...Introduction to the Bible as Literature English/Religious Studies 115 CRNs: 32306, 32307, 32306, 35587 Lincoln Hall 120 Monday and Wednesday 9:00-9:50 am Friday Sections Professor Rachel Havrelock Associate Professor Department of English raheleh@uic.edu Office 1909 University Hall Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 1:00-2:00 pm Professor Scott Grunow Lecturer Department of English Cobelli@aol.com Course Description This introductory class presents a literary perspective on the Bible. Texts from the Bible stand at the center of analysis, while accompanying textbooks help us to contexualize biblical materials within history. Each week revolves around a particular theme with one lecture on the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and one on the New Testament. Themes include creation, birth, the hero, the mountain, the community, the Temple, suffering, and the end of time. As we place biblical texts in their historical contexts, we will consider the Bible as a literary work with distinct genres, themes and conventions. The thematic connections between the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament will be explored at the same time that differences in their style and message are investigated. While reading the Bible, we will develop a vocabulary for discussing literary texts as well as a vocabulary specific to texts from the ancient world. This lively and pluralistic course provides a thorough introduction to the literature of the Bible. Course...
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...The Nature and Significance of the New Testament Marshall Suddarth Indiana Wesleyan University New Testament by Definition. As defined the New Testament is “the second part of the Christian Bible comprising the canonical Gospels and Epistles and also the book of Acts and book of Revelation” (Merrium-Webster.com, 2015); however, the meaning goes much deeper than that. It is the testimonial recollection of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; a guide to salvation and eternal life. The New Testament is the canonization of several manuscripts written over a fairly large period of time after the death of Christ. A process of study, group debate, and political influences brought the New Testament to the twenty-seven books we see today. While some debate still exist as to the authorship of the individual books, most believe that God directed the early founders of Christianity to form the text as a basis for others to find the truth of God and Christ. Canonization. Early founders of the church consisted of multicultural backgrounds, each with its own set of political influences, cultures, and belief structures. The word of Christ was very important as a common theme; however, the authority and authorship of the individual works was just as important (Schenck, 2010). Early founders of the book we currently see as the Bible wanted the scripture to be a true recollection of the original testimony of Christ’s life, and the purpose for which he died and was resurrected. To do...
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...overall themes of creation, the fall of man and redemption are clear throughout (Williams, 2002). Military historian Chauncy Sanders mentions three criteria scholars use in historiography (Williams, 2002). When applied to test whether the scriptures we have are the same as the original documents, that is to test their accuracy, these are manuscript evidence (textual), Biblical evidence (internal) and historical evidence (external) (Zuckeran 2003). First we need to examine the number of manuscripts available. The more ancient texts there are to support a particular wording or fact, the greater chance of accuracy. There are over 53,000 documented Greek manuscripts and thousands of Latin Vulgate and other versions or fragments of New Testament manuscripts...
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...Ronnie Spears Dr. Tolokun Omokunde NTS403, Introduction to Biblical Languages July 7, 2014 Final Exam Ronnie Spears Dr. Tolokun Omokunde Introduction to Biblical Languages May 30, 2014 Week 2 Reflection Paper “Off the Shelf and into Yourself” In this modern time of electronic explosion, using the right tools to properly exegesis the word of God is crucial. Not eliminating the bible as the concrete foundation of our Christian knowledge but allowing other resources to become windows in our biblical mansion. The author Mr. Black is sharing with us the necessity of having the right tools to properly make application of the word of God. Greek is the language used by the Gentiles in the New Testament and to adequately teach or preached the New Testament scriptures one need understand Greek translations. There are tools to assist in understanding Greek and we must take advantage of them just like a mechanic always update their tools according to modernization of cars. Paul writes to Timothy and states “to study to show ourselves approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”, (II Tim. 2:15). The author recommends ten essential tools in using and understanding Greek in ministry, which six of those tools will be discussed in this assignment. Let me establish that all of the tools are essential although I am discussing only six. The first tool is an English bible, whether the King James, (which is the recommended...
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...The author of the Gospel of Mark is never actually referred to or indicated within the text itself. However, an early Christian writer named Papias who was a bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor made a statement referring to the author of The Gospel of Mark as being a disciple of Peter (Harris, 2014). Papias also believed Mark had gathered the information in the Gospel from Peter’s accounts of Jesus’s ministry. Modern New Testament scholars feel it is more likely that Mark collected stories of Jesus’s ministry from several sources due to the lack of fluidity within the book. Scholars believe the Gospel of Mark was written approximately 66-70 A.D. during a time of great persecution of Christians (Harris, 2014). During this time the Jewish Revolt...
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...Liberty University Book Review: Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament Submitted to Dr. Gary Schnittjer in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for OBST 515 Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary by CURTIS TERRY Lynchburg, Virginia Tuesday February 18, 2014 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Summary 3 Critical Interaction5 Conclusion8 Bibliography9 Introduction Dr. Christopher J.H. Wright love for Hebrew scripture played a major role in his decision to write Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament. Dr. Wright wrote that he was saddened that so many Christians love Jesus but know so little about who he thought he was and what he had come to do. Dr. Wright background is one of Anglican descent born in Belfast, North Ireland during World War II. He is the son of missionaries and a graduate of Cambridge. Dr. Wright was ordained by the Anglican Church of England in 1977 and has served in the capacities of high school teacher, associate pastor, Old Testament scholar. Dr. Wright has served at Union Biblical Seminary in India as seminary professor and served as Principal of All Nations Christian College from 1993-2001. Dr. Wright has authored numerous books and currently serves as the International Director for Langham Partnership International. This paper will provide a review of Dr. Wright’s Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament by providing a summarization of the work and provide an analysis of various theological topic discussed by Dr. Wright...
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...CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY 2 INTRODUCTION The “Intertestamental period”, or the “Second Temple Period” represent a period within history, which upholds an interpretation for both Christianity and Judaism. According to Judaism, this era acknowledges the “Second Temple Period”, which exemplifies the Jewish Diaspora. First, “diaspora” simply means “dispersion” or “scattering.” This dispersion or scattering began through the efforts of the Assyrians when they defeated Israel in 722 B.C. In effect, the Jewish nation dispersed all over the Middle East, Egypt, and Babylon. These individuals literally disappeared from antiquity due to the results of the Jewish Diaspora. However, Nebuchadnezzar endured the Jewish populaces to inaugurate a cohesive group within Babylon around 597 B.C. Nevertheless, the subject of this essay will focus on the Christian assessment of the “Intertestamental Period.” For centuries, Christian intellectuals describe the era from the final quarter of the fifth century B.C. to the first century A.D. as the “Intertestamental Period.” This era arises with the reconstructing of the Jewish temple in the late sixth century, and terminating with its annihilation in A.D. 70. The “Intertestamental Period” represents a significant account of the supernatural hand of God throughout antiquity. The “Intertestamental Period” characterizes the period from the concluding of the Old Testament, the book of Malachi to the beginning of the New Testament, the book...
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...Myth and Scripture resources for Biblical Study Susan ackerman, Old testament/hebrew Bible editor number 78 Myth and Scripture conteMporary perSpectiveS on religion, language, and iMagination Edited by dexter e. callender Jr. SBl press atlanta copyright © 2014 by SBl press all rights reserved. no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by means of any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 copyright act or in writing from the publisher. requests for permission should be addressed in writing to the rights and permissions office, Society of Biblical literature, 825 houston Mill road, atlanta, ga 30329 uSa. library of congress cataloging-in-publication data Myth and scripture : contemporary perspectives on religion, language, and imagination / Dexter E. Callender, Jr., editor. p. cm. — (Society of Biblical literature resources for biblical study ; number 78) includes bibliographical references and index. iSBn 978-1-58983-961-8 (paper binding : alk. paper) — iSBn 978-1-58983-962-5 (electronic format) — iSBn 978-1-58983-963-2 (hardcover binding : alk. paper) 1. Myth in the Bible. 2. Bible. old testament—criticism, interpretation, etc. i. callender, dexter e., 1962– editor of compilation. ii. callender, dexter e., 1962– author. Myth and Scripture : dissonance and convergence.. BS520.5.M98 2014 220.6'8—dc23 2014002897...
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...Grace School of Theology NORTH OR SOUTH: Destination and Date of Galatians A Paper Submitted to Gregory P. Sapaugh, Th.M. Ph.D In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of RS-503: Research Methods, Writing, and Technology by William (Brant) Wallace Houston, Texas February 25, 2015 Contents Introduction 1 General Debate 1 Geography of Galatia 2 Diversity and Strategy 2 Advantage for Missional Activities 3 The North 3 Evidence for the Northern Theory 4 History 4 Biblical Reference 4 Character 5 The South 5 Evidence for the Southern Theory 6 Establishment of Churches 6 Inclusion of Galatian Churches 6 Judaizing Controversy 7 The Date 7 Southern Theory 8 Northern Theory 8 Conclusion 9 Bibliography 10 Introduction The date and destination of the Apostle Epistle to the Galatians is a topic of debate.1 The general debate is framed around when and to whom Paul wrote the letter. The two theories surrounding when and to whom Galatians was written are: (1) The North Galatia Theory; and, (2) The South Galatia Theory.2 In an attempt to address the questions of when and to whom Paul wrote Galatians, this paper will address both theories. General Debate In order to understand the prevailing theories, it is important to understand the positions of the general debate. The general debate is whether the letter was addressed to the churches...
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...Traci Anderson Introduction to the New Testament REL: 102 A May 13, 2014 Paul’s letter to Romans Paul’s ideas about Jesus are found in letters which he wrote to churches and which were later included in the book called the New Testament. Paul refers to Jesus by the title “Christos” which is translated to mean the word “Christ the anointed one,” in the New Testament. It is obvious that Paul believed certain things about Jesus and these ideas became dominant in the Christian Churches. One of the clearest indications that Paul considered Jesus to God comes from the fact that he used Monotheistic Old Testament passages which uniquely referred to Yahweh and applied them to the Lord Jesus Christ. Such verse can be referenced in Romans 10:13, 1 Cor. 2:16, 1Cor. 10:26, and 1 Cor. 1:31. In these verse Paul takes the Lord reference and applies it to Jesus. For Paul, the main human problem was sinfulness. Paul thought of Jesus as the New Adam. Just as Adam’s sin brought sin and death to all humanity, Jesus’ obedience brought forgiveness and life to all humanity (Romans 5:18-19). This becomes part of Paul’s rhetoric style. The early Christians prayed to Jesus for his return and for blessing and were even described as those who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, which likely indicate that such prayer was a regular part of their devotional practices (1 Cor. 1:2; 16:22; 2 Cor. 12:8; Rom. 10:13). 1 Corinthians 1:2 and Romans 10:13 draw upon Old Testament passages that refer to Yahweh...
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...Northern Caribbean University School of Religion and Theology THE SIZE OF ISRAEL, WERE THEY NUMERICALLY SMALL OR NOT A research paper Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Course RELB307 Pentateuch By Tyrone Gregory October 2006 TABLE OF CONTENT INTRODUCTION 1 TOWARD PROPER INTERPRETATION 2 HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION 2 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS 6 CONCLUSION 9 BIBLIOGRAPHY 10 INTRODUCTION TOWARD PROPER INTERPRETATION The censusses of Numbers with their results have been the source of much debate among scholars over the years. Cupeled with Dueteronomy7:7 which states Israel was indeed a small people has led scholars to formulate many theories about the size of Israel. This paper will explore and give the proper interpretations to the texts Numbers 26:51 and Dueteronomy7:7. History of interpretation The basis upon which proponents of the argument that Israel was a numerically small unit are one, they view the scripture as fables, that it was composed by people trying to validate their status. Anderson argues that there is overwhelming evidence of folklore in the story of Jacob and Joseph, and as to how Israel got into Egypt. It is not a biographical account but a story for edification.[1] Two, scholars who promote the Documentary Hypotheses also base their arguments on the belief that scriptures were composed by sources namely, J,E,D,P; and later edited...
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...16th, 2013 Table of Contents Introduction2 The Meaning of Speaking in Tongues in the Church Today--------------------------------------2 The Use of Tongues in Acts3 The Precedent and Purpose of Tongues as Established in Acts----------------------------6 Conclusion7 Bibliography-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 Introduction The debate over tongues is one that will not be settled in one session of writing or discussion; men will be having their say on the subject until the day we meet Christ face to face in heaven. In the modern sense, this spiritual phenomenon is closely associated with the Pentecostal movement which originated in the Azusa St. Revival of 1906 and has caused a severe split in the church. This division has been caused, primarily, by an incorrect interpretation of the gift of tongues in the New Testament through the exclusion of studying the gift through the Biblical precedent of the gift established by Luke in the book of Acts. In order to properly interpret and comprehend the references to speaking in tongues in the corporate setting of the New Testament church, one must understand the purpose and characteristics of tongues in the book of Acts. This paper will argue that the experience of tongues in Acts is normative for understanding tongues in the rest of the New Testament epistles and the church today. The...
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...Gen 1:1-2:4a World Behind the text Historical and Cultural Context Genesis illustrates the way Biblical writers J (Yahwist), E (Elohist) and P (Priestly) drew upon the cultural and religious legacy of the Ancient Near East (ANE) along with its stories and imagery and transformed it to conform to a new vision of a non-mythological God and a monotheistic, superior religion. “The Pentateuch developed against the background of the Ancient Near Eastern culture first cultivated in and spread by Sumerian, Assyrian, and Babylonian empires”. This exemplifies how Israelite religion, was “shaped by responses to and reactions against this culture due both to contacts with neighboring Canaanites and to conflicts with Assyrian and Babylonian empires”. Genesis 1:1-2:4a can therefore be said to reflect the “Babylonian account of creation, which we call Enuma Elish…known from at least 1700 BCE,” “predating the earliest text of Genesis by at least a millennium.” In both Genesis and the ancient Babylonian myth, water is divided into upper and lower waters. The Enuma Elish is recorded on seven tablets and the Genesis account is completed in seven days. The Babylonians created humans to serve as slaves yet in Genesis God creates humans in the likeness of the divine. The Priestly source penned the creation story with the intent of being a “monumental historiographic composition…with the purpose of portraying both the beginnings of mankind and Israel in the spirit of a monotheistic concept...
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...traditional context. These studies show that a woman was inferior to the man who made her perform inferior tasks such as cooking and giving birth. Studies have also been carried out to show the image of women in the New Testament. Luke is one of the gospels that show the clear intention of Jesus mission on women than any other gospel. This research seeks to discuss some of the images that Luke gives to women in the society. The first part of the paper gives a brief introduction to the topic and defines some of the terms the reader will often encounter. The second part analyzes some of the images given to women in the Gospel of Luke. Finally, the third part compares the nature of women in the Gospel of Luke and their nature in the Old Testament. Data for this paper was collected from peer-reviewed journal articles and the Gospel of Luke. Table of Contents Abstract 1 Introduction 2 Definition of terms 3 The image of women in the Gospel of St. Luke 3 Introduction 3 Women as the chosen ones 4 Women as witnesses of the ministry of Jesus 4 Women as examples of faith 5 Women as good examples in Jesus teachings 6 Women as part of the mission of Jesus 7 A comparison of the image of women in ST.LUKE and in the Old Testament 8 Conclusion 9 References 10 Introduction The image of women in the society has been changing from the ancient times to the present (Cardozo, 2013). In the traditional context, women were considered inferior to men since the man was referred to as the head...
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...the New Testament, the Historical Jesus, and How Manuscripts Can Reveal What Texts Conceal Tom Dykstra I grew up with a picture of Paul traveling through Asia and Europe, founding congregations, counseling and teaching the men and women who had given their life to Jesus. If he could not visit them, he sent letters. When Paul died, his letters were kept as treasures. Each church that had received one of his letters saved it, had it read during worship services, and exchanged copies of the letter with other congregations close by. Later the congregations tried to complete their collection. But this view does not match the uniformity of manuscript evidence. --David Trobisch 1 It is even more remarkable that attempts to reconstruct the supposed document 'Q' (the lost collection used by both Matthew and Luke postulated by those who argue that Matthew and Luke are independent) use text-critical terminology to describe their activities. However, since all they are doing is making selections from a twentieth-century printed text, which does not even presume to provide confidently the text of the four-Gospel collection, never mind that of the independent first-century texts, this use of language must be dismissed as illusory. --David Parker 2 Modern scholarship has produced detailed biographies of Paul, massive multi-volume inquiries into “the historical Jesus,” and mountains of exegetical literature that claims to extract the author’s meaning from each word of each New Testament book...
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