...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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...Hebrew literature spans an impressive 30 centuries, and it is still being written and published today. From the wonderful poetry of some of the oldest books of the Jewish Bible to the latest Hebrew language novel written by a happening Israeli novelist, the language of the Jews is alive and well. Hebrew literature goes back a long way. The Pentateuch, the five oldest books of the Jewish Bible, known by the Jews as the Talmud, contains some of the best known and loved language in the world. Perhaps even better loved are some of the Writings, the third part of the Bible, which includes the beautiful Song of Songs of Solomon and the psalms. One of the advantages of learning Hebrew is that it gives a person the opportunity to read these literary treasures in their original words, which have come down to us unchanged through at least two and a half millennia. When the Christian Bible was being compiled around six years after the Council of Nicea, Constantine and his advisers found themselves unable to omit even the rather sensuous poetry of the Songs. So the bewitching language of the Jewish Bible included in the Old Testament reached a new audience in the Christian world. Although now sadly watered down by translation, it is still cherished for its beauty and meaning....
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...This novel is a thrilling read, eluding the characters in the novel to the characters in the Holy Bible. One of which, Huckleberry Finn alludes to characteristics and adventures of Moses in the old testament of the bible. Moses preforms an act that was morally right despite society’s teachings, which was helping the Hebrews escape to freedom from the Pharisees. Huckleberry Finn helps Jim, a runaway slave, escape to freedom despite his just like Moses. In addition, Huckleberry Finn preforms an act of service for Jim even though he does not have to and befriends Jim when it is against everyone’s approval. Jesus Christ also preforms many acts of service for others throughout the bible. He also befriends many unlikely people society did not approve of, like the Samaritan woman at the well. Lastly, the Pharisees throughout the bible are hypocritical and do not “practice what they preach.” They also chased down Moses and the escaped Hebrews to keep them enslaved. Christians in the south chase down escaped slaves, and show to be hypocrites by not “practicing what they preach” as...
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...so much hatred over books in Germany? Germany believes that there were topics that Germans felt were Un-German. Everyone states for their own opinion and everyone has a religion and us as people should accept it. Since Hitler came in charge, his administration decided to burn the book that was un-German in school and university and libraries. Books aren't the problem the problem is that a culture that is hungry for power decided to make a law and then have each...
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...INVESTIGATING DANIEL 9:24-27 Lloyd Bell Bible 450 April 17, 2013 INVESTIGATING DANIEL 9:24-27 To say that Daniel 9:24-27 is one of the most discussed four verses in all the bible would be a great understatement. Dr. Ray Prichard when describing Daniel 9:24-27, went as far as to write, “It is the key to prophetic interpretation and the backbone of biblical prophecy.” So what then would merit such a statement? How can four verses be so important? Concerning the importance of this passage John Walvoord writes,” The interpretation of the revelation given to Daniel concerning the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:24–27) constitutes one of the determining factors in the whole system of prophecy. The attention given to it by all schools of interpretation, and the attacks upon the authenticity of the book itself combine to focus the white light of investigation upon it. The interpretation of this passage inevitably colors all other prophetic views, and a proper understanding of it is the sine qua non of any student of prophecy." The above being noted, this paper will investigate Daniel 9:24-27, discuss schools of interpretation, and provide this author’s interpretation of this important prophetic text. By investigating Daniel 9:24-27 it will soon become evident that rightly dividing the Word of Truth requires diligent study and the application of sound hermeneutic principles. Daniel 9:24-27 within Context Looking at these verses alone can lead to mishandling...
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...Assignment notes Christianity vs. Judaism: The major differencesHere, in great brevity, is a summary of some of the major differences between Judaism and Christianity. | Principle | | Christianity | | Judaism | Nature of God | | Trinity | | Unity | Nature of Messiah | | Divine, Sin Sacrifice | | Only human, Righteous King | Atonement | | Blood Required | | Prayer and Repentance | Sin | | Everyone stained by Adam and Eve ("original sin") | | All begin with clean slate | Righteousness | | No one | | Within our power to choose | Satan | | Fallen angel | | Agent of God | Torah | | Written only | | Written and Oral | Commandments | | Not eternal or valuable | | Eternal and of ultimate value | Exclusivity | | Only Christians go to heaven | | All righteous have a place in the world to come. | Land of Israel | | Irrelevant | | Crucial | Jews | | Replaced by the church; or irrelevant | | God’s chosen people | Judaism is one of the world’s oldest religions, dating back up to 2000 years BC from the time when God first called Abraham to leave his home and follow Him. At that time, God made a covenant (or agreement) with Abraham in which He promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation and that one day his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan if Abraham followed him. God’s plan was gradually revealed through the Old Testament and built on with further promises to Moses, David and the prophets...
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...Introduction: The Bible Among The Myths by John N. Oswalt The author Oswalt spent much time studying the subject of the ANE (Ancient Near East). This book will investigate the Idealism, history, culture and how they related to the relevance of the critical worldview of the Old Testament and the Hebrew belief as compared to the surrounding ANE. Oswalt’s views, thinking and direction have changed completely over his 50 years studying the ANE and the Bible. This book will show the similarities and differences in thought between the Hebrew Old Testament and the ANE. Oswalt will define what a myth is and argue why the Old Testament is not and cannot be considered a myth. The Bible, when compared to ANE literature, has a completely different understanding of creation and how the spiritual and natural realms interact and exist. There is not a continuous existence that just repeats itself over and over, but rather a series of single events that lead to a greater purpose. It is Oswalt’s position that the Bible is an accurate historical account of a people who received their relevance of belief from a single living transcendent God. The historical basis is important as God reveals himself through humans, in non-recurring human-historical events, to impose God’s will and direction to affect the will of humans. Chapter 1: The Bible In Its World In this chapter Oswalt addresses different beliefs on the existence of the world. Specifically how the Israelites and Greeks viewed the...
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...Judaism and the Hebrew Bible REL/134 November 29, 2011 Instructor Richard Albin Abstract Belief systems contrast one another in various ways including practices, celebrations, beliefs, and history. Judaism has been around for centuries. Jews study the Hebrew Bible, more commonly known as the Old Testament of the Bible. Ultimately, each faith leads to similar ideologies and regulations through the sense of morality and society. Judaism and the Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible is divided into three main divisions: the Torah (meaning “teachings” or “instructions”) which were given to Moses on the stone commandments, Nevi’im (commonly known as the Prophets), and Ketuvim (the Writings). The division of the Prophets has subdivisions, the first subdivision as well as the Torah is written in the eyes of the Jewish people and tells their history. Vast compilations of other topics are referenced throughout the remaining sections; the Writings, for example, is a collection of hope from the people of Israel through the use of poetry, psalms, proverbs, and prayers (Gill, 2011). However, regardless of the section, “Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself,” such is the golden rule. This principle is the primary concept portrayed through the Hebrew Bible. Judaism The monotheistic faith of Judaism believes in one omnipotent God, the creation of Mankind in His image, community, the Torah, the Land of Israel, and the coming of the Messiah. According...
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...word canon has evolved over time to come to mean the official inventory of books, like that of Athanasius, that a religious community regards as its authoritative source of doctrinal and ethical beliefs. The word comes from the Greek kanwn and most likely from the Hebrew qaneh and Akkadian, qanu. Literally, it means a straight rod or bar; a measuring rule as a ruler used by masons and carpenters; then a rule or standard for testing straightness (Harris 24). In the past, canon referred the doctrines of the church that were accepted as rule of faith. The canonization of the New Testament was a long and complex process. Canonization served two purposes. It clarified the beliefs church leaders considered true and acceptable; and it provided a unifying force for the churches throughout the Roman Empire. Canonization provided a firm written authority for universal belief and practice. A major factor in the permanent establishment of a New Testament canon was the Vulgate, a translation done by Jerome. This translated the scripture into common Latin of western Roman civilization. For nearly one thousand years no new translations of the Bible appeared even as new European languages developed through the dark ages of the medieval period. The Vulgate remains the official Bible of The Roman Catholic Church (Harris 31-32). The protestant canon differs from the Roman Catholic canon. The protestant Bible is seven books shorter that the Roman Catholic Bible. Martin Luther removed...
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...BOOK SUMMARY: ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN THOUGHT AND THE OLD TESTAMENT BY JOHN H. WALTON Old Testament Introduction OBST 510 May 4, 2014 Part 1 – Comparative Studies Chapter 1: History and Methods History: Walton begins the chapter with the “rediscovery of Egypt which began in the eighteenth century AD and of Mesopotamia in the mid nineteenth century AD.” There were discoveries of tens of thousands of texts that were excavated, translated and studied. Many of these tablets and texts did coincide with the Bible. Walton outlines comparative study which is the study that attempts to understand things when compared to their broader cultural context. The goal in this case is to understand the Old Testament compared to the ANE. There have been many debates on comparative study and the way in which is executed. Comparative studies deal with the cultures, myths, religions, worldviews and literature of all the people living in the ANE. A comparative study acknowledges that cultures are separate, but that these separate cultures are aware of and understand the religions and rituals of the other surrounding cultures and at times even engages in those rituals. Many of the Scholars were so biased that they tended to argue for the importance of the Old Testament, or vice-versa defended the mythology concept of scripture so vehemently that the cultural comparison was lost. Not until Friedrich Delitzsch, who was the son of the famous biblical commentator Franz Delitzsch, did a more focused...
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...especially since the 1960s, there has been a strong push for women’s equality. There are many Christians and non-Christians who believe Christianity had a hand in the perpetuation of the patriarchy leading to misogyny. Christians who oppose this idea may argue that it is founded on a lack of theological knowledge, that there is biblical evidence supporting that God desires equality, and that discrimination is not condoned in biblical stories and teachings. It is easy to initially construct the notion of misogyny in the Old Testament when acquiring only a shallow view of scripture. However, when applying a hermeneutical approach, one can see that equality among genders is a common theme. The Bible itself is, without a doubt, patriarchal in nature, but presents evidence of equality. Of note is the theme of religious equality; “that is, equality of the woman as a person before God.” This essay will explore various events in the Bible, beginning in Genesis, to support the claim that the Old Testament, though patriarchal, is not misogynistic and demeaning to women. Equality in Genesis Genesis states, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen 1:27, NKJV). This verse provides evidence for equality between women and men and that they are both made in the image of God. Taking a look at Genesis 1:26-28 as a whole shows that the words “image” or “likeness” were used four times and implies significance. Men and women are...
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...Lawson 08/08/13 Research Paper ENG 1020 Many people view Jehovah witnesses as being that religious group that knocks on your door and hands you out magazines when you are in a rush. Others believe that they are a group of people who are always talking about the world ending, and lastly some believe 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...
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...Sheniece Wallace September , 2014 Introduction John N. Oswalt, curiosity about the study of the Bible and theological questions was influenced in the 1960s, during his graduate studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. Followed by further education in Theology, triggered a facet of questions during his time at Harvard Divinity. William F. Albright, a scholar proposed the questions the Israelites of the Old Testament and their reasoning about there beliefs. The radical Prolegomena for Oswalts, book sprung up a multitude of questions for him to consider answering his and humanity questions about the godly ideology in religion culture. His statements questions godly character whether it was wrong , right, or believable. He mentions his hypothesis of revelation: as humans we couldn’t possibly be in control of our own purpose and that we need a higher power to sustain us. Comparison is made between religions of Israelite the and ancient near east; the worship of their deity. The thought of serving one deity, then, why were so many other religions evolved? Subliminally, in my words, questions the Biblical integrity and purpose being accredited to for humans to believe as truth. Clearly, this is not to be taken as a debate or disrespect to what the Hebrews believed. It is a matter to open up our thinking as modern scholars and Old Testament Semites (Old...
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...Hebrew Literature From Classic Encyclopedia 1911 HEBREW LITERATURE. Properly speaking, "Hebrew Literature" denotes all works written in the Hebrew language. In catalogues and bibliographies, however, the expression is now generally used, conveniently if incorrectly, as synonymous with Jewish literature, including all works written by Jews in Hebrew characters, whether the language be Aramaic, Arabic or even some vernacular not related to Hebrew. The literature begins with, as it is almost entirely based upon, the Old Testament. There were no doubt in the earliest times popular songs orally transmitted and perhaps books - of annals and laws, but except in so far as remnants meat- of them are embedded in the biblical books, they have Scrip- entirely disappeared. Thus the Book of the Wars of the Lord is mentioned in Num. xxi. 14; the Book of Jashar in Josh. x. 13, 2. Sam. i. 18; the Song of the Well is quoted in Num. xxi. 17, 18, and the song of Sihon and Moab, ib. 27-30; of Lamech, Gen. iv. 23, 24; of Moses, Exod. xv. As in other literatures, these popular elements form the foundation on which greater works are gradually built, and it is one function of literary criticism to show the way in which the component parts were welded into a uniform whole. The traditional view that Moses was the author of the Pentateuch in its present form, would make this the earliest monument of Hebrew literature. Modern inquiry, however, has arrived at other conclusions (see Bible, Old Testament)...
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...Evaluate the claim that miracles in the Bible are not a reliable form of experience. Prior to discussing this, it’s important to understand what it means to read the Bible. There are two common interpretations of the Bible, a literal reading and a non-literal reading. Having said this, I will argue that miracles in the bible, on balance are not a reliable form of religious experience and will consider the case studies of Jesus’ resurrection, resurrection of Jairus’s daughter and the miracle healing of the unclean woman. Literalists would see the Bible, quite literally, as the name suggests. This means that all events within the Bible, all accounts of miracles, stories, the Flood, Moses and the Burning Bush, the resurrection of Jairus’s daughter and the healing of the unclean woman, everything, is completely true. However, it’s worth noting that this only makes sense to the believer, thus reinforcing faith rather than introducing it. In an era where logic and mathematical truth predominantly takes priority over unreliable accounts, many believe the events in the Bible to be completely true. Great thinkers such as Aquinas believe that miracle of Jesus’s resurrection is an infallible truth. If this is the case, many would ask “well, how can you prove he was resurrected and it wasn’t somebody who looked similar to Jesus and simply impersonated them or played a practical joke?”, well, to the believer, the miracles in the Bible is their understanding of how God interacts with our...
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