Antiteses in die boek Maleagi

Abstract

This study investigates ant hi theses in the Book of Ma 1 a chi on the level of syntax, style and content with the purpose of identifying them and of determining their influence on the message of each pericope in the book. For the purpose of this investigation, an antithesis is defined as follows: when at least two issues and/or elements and/or concepts and/or persons and/or groups of persons are contrasted with each other on the level of syntax, style and content, an antithesis is formed. Relevant literature on the Book of Malachi yields sporadic and incidental references to contrasts and antitheses which are featured throughout the book. As far as can be ascertained, the occurence of antitheses has not yet been investigated systematically and thoroughly. A text-immanent investigation of the Book of Malachi has been made on the basis of the following steps with the purpose of identifying antitheses in a well founded manner. The different pericopes in the book have been demarcated by means of certain syntactical criteria whereupon the text of the book was subjected to a text-criti ca 1 investigation. A number of text critical alterations were made. A structural analysis of the different pericopes in the book has been done, the Gattung of each pericope determined and in relevant cases an investigation made of issues concerning tradition criticism and redaction critisicm. On the basis thereof the antitheses occurring in the different pericopes of the book have been identified. The message of each peri cope has a 1 so been determined in the 1 i ght of the identified antitheses. At a syntactical level the occurrence of antitheses in the Book of Ma 1 a chi is confirmed by anti thet i ca 1 word coup 1 es (such as love:hate; blessing:curse; good:evil), the occurrence of the antithetical waw, change of pronouns etc. Stylistically the book yields.. a surprising number of chiasmi, a chiasmus being a stylistic technique which tends to emphasise opposites. The Gattung of all the pericopes in the book (with the exception of the last) has been identified as a Disputationswort. The background of the Gattung potrays a dispute or discussion between two parties. The author has thus used this particular Gattung to convey his message by means of antitheses. Tradition materia 1 found in the book a 1 so serves to support the antithetical structuring of pericopes in the book. In some cases where redactional additions to the book have been identified, the occurrence of antitheses as a prominant phenomenon in the Book of Malachi has been confirmed. The function of the antitheses in the book is mainly that of emphasis. Although there is no developing train of thought in the sequence of the various pericopes in the book, a cohesion nevertheless exits which binds it together as a unity. On the 1 eve 1 of syntax, style and content the occurrence of an antithetical contraposition of persons, issues and concepts as a typical and prominent feature of the Book of Malachi, is confirmed.Hierdie studie ondersoek antiteses in die boek Maleagi met die doel om die antiteses op sintaktiese, stilistiese en inhoudelike vlak te identifiseer en om die invloed van die antiteses op die boodskap van elke perikoop in die boek, te bepaal. Vir die doel van hierdie ondersoek word ~ antitese soos volg omskryf: wanneer minstens twee sake en/of elemente en/of begrippe en/of persone en/of groepe van persone teenoor mekaar gestel word op sintaktiese en/of stilistiese en/of inhoudelike vlak in ~ perikoop of perikope in die boek Maleagi, is dit ~ antitese. In die relevante 1 iteratuur wat handel oor die boek Maleagi word daar terloopse en sporadiese verwysings gevind na, wat genoem word, teenstell ings, kontraste en antiteses wat deurlopend in die boek voorkom. Sover vasgestel kon word, is die _voorkoms van antiteses in die boek nag nie sistematies en volledig o~dersoek nie. Aan die hand van die volgende stappe is 'n teksimmanente ondersoek gedoen na die boek Maleagi met die doe1 om die antiteses verantwoord te i dentifi seer: Met behu1 p van bepaa 1 de si ntakti ese kriteri a is die verskillende perikope van mekaar afgebaken waarna die teks van die boek Ma 1 eagi tekskri ties ondersoek is en enke 1 e tekskriti ese wysigings aangebring is. 'n Struktuurana1ise van die opbou van die verskil1ende perikope in die boek is gedoen, die Gattung van e1ke perikoop is bepaa1 en in re1evante gevalle is 'n tradisiekritiese en ~ redaksiekritiese ondersoek oak gedoen. Hieruit is die antiteses wat in die verskil1ende perikope van die boek voorkom geidentifiseer en aangetoon. Die boodskap van elke perikoop in die lig van die geidentifiseerde antiteses is ook bepaal. Op sintaktiese vlak word die voorkoms van antiteses in die boek Maleagi bevestig deur antitetiese woordpare (liefde:haat; seen:vloek; goed:kwaad), die voorkoms van die antitetiese waw, persoonswisseling ens. Stilisties gesproke lewer die boek onder andere~ opvallende aantal chiasmes op. 'n Chiasme is 'n stilistiese tegniek wat neig om teenoorgestelde pole te beklemtoon. Die Gattung van al die perikope in die boek (met die uitsondering van die laaste perikoop) is geidentifiseer as die Gattung van die Di sputati onswort. Die Gattung het 'n di spuut of di skussi e tussen twee partye as agtergrond. Die Gattung van die boek staan dus in diens van die outeur om deur middel van antiteses sy boodskap tuis te bring. Tradisiemateriaal wat in die boek aangetref word, dien ook die antitetiese opbou van perikope in die boek. In enkele gevalle waar redaksionele byvoegings tot die boek geidentifiseer is, het dit die voorkoms van antiteses as prominente verskynsel in die boek Maleagi bevestig. Die funksie van antiteses in die boek is hoofsaaklik die van beklemtoning. Alhoewel daar geen ontwikkelende gedagtelyn in die opeenvolging van die verskillende perikope in die boek is nie, is daar tog~ kohesie tussen die verskillende perikope wat die boek saam bind tot 'n eenheid. Op sintaktiese, stilistiese en inhoudelike vlak word die voorkoms van 'n antitetiese teenoormekaarstelling van persone, sake en begrippe as tipiese en prominente kenmerk van die boek Maleagi, bevestig.