an exegesis of both Ezekiel 37:1-14 and John 3:1-21, respectively, within their context. I unpack each pericope with respect to its literary and historical contexts. This will provide a fuller picture or what the passages were saying when they were written, what they say within the literary unit of the Bible as a whole, and what they may say to us today. In chapter 5 I will look more closely at the concepts of restoration and resurrection. I will discuss the problematics of death and afterlife in the Old Testament. I will then discuss the concepts of restoration and resurrection in Ezekiel 37 and John 3. I will also look at how these ideas have been addressed in other parts of the Bible, and any significance that they may carry. Finally, in chapter 6, I will discuss the ideas that I have found connected to the concept of ‘breath, wind, and spirit.’ I will also outline any typological connections I may have found between these two pericopies. I will discuss what it could mean and any implications these comparisons might have theologically. Most importantly I will try to answer the question: Was Jesus alluding or using Ezekiel 37:1-14 as background to His discussion with Nicodemus in John 3:1-21? Furthermore this thesis will seek to answer the questions: Can any comparisons be found through a typological reading of Ezekiel 37 and John 3? Are any allusions present in John 3 that would point to Ezekiel 37? If so, what are they, and what are their implications? I hope 8 that answering these questions will lead to a greater understanding of these two passages and the theology found within them. 9 CHAPTER ONE TEXT, TRANSLATIONS AND LINGUISTICS In this chapter I will examine the Hebrew and Greek for “wind, breath or spirit” in Ezekiel 37 and John 3. By doing a word study on the two most significant nouns, I can examine any possible relation to one another and their possible purpose within these passages. I will look at what these words mean, and why they might have been chosen based on the context of the passages, and within the whole of the Bible. Finally, I will provide my translation of both texts and provide an argument explaining why I translated them the way I did. I will only deal with and πνευμα in John 3. The full Hebrew text and translation of רוח verses in Ezekiel 37 which use Ezekiel 37:1-14 can be found in appendices 1 and 2. The full Greek text and translation of John 3:1-21 can be found in Appendices 3 and 4. in Ezekiel 37:1-141 רוח Hebrew Text and Translation of in Ezekiel 37:1-14 for this study. The full רוח I will only translate the relevant verses employing text and translation may be found in Appendices 1 and 2. 1 ָהיְ ָֹ֣תה עָלַי ַ֙ יַד־יְהוָה ַ֙ ַוי ו צ ֵֵ֤אנ י בְר֨ ּוחַַ֙ יְהוָָ֔ה ַויְנ י ִֵ֖חנ י ְב ֹ֣ת וְך ַה ב ְק ָָ֑עה ְו ִ֖היא ְמ ֵל ָָ֥אה עֲצָמ ֹֽות׃ 1The hand of YHWH was upon me and brought me out by the Spirit of YHWH and set me down in the midst of the valley; it was full of bones. 5 ֵ֤כ ה ָאמַר ַ֙ ֲאד ָֹ֣ני יְהו ָ֔ה ָל ֲע ָצ ִ֖מ ות ָה ֵָ֑א לה הנֵ֨ ה אֲנ ִ֜ י ֵמ ָ֥ביא ָב ֶ֛כם ִ֖רּו ַחַ֙ ו חְי ית ֹֽם׃ 5This is what my Lord YHWH says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will live.2 Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, editio funditus renovata :תורה נביאים וכתובים ,.Rudolf Kittel et al.
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