A cognitive approach to understanding the semantics of the kingdom of God in Luke’s Gospel

Leung, Karl Chi Hung (2023). A cognitive approach to understanding the semantics of the kingdom of God in Luke’s Gospel. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

Leung2023PhD.pdf
Text - Accepted Version
Restricted to Repository staff only until 31 December 2024.
Available under License All rights reserved.
Download (7MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

NT scholars have unanimously agreed that the profound expression of the “kingdom of God” (abbreviated to the “God’s kingdom” below) represents the core message of Jesus, which constitutes a major theme in Luke’s Gospel. Despite being the subject of extensive research previously, the semantics of God’s kingdom has remained a perplexing problem. NT scholars are divided over whether it means primarily God’s reign (majority), God’s realm (minority), or some other possibility. While recognising the kingdom as a polyvalent concept comprising multiple ideas, NT scholarship fails to explain how God’s kingdom functions semantically to communicate its set of inherently associated ideas. Moreover, the current interpretation of God’s kingdom has continued to incur the incomprehensible logical (temporal) paradox by admitting that God’s reign is both present reality (“already”), and unrealised reality to come in the future (“not-yet”). These key critical problems have prompted me to examine the semantics of God’s kingdom in Luke’s Gospel from a fresh approach.

This thesis argues that God’s kingdom belongs to the class of complex polysemy commonly found in languages, which displays the kind of semantic ambiguity and polyvalent character recognised by NT scholarship. With reference to the cognitive approach, I establish that God’s kingdom possesses an inherent network of lexical concepts, which manifest as the lexical meanings of God’s realm (primary), God’s household and God’s land in Luke’s Gospel. Significantly, there is no evidence that God’s kingdom carries the lexical meaning of God’s reign, despite being endorsed by NT scholars. Based on the proposed meanings for God’s kingdom, I have submitted fresh interpretations of God’s kingdom sayings in Luke’s Gospel, which indicate that Jesus’ mission is geared towards regathering the eschatological Israel as God’s household, restoring the Promised Land as God’s land, and demonstrating the continuous expansion of God’s promised new world as God’s realm. The revised semantics of God’s kingdom resolves simultaneously the existing logical (temporal) paradox, as God’s kingdom sayings do not depict the temporally progressive appearance of God’s reign, but that of God’s realm. Consequently, this research has offered a new perspective on comprehending God’s kingdom in Luke’s Gospel, based on the cognitive approach.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):