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dc.rights.licenseCC-BY-NC-ND
dc.contributor.advisorBecking, Bob
dc.contributor.authorRuitenbeek, Maas van de
dc.date.accessioned2009-01-12T15:56:36Z
dc.date.available2009-01-12T15:56:36Z
dc.date.issued2009
dc.identifier.urihttps://studenttheses.uu.nl/handle/20.500.12932/2319
dc.description.abstractThis master thesis is the result of studying the background of Nehemia 8:9-12 and the text itself. The paper has the title: ‘Law as joy becomes joy as law’ and has the sub-title: ‘research into the effect of reading the law in Nehemiah 8: 9 - 12.’ The problem definition is related to the period during which exiles returned after the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus the Great till the time of the establishment of the second temple (from the 6th to the 4th century before Christ). At the end of this period Ezra stated the law and the people first mourned. An order came, however, stating: ‘Do not mourn, do not weep and do not grieve, but make a great joy.’ Related to this orders, the question to be answered in this paper is: ‘What is the meaning of joy from al the people after reading the law?’ In answering this question, I have grouped my activities into three groups: to make a survey of related documents, to analyse the possibilities and to make an interpretation of the chosen text. In the first period of the Persian Empire returning exiles and inhabitants of Yehud formed a new community. In this community there was a development over several generations from an ethnic to a religious relationship. This is the setting in which Ezra stated the law. The law had not been interpreted and applied in such a situation before. The Levites taught this interpretation to ‘al the people.’ The subject of this teaching was remembrance of the return from exile, which came instead of the remembrance of the exodus from Egypt. The LORD was known as the Liberator. As a result of this teaching ‘al the people’ began to apply the law. This resulted in a renewed relationship with the LORD. In this relationship the community took shelter by the Lord. He gave ‘all the people’ protection from enemies and rich harvests. The LORD was known as the Provider. ‘All the people’ came to understand the intention of the law, not only to follow it. For the community, this ensured the continuity in the relationship with the LORD and with this blessing and joy for the future. The LORD was known as the Benefactor. Changing the community needs a stable relationship with the LORD. In this relationship it is possible to apply a renewed interpretation of the law depending circumstances. In this way the law provides a guarantee for shared values in a changing community. The law is not a limitation of freedom; rather it ensures and brings a great joy.
dc.description.sponsorshipUtrecht University
dc.language.isonl
dc.titleVreugde als wet wordt wet als vreugde
dc.type.contentMaster Thesis
dc.rights.accessrightsOpen Access
dc.subject.keywordsNehemia
dc.subject.keywordsvreugde
dc.subject.keywordswet
dc.subject.keywordsperzische periode
dc.subject.courseuuReligie en theologie


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