GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY-CHARLOTTE OT 562 Isaiah in Depth Summer Intensive 2011 July 18-22 Mon-Fri 9am-4pm Thomas D. Petter, Ph.D. tpetter@gordonconwell.edu I. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is an introduction to the foundational principles necessary for biblical interpretation. Using Isaiah as our focus, attention will be given to the practice and use of proper methodology for interpretation and exposition of biblical texts. In addition, discussions will cover detailed exegetical analyses of key chapters in Isaiah, historical issues and the theology of the book of Isaiah. COURSE GOALS The goals of this course are to enable you to: 1) develop foundational skills to interpret the biblical text 2) understand the main theological and historical issues related to the book of Isaiah 3) Situate Isaiah within redemptive history REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS J. A. Motyer, Isaiah, Tyndale, IVP, 1998 (in its entirety) W.W. Klein, C.L. Blomberg, R.L. Hubbard, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (Nelson) [KBH] (select chapters, see schedule below) Select essays on cams: Peter Gentry, The Atonement in Isaiah s Fourth Song Tom Petter, The meaning of substitutionary righteousness in Isaiah 53:11 RECOMMENDED TEXTS Jeffery, S., et al., Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution (Good News and Crossway, 2007) D.B. Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks (IVP, 2002) 1
G. Fee and D. Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (Zondervan) IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Exegetical assignment (50%): an analysis of Isa 52:13-53:12 in its exegetical, literary and biblical settings (5-7 pages single-spaced). Guidelines will be given in class. Due August 30 (doc to be sent to my dropbox account) 2. Generate an Overview Chart of Isaiah (10%). Workshop first day of class. Final draft due August 30 (doc to be sent to my dropbox account) 3. Final exam (30%) based on class lectures, discussions and readings. Final must be taken by August 15 (either on campus or via proctor). 4. Readings (10%). Read the book of Isaiah 5 times. It is important that the first reading is completed in one sitting. Other required readings listed below. Reading report due August 30 (indicate the number of pages read out of the required readings). 5. Class attendance: in fairness to students who attend all sessions, unexcused absences will result in grade penalty. 2
VI. CLASS SCHEDULE PRE-CLASS READINGS: The book of Isaiah in one sitting KBH (as much as possible, see reading schedule below) Motyer commentary (as much as possible, see reading schedule below) MONDAY MORNING The Overview Content: the big Picture of Isaiah Method: how to do an overview chart MONDAY AFTERNOON Prophetic Playbook Method: Overview of the process of interpretation Content: Isaiah 1 KBH ch 1; survey chs 2, 3, 4 Motyer: introduction + commentary on Isa 1 TUESDAY MORNING Old Zion vs. New Zion Method:Text-based hermeneutics Method: How to interpret the prophets Content: Isaiah 2 KBH chs 5, 6 Motyer commentary on Isa 2-5 Recommended reading: G. Fee and D. Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All its Worth (chapters on Old Testament Law and prophecy) TUESDAY AFTERNOON The Problem with Glory Method: Hebrew narrative techniques 3
Content: Isaiah 6 KBH ch 7 Motyer commentary on Isa 6-12 Recommended reading: J.T Walsh, Style and Structure in Biblical Hebrew Narrative. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2001. WEDNESDAY MORNING Nations are Accountable Method: Hebrew Poetry techniques Content: Isaiah 13-14 KBH ch 8 Motyer commentary on Isa 13-27 Parallelism in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 5, D.N. Freedman, ed. New York: Doubleday, 1992: 155-162. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON Sacred History Overview of Israel and Judah during the 8 th cent. B.C. Method: How to research key lexemes/phrases Content: Isaiah 36-39 KBH ch 9 (survey ch 10) Motyer commentary on Isa 28-39 THURSDAY MORNING Hope Method: literary and historical implications of Isaianic authorship Content: Isa 40-48 KBH ch 12 (survey ch 11) Motyer commentary on Isa 40-48 THURSDAY AFTERNOON The Coming Servant 4
Class Topics: Method: Role and function of Isaiah in the OT Content: Isaiah 49-55 Motyer commentary on Isa 49-55 FRIDAY MORNING True Religion Method: Isaiah in the New Testament Content: Isaiah 56-59 Motyer commentary on Isa 56-59 FRIDAY AFTERNOON Heaven on Earth Class Topics: Method: Inaugurated Eschatology Content: Isaiah 60-66 Motyer commentary on Isa 56-66 VI. RESOURCES ON INTERPRETING THE BIBLICAL TEXT Adler, M.J., and C. Van Doren, How to Read a Book. Rev. ed. New York: Touchstone, 1972. Alter, R. The Art of Biblical Narrative. New York: Basicsbooks, 1981. Barton, J. ed. The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1998. 5
Berlin, A. The Dynamics of Biblical Parallelism. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University, 1985. Black, D.A., and D.S. Dockery, eds. New Testament Criticism and Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991. Bray, G. Biblical Interpretation Past and Present. Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 1996. Bruce, F.F. New Testament History. New York: Doubleday, 1980. Conzelmann, H, and A. Lindemann. Interpreting the New Testament: An Introduction to the Principles and Methods of N.T. Exegesis. Trans. S.S. Schatzmann. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1988. Cotterell, P., and M. Turner. Linguistics and Biblical Interpretation. Downers Grove: IVP, 1989. Elwell, W.A., ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984. Fee, G.D., Stuart, D. How to Read the Bible for all its Worth. 3 nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003. Harrison, R.K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969. Kaiser, W.C. Jr., Silva, M. An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for Meaning. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994. Klein, W.W., Blomberg, C.L., Hubbard, R.L. Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Dallas: Word, 1993. Longman III, Tremper. Literary Approaches to Biblical Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987. Marshall, I.H., ed. New Testament Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977. McKnight, S., ed. Introducing New Testament Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989. McDonald, L.M., Porter, S.E. Early Christianity and Its Sacred Literature. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2000. 6
Osborne, G.R. The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Downers Grove: IVP, 1991. Soulen, R.N., and R.K. Soulen. Handbook of Biblical Criticism. Third Edition. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 2001. Stein, R.H., The Synoptic Problem. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1987. Stuart, D. Old Testament Exegesis. Fourth edition. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox. Tate, W.R. Biblical Interpretation: An Integrated Approach. Rev. ed. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1998. Walsh, J.T. Style and Structure in Biblical Hebrew Narrative. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2001. 7