OT 511DL: Old Testament I - Pentateuch ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY January 6 March 16, 2014 Online Dr. David W. Baker E-mail contact through Angel This course utilizes an online component (Angel) as its major teaching medium. Access to a reliable computer and the internet through a high-speed means (dial-up access does not usually work satisfactorily in this course) is required, as is familiarity with the use of Angel. It is highly recommended that you be familiar with computer and web functions prior to starting the course since it is not advised to try to learn them while the course is in progress. On-line courses are not for everyone, so be sure you have sufficient self-discipline to complete the course. I. Course Description This course offers the student a comprehensive introduction to the Pentateuch, a section of scripture that is foundational for the remainder of the Old Testament, the New Testament, Judaism, and Christianity. The reading and interpretation of scripture constitutes the focus on the course work, both in the classroom and in class assignments. The course provides an overview of the primary themes and content of the Pentateuch through an in depth exploration of selected texts and the issues of theology, composition, historical and cultural context, and contemporary application that they raise. It also challenges students to integrate and refine the exegetical skills they have been introduced in the prerequisite course(s). (ATS Core) II. III. Student Learning Outcomes As a result of this course, students will be able to Demonstrate COMPETENCE in the disciplines and skills relevant to Christian ministry. 1. Explain the content and major themes of the Pentateuch. 2. Demonstrate understanding and use of various operations of Old Testament exegesis at an introductory level. 3. Integrate hearing the message of pentateuchal texts faithfully and transmitting and applying it to your own cultural context. 5. Acquire a basic knowledge of Pentateuch's ancient Near Eastern context and compare and contrast it to biblical understanding and contemporary ministry contexts. 4, 6-9. Not assessed Teaching Strategies for Student Learning 1
This course uses readings, online lectures supplemented by PowerPoint, and discussions. Components of exegetical method will be introduced and reinforced through a close reading of selected pentateuchal texts. This close reading will also model the integration of exegesis, theology, and practice by eliciting relevant theological questions, suggesting ways of addressing them, and drawing out their relevance for such tasks as counseling, preaching, teaching, and social involvement. IV. Course Requirements Textbook(s) A. T. D. Alexander and D. W. Baker, eds. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2003. ISBN: 0-8308-1781-6. This provides a handy introduction to all aspects of the study of the Pentateuch. B. Michael J. Gorman, Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers. Rev. ed., Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2008. ISBN: 1-59856-311-4. This book introduces and provides examples of the process for analyzing a text exegetically. C. Marva J. Dawn, Sexual Character: Beyond Technique to Intimacy. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. ISBN: 0-8028-0700-3. D. A Bible in one of these more modern translations: New Revised Standard Version (recommended), New International Version, New American Standard Bible, Tanakh (JPS), English Standard Version. These show more recent insights into the understanding of the Hebrew text. Recommended (none of these are among the approved commentaries for paper assignments) A. W. S. LaSor, D. Hubbard, F. W. Bush, Old Testament Survey. 2 nd Ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996. ISBN 0-8028-3788-3 Good overview of whole OT. B. I. H. Marshall, ed. New Bible Dictionary. 3 rd Ed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996. ISBN 0-8308-1439-6. An important one-volume dictionary. C. K. L. Sparks, The Pentateuch: An Annotated Bibliography. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002. ISBN: 0-8010-2398-X. Useful for finding further reading. D. John Walton, Victor Matthews, and Mark Chavalas, IVP Bible Background Commentary: Genesis - Deuteronomy. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1997. ISBN: 0-8308-1456-6 (paper), or ISBN 0-8308-1406-X (cloth). OR, IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. ISBN: 0-8308-1419-1 (cloth). Excellent background material. Attendance All assignments must be submitted to ANGEL on or before the designated due date. Late papers will be subject to a deduction in grade. Discussion posts and quizzes will receive no credit if submitted after the due date. Extensions will be granted only in the event of unexpected disruptions in your personal or professional life, not for regular job, family, or church matters. It will be your responsibility to apply for an extension prior to the final week of the class. A. Assignments/Assessment of Student Learning 2
Note: This course will driven by Angel in the following ways: 1) Directions and guidelines for all short paper assignments will be posted here. 2) All written work for the course must be submitted through Angel. 3) All written work will be returned and grades posted in Angel. 4) Quizzes will be posted and taken in Angel. 5) PowerPoints supporting the classroom lectures will be posted here. 6) E-mail correspondence with the professor must be done through Angel. 7) Classroom lecture videos will be posted. Angel provides a user-friendly online learning environment. It will be the student s responsibility to utilize the medium so as to respond to course assignments in a timely manner. 3
Item 1. Reading Quizzes 2. Hesed project 3. Bible Reading Log 4. Book review Brief Description See below under sections VII and XI for guidelines informing many of these assignments. A major portion of the evaluation reflects the degree to which guidelines are followed. Please consult VI. Course Schedule below for due dates. Quizzes on the assigned readings and the video lectures will be posted on Angel, where they will be closed at midnight on the Sunday ending the week for which the reading was assigned. They might be multiple choice, fill in the blank, true-false, short essay, or matching. They are open-book, but will be timed. The first quiz will be over the syllabus and the Mediasite presentations of the week. Hesed is the Hebrew word for covenant or family love. ATS a an institution wants not only to affirm but support this love in relationship. Therefore, each student is required, during the course, to do the following: 1. Plan an activity which: a. Does not involve the Seminary, b. Will take at least 4 hours, c. Involves at least 1 other person (if married, it must be with your spouse [if possible], otherwise a friend, child, parent) 2. Take part in the activity. 3. Write a 1 paragraph description of the event. Read through the Pentateuch once, recording notes as you read. Aim for 60 entries demonstrating engaged reading. Submit notes as described below (VII). Be sure it is headed with a cover page identifying yourself, the course and assignment, and giving a complete bibliographic citation of the book. Review the Dawn text in 4 Learning Outcomes 1,2, 5 3 1, 5 5 Portion of Grade 30% 5% 10% 10%
5. Discussion 6. Short Exegetical Papers two parts: (1) In 2 pages explain what the book is attempting to do, identifying the position(s) the author is rebutting. Reflect on how it is relevant to the Pentateuch. (2) In ¾ - 1 page each, interact with 3 points raised by the author that you found especially useful for your life and/or ministry. Discussions will be held through Angel. Every week there will be at least one discussion question to which you must respond at least three times during the course of the week. Discussions will open at 12:01 a.m. on Monday and close at midnight on the following Sunday. Your first post will be in response to the question posed. The second and third will be responses and exchanges between you and other students regarding the questions. Your first response will be posted by noon Tuesday and you will have until midnight Sunday to make your other contributions. To summarize To get full credit for your participation in each written discussion you must post three clear and insightful thoughts; the first as a response to the question and the other two as responses or comments to the thoughts of another student. Grades will reflect the amount and clarity of thought and insight shown (Evidence of understanding the question: 5 points; evidence of critical interaction with the question: 10 points; evidence of critical interaction with the responses of others: 10 points). You will write five short papers designed to improve your skill in exegesis. Choose a self-contained passage of 12-15 verses that you would like to work on over all of the five papers. For details on the papers, see the end of this syllabus (XI) and fuller descriptions in the video presentations under Writing Resources under the Content tab in Angel. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 15% 5, 6, 7, 8 30% 5
V. Course Schedule Week # Date(s) Mediasit e lecture Readings Quiz and other assignments 1 January 6-12 1-3 Introduction to course and Scripture; context Quiz 1; Discussion (written) 2 January 13-19 3 January 20-26 4 January 27- February 2 5 February 3-9 6 February 10-16 4-7 Genesis 1-11; DOTP Adam, Cosmology, Creation, Eve, God, Names of, 1-4 8-11 Genesis 1-50; DOTP Abraham, Genesis, Book of ; Flood, Literary Criticism, Promises, Divine 12-15 DOTP Authorship of the Pentateuch, Family Relationships, Genealogies, [ Pentateuchal Criticism, History of ], Source Criticism, Women 16-19 Exodus ; DOTP Egypt, Egyptians, Exodus, Date of, Decalogue 20-23 DOTP Covenant, Exodus, Book of, Law, Tabernacle Quiz 2; Paper 1: Boundaries; Discussion (written and oral) Quiz 3; Discussion (written and oral) Quiz 4; Paper 2: Genre; Discussion (written and oral) Quiz 5; Discussion (written and oral) Quiz 6; Paper 3: Literary flow; Discussion (written and oral) 6
7 February 17-23 8 February 24-March 2 24-26 Leviticus ; Holy and Holiness, Clean and Unclean, Leviticus, Book of, Sin, Guilt 22-28 Numbers ; DOTP, Balaam ; Numbers, Book of, Priests, Priesthood, Prophets, prophecy, Wilderness, Desert Quiz 7; Discussion (written and oral) Quiz 8; Paper 4: History; Discussion (written and oral) 9 March 3-9 29-30 Deuteronomy; Deuteronomy, Book of, Election, Herem, Slave, slavery, Wealth and poverty Quiz 9; Hesed project; Book review; Discussion (written and oral) 10 March 10-16 31-32 Ethics, Preaching from the Pentateuch, Theology of the Pentateuch Quiz 10; Paper 5: Person and application; Bible reading log; Discussion (oral) 7
VI. Other Course Instructions ABOUT WRITING Papers will be descriptive and analytical in focus, exhibit clear organization of thought, and give proper attention to style and grammar. Correct documentation of sources must be followed, as specified in the seminary s approved guide for research papers: A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, by Kate Turabian. Papers are to typed and doubled-spaced with one inch margins. Set the font at 12 point Times New Roman (approximately 275 words per page). Marks for the above papers will be based on the depth of critical interaction with the topic, organization of ideas, clarity of writing, and proper citation of sources. Papers may receive a deduction in mark if: The paper is less than or significantly more than the assigned limits. The paper is handed in after the due date. The paper does not follow the correct format for documenting sources. Late writing assignments will be accepted with deduction in grade of 2% per day. Bible Reading Log Read through the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deut.) once. Each time you read, keep a log showing each of the following: 1. Insight number 2. Date of reading 3. Section read that day 4. Specific passage within that section, showing where the narrow insight comes from 5. Biblical expression encapsulating the insight 6. The insight itself (i.e., a fresh insight or blessing, a future preaching text, a verse you want to research in depth sometime because it is a meaningful or obscure to you, etc.). Two dimensions which you are especially encouraged to watch for: (A) What is God like? How should that affect me? (B)What matters to God? How should that affect me? The purpose of this exercise is to help you develop a sensitive and observant eye when reading the Scriptures, and to provide you with materials for further Bible studies, devotional reading, sermons, etc. While not precluding thought and reflection, this reading is more devotional in character and supplements an exegetical study. Your log should look something like the following sample. Part of your grade will be based on whether you fail to include any of the six (6) columns shown below. Your entries will vary in length and content. There are over 180 chapters in the Pentateuch. You should average one insight per three chapters (sometimes more, sometimes less), or 60 entries. 8
It is important that you read all of the Pentateuch. This will be evident from the "Section Read" column, even though insights will not come from every chapter. # 1 2 3 Date Oct. 5 Oct. 5 Oct. 7 4 Oct. 7 Section Read Today Specific Passage Biblical Expression Gen. 1-20 Gen. 1.1 God created Gen. 1-20 Gen. 1.27 Gen. 21-50 Gen. 21-50 Gen. 35.2 Gen. 41.1 "In his image" "Put away your foreign gods" "Two whole years" Insight or Question What God is like: Creator. How that should affect me: Realizing that God is creator should instill a profound respect for such astounding power and wisdom, also a deep peace, realizing he is in control. What matters to God: human beings must matter to God, since they are made in his image. How that should affect me: I should regard each person as a masterpiece, even though he/she at present may be unaware of his/her immense value. I should help others discover their worth and live up to all aspects of their worth (including spiritual aspects). What matters to God: God desires uncompromised devotion. How that should affect me: I should be eager to be wholly devoted to God, and should be vigilant concerning any competitors in my life and value system...lord, help me not overlook any idols I may still have, tucked away in my luggage. Imagine how long that must have felt, locked in a foreign, Egyptian jail! VII. Recommendations for Lifelong Learning 9
This course only touches the surface of the riches found in the Pentateuch. We hope that you will continue to plumb its depths not only for personal enrichment, but also to deepen your ministry in whatever areas to which God is calling you. I encourage you to read other sources, both books and journals listed in the bibliography for ongoing growth and development, including increasing you ability for critical thinking. I recommend the following professional, and other, organizations that you may want to join, or at least be aware of. Many have student membership rates and hold regional as well and national/international meetings at which they often seek student papers. o Catholic Biblical Association (http://catholicbiblical.org/) o Christians for Biblical Equality (http://www.cbeinternational.org/) o Evangelical Theological Society (http://www.etsjets.org/) o Society of Biblical Literature (http://www.sbl-site.org/) VIII. Seminary Guidelines A. ATS Academic Integrity Policy Ashland Theological Seminary seeks to model servant leadership derived from biblical standards of honesty and integrity. We desire to encourage, develop, and sustain men and women of character who will exemplify these biblical qualities in their ministry to the church and the world. As members of the seminary community, students are expected to hold themselves to the highest standards of academic, personal, and social integrity. All students, therefore, are expected to abide by the academic integrity standards outlined in the Student Handbook. B. Academic Support Services If you need assistance with writing projects for your coursework, contact the ATS Academic Support Center. The center provides free sessions with a peer consultant who can help you with all of your concerns about academic support including writing, critical thinking, documentation, reading skills, study skills, test taking skills, time management. Contact the center if you have a question about how to complete your assignment, if you have documentation questions, or if you would like to have your paper evaluated for areas needing improvement. The ATS Academic Support Center can be reached at 419-289-5162 or by e-mail at atswc@ashland.edu. C. Students with Disabilities Ashland University makes every effort to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students who have a specific physical, psychiatric or learning disability and require accommodations are encouraged to inform their instructors of their needs early in the semester so that learning needs can be appropriately met. It is the student s responsibility to document the disability with Disability Services in The Center for Academic Support on the 7th floor of the Ashland University Library, (419) 289-5904. D. ATS Grading Scale 10
Grade Percent Description A 97-100 Superior achievement of course objectives, diligence and originality, high degree of freedom from error, outstanding evidence of ability to utilize course knowledge, initiative expressed in preparing and completing assignments, positive contributions verbalized in class. A- 92-96 B+ 89-91 B 86-88 Good work submitted, commendable achievement of course objectives, some aspects of the course met with excellence, substantial evidence of ability to utilize course material, positive contributions verbalized in class, consistency and thoroughness of work completed. B- 83-85 C+ 80-82 C 77-79 Acceptable work completed, satisfactory achievement of course objectives, demonstrating at least some ability to utilize course knowledge, satisfactory class contribution. C- 74-76 D+ 71-73 D 68-70 Passing but minimal work, marginal achievement of course objectives, poor performance in comprehension of work submitted, inadequate class contributions. D- 65-67 F Below 65 Unacceptable work resulting in failure to receive class credit, inadequacy of work submitted or of performance and attendance in class. IX. Selected Bibliography Approved Commentaries and Journals 11
Commentary Series [Check with the professor regarding commentaries outside this list] Anchor Bible (Doubleday) [The commentary series, NOT the Anchor Bible Dictionary] Apollos Old Testament Commentaries (InterVarsity) Believers Church Bible Commentary (Herald)* Berit Olam: Studies in Narrative & Poetry (Liturgical Press) Daily Study Bible (Westminster)* Forms of Old Testament Literature (Eerdmans) Hermeneia (Fortress) International Critical Commentary (T & T Clark) Interpretation (Westminster/John Knox)* New American Commentary (Broadman) New Century Bible (Eerdmans) New International Biblical Commentary (Hendrickson) New International Commentary on the O.T. (Eerdmans) New International Version Application Commentary (Zondervan)* Old Testament Library (Westminster) Tyndale Old Testament Commentary (InterVarsity) Word Bible Commentary (Word) * These commentaries have an exegetical component but are primarily focused on application Archaeology Asbury Theological Journal Ashland Theological Journal Bible Review Biblica Biblical Archaeologist Biblical Archaeology Review Biblical Interpretation Biblical Theology Bulletin Bibliotheca Sacra Biblische Zeitschrift Journals 12
Bulletin for Biblical Research Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research Catholic Biblical Quarterly Evangelical Quarterly Expository Times Harvard Theological Review Hebrew Union College Annual Horizons Horizons in Biblical Theology Interpretation Israel Exploration Quarterly Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Journal of Biblical Literature Journal of Cuneiform Studies Journal of Near Eastern Studies Journal of the American Oriental Society Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society Near Eastern Archaeology Orientalia Palestine Exploration Quarterly Revue Biblique Review and Expositor Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament Semeia Southwestern Journal of Theology Themelios Toronto Journal of Theology Tyndale Bulletin Vetus Testamentum Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentlicle Wissenschaft 13
Supplementary Resources Alexander, T. Desmond From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch. 3 rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012 Collins, C. John. Genesis 1-4: A Linguistic, Literary, and Theological Commentary. Phillipsburg: P&R, 2006. Dembski, William A. Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science and Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999. Enns, Peter The Evolution of Adam: What the Bible does and doesn t Say about Human Origins. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2012 Fretheim, Terence E Creation Untamed: The Bible, God, and Natural Disasters. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2010. Hallo, W. W. The Context of Scripture, 3 vol. Leiden/NY: Brill, 1997-. Harrison, R. K Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969. Out of print. Hoffmeier, James K. Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition. NY: Oxford University Press, 1997. Kitchen, K. A. Ancient Orient and Old Testament. Chicago: InterVarsity, 1966. Out of print. On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003. Lennox, John C. God s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? Oxford: Lion, 2009. God and Stephen Hawking: Whose Design is it Anyway? Oxford: Lion, 2011. Livingston, G. H. The Pentateuch in its Cultural Environment, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1987. Out of print. Ross, Allen P. Holiness to the Lord: A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002. Sailhamer, John H. The Pentateuch as Narrative. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992. Soggin, J. Alberto. Introduction to the Old Testament. OTL. 3rd edition. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1989. Sugirtharaja, R. S., ed. Voices from the Margin: Interpreting the Bible in the Third World. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2006. Walton, John H. Ancient Israelite Literature in its Cultural Context. 2 nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990. Whybray, R. Norman. Introduction to the Pentateuch. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. Wilson, Lindsay. Joseph, Wise and Otherwise: The Intersection of Wisdom and Covenant in Genesis 37-50. Carlisle: Paternoster, 2004. 14
XI. Short Exegetical Papers, explained Please refer to section VI and the video presentations which provide much fuller descriptions under Content, Writing Resources in Angel, and to the Course Schedule, above (VI), for due dates of each of the short papers described below. They are due by midnight Sunday in the week there listed. Pick a 12-15 verse, self-contained passage from the Pentateuch which is of interest to you. This will be your passage for all of the following exegetical papers. Read instructions and examples carefully. Check the following page of the syllabus for each paper to see if instructions may continue there. Do not use a separate title page. Label the top left of the first page of each paper with: your name, date submitted, the assignment number, title, and scripture passage. For example: Mephibosheth Shealtiel July 15, 2057 Exegetical Paper # 1, Boundaries (Gen. 22) Save your paper by identifying it with your last name and paper number like this: Baker Paper 17. Deposit each paper in the correct Drop Box in Angel. On the subject line in the Drop Box, identify your paper with your last name and paper number like this: Baker Paper 17. Incorrect identification will result in loss of points. Exegetical skill and corresponding question Specific instructions Example passage Grading rubric Be sure to follow all instructions, not simply the bulleted items below. Helpful resources 1. Recognizing boundaries of a passage Where does this passage In one paragraph explain why you chose this passage and what you hope to gain from studying it. After reading these verses, summarize briefly the content of Example passage: Exod. 15:22-27 Summary of focal passage: Travel from Shur to Elim the first post-red-sea 1 page, double spaced 65 points possible 10 pts. Why? 5 pts. Summary 25 pts. Beginning boundary Gorman, 35-38, 63-68; Foundations of Bible Study: A Study Guide, 7-8 15
begin and end? Support your decision. the passage [rather like a long title], then distinguish it from preceding and succeeding material. Distinguish means that you will need to explain what sets the passage off from adjacent material, not simply announce that you believe there to be a difference between the passage and its context. In other words, why do you say your passage begins and ends where you say it does? Caution: do not simply rely on paragraph divisions and titles found in your Bible. Do your own thinking. dilemma. Preceding material: Exod. 15:1-21 is different since it deals with Israel celebrating God s victory at the Red Sea. Also the genre differs, with much poetry. Succeeding material: Exod. 16:1ff. is different since it begins a separate episode of Israel s discontent as shown by geographical and temporal shifts. 25 pts. Ending boundary 2. Recognizing literary genre(s) How does recognizing literary genre affect how to understand the text? Describe in you own words what literary genre(s) you find in your passage, noting which is the major genre and which might be subgenres. What difference(s) do the literary genre(s) make in how you interpret the text. After doing your own work, consult two of the approved commentaries (using correct citation form) and summarize what they say about the genre of Jonah 1 is an historical narrative that includes dialogues between Jonah and God and between Jonah and others. Historical narrative is usually organized in chronological order, while dialog involves statement response. 1-2 pages, double spaced 100 points possible 35 pts. genres 30 pts. effect on reading 35 pts. Commentaries Indicate sources using correct form by footnotes and a separate bibliography. Gorman, 83-88, 94-96, 99-100; Foundations of Bible Study: A Study Guide, 27-28, 43-44 16
your passage. 3. Recognizing literary flow How does the passage progress, both within itself and within the flow of the book? Using the literary and grammatical relationships studied in Foundations of Bible Study, how does your passage flow from beginning to end? Looking more broadly, how does your passage flow from the preceding section of the book, and how is it picked up or followed by the succeeding book section? Jonah 1 involves command-response (vv. 2-3), temporal progression (vv. 3,4), cause-effect (vv. 7-8). The situation Jonah found himself in at the end of ch. 1 caused him to pray for help in ch. 2. 2-3 pages, double spaced 100 points possible 60 pts. internal flow 20 pts. each - relationship with preceding and succeeding sections Gorman, 74-81, 96-100, 111-116; Foundations of Bible Study: A Study Guide, 7, 31-43, 49-52 4. Exploring historical backgroun d of a passage What information concerning historical setting is vital for understanding the passage? After reading your passage, list all of the elements which may contribute to its historical context. These may include (but are not limited to): customs, events, government, worldview, religion, geography, climate, employment. Explain five of these which are the most important for understanding your passage. Often explanations of these insights arise from secondary sources (commentaries, Bible dictionaries), which will increase your awareness of ancient history. Insight also will come from the writings of cognate cultures (e.g., ancient deluge accounts can Example passage: A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight (Prov. 11:1, NASB). Historical element: Balances were widely used, for fair measure both of consumables and for precious metals; coins not requiring weighing did not appear until the mid-7 th century BC. 3-5 pages, double spaced Indicate sources using correct form by footnotes and a separate bibliography. 110 points possible 10 pts. list 20 pts each for five (5) substantial historical insights, together with accounting of importance of each one Gorman, 69-74, 79-81; Foundations of Bible Study: A Study Guide, 8 17
shed light on the biblical flood account). Credit these secondary sources with footnotes. After each element which you list, indicate its importance negatively. I.e., briefly forecast what wrong thinking might follow if a modern reader were ignorant of the feature you have listed. Importance (negative): If unaware how common were balances for everyday exchanges, one might mistakenly think that this precept had a rather narrow, rare application. 5. Who you are, and what you learned How does my background affect how I read the text, and what are its calls on me and my world? Describe your own background in a paragraph, and reflect critically on how it might affect how you read and interpret your passage. Describe how your passage applies to: (1) yourself personally, (2) the ministry in which you are involved or expect to be involved in after graduation, (3) the world generally. Demonstrate how each of these applications actually derives from your text itself. I was raised in a very poor family in rural southern Ohio, and was sexually assaulted when I was a teenager. In light of that, Amos 2:6-8 speaks to me in a special way regarding mistreatment of the poor and regarding sexual exploitation. 2-3 pages, double-spaced 50 points possible 20 pts. personal background 30 pts. applications Gorman, 139-166; Foundations of Bible Study: A Study Guide, 68-69, 73-74, 79-86, 101 18