NEW TESTAMENT HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS GRAND RAPIDS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

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1 NEW TESTAMENT HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS GRAND RAPIDS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY BBL507, Fall 2015 (3 Credits) Online Offering Jonathan S. Greer, Ph.D; Assistant Professor of Old Testament Jennifer J. Greer, M.Div.; Adjunct Instructor of New Testament Office hours: by appointment, Wood Seminary Bldg.; Phone: x1518. I. Course Description A detailed study of the history, culture, and geography of Israel and the Mediterranean basin in the late Persian, Hellenistic, and early Roman periods with an emphasis on illuminating the world of the New Testament. The course will include interaction with maps, archaeological resources, and Second Temple Period Jewish and Greco-Roman comparative literature. II. Student Learning Outcomes Upon the completion of this course each student should be able to: describe the importance of understanding the historical and cultural contexts of the Bible in its Greco-Roman and Jewish environments for exegesis. summarize methods and tools used in the study of the Second Temple period and Hellenistic Judaism. identify specific regions, sites, artifacts, and ancient literary works relevant for the study of biblical history and culture in New Testament times. recount the history of the New Testament period in light of the broader history of the Mediterranean region. apply the results of explorations of historical and cultural contexts to exegesis. III. Required Course Textbooks 1. Green, Joel B., and Lee Martin McDonald eds. The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts. Grand Rapids: Baker, ISBN [Identified as WNT in readings schedule]. 2. Rasmussen, C. G., Zondervan Atlas of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, ISBN [Identified as Atlas in readings schedule]. 3. Longenecker, Bruce W., The Lost Letters of Pergamum: A Story from the New Testament World. Grand Rapids: Baker, ISBN [Identified as Longenecker in readings schedule]. 4. Elwell, Walter A., and Robert W. Yarbrough eds. Readings from the First-Century World. Grand Rapids: Baker, ISBN X. [Identified as Readings in readings schedule].!1

2 IV. GRTS General Online Course Assumptions, Requirements, and Definitions Online Educational Assumptions. The online courses available through Grand Rapids Theological Seminary were designed according to the learning paradigm. This paradigm shifts the focus from teaching to learning and places greater authority and responsibility upon the learner. The role of a course instructor is not primarily to impart their knowledge, but to create valuable learning experiences utilizing diverse resources and educational methods. Success within this paradigm and in online learning requires significant student initiative, discipline, and commitment. Online learning is not for everyone, since it assumes greater levels of student ownership and engagement in the teaching and learning process. Interactivity Requirement. Threaded discussions are a required aspect of all GRTS graduate level online courses. Each course will differ in the frequency and nature of interaction. There are two types of online interaction: synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous interaction consists of online discussions that occur in real time and at the same time. Asynchronous interactions consist of online interaction over an extended, and sometimes defined, period of time. There are two types of online posts: original posts and response posts. Original posts should include the student s reflections on the theoretical content, meaning, relationships of ideas, and implications of course material. Original posts should be insightful, inquisitive, and reflective in nature. Typically, original posts will be crafted as responses to a set of questions posed by the course instructor, questions designed to foster reflection and discussion. Response posts are offered in reply to the original posts of peers and should seek clarification for deeper understanding and/or extend the level of critical reflection on the topic of discussion. All online interactions should be substantive, succinct, and grammatically accurate. By substantive, we do not mean extended descriptions of personal opinion and personal experience. Nor do we mean comments that lack coherence and critical reflection. By substantive, we mean comments that are reflective and insightful, coherent, theoretically informed, and link theory to practice. By succinct, we mean that online posts should be between words, unless otherwise defined within the given course [Note: in this BBL507 course, the guideline is words, as below]. Finally, all posts should be grammatically clean, which requires editing before the post is submitted. The interactivity grade for the course will be determined based on the number of posts as well as the character of the post (i.e., substantive, succinct, and grammatically accurate). [Additionally, students are expected to respond to one another and to the instructor in a respectful manner in all communication. Note, too, that all comments must be original (i.e., not pasted from a website, blog, etc.) unless otherwise cited. If students wish to quote or refer to the works of others, proper bibliographic style must be followed (see GRTS Guidelines document in Moodle unit block 1). In posts, papers, and quizzes students must exercise full integrity consistent with Christian character.]!2

3 V. Course Format Each week of the semester, students will log on to their Moodle account and look at the corresponding unit block for that one week or two week period. The first and last unit blocks (Units 1 and 8) span a one week time period and the middle six units (Units 2-7) span two weeks each; assignments and/or activities will be due at the conclusion of each unit block. By noon Monday of each semester week, the student will find a video slide lecture with audio commentary that should be watched sometime during that week. Students will also be required to read certain portions of the course textbooks each week and these are best completed before watching the corresponding lecture though the student will have until the end of the unit block to complete the readings and submit a reading report quiz, as described below. Discussion questions will also be posted in the unit block by noon Monday of each week corresponding to the respective lecture and students must engage the discussion as outlined below. Additionally, there will be two exams and a TurnItIn paper dropbox that will appear in the appropriate week blocks as outlined below. No late postings, assignments, or exams are permitted, barring serious circumstances. The instructors will provide comments on student postings, usually on the Monday of the following week, and make general course announcements via introductory comments in the following week s block and/or the News Forum that appears in the overview block. Any News Forum updates will also be sent to students automatically via and archived in the News Forum. VI. Course Assessment & Requirements Final grades will be calculated on the following components: Reading Reports: 10% Interactivity: 10% Midterm Exam: 25% Final Exam: 25% Paper: 30% Reading Reports. A reading report quiz indicating the portion of the required readings completed must be submitted via Moodle by 11:59 p.m. EST Saturday of each unit block. The reading report quizzes contain a single question asking the student to indicate the percentage of the assigned readings that were completed during that unit: 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, or 0%. Though these reading reports will not address the acquisition of content, please take notes and study the content of the readings, as exam questions will draw on this material in addition to topics addressed in the lectures and discussions.!3

4 Interactivity. By noon Monday of each semester week the instructor will post a question related to that week s lecture for asynchronous peer-to-peer discussion. For each discussion, students are required to post an word original post reply to the discussion question by 11:59 p.m. EST Wednesday of each week AND at least one response post to the posts of fellow classmates by 11:59 p.m. EST Saturday of each week. Only one original post is permitted, but multiple response posts are encouraged. Posts will be evaluated after posting closes and the instructor will make general comments on the discussion as a whole as well as specific comments in response to any issues raised that will be posted on the Monday following the discussion. Students who meet the posting minimum (one original post and one response post for each semester week; thus, four posts--two original and two response--at a minimum during the two-week units 2-7) and the qualitative requirements for each post (i.e., substantive, succinct, and grammatically accurate) will receive full credit. That said, original and response posting that is done early in the week and response posting that is frequent will enhance the quality of the class, thus benefiting all of us. Exams. Two exams will be administered through Moodle as indicated on the course schedule. The exams will be comprehensive but will focus on the preceding half of the class. Exams will consist of 25 objective multiple-choice questions and will be open from 8:00 a.m. EST Friday until 11:59 p.m. EST Saturday of the respective week. Once an exam is started, it must be completed in one sitting within one hour. Only one question may appear at a time, so make sure you are satisfied with your answer before moving to the next question. The exams are closed book exams: no additional resources (notes, books, other internet sites, discussion, interaction of any kind, etc.) are permitted while taking the exam, nor is it permitted to discuss any specific questions in any form with others after the exam. Paper. An academic paper demonstrating the importance of understanding historical and cultural backgrounds for the task of exegesis must be uploaded to the Turnitin dropbox in Moodle by 11:59 p.m. [EST] Wednesday, December 9, 2015, as indicated on the class schedule. The paper must fulfill the requirements listed in the appendix New Testament Historical Backgrounds Paper Guidelines. Papers in Bible and Theology courses should be formatted and sources documented according to the GRTS Guidelines for Papers (see eaglesnest.cornerstone.edu - style guides). These guidelines are based on the Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style and the SBL Handbook of Style [ Please see the SBL Handbook of Style for issues of capitalization, spelling, and abbreviations related to biblical studies. Other guidelines may be permitted with the instructor s approval.!4

5 VII. Course Schedule Unit Block: Topic Semester Week Lectures Tasks Due Readings Unit 1: Introduction 1 Sept 7-12 Course Introduction Introductions; Syllabus. Unit 2: Methods & Tools for New Testament Background Study 2 Sept Sept The Land & Archaeology 2. Sources: Biblical and Extrabiblical Texts 1 & 2; WNT 1-22, ; Atlas ; Readings WNT , , cf Unit 3: History of the Eastern Mediterranean World in the Hellenistic and Early Roman Periods 4 Sept 28- Oct 3 5 Oct Exilic and Postexilic Israel, Hellenism and the Hasmonean Kingdom 4. The Rise of Rome and Herod the Great 3 & 4; WNT 23-53; Atlas ; Readings WNT 54-76, ; Atlas ; Readings Unit 4: Peoples and Writings of Second Temple Palestine 6 Oct Oct Jewish Religious Sects and Other Groups 6. Second Temple Jewish Literature 5 & 6; Midterm (Oct 23-24) WNT , ; Readings WNT , , , ; Readings Unit 5: Jesus in Context 8 Oct Jesus of History, Galilean Ministry 7 & 8; WNT , , ; Atlas ; Readings 37-42, !5

6 Unit 5: Jesus in Context (cont.) 9 Nov Jesus in Jerusalem 7 & 8; (cont.) Atlas ; Readings 42-45, Unit 6: Settings for Early Christian Communities 10 Nov Nov Social Settings: Honor, Shame, and the Domestic Realm 10. Religious and Philosophical Settings: Palestinian and Greco-Roman Perspectives 9 & 10; WNT , ; Begin Lost Letters. WNT , cf , Unit 7: Paul and the Later New Testament in Context 12 Nov Nov 30- Dec Paul and His Travels 12. Early Christian Communities and New Testament Letters 11 & 12; WNT , ; Atlas Atlas ; Readings 44-55; Finish Lost Letters. Unit 8: Exam Week 14 Dec 7-12 No lectures, readings, or discussions Paper due (Dec 9) Final Exam (Dec 11-12) VIII. Grade Scale A = ; A- = 90-92; B+ = 86-89; B = 83-85; B- = 80-82; C+ = 76-79; C = 73-75; C- = 70-72; D = 60-69; F = 59 or below. IX. Class & Institutional Policies Student Course Evaluation. In the last two weeks of each resident course, all students are expected to complete a course evaluation (IDEA Form). A paper-based assessment form will be distributed and completed in class for resident courses. In Ministry Residency, Counseling Practicum, and Counseling Internships, and for all online courses, student evaluations will be completed within Moodle [see overview block during the last two weeks of the course]. These!6

7 assessments provide an opportunity for students to offer feedback to professors on the quality of the learning experience, feedback that informs future offerings of the course. More information about these evaluation processes will be provided later in the given semester. Inclusive Language. As noted in the GRTS academic catalog, writing and discussion should reflect the GRTS policy on inclusive language when referring to other people, regardless of their gender, nationality, culture, social class, or religion. Copyright Violation and Plagiarism. Copyright violation and plagiarism have serious ramifications for Cornerstone students, both legally (the former) and ethically (the latter). Unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials, including downloaded files of various kinds, can result in criminal charges and fines. Plagiarizing another s words or ideas (passing them off as your own) can result in loss of grade or failure. For a fuller explanation of these issues or of CU s copyright policy, see Miller Library s website under Research: Copyright Questions. Disability Accommodation. The University will make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act of The purpose of accommodation is to provide equal access to educational opportunities to students affected by disabilities, and the university does not intend that the standards be altered, nor that the essential elements of programs or courses be changed. Students having documented disabilities may apply for accommodations through Student Disability Services (SDS), which is part of the Cornerstone University Learning Center located in Miller Hall on the main campus. In the event that students have questions regarding whether they are eligible for accommodations, how they might provide appropriate documentation of disabilities, or how they might handle a disagreement with a professor over questions of accommodation, the Director of Academic Support should be contacted immediately at (616) or via at learningcenter@cornerstone.edu. Further information about applying for and utilizing accommodations is provided in the Student Handbook and on the university s website. Communication. is the official means for communication with every enrolled student. Students are expected to receive and read those communications in a timely fashion. Since the seminary will send official communications to enrolled students by using their Cornerstone University addresses (i.e., first.last@cornerstone.edu), students are expected to check their official addresses on a frequent and consistent basis to remain informed of seminary communications. Students can access their Cornerstone University account as follows: Go to gmail.cornerstone.edu > Enter CU username (e.g., n ) and password. Students can forward or IMAP to a preferred address as follows: Log into CU > Select Settings in the upper right hand corner > Select Forwarding and POP/IMAP > Follow the on-screen instructions. Students are responsible for any consequences resulting from their failure to check their on a regular basis for official seminary communications.!7

8 Expectations Note. The professors in this class may be contacted by at anytime, but please note that they generally check and respond to Monday through Friday in the afternoons; they generally do not check or respond to over the weekend. Thus, one should not expect to hear a response to an sent after 5 p.m. Friday until Monday afternoon of the following week; please plan accordingly. That said, if any issues arise at any time we will do our best to address these as soon as possible. Confidentiality and Disclosure. Information shared by a student with a faculty or staff member in individual settings will remain confidential, except under the following conditions: There has been serious harm or threat of harm to self or others; There is reasonable suspicion of abuse of a child, elder or vulnerable person; There is a court order mandating disclosure of information; There is a dispute between a student and faculty/staff member and disclosure is necessary for resolution; The faculty or staff member requests supervisory consultation with CU Administration. X. Supplemental Bibliography Arnold, Clinton E. ed. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: New Testament. 4 Vols. Zondervan, Barrett, C.K. ed. The New Testament Background: Selected Documents. Revised. San Francisco: HarperOne, Bauckham, Richard, James R. Davila and Alexander Panayotov, eds. Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: More Noncanonical Scriptures. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Bock, Darrell L., and Gregory J. Herrick, eds. Jesus in Context: Background Readings for Gospel Study. Baker, Boring, M. Eugene, Klaus Berger, and Carsten Colpe, eds. Hellenistic Commentary to the New Testament. Nashville: Abingdon, Borowski, Oded. Daily Life in Biblical Times. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, Cancik, Herbert, and Helmuth Schneider, eds. Brill s New Pauly: Encyclopedia of the Ancient World. 15 Vols. Leiden: Brill, Cartlidge, David R., and David L. Dungan. Documents for the Study of the Gospels. Minneapolis: Fortress, Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. 2 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1983, Cline, Eric H. Biblical Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford Unv Press, Cohen, Shayne J. D. From the Maccabees to the Mishnah. Philadelphia: Westminster, Coogan, Michael David. The Oxford History of the Biblical World. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, Currid, John D. and David P. Barrett. Crossway ESV Bible Atlas. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, desilva, David A., Honor, Patronage, Kinship and Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, De Vaux, Roland. Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions. The Biblical Resource Series. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, (Reprint of 1961 ed.) Evans, Craig A., and Stanley E. Porter, eds. Dictionary of New Testament Background. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, Evans, Craig A., Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies: A Guide to the Background Literature. Peabody: Hendrickson, Fantham, Elaine, H. P. Foley, N. B. Kampen, S. B. Pomeroy; and H. A. Shapiro. Women in the Classical World. Oxford University Press, 1994.!8

9 Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Gagarin, Michael, and Elaine Fantham, eds. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome. 7 vols. Oxford University Press, Grant, Michael, and Rachel Kitzinger, eds. Civilization of the Ancient Mediterranean: Greece and Rome. 3 vols. New York: Scribners, Hornblower, Simon, and Antony Spawforth, eds. Oxford Classical Dictionary. 3rded. revised. Oxford University Press, Hubbard, Moyer V., Christianity in the Greco-Roman World: A Narrative Introduction. Baker, Jeffers, James S. The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era: Exploring the Background of Early Christianity. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, Kee, Howard Clark. The New Testament in Context: Sources and Documents. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Keener, Craig S. The IVP Biblical Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, King, Philip J., and Lawrence E. Stager. Life in Biblical Israel. Library of Ancient Israel. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, Lawrence, P. The IVP Atlas of Bible History. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, MacMullen, Ramsay, and E. N. Lane, eds. Paganism and Christianity C.E.: A Sourcebook. Minneapolis: Fortress, Maier, Paul L., trans. Josephus: The Essential Writings. Grand Rapids: Kregel, Malina, Bruce J. The New Testament World. Philadelphia: Westminster/John Knox Press, Martin, Francis, ed. Narrative Parallels to the New Testament. SBL Sources for Biblical Study 22. Atlanta: Scholars Press, Metzger, Bruce M., ed. The Oxford Annotated Apocrypha: Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press, Meyers, Eric M., ed. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East. 5 vols. Oxford University Press, Negev, Avraham, and Shimon Gibson, eds. Archeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land. New York: Continuum, Neusner, Jacob. Introduction to Rabbinic Literature. New York: Doubleday, Rainey, Anson F., and R. Steven Notley. The Sacred Bridge: Carta s Atlas of the Biblical World. Jerusalem: Carta, Shelton, Jo-Ann. As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History. New York: Oxford University Press, Vanderkam, James C. An Introduction to Early Judaism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Vanderkam, James C. and Peter Flint. The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, Winter, Bruce W. After Paul Left Corinth: The Influence of Secular Ethics and Social Change. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Wise, Michael O., Martin G. Abegg Jr. and Edward M. Cook. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation. New York: HarperOne, Recommended websites, though specific articles vary in quality: (also here one will find access to the excellent NET Bible)

10 I. Description APPENDIX: NEW TESTAMENT HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS PAPER GUIDELINES In light of our readings, lectures, and online discussions concerning the role history, geography, archaeology, literary texts and iconography play in understanding the world of the Bible, identify and explain in context a passage in the New Testament that highlights the importance of background and/or comparative material for understanding the text. You may choose from one of the following texts: Matthew 23:13-36 Luke 22:1-23 John 4:7-38 Acts 17: Corinthians 1:1-31 Philemon Revelation 21:10-27 II. Format and weighting The paper should be organized as follows, with the grade weighting indicated (additional grading criteria include 10% for spelling and grammar and 10% for citations, bibliographic style, and sources): 1. Introduction (10%): introduce to your reader the reasons you selected this text and indicate any questions you may have about it. It may be important here to list common interpretations or misinterpretations that do or do not incorporate background and/or comparative material. 2. Background and/or comparative material (30%): describe in detail the relevant background and/or comparative material that you will engage. The types of materials included will depend on the text chosen (e.g., some texts will be illuminated more by geography, others by literature, etc.). Please feel free to include maps, images, and text portions (all with appropriate citations, of course). Papers that incorporate a variety of background materials will receive the highest marks. 3. Integration (40%): Explain the way the background and/or comparative material described above enriches your interpretation of the text. Does it change the way the text is often interpreted? If so, how? It is also appropriate here to engage any theological or interpretive challenges presented by the material and to suggest possible solutions. II. Requirements No more than 5 pages, single spaced, 1 inch margins, 12 point font for body text, and 10 point font for footnotes (please do not use endnotes). Free from spelling and grammatical errors (please do not turn in a rough draft!). Duly cited sources consistent with GRTS style guidelines (available on Eagle s Nest). For other bibliographic and specific spelling issues for biblical studies, please refer to the SBL Handbook of Style ( At least 10 sources (not counting Bible translations) must be utilized selected only from the bibliography included on the syllabus or from bibliographies in your textbooks. If you wish to use another source, this must be cleared with the instructor.!10