...Library Tools for Biblical Exegesis Table of Contents I. Overview Exegetical Steps Exegetical Handbooks II. Groundwork Bibles English Language Versions Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha Greek and Hebrew Texts Parallels Interlinear Testaments Digital Bibles Dictionaries Atlases III. Textual Analysis Concordances Lexicons and Wordbooks Lexicons Wordbooks IV. Analysis by Others Online Catalog Commentaries Journal Articles V. Steps for Word Study Old Testament New Testament Page 2 2 2 3-6 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7-8 7 7 8 8 9-10 9 9 10 11-12 11 12 I. Overview Exegetical Steps Exegesis - the process by which one comes to understand a text These are the typical steps involved in an exegesis; your professor’s instructions for your exegetical paper may include a variation of them. A. Establish or orient the context of the pericope in the Biblical book as a whole - a translation from the original Greek or Hebrew may be required - read the text in several different English versions B. Examine the historical context or setting C. Analyze the text - Literary analysis (what type of literature is it?) - Textual analysis (to reconstruct the precise words of the original writer) - Grammatical analysis (classify words by their part of speech) - Lexical analysis (determine meaning(s) of the words) D. Critical analysis: employing various critical methods to ask questions of the texts, ex.: - Canonical - Reader-Response - Form - Redaction - Historical - Rhetorical - Liberation/Black/Feminist - Social-Scientific...
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...the Greek and Hebrew Translations of the Words: Glorify, Serve, Honor, Humble, Exalt and Delight 9 Conclusion 11 Figure 1 – Number of Occurrences of each Word in the KJV Bible and its Components 13 Figure 2- Illustration of the Greek and Hebrew Translations, Frequency of the Usage of each Word in the KJV Bible 14 Bibliography 15 UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS AND PRINCIPLES OF THIS STUDY All studies are founded upon certain principles and concepts. This study is based on the definition, translation and the number of occurrences of six words in the King James Version of the Bible. The six words which will be reviewed are: glorify, serve, honor, humble, exalt and delight. In order to properly address these six words, the principles which are discussed by Hill and Tracy (2003) will be explored. Introduction In the early 1990’s, Andrew E. Hill published his treatise which is titled: Enter His Courts with Praise: Old Testament Worship for New Testament Church. Hill dedicates the content of this treatise to one component or another of worshipping the Lord in the context of the Old Testament. The vocabulary words which are applied in the Old Testament are reviewed. The production of biblical histories is reviewed. The holy places, actions and forms are reviewed in this essay. This analysis is inclusive of the priestly class and the royal class in giving reverence to the Lord. The theme of this essay will be Old Testament worship and its function in the New Testament Church. The...
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...from Critical Companion to the Bible a Literary Reference Reading the Bible as Literature The Bible was written by many human authors, some of whom are known with certainty and some of whom are disputed. What is more, if you were to ask believing Jews or Christians, they would name a different author of the Bible: God is said to have “inspired” the writing of the Scriptures. The Bible is a religious book, not just for one community of faith, but for several: Jews and Christians of different denominations, including both Catholic and Protestant traditions. These groups disagree as to which books actually belong in the Bible. In addition, over time, several different approaches to interpreting the Bible have been developed by these groups. In this volume, the Bible is examined mainly from a literary point of view. A literary approach to this unique book, however, will only be successful if we are conscious of the fact that it is not to be judged according to the rules of modern literature but rather as a document of the ancient Near Eastern and Jewish-Hellenistic cultures. One Book, Many Books: Which Texts Belong to the Bible The Bible is not a single, unified work but a compilation of individual texts commonly called books. Which books belong to the Bible? This question is answered differently by different religious communities. The Hebrew Bible is the Holy Scripture of the Jews. It contains books originally written in the ancient Hebrew and partly in the ancient Aramaic...
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...E. Hill published his treatise which is titled: Enter His Courts with Praise: Old Testament Worship for New Testament Church. Hill dedicates the content of this treatise to one component or another of worshipping the Lord in the context of the Old Testament. The vocabulary words which are applied in the Old Testament are reviewed. The production of biblical histories is reviewed. The holy places, actions and forms are reviewed in this essay. This analysis is inclusive of the priestly class and the royal class in giving reverence to the Lord. The theme of this essay will be Old Testament worship and its function in the New Testament Church. The rituals of worship which were conducted in the Judaic temple are explored in addition to the implications of the artistic adornments which are applied toward worshipping the Lord. Hill makes an argument for the association of the forms of worship which were applied in the context of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Hill emphasizes the application of the book of Psalms in the conventional Christian church. Tracy reviews the application of the book of Psalms in conventional Christian worship. In the treatise titled: Biblical Worship is Good for You, Tracy makes an argument for the use of singing, playing of musical instruments, creating music and formulating psalms in the New Testament worship of the Lord. , In the New Testament, the Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled. Jesus Christ is Lord.,,, The perspectives of Hill and Tracy...
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...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 Objectives ...
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...Jesus: Fact from Fiction Christianity is currently the largest religion in the world with approximately 2.1 billion people identifying themselves as Christians. Jesus is the central focus of attention and worship in Christianity, and is held by most Christians to be the Messiah, foretold in the Hebrew Bible or “Old Testament”. They believe him to be the savior of mankind, and the son of God. However, in modern times, the use of critical scholarship in analysis of the Bible and to the New Testament Gospels in particular, has lead to an accelerating rate of disintegration in the traditional Christian belief system. The term "scholarship" implies the application of the scientific method of the evaluating evidence on the basis of objective standards unhindered from any personal involvement or biases. The main source of information on Jesus is from the Christian Gospels. Some scholars claim that the sources on which the Gospels are based were written within the living memory of Jesus' lifetime. There are four such Gospels the earliest being Mark (68-73 AD), followed by Matthew (70-100 AD), Luke (80-100 AD), and John (90-110 AD). Many conservative Christians accept these writings as evidence for a historical Jesus and as an account of his life and death. According to the Christian Gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem between 6 BC and 6 AD. The Gospel Mark, reports that Jesus was "the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon" he also states that Jesus had sisters. Nothing of Jesus...
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...the Old Testament Submitted to Dr. Homer Heater, Professor of Biblical Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of OBST 515 –D11 Old Testament Orientation I by Wuan D. Miller November 29, 2014 Introduction Christopher J. H. Right, author Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament, is an Anglican clergyman and an Old Testament scholar. A Ph.D. graduate of Cambridge, he currently is the Director of International Ministries for the Langham Partnership International. Wright records at least ten years prior to the release of this work, three things inspired him to research this topic; his students at Union Biblical Seminary who listened to his initial thoughts; John Goldiway’s articles related to the Old Testament and Christian faith; and a friend, Jim Punton, who personally requested that he write a book on how the Old Testament influenced Jesus. Thus, Wright explores the connection between Jesus and the Old Testament with the intention of showing how his identity, mission, and values are interwoven within its metanarrative. In doing so, he prefaces this work with his conviction that “the deeper you go into understanding the Old Testament, the closer you come to the heart of Jesus.”[1] While there is much to be gained from Wright’s work, a critical examination of the underlying themes will reveal a need for further evaluation of critical theological foundations for understanding Jesus in the context of the Old Testament. Summary ...
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...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 one), the Amplified Bible or whatever your preference is, one need a bible that adequately explains in English for easy comprehension. Secondly, one will need a modern edition of Greek New Testament, to go in to detail what the scripture is saying. It also assists to avoid loss of meaning through...
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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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...Hebrew Israelites HUM/130 Dr. John McGinn February 15, 2013 (Your Title Page looks good.) Hebrew Israelites An Israelite is a descendant of the scriptural patriarch Jacob. Jacob was the Grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. Jacobs name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28) and his descendants were called Israelites which denotes they are the children of Jacob or the Children of Israel. The Suffix “ITE” means a descent from. “ISRAEL-ITE” means a descendant of their father Jacob whose name was changed to Israel, but the question still remains, “Who are the modern day Hebrew Israelites”? How are Christian central beliefs different than an Israelites? (Work on opening paragraph - especially the thesis statement for your paper.) A Hebrew is a Descendant of the scriptural Patriarch Abraham. He is the first to be called Hebrew (Genesis 14:13). The Most High made a Covenant with Abraham and his seed. The Title Hebrew was passed on from Abraham to his Son Isaac and Isaac son Jacob and to Jacobs 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel. The Israelites were known and called Hebrews mainly by outsiders or foreigners. The name means one who crosses over, or wander. It is also derived from Eber, which means "one who emigrates" and "beyond, on the other side." Abraham and his posterity being called Hebrews in order to express a distinction between the races east and west of the Euphrates River. It may also be derived from Heber, one of the ancestors of Abraham...
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...that witnesses aren’t Christians, they don’t believe in Jesus (anti-Christ), or they are some type of cult. On the contrary, Jehovah witnesses aren’t as bad as people make them seem, they are respectable genuine people. Many people in today’s society form biases and beliefs of someone, something, and especially a religious group without even finds facts about it. Jehovah’s witnesses actually serve a biblical purpose to educate the world spiritually about the one true god Jehovah. Once you understand them you, the principles they live by, and their duty you will think twice about judging them. I believe that the world is close minded to Jehovah’s witnesses because they know very seldom of them. History of Jehovah’s Witnesses: Firstly, when people hear Jehovah’s witnesses they think who is Jehovah? You guys don’t believe in Jesus? Where did they come from? Jehovah’s witnesses have been around for ages; Jehovah is the name of God, like anybody “God” is a title like boy or girl. You wouldn’t want to be called boy or girl every time someone addresses you everyone has a name, like God he has a name which is Jehovah. A number of other bible translations leave out the name of Jehovah, replacing it with such titles such as “lord” or “Eternal.” That confuses people and whoever reads these translations by putting titles instead of the exact name. The name is from the Hebrew language Almighty God was referred to by a number of names and titles in the Old Testament. Jews traditionally say...
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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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...Christian theologians have taken part in biblical scholarship for centuries on the qualities of the Old Testament that have changed western civilization forever. Walter Brueggemann is no exception to the enormous contributions theologians have made to these discussions in his respected work, The Prophetic Imagination. Here, Brueggemann proposes the social actions of the prophets Moses, Isaiah, Ecclesiastes, and Jeremiah as revolutionary insofar as each of their ministries provided a radical alternative for the social consciousness for the Hebrew people of their time given the context of their dominant social realities. These prophets provided a new social orientation for the Hebrews away from the power holders of their ever changing social hierarchy to that of a social life and though centered on their God Yahweh. Brueggemann explains this using Biblical citation while also applying this thesis to a theological critique of the modern Judeo-Christian faith and its preaching. Given Brueggemann’s analysis of the prophets’ social criticism, his argument is compelling and sheds new light onto how readers of the Bible ought to review the Old Testament. Brueggemann begins his work by defining the sole task of prophetic ministry, which is meant to introduce an alternative social reality to the dominant structure followers are led to believe in at their own peril (Brueggemann p. 3). With Moses as the prime example of this prophetic movement in the book of Exodus, Brueggemann explains...
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...In addition, there are no central groups or leadership council responsible for making decisions, in comparison with the Congregation, existed in the Catholic Church. Rabbi, as a Judaic leader, and his role differ from other religious denominations. Interestingly, Judaic Rabbi is not the equivalent of a priest in neither the Christian nor Jewish conception of the term as such. Rabbis are only the teachers, decision makers during disputes in the community, moderators of liturgical prayers. In fact, their role is to educate individuals the laws of the Jewish community. Contrast to such tradition of the Jews, “Jesus warns his disciples that they should not call themselves rabbi, for they have just one teacher” (Poorthuis, Schwartz, Turner, 2009,...
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...Institute for Christian Teaching THE BIBLE: REVELATION AND AUTHORITY Richard M. Davidson 402-00 Institute for Christian Teaching 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA Symposium on the Bible and Adventist Scholarship Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic March 19-26, 2000 Page 1 of 33THE BIBLE: REVELATION AND AUTHORITY 3/2/2014http://fae.adventist.org/essays/26Bcc_017 -055.htm Introduction I have not always held the view of Scriptural revelation and authority that I now maintain. Having journeyed through a different perspective on the revelation/authority of Scripture and then returning to the position that I now hold, I am convinced that this issue is basic to all other issues in the church. The destiny of our church depends on how its members regard the revelation and authority of the Bible. In the following pages I have summarized the biblical self-testimony on its revelation and authority. The major focus of the paper is biblical authority, but a short statement concerning revelation-inspiration-illumination introduces the subject, and other biblical testimony on the nature of revelation is subsumed under the discussion of biblical authority. The paper also includes a brief historical treatment of the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment understandings of biblical revelation/authority and an analysis and critique of their basic presuppositions in light of Scripture. Following the conclusion, a selected bibliography of sources cited and other...
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