The background of the barren woman motif in Galatians 4:

مرکز و کتابخانه مطالعات اسلامی به زبان های اروپایی

منو

" The background of the barren woman motif in Galatians 4: "
K. A. Blessing R. B. Hays

Document Type	:	Latin Dissertation
Language of Document	:	English
Record Number	:	1112942
Doc. No	:	TLpq304252970
Main Entry	:	K. A. Blessing
	:	R. B. Hays
Title & Author	:	The background of the barren woman motif in Galatians 4:\ K. A. BlessingR. B. Hays
College	:	Duke University
Date	:	1996
student score	:	1996
Degree	:	Ph.D.
Page No	:	344
Abstract	:	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.
Subject	:	Bible
	:	Bible
	:	Philosophy, religion and theology
	:	Religious history
	:	Religious history
	:	Theology