Date

11-13-2025

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Master of Arts in Biblical Languages (MA)

Chair

Dawn L. Sutherland

Keywords

Exegesis, Biblical Exegesis, Greek Exegesis, Biblical Languages, Theology, Systematic Theology, Biblical Theology, Dogmatic Theology, Historical Theology, Augustine, Augustinian Theology, Reformed Theology, Calvinism, Authorial Style, Style, Idiolect, Linguistics, Biblical Linguistics, Lexicography, Biblical Lexicography, Grammar, Syntax, Greek Grammar, Greek Syntax, Semantics, Pragmatics, Lexical Semantics, Proof Text, Proof Texting, Hermeneutics, Hermeneutical Spiral, Grammatical-Historical Method, Grammatical, Historical, Interpretation, Biblical Interpretation, Rhetorical, Diatribe, Diatribal, Anthropochronism, Resumptive Repetition, Interrogative Parallelism, Adoption, Glorification, Determinism, Fatalism, Grace, Grace Given, John 6, John 6:37, Ephesians 1, Ephesians 1:3-5, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 1:3-4, Ephesians 2:1-5, Ephesians 5:27, Ephesians 5:18, Romans 8, Romans 8:29, Romans 8:23, Romans 8:28-30, Romans 9, Romans 9:21, Romans 9-11, Pharaoh, Reprobation, Ishmael, Protasis, Apodosis, Conditional Sentences, Greek Conditional Sentences, 2 Timothy 1:9, Gnosticism, Manichaeism, Predication, Greek Predication, 1 Peter 1, 1 Peter 1:1-2, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 Peter 1:20, Acts 2:23, Pentecost, Elect, Election, Divine Election, Doctrine of Election, Foreknowledge, Election according to Foreknowledge, Divine Foreknowledge, Messianic Claim, Jesus, Messiah, Gender, Greek Gender, Grammatical Gender, Neuter Gender, Masculine Gender, Feminine Gender, Context, Biblical Context, Linguistic Context, Historical Context, Discourse Analysis, Translation, Bible Translation, Bible Translations, King James Version, KJV, Tyndale, William Tyndale, Evidence, Textual Evidence, Biblical Evidence, Presupposition, Presuppositional, Presuppositionalism, Pre-understanding, Preunderstanding.

Disciplines

Christianity | Linguistics

Abstract

Advances in biblical linguistics, especially in the Greek of the New Testament, have provided a means for a better understanding of the text of Scripture. Advances in Greek lexicography, syntax, verbal aspect, discourse analysis, exegetical and hermeneutical methods, and the historical background behind the gospels and letters of the New Testament have greatly increased interpreters’ ability to determine what the text meant from both the writers and to the recipients of those documents. However, Christian theology, especially Systematic Theology, has remained mostly static, unaffected by these advances, and by a more accurate understanding of the biblical text. This thesis affirms that Christian theology must proceed from the text of Scripture by the linguistic analysis of that text, and that theology must be based upon the linguistic evidence. First, several failures to consider various linguistic characteristics are noted, e.g., failure to understand: (1) semantic synergy (Eph. 5:18); (2) grammatical gender (John 6:37); (3) lexical consistency (Rom. 10:17); (4) context and genre (Acts 13:48); (5) predication (Rom. 8:29); and (6) word position (1 Pet. 1:1-2). Studies pertaining to Paul’s and Peter’s usage of the προγνω lexeme bring the study to the matter of authorial style, also called "idiolect." A demonstration of three distinct characteristics of Paul’s usage—resumptive repetition, interrogative parallelism, and consistent context of phrase usage—are first explained, then examined across the body of his letters, and then applied to specific verses. First, resumptive repetition will allow the proper interpretation of Eph. 1:4 to show that it speaks only of believers and of their future glorification. Second, interrogative parallelism will demonstrate that the pragmatic statement in Rom. 9:21 comes from Paul’s diatribal opponent and not from Paul himself. Third, Paul consistently uses the phrase “grace given” in the context of the gifting of all believers for their function in the Body of Christ. Paul uses it for his own apostolic office, for ministers of the word in general, and for all believers in general. Applied to 2 Tim. 1:9, Paul speaks of his and Timothy’s vocational call to ministry and their gifting for their ministries as Apostle and as pastor, respectively. Taken together, these analyses demonstrate that the various verses and passages examined do not support the deterministic theological conclusions for which they are most often used.

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