Lemmens, Caroline
(2017)
John, the message of God.
Master thesis, Master Ancient Scriptures and Cultures Judaism Christianity Islam.
Abstract
The figure that Muslims call Yaḥyā is known as John (the Baptist) in the Christian tradition. He appears in four places in the Quran and the purpose of this paper is to assess his role. To this end a literary analysis is made, that focusses on John as he is presented in Q3, 6, 19, and 21. The outcome of this analysis is that John is the representation of the message of God. This message is: “Remember God”. And this message, as represented by John, is told by his qualities. The main work making the analysis is unwrapping these qualities from the text. The pericopes are considered in their textual context, in the time of their origin, in the religious context of late antiquity in the Fertile Crescent, and in their relation to the older traditions that they are a reception and an appropriation of. The conclusions of the analysis are, that the Quran in the texts where John plays some role, gives a new interpretation of the tradition, and seeks to include the whole audience. The rhetoric is aimed at a public that is well versed in Jewish and Christian lore, and that can appreciate the persuasive arguments to accept the new interpretation of John. He is not the pioneer for Jesus Christ, but a message in his own right, to bring the believers to the one God by showing them through his qualities what God considers the right behavior of the human beings in His creation.
| Type: |
Thesis
(Master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Wilde, C.E. | C.E.Wilde@rug.nl | | | | Mason, S.N. | S.Mason@rug.nl | | |
|
| Degree programme: |
Master Ancient Scriptures and Cultures Judaism Christianity Islam |
| Academic year: |
2016- 2017 |
| Date of delivery: |
01 Sep 2017 |
| Last modified: |
01 Sep 2017 14:09 |
| URI: |
https://rcs.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/287 |
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