P a g e 1 OT 511 Interpreting the Old Testament Provisional Course Outline Fall 2015 Carol M. Kaminski Tuesdays, Thursdays, 9:30am 11:00pm Final Exam: TBA Email: kaminski@gordonconwell.edu Office Hours: Mondays 1:00 2:30pm, Thursdays 11:00am 12:30pm [just stop by my office, AC 136, no sign up or prior email needed] Student Brown Bag Lunches (in my office): Fridays, 12:15 1:00pm [sign-up sheet in class and posted outside my office door, AC 136] Provisional Course Outline 1. Course Objectives: The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the methods and principles of interpreting the Old Testament, so that they might become effective preachers and teachers of God s word. This will be achieved through weekly homework assignments, in-class group discussion and peer review, a class presentation, and a final paper. The goal of this course is that students might become knowledgeable of God s inerrant word, competent in its interpretation (Gordon-Conwell Mission Statement, Article 1). 2. Prerequisite: OL502 (or concurrently taking OL 502) 3. Required Textbooks: 1. Brown, A.P. and B.W. Smith, A Reader s Hebrew Bible (Zondervan: 2008), OR Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS). 1 2. R. Chisholm, Jr. From Exegesis to Exposition (Baker, 1998) 3. Soulen, R. N. Handbook of Biblical Criticism (John Knox Press, 1981). 4. J. Beckman, Williams Hebrew Syntax: An Outline (Univ. of Toronto Press, 1976; 3rd edit). Bible Software: if you do not have a Bible software program such as BibleWorks, Logos, or Gramcord/Accordance, you will need to purchase the following: Wigram, G.V., The Englishman's Hebrew Concordance of the Old Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press.,1980). 4. Highly recommended (selected readings have been assigned from these books): R.A. Mohler, P. Enns, M.Bird, K. Vanhoozer, J. Franke, Five Views of Biblical Inerrancy (Counterpoints: Zondervan, 2013). Stuart/Fee, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (Zondervan, 1981). Stuart, D., Old Testament Exegesis (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1980). Cell Phones: Please turn off all cell phones before class. Internet use (whether on a phone or computer) is prohibited during class, but is permissible during breaks. 1 You will probably want to purchase these two Hebrew texts at some point. BHS is the standard Hebrew Bible, and it includes the critical apparatus. The RHB is extremely helpful, however, since it provides less common Hebrew vocabulary in the footnotes. You can use either Hebrew Bible for this class.
O T 5 1 1 I n t e r p r e t i n g t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t F a l l 2 0 1 5 P a g e 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Tuesday Sept. 15 Topic: Course syllabus and introduction to the exegetical steps Provisional Course Schedule Tuesday Sept 22 Exegetical steps on Exod 20:8-11 (Sabbath) Intro. to Step 1: Translation and Text Criticism Bible for All Its Worth, Ch. 2 (Translation) Tuesday Sept 29 Exegetical steps on Lev 20:10-13 (sexual ethics) Interpreting the Law in the OT Bible for all its Worth, Ch. 3 (the Law) Tuesday Oct 6 Exegetical steps on 1 Chr 13:7, 9-10 (God as holy) Intro. to Hebrew Grammar and Syntax Bible for all its Worth, Ch. 5 (OT Narratives) Tuesday Oct 13 READING WEEK Tuesday Oct 20 Exegetical steps on Deut 28:9-12 (prosperity) Intro. to Hebrew Word Studies Reading due today: Chisholm, Ch. 4. Tuesday Oct 27 Topic: Authorship and Historical/ANE Context Exegetical steps on Isaiah 36:1-2, 14-15 (Lachish) Exegesis Paper: first draft of Step 5 due: Author Tuesday Nov 3 Topic: Biblical-theological Analysis Exegetical steps on Mal 3:8-12 (tithing) Reading due today: Fee/Stuart, How to Read the Bible for all its Worth, Ch. 10 (Prophets) READING WEEK (Nov 10) Final draft of Steps 1 7 due Monday, Nov 9 Tuesday Nov 17 Exegetical steps on Prov 7:7-10 (wisdom/purity) Bible for All Its Worth, Ch. 12 (Wisdom) Intro to Cultural Exegesis Tuesday Nov 24 Exegetical steps on Gen 1:26-28 (Adam/image, gender identity) Final draft of Step 8 due (in class): Cultural Exegesis Tuesday Dec 1 Class discussion: Inerrancy and why it matters Defining one s hermeneutic Tuesday Dec 8 Class Presentations Tuesday Dec 15 Final Exam : Exam TBA Thursday, Sept 17 Topic: The text of the Old Testament Reading due today: Chisholm, Chs. 1 2; Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Ch. 1 (Introduction) Thursday Sept 24 Topic: Translation and Text Criticism Exegesis Paper: first draft of Step 1 due, Translation and Notes. Reading due today: Chisholm, Ch. 3. Thursday Oct 1 Topic: Literary Context Exegesis Paper: first draft of Step 2 due: Literary Context. Thursday Oct 8 Topic: Hebrew Grammar and Syntax Exegesis Paper: first draft of Step 3 due: Grammatical Analysis Reading due today: Chisholm, Ch. 6 Thursday Oct 15 READING WEEK Thursday Oct 22 Topic: Hebrew Word Studies Exegesis Paper: first draft of Step 4 due: Word studies Thursday Oct 29 Topic: Authorship and Historical Context Exegesis Paper: first draft of Step 6 due: Historical Context. Thursday Nov 5 Topic: Biblical-theological Analysis Exegesis Paper: first draft of Step 7 due, Biblical- Theological READING WEEK (Nov 12) Thursday Nov 19 Topic: Cultural Exegesis Exegesis Paper: first draft of Step 8 due: Cultural Exegesis Reading: Vanhoozer, Introduction, Everyday Theology. Thursday Nov 26 No class THANKSGIVING Thursday Dec 3 Final 3 page paper due (in class) Thurs Dec 3 Class Presentations begin Thursday Dec 10 Class Presentations
O T 5 1 1 I n t e r p r e t i n g t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t F a l l 2 0 1 5 P a g e 3 5. Course Requirements 5. 1 ly exegetical assignments and class participation on exegetical steps and readings [20% of final grade] Since this class is primarily concerned with teaching exegetical method (rather than simply being a lecturebased class), it is essential that you have the opportunity to work on each exegetical step on your own prior to class. Accordingly, weekly exegetical steps and readings are assigned for each class; they will be reviewed and discussed in class. Incomplete and inadequate preparation prior to class will result in a lower grade for these assignments. 5.2 Final Exam [20% of final grade] The final exam will comprise of a series of short answer or multiple choice questions based on the following: a) class lectures; b) readings for this course, c) basic definitions from Soulen; d) questions on interpretation of the Old Testament, and on Inerrancy. Definitions from Soulen s Handbook of Biblical Criticism, which you will be tested on in the final exam. Acrostic Apocrypha Biblical Criticism Biblical Canon Canonical Chiasmus Theology Criticism Concordance Critical Apparatus Deuterocanonical Deuteronomistic History Diachronic/ Synchronic Discourse Analysis Documentary Hypothesis Doublet Eisegesis Elohist Exegesis Form Criticism Graf-Wellhausen Hermeneutic Hypothesis Historical- Intertextuality J (Yahwist) Kethib/Qere Literary LXX Masoretic Text Critical Method Criticism Metanarrative Meter Myth/Mythology Narrative P: Priestly Parallelism Paraphrase Criticism document/writer Pericope Reader-response Redaction Rhetorical Rib pattern Sensus Plenior Septuagint criticism Criticism Criticism Shema Sitz-im-Leben Source Criticism Syntax Tanakh Targum Tetragrammaton Text Criticism Typology Variant Reading Verbal Inspiration Vulgate Wellhausen 5.3 Exegetical Paper and Class Presentation on Paper [60% of final grade] Your primary task in this course is to learn Hebrew exegesis skills, with the goal of preparing sermons and Bible studies in the local church context. A different exegetical step is assigned each week. You are required to bring a hard copy of your first draft of the weekly assignment to class on the due date; it will be checked off as having being completed, but it will not be graded until you submit your final draft (Steps 1 7 are due on Monday, November 9; Steps 8 is due Tues, Nov 24). Failure to have a hard copy of your first draft for each step in class will result in a grade penalty for the assignment. Each week the class will break into groups for peer review of the weekly assignment. Your final draft of Steps 1 8 should incorporate some of the feedback from your peers. In addition to these steps, you are required to write a three-page, single-spaced paper (12 pt font), comprising of two sections: Explain the Text (2 pages, single spaced), and Apply the Text (1 page single spaced). The goal of the three-page paper is to explain the biblical passage clearly and concisely in light of your exegetical work (no footnotes in this section), and to apply the biblical passage for the church today, noting how God s word confronts or informs contemporary issues/world view. This paper, which is due Thurs Dec 3 (in class), provides the opportunity for you to synthesise your research into a coherent message.
O T 5 1 1 I n t e r p r e t i n g t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t F a l l 2 0 1 5 P a g e 4 SELECTED PASSAGES FOR THE EXEGESIS PAPER You are to select one passage from the list below for your exegesis paper (you will have already completed some preliminary exegetical work on your passage in class): 1. Exodus 20:8-11 (Sabbath) 2. Leviticus 20:10-13 (sexual ethics/homosexuality) 3. 1 Chronicles 13:7-10 (God s holiness and judgment) 4. Deuteronomy 28:9-12 (blessing/prosperity under the old covenant) 5. Isaiah 36:1-2, 14-17 (deliverance from enemies) 6. Malachi 3:8-12 (tithing) 7. Prov 7:7-10 (sexual purity/wisdom) 8. Genesis 1:24-28 (Adam, male/female; sexual identity) Exegetical Steps Step 1: Translation: [1/2 page, single spaced, with footnotes] This entails your own translation of the text, plus you are to comment on any text critical issues in the footnotes, along with your notes on 3-4 English translations, noting the various ways the text is translated, and giving the reason for your translation of key terms or phrases. Begin with the Hebrew Text at the top of the page using BHS or RHB, but include footnotes commenting on the textual variants (you will need to use the critical apparatus in BHS); b) the Hebrew text is to be immediately followed by your own translation, which should include footnotes noting how English Bibles translate the passage (e.g. NIV, NRSV, NASB) and reasons for your translation. Step 2: Literary context: [1/2 page, single spaced, with footnotes] Locate your passage in the book as a whole, noting where the passage occurs according to its literary context and why this is significant for interpretation. Cite chapters and verses when explaining where your passage fits in Genesis; be sure to discuss the Toledot structure; cite commentaries. Step 3: Verse-by-verse Grammatical Analysis. [1 page, single spaced, with footnotes] Consult several Hebrew grammars, such as Jouon, Gesenius, Waltke, and Williamson. Comment on any structural elements that are in your passage, and comment on the Hebrew narrative structure, noting any breaks in the narrative sequence. Step 4: Word Studies: [1 page, single spaced, with footnotes] You are required to complete five words studies on key words from your passage. Cite the Hebrew term; provide a range of meaning for your word; cite biblical references to support the range of meaning; cite dictionaries (sparingly, only when insightful); summarize the meaning you think best fits in your passage, and note why it is important for interpretation. Step 5: Authorship [1/2 page, single spaced, with footnotes] Discuss the authorship of Genesis; give a brief overview of scholarly views (use footnotes to cite sources); summarize your view of authorship, citing biblical texts to support your conclusion. In this section you need to interact with Genesis commentaries.
O T 5 1 1 I n t e r p r e t i n g t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t F a l l 2 0 1 5 P a g e 5 Step 6: Historical Context: [1/2 3/4 page, single spaced, with footnotes] In this section you will provide information about the historical context of the passage; note the time period when the events take place. You will want to interact with commentaries and articles, discussing any debated issues and important historical/ane background information. Step 7: Biblical-Theological: [1 page, single spaced, with footnotes] Comment on any important theological issues arising from the passage, noting how your passage contributes theologically to our understanding of key aspects of the faith. If your text is cited elsewhere in the Bible, explain how this contributes to our understanding of the passage, both for the OT and the NT. Step 8: Cultural Exegesis: [3/4 page, single spaced, with footnotes] Comment on one or two issues in our culture that your passage addresses. Provide evidence from the culture to support your observations about the culture, and show how the biblical text addresses/confronts/informs this aspect of the contemporary culture. Bibliography: [single spaced, no page limit; not included in word count/pages] It is expected that you will consult major commentaries and scholarly work on the passage, as well as key articles related to your passage. Plagiarism: Be aware that the seminary has a strict policy on plagiarism (see the Student Handbook). Be certain to footnote all sources used, giving credit where credit is due. If I find that you have not adequately cited sources, you will automatically receive a Fail grade for the paper and it will be returned to you, and it may need to be reviewed by the seminary judiciary committee. For further information on what constitutes plagiarism, see the following website: www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html Due dates: see schedule above. Your final paper is to be submitted electronically as one document (in the above order), as a pdf document. Late penalties will apply, except in the case of special circumstances (eg. personal illness, bereavement etc.). Selective Bibliography on Language Resources Alter, R., The Art of Biblical Narrative (New York: Basic Books, 1981). Arnold, B., and J. Choi, A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Cambridge University Press, 2003). Averbeck, Beall, Collins, Davis, Hamilton, Longman, Turner, Walton, Reading Genesis 1 2: An Evangelical Conversation (Hendrickson, 2013). Beall, T.S. and W. Banks, Old Testament Parsing Guide (Chicago: Moody, 1986). Bergen, R.D. ed., Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics (SIL; Eisenbraus, 1994) Botterweck, Ringgren, and Fabry, Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (Eerdmans), 15+ volumes. Brotzman, E.R., Old Testament Text Criticism: A Practical Introduction (Baker, 1994). Brown, F., S. Driver, C. Briggs eds. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press., 1951). Holladay, W. L., A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971). Joüon, P. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew (revised ed.; trans. and rev. by T. Muraoka (Rome: Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 1993). 2 Volumes. Kautzsch, E. and A. E. Cowley, eds. Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar (2nd. ed.; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999 [1910]). Longacre, R.E., Joseph: A story of divine providence: A text theoretical and textlinguistic Analysis of Genesis 37 and 39 48 (Eisenbrauns, 1989). Waltke B.K. and M. O'Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1990). Williams, R. J. Hebrew Syntax: An Outline (Toronto: Univ. of Toronto Press, 1976). Wolde, Ellen van, ed., Narrative Syntax and the Hebrew Bible (Brill, 2002).
O T 5 1 1 I n t e r p r e t i n g t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t F a l l 2 0 1 5 P a g e 6 SAMPLE OF EXEGESIS PAPER EVALUATION FORM Exegesis Paper Evaluation Name: Passage: 1. Text & Translation: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 2. Literary Context: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 3. Grammatical Analysis: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 4. Word Studies: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 5. Authorship: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 6. Historical Context: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 7. Biblical-Theological: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 8. Cultural Exegesis: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 9. Explain/Apply Summary: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work 10. Class Presentation: Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs more work Additional Comments: Additional Comments on Exegesis Paper: