Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Martin, Charles T

Titel

The household of God: Familial language and Christology in Hebrews

Ort / Verlag

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Erscheinungsjahr

2016

Link zum Volltext

• ProQuest

Quelle

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The present investigation argues that the letter to the Hebrews employs familial language interwoven throughout the discourse to identify and address a house church whose interrelations signify "authentic" siblings. A minority of outsiders attend the gatherings of the household community as well. There is no doubt that all of the voluntary Greco-Roman associations would have anticipated outsiders in the first century CE, but especially the Christian community who welcomed all comers. Chapter 1 outlines the problem of "fictive kinship" being investigated and identifies the twofold sociohistorical and exegetical methodology. It is common for scholars to use the expression "fictive kinship" to describe the brotherly language universally employed in the heterogeneous enclaves of the first century CE. This rubric, however, fails to account adequately for the interrelations of the ancient family household structure. Put simply, fictive kinship essentially cannot convey how blood kin perceived of non-relative members in the ancient households to which they belonged. Chapter 2 introduces the sociohistorical origins of the conceptualization of the ancient household through a survey of the architecture, epigraphy, and literature. The findings show generally the common origins of the synagogue, the voluntary association, and early Christian communities in a domicile. This domicile origin often expanded architecturally from the initial structure through adaptation and additional construction. A common factor among all of these enclaves is the crisscross interaction evident in the multiple identities and club memberships of sundry individuals, both civic and religious. Finally, the chapter shows that the house church in Hebrews likely had pagan monotheists attracted to the mutual impartiality and openness to outsiders without the pressure and constrictions imposed within a status-driven, honor/shame patronage society. The remaining chapters shift concentration to a proposed sociohistorical provenance for the readers and their portrayal as a familial community on sojourn led by Jesus through the imagery of the tabernacle trajectory. Chapter 3 reconstructs the situation of a house church under duress through multifarious factors and designates their location in or around Rome. Chapter 4 underlines the theme of sojourn and the neglected trajectory of the tabernacle or "house" in relation to Christ and this church. Chapter 5 traces the thread of familial language to identify the authentic Christians and other terminology to designate pagan outsiders. Chapter 6 provides a conclusion and prospects for further inquiry.