1 OT 511 INTERPRETING THE OLD TESTAMENT Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Fall, 2012 J. J. NIEHAUS

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1 1 OT 511 INTERPRETING THE OLD TESTAMENT Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Fall, 2012 J. J. NIEHAUS I COURSE DESCRIPTION A general introduction to the study of the Old Testament in terms of authority (inspiration and canonicity), interpretation (the tools and methods) and resources (languages and original sources, the roles of archaeology, history, culture, chronology and geography). Some attention will be given to text and literary criticism but the major objective will be to inform and strengthen the student's commitment to the scripture as the Word of God. Corequisites: OL 502, OT 500, NT 501 II COURSE SCHEDULE 13 Sep Lecture 1 Introduction: Canon, Inspiration, Historicity, Languages 20 Sep Lecture 2 ANE Backgrounds 27 Sep Lecture 3 The Law 3 Oct Lecture 4 The Law, continued 11 Oct READING WEEK Ancient Near Eastern Themes in Biblical Theology 18 Oct Test on Lectures Oct Lecture 5 Literary Criticism 1 Nov Lecture 6 Form Criticism 8 Nov Lecture 7 Oral Tradition, Rhetorical Criticism, Canonical Criticism, etc. 15 Nov READING WEEK Three Niehaus JETS articles 22 Nov THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY 29 Nov Lecture 8 OT Genres Genre/Structural, Lexical Analyses Hebrew texts: Genesis 15, Jonah 2 6 Dec Lecture 9 Textual Criticism, Grammatical Analysis Hebrew texts: Isa 44:24-28, Psalm 2 13 Dec Test on Lectures 5-10 III A COURSE REQUIREMENTS Required readings = REQUIRED TEXTS (WITH PAGES TO BE READ), as listed below. These count 10% of the course grade. Use reading report attached to syllabus. The reading report must be stapled to your final paper and submitted with it. Reading reports submitted late will not receive full credit, but will receive proportional credit at the discretion of the professor.

2 B Old Testament Readings 2 1 For lectures 1-4, skim the Pentateuch, and read the book of Genesis carefully. 2 For lectures 5-6, skim the historical books and the prophetical books, and read Joshua and Isaiah carefully. 3 For lectures 7-8, skim through Psalms and read Proverbs carefully. C D E Reading Weeks Please note that there are assigned readings for each reading week. The student must submit in writing a statement that he/she has completed the reading assigned for each reading week. Submission due at the first class following each reading week, respectively: one hard copy page, no electronic submissions. Tests Two 45-minute tests will be given. These will cover specified lectures (as indicated on the COURSE SCHEDULE). Each test will count 10% of the course grade. Required Paper A 15-page, double-spaced paper is required, and will count 70 % of the course grade. Locate and discuss examples of anti-supernatural bias in critical approaches to the Pentateuch, or some portion of it. Look at the various commentaries on the pentateuchal books, select cases of anti-supernatural bias, and discuss them critically, reaching your own conclusions at the end of the paper. Feel free to draw on any conservative commentaries or literature you desire, for assistance. Note all references in footnotes or endnotes. Due 4 p.m. 7 May. (grads 4 p.m. 27 Apr.) IV Required Texts Johnson, Phillip, Darwin on Trial (IVP, 1993) Kline, Meredith, Kingdom Prologue (Two Age Press, 2000) Niehaus, Jeffrey J., Ancient Near Eastern Themes in Biblical Theology (Kregel, 2008) Stuart, Douglas, Old Testament Exegesis (Westminster John Knox, 2009) Vos, Geerhardus, Biblical Theology (Banner of Truth, 1975) V CONSERVATIVE COMMENTARIES Genesis Kidner, TOTC Vos, EBC Exodus Cole, TOTC Youngblood, EBC Leviticus Wenham, NICOT Harrison, TOTC Numbers Budd, WBC Wenham, TOTC Deuteronomy Craigie, NICOT Thompson, TOTC Pentateuch Keil & Delitzsch, Eerdmans

3 VI SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 3 Allis, Oswald T., The Five Books of Moses (Norwood: Plimpton Press, 1943). Bright, John, A History of Israel (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1952) , The Authority of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1975). Burns, Rita J. Old Testament Messages: Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, A Biblical- Theological Commentary. Vol. 3 (Wilmington: Michael Glazier, Inc.,1983). Cassuto, Umberto, The Documentary Hypothesis (Jerusalem: Magnes, 1941) Childs, Brevard B., The Book of Exodus (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1974) , Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984). Clements, Ronald E., Exodus (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1972). Driver, S. R., An Introduction of the Literature of the Old Testament. (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1899) The International Critical Commentary on Deuteronomy. (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1909). Finn, A. H., The Unity of the Pentateuch (London: Marshall Bros., Ltd.) Friedrich, Johannes, Extinct Languages (New York: Philosophical Library, 1957). Gaebelein, Frank E., The Expositor's Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982). Gibson, John C. L., Genesis Vol. 2 (Philadelphia: Westminster,1982). Gordon, Cyrus Herzl, Forgotten Scriptures (New York: Basic Books, 1982). Harris, Robert Laird, Inspiration and Canonicity of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1957). Harrison, R. K., Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969). Heidel, Alexander, The Babylonian Genesis (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1942) , The Gilgamesh Epic and Old Testament Parallels (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1946). Kitchen, K. A., Ancient Orient and Old Testament (Chicago: IVP, 1966) , The Bible in its World (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1977).

4 4 Kline, Meredith G., Treaty of the Great King (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1963) , By Oath Consigned (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1968) , The Structure of Biblica Authority (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972). Krahmalkov, Charles Richard, "A Critique of Professor Goedicke's Exodus Theories," BAR VII.5 (Sept/Oct, 1981), pp Lance, H. Darrell, The Old Testament and the Archeologist. (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1981). Livingston, G. Herbert, The Pentateuch in its Cultural Environment (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1974). Maher, Michael, Genesis (Wilmington: Michael Glazier, Inc., 1982). Mayes, A. D., Deuteronomy (Greenwood: The Attic Press, Inc., 1979). McNeile, A. H., The Book of Exodus (London: Methuen and Co., 1917). Moorhouse, Alfred Charles, The Triumph of the Alphabet (New York: Henry Schuman Inc., 1953). Morris, Henry M., The Genesis Record (San Diego: Creation-Life, 1976) Oren, Eliezer D., "How Not to Create a History of the Exodus - A Critique of Professor Goedicke's Theories," BAR VII.6 (Nov/Dec, 1981), pp Pfeiffer, Charles Franklin, Ras Shamra and the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1962) , Tell 'El Amarna (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1963). Phillips, Anthony, Deuteronomy (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1973). Rowley, Harold Henry, Growth of the Old Testament. (Johannesburg: Hutchinson and Co. Publishers Ltd., 1967). Shanks, Hershel, "The Exodus and the Crossing of the Red Sea, According to Hans Goedicke," BAR VII.5 (Sept/Oct 1981), pp Unger, Merrill F. Archeology and the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1954). Westerman, Claus, The Promises of the Fathers: Studies on the Patriarchal Narratives (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1981). Wilson, Robert Dick, Is the Higher Criticism Scholarly? (Philadelphia: The Sunday School Times Co., 1953). Young, Edward Joseph, An Introduction to the Old Testament. (London: Tyndale, 1964).

5 READING REPORT 5 NAME... DATE... Assigned: Read: Johnson, Phillip, Darwin on Trial Kline, Meredith, Kingdom Prologue Niehaus, Jeffrey J., Ancient Near Eastern Themes Stuart, Douglas, Old Testament Exegesis Vos, Geerhardus, Biblical Theology......