Abstract
In the book of Ezekiel, in a visionary walk guided by a ‘mysterious’ man (Ezek 9), the prophet witnesses a momentous event: the departure of the כבוד, the glory of YHWH, from the Temple (Ezek 9-11). In this scenario, Ezekiel is commissioned to transmit YHWH’s oracles to the house of Israel in a very particular and often bizarre way. His ministry is a symbolic communication conveyed by means of a ‘body’ and a ‘performance’ – a mode of expression consisting of actions to be interpreted by the observers. The book of Ezekiel vividly expresses the fullness of this reality, in a moment coincident with the departure of the כבוד, with the statement "I have made you a מוֹפֵת” (Ezek 12:6).This phenomenon raises questions about the function of the prophet within the narrative of the book of Ezekiel. The role played by the prophet as מופת, within the frame of YHWH’s presence/absence and the traumatic experience of the Exile, is a key element in my study.
Ezekiel as מופת is mentioned only four times in the book. In chapters 12 and 24, the lexeme is used to identify the prophet within the context of two specific symbolic actions. Therefore, what does being a מופת imply for the story of the prophet and the theology of the book of Ezekiel? How to define this prophetic experience? What does the lexeme מופת indicate? In which way does מופת identify the prophet?
This study focuses on the interpretation of the meaning, role and influence of the statement “I have made you a מופת” within the narrative of the book of Ezekiel, through the lenses of semantics, exegesis, and theology.
| Date of Award | 1 Nov 2020 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Paul Joyce (Supervisor) & Jonathan Stökl (Supervisor) |