(Revised 8/2009)
Instructor: Frank Bellizzi
Class
Meets: MW 9:00–10:15 a.m. at the
Office:
Phone: 372-5747
Semester
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite: None
E-mail: biblechair@amaonline.com
Website: www.amarillobiblechair.homestead.com/
Office
Hours: By Appointment
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Regular
and prompt attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. It is the responsibility of the student to
attend class, on time. Absences totaling
more than four class sessions will result in the loss of points toward the
final grade. Arriving late or leaving
early twice will count as one absence.
REQUIRED
EXAMINATIONS
There will be four (4) exams throughout the course
of the semester. The student is expected
to take exams on the date scheduled in the course outline. The fourth exam (the final) will be
comprehensive.
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
“A survey of the Old
Testament. An outline of Hebrew history
including the books of poetry and prophecy in their proper historical settings”
(AC catalog).
PURPOSE
AND GOALS FOR COURSE
By the end of the semester, the student will
demonstrate his/her knowledge and understanding by obtaining a minimum of a 70%
competency level for the stated performance/learning objectives. The course is designed to familiarize the
student with the Old Testament as a compilation of the historical,
geographical, theological, and sociological accounts of "a chosen
people" and their contribution to the world's literature. The course is
designed to allow the ancient writings and people to come alive for the
student.
TEXTBOOK(S)
1. Required:
A Bible. A modern, standard
translation—such as the New International Version, Revised Standard Version, New
Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, or New King James
Version-- is preferred. The King James
Version (KJV), first published in 1611, was for its time an excellent
translation. It remains one of the great
literary achievements of all time. But
the English language has significantly changed over the last 400 years, making
the KJV hard for most modern students to read and understand. Do not read from the KJV in class.
2. Suggested:
John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill.
Old Testament Today. Grand
Rapids; Zondervan, 2004. (ISBN 0-3102-3826-9)
PERFORMANCE/LEARNING OBJECTIVES (Minimum Competencies)
After studying the
material in this course the student will be able to do the following:
1.
List the books of the Old
Testament in their canonical ordger.
2.
Summarize the contents of
each book of the Old Testament that was studied.
3.
Note key geographical sites
as they pertain to this course.
4.
Outline the major features
of the Torah of Moses.
5.
Describe the major
characteristics of Hebrew poetry and prophecy.
6.
Name and explain the
significance of the political and religious leaders in ancient
7.
Summarize the history of
8.
Demonstrate
the ability to use research tools available in the field of religion, and draw
reasonable conclusions on the basis of careful study.
Any student who, because of a disabling condition,
may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements
should contact Accessibility Services (Lib., Phone 371-5436) as soon as
possible.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1.
Regular Attendance.
a. Your instructor will carefully keep
attendance rolls.
b. As per the
attendance policy stated above, four absences will be allowed before your grade
is directly affected by your attendance.
Arriving late or leaving early twice counts as one absence.
2.
The successful completion of four major examinations.
a. These tests will be spread out through the
semester (consult the class outline).
b. The first three exams will cover only
material that you have not been tested over previously; however, the final
examination will be comprehensive.
c. Test questions may include listing, matching,
multiple-choice, identify and/or define, short answer, or essay.
3.
Careful reading of selected Old Testament passages.
4. A
research paper on a passage or a
question from one of the Books of Moses (Genesis—Deuteronomy)
a. The student should use a minimum of five
documented sources, in addition to the Bible.
News magazines and newspapers are acceptable sources.
b. Each paper must be typed or computer
generated, using 12 point font.
c. The paper should be 5-7 double spaced pages
in length.
d. Consistent form must be used following the
MLA Handbook of Style.
e. You are limited to
one Internet source. That source must
come from the attached list of approved websites.
f. The papers will be due at the beginning of
class on Wednesday,
Nov. 25th.
5. Compile
a neat, complete notebook.
Students
must prepare a 3-ring notebook which will account for 10% of their final
grade. A notebook with a 1½” spine
should be large enough and is recommended.
The course syllabus, all class hand-outs, student notes, a copy of your
term paper, etc. Its purpose is to
organize and preserve the materials from this course.
COURSE
GRADE BREAKDOWN COURSE GRADING SCALE
Exam 1 15% 90-100 A
Exam 2 15% 80-89 B
Exam 3 15% 70-79 C
Final
Exam 20% 60-69 D
Research Paper 15% 0-59 F
Class
participation 10%
Notebook 10%
PROCEDURES/GUIDELINES
FOR RESEARCH PAPER:
By Monday, September 21st, turn in a
standard (8.5 x 11”) sheet that lists, in order, the following:
· Your
name
· The
reference (e.g., “Genesis 6:1-4”), or the question (“Did a just God arbitrarily
harden the heart of Pharaoh?”), from the Torah (the Books of Moses) that you
plan to research.
· A few
sentences about your choice, the question(s) you will be trying to
answer.
· The publication facts for any
source(s)--other than the Bible-- that you have already identified as
helpful. (Keep in mind my advice about
starting with the reference collection).
Within
one week, I will return this page to you with notes, comments, suggestions for
bibliography, etc. designed to inform and encourage you. Note: Your instructor reserves the right to suggest
or insist on changes to your text, topic, and/or sources.
The
paper will be due on November 25th. That will
give you--from the time you receive feedback from me until the due date—about
two months to research and complete the project.
If
you have questions about this project or would like to discuss it with me,
please feel to call or e-mail me using the contact information on page 1 of your
syllabus. I look forward to reading the
finished products.
It is
legitimate and permissible (but not required) for the student to draw religious
conclusions and make theological statements at the end of an
interpretive paper. However, it is
imperative that the student avoid starting with unproven assertions or
religious convictions (as valid as they might be). The wise student will start with facts,
not assumptions; with data, not dogma.
To learn how to begin with a solid premise, legitimately build an
argument, and draw valid conclusions is a vital part of the educational process.
COURSE OUTLINE AND
CALENDAR:
Aug. 24 Introductions, Syllabus, Students
fill out information sheets, Pretest
Aug. 26 Why Study the Old Testament? Genesis
Aug. 31 Exodus
Sept. 2 Leviticus
Sept. 7 Labor
Day holiday – Amarillo College closed
Sept. 9 Numbers
Sept. 14 Deuteronomy + review
Sept. 16 Exam 1
Sept. 21 Joshua -- Paper Proposal Due
Sept. 23 Judges-Ruth
Sept. 28 The Books of Samuel
Sept. 30 The Books of Kings
Oct. 5 Psalms
Oct. 7 Proverbs
and Song of Songs
Oct. 12 Ecclesiastes
and Job + review
Oct. 14 Exam 2
Oct. 19 Introduction
to Prophetic Literature, 228-43
Oct. 21 Jonah
and Amos
Oct.
26 Hosea and Micah
Oct. 28 Isaiah
Nov.
2 Nahum,
Habakkuk, Zephaniah
Nov. 4 Jeremiah
Nov. 9 Jeremiah
and Lamentations + review
Nov. 11 Exam 3
Nov. 16 Ezekiel
Nov. 18 Daniel
Nov. 23 Esther
Nov. 25 Ezra-Nehemiah -- Research Paper Due
Nov. 30 Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
Dec. 2 Review
and discussion
Dec. 9 Final Exam, 9:00—11:00 a.m. Notebooks Due
Resources for
Bible Study
1. Searchable Bibles
Some people have already discovered that the World Wide Web contains many
sites that feature the Bible in various translations. One of the better sites is Bible
Gateway. It features a passage lookup
and also a keyword search for concordance-type study. The home page address is http://www.biblegateway.com/
2. Bible Dictionaries
When it comes to
studying the Scriptures, nothing is more helpful than a good Bible
dictionary. The web addresses for the
following two dictionaries are found at the end of each description:
A.
Part of the ad for the Holman Bible Dictionary reads as
follows: “The product of over 6 years of
work by hundreds of people, the Holman Bible Dictionary manages to be readable
and easy to use, yet take advantage of the finest modern Bible scholarship
without heavy technical language.” Not
only that, it’s thorough. For example,
there are 606 entries under the letter “A.”
http://studylight.org/dic/hbd/
B.
Published in 1996, the Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
was produced by an impressive group of conservative Bible scholars. The print edition of this resource runs to
nearly 1000 pages packed with some deep, helpful articles.
http://www.biblestudytools.net/Dictionaries/BakersEvangelicalDictionary/
When using these
two dictionaries, it is important to understand their differences. The first will
provide definitions for most people and places named in the Bible. For example, Zebedee was the father of two
Apostles, James and John (Mark 1:19).
And you will find an entry under “Zebedee” in the Holman Bible
Dictionary. On the other hand, the Evangelical
Dictionary does not contain an article for “Zebedee” because it is a
dictionary of Biblical Theology.
Here the focus is on biblical concepts and doctrines. So in this dictionary you will find lengthy
articles on subjects like “Faith” and “Salvation” and “Day of Judgment,” but,
again, nothing on “Zebedee.”
3. Bible
Encyclopedia
The
older International Standard Bible Encyclopedia is available on the web. No, this is not the updated, much-newer one.
(Both sets are available in the ABC library).
But the original ISBE is loaded with a lot of still-good stuff
for the Bible student. One of the finest
multi-volume works of biblical scholarship from the early 20th
century, it features articles by some of the best teachers and writers of that
day including Benjamin B. Warfield and A. T. Robertson. You can find it at the following:
http://www.studylight.org/enc/isb/
4. Photos
and Captions
One
of my new favorite websites is Dr. Carl Rasmussen’s “Holy Land Photos.” This site currently contains some 2638 photos
from a total of 257 biblical sites. It
is regularly updated with additional photos.
Each photo is accompanied by notes written, apparently, by the
scholar-photographer. The explanations
are clear and accurate.
5. Digging Deeper
You
will also find a lot of great study resources at the site organized by another
Old Testament scholar, Dr. Ralph W. Klein.
This site organizes links into several categories including “Old
Testament” and “Ancient Near East.”
http://fontes.lstc.edu/~rklein/
Happy
studying!
SELECT
BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE OLD TESTAMENT:
GENERAL
Brevard
S. Childs. Old
Testament Books For Pastor and Teacher.
Fee
& Stuart. How To Study The Bible For All
It's Worth, (2nd Ed.)
Neil
R. Lightfoot. How We
Got The Bible.
J.B.
Pritchard, editor. Ancient Near
Eastern Texts Relating To The Old Testament.
INTRODUCTION/SURVEYS
Bernard Anderson. Introducing
The Old Testament.
Albert Baylis. From Creation To
The Cross.
Brevard S. Childs. Introduction
To The Old Testament As Scripture.
Peter Craigie. The
Old Testament.
Dillard and Longman. An Introduction To The Old
Testament.
H.L. Ellison. Message of the
Old Testament.
R.K. Harrison. Introduction
To The Old Testament.
Hill and Walton. A Survey Of The Old
Testament.
LaSor, Hubbard, & Bush. Old Testament Survey.
Samuel J. Schultz. The Old Testament Speaks.
Edward J. Young. Introduction
To The Old Testament.
GENESIS
Bill Arnold. Encountering The
Book Of Genesis.
David Atkinson. The Bible Speaks Today.
Joyce Baldwin. The Bible Speaks Today.
Walter Brueggemann. Interpretation Commentary.
Derek Kidner. Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries.
Victor Hamilton. New International
Commentary On The Old Testament. 2 vol.
E.A. Speiser. The
Anchor Bible.
Gerhard von Rad. The Old Testament Library.
Gordon Wenham. Word Biblical Commentary. 2
volumes.
Claus Westermann. The Continental Commentaries.
John Willis. The Living Word
Commentaries.
EXODUS
Brevard S. Childs. The Old Testament Library.
R. Alan Cole. Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries.
Joy Davidman. Smoke
On The Mountain.
John Durham. Word Biblical Commentary.
Terrance Fretheim. Interpretation Commentary.
Walter Harrelson. The
Ten Commandments And Human Rights.
J.P. Hyatt. The
New Century Bible Commentary.
LEVITICUS
R.K. Harrison. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
John Hartley. Word Biblical
Commentary.
J. L. Mays. The Layman's
Bible Commentary.
N. H. Snaith.
The
New Century Bible Commentary.
Gordon Wenham. New
International Commentary On The Old Testament.
NUMBERS
P. J. Budd. Word Biblical
Commentary.
G. Wenham. Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries.
M. Noth. The
Old Testament Library.
Snaith. (Same
volume as in Leviticus).
DEUTERONOMY
Raymond Brown. The Bible Speaks Today.
Duane Christensen. Word
Biblical Commentary. 2 volumes.
P.C. Craigie. New International
Commentary On The Old Testament.
J. A. Thompson. Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries.
G von Rad. The Old Testament Library.
G.E. Wright. The
Interpreter's Bible.
THE LAW OF MOSES
Roland Clements. One
Hundred Years Of Old Testament Interpretation.
W. Eichrodt. Theology
Of The Old Testament. 2 volumes.
G. von Rad. Old
Testament Theology. 2 volumes.
Walter Harrelson. The Ten Commandments and
Human Rights.
R.K. Harrison. “Law In The Old
Testament” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Revised.
JOSHUA
Robert Boling. The
Anchor Bible.
John Bright. The
Interpreter's Bible.
Trent Butler. Word
Biblical Commentary.
R. S. Hess. Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries.
Marten Woudstra. New
International Commentary On The Old Testament.
JUDGES
Robert Boling. The
Anchor Bible. (Not the same volume
as in Joshua).
A.E. Cundall. Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries.
Jacob Myers. The
Interpreter's Bible.
RUTH
David Atkinson. The
Bible Speaks Today.
Frederick Bush. Word Biblical
Commentary.
Edward Campbell. The
Anchor Bible.
Robert L. Hubbard. New
International Commentary On The Old Testament.
Leon Morris. Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries.
Louise Smith. The Interpreter's
Bible.
THE HISTORY OF
John Bright. A
History Of
Walter Brueggeman. The
Land.
William Crockett. A
Harmony Of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles.
Martin Noth. A History Of
J.B. Pritchard, ed. Ancient
Near East Texts Relating To The Old Testament.
Articles by W.F. Albright, James
Muilenburg, T.H. Robinson, and George E. Wright in The Interpreter's Bible.
(volume 1).
FIRST AND SECOND SAMUEL
A.A. Anderson. 2
Samuel in Word Biblical Commentary.
J. G. Baldwin. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
Walter Brueggemann. Interpretation Commentary.
G.B. Caird. The
Interpreter's Bible.
H.W. Hertzberg. The Old Testament
Library.
R. Klein. 1
Samuel in Word Biblical Commentary.
P.F. McCarter. The Anchor Bible. 2 volumes.
James Smith. College Press NIV
Commentary.
KINGS AND CHRONICLES
Roddy L. Braun. 1
Chronicles in Word Biblical
Commentary.
Walter Brueggemann. David's
Truth.
William Day Crockett. A
Harmony Of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles.
Simon DeVries. 1 Kings in Word Biblical Commentary.
Raymond Dillard. 2 Chronicles in Word Biblical Commentary.
John Mark Hicks. The College Press NIV
Commentary.
T. R. Hobbs. 2 Kings in Word Biblical Commentary.
G. H. Jones. 1 Kings and 2 Kings in The New Century Bible Commentary.
Jacob Myers. 1 and 2 Chronicles in The Anchor
Bible. 2 volumes.
Richard Pratt. A Mentor Commentary.
Ian Provan. New
International Biblical Commentary.
Michael Wilcock. The Message of Chronicles in The Bible Speaks Today.
JOB
Francis I. Anderson. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
David Clines. Word Biblical
Commentary.
Norman Habel. The Old Testament
Library.
J.E.Hartley. The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
Revised.
Marvin H. Pope. The Anchor Bible.
H.H. Rowley. The New Century
Bible Commentary.
Terrien & Scherer. The
Interpreter's Bible.
PSALMS
Leslie C. Allen. Psalms 101-150 in Word Biblical Commentary.
A.A. Anderson. The New Century Bible
Commentary. 2 volumes.
Walter Breugemann. The Message Of The Psalms.
Peter Craigie. Psalms
1-50 in Word Biblical Commentary.
Derek Kidner. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries. 2 volumes.
Hans-Joachim Kraus. The Continental Commentaries. 3 volumes.
Tremper Longman III. How
To Read The Psalms.
W. Stewart McCullough. The Interpreter's Bible.
Patrick Miller. Interpreting
The Psalms.
Marvin Tate. Psalms 51-100 in Word Biblical
Commentary.
Arthur Weiser. The Old Testament
Library.
PROVERBS
Charles Fritch. The Interpreter's
Bible.
House and Durham. Living
Wisely In A Foolish World.
Derek Kidner. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
Tremper Longman. New
International Commentary On The Old Testament.
R. E. Murphy. Word
Biblical Commentary.
R.B.Y. Scott. The Anchor Bible.
ECCLESIASTES
Michael Eaton. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
Derek Kidner. The Bible Speaks
Today.
Tremper Longman. New International
Commentary on the Old Testament.
R.B.Y. Scott. The Anchor Bible. (Same volume as in Proverbs).
R.N. Whybray. The New Century Bible
Commentary.
SONG OF SOLOMON
G. Lloyd Carr. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries
Tremper Longman. New International
Commentary on the Old Testament.
Roland Murphy. Hermeneia.
ALL WISDOM LITERATURE
William Irvan. “The
Wisdom Literature,” volume 1 of The Interpreter's Bible.
Gerhard von Rad. Wisdom
in Israel.
JONAH
Leslie T. Allen. New International
Commentary On The Old Testament.
Douglas Stuart. Word Biblical
Commentary.
Hans Walter Wolff. The
Continental Commentaries.
AMOS
Allen. (See
above under Jonah).
Roy Clements. Where
Love And Justice Meet.
James Luther Mays. The Old Testament Library.
J.A. Motyer. The
Bible Speaks Today.
Shalom Paul. Hermeneia.
Stuart. (See above under Jonah).
Hans Walter Wolff. Hermeneia.
HOSEA
Walter Brueggemann. Hosea:
Crisis and Tradition.
David Noel Freedman. The Anchor Bible.
Derek Kidner. The Bible Speaks
Today.
James Luther Mays. The Old Testament Library.
Stuart. (See
above under Jonah).
Hans Walter Wolff. Hermeneia.
MICAH
Allen. (See
above under Jonah).
Delbert Hillers. Hermeneia.
James Luther Mays. The Old Testament Library.
Ralph Smith. Word Biblical
Commentaries.
Hans Walter Wolff. The Continental Commentaries.
ISAIAH
Roland Clements. The New Century Bible
Commentary.
William Holladay. Isaiah: Scroll Of A Prophetic
Heritage.
Kaiser and Westermann. The Old Testament Library. 3 volumes.
J. A. Motyer. Tyndale Old
Testament Commentary.
John N. Oswalt. New International
Commentary On The Old Testament.
R.N. Whybray. The New Century Bible
Commentary.
Edward J. Young. Isaiah. 3 volumes.
JEREMIAH
Andrew Blackwood. Jeremiah.
John Bright. The
Anchor Bible.
Craigie, Kelley, Drinkard, Jr. Word
Biblical Commentary.
William Holladay. Hermeneia.
2 volumes.
William Holladay. Jeremiah:
A Fresh Reading.
William Holladay. Jeremiah:
Spokesman Out Of Time.
Keown, Scalise, Smothers Word
Biblical Commentary.
Derek Kidner. The Bible Speaks
Today.
K.M. O’Connor. The
Confessions Of Jeremiah.
Leo Perdue, editor. A
Prophet To The Nations.
Thomas Overholt. The
Threat Of Falsehood.
J. A. Thompson. New
International Commentary On The Old Testament.
John Skinner. Prophecy and
Religion.
LAMENTATIONS
Delbert Hillers. The Anchor Bible.
R.K. Harrison. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
Bruce K. Waltke. The Zondervan Pictorial
Bible Encyclopedia.
EZEKIEL
Leslie T. Allen. Word Biblical
Commentary. 2 volumes.
Daniel Black. New International
Commentary on the Old Testament.
John Collins. Hermeneia.
Peter Craigie. The Daily Study
Bible.
Ian Duguid. The NIV
Application Commentary.
Walter Eichrodt. The Old Testament
Library.
Moshe Greenberg. The Anchor Bible.
J. B. Taylor. Tyndale Old
Testament Commentary.
John Wevers. The New Century Bible
Commentary.
Walter Zimmerli. Hermeneia.
DANIEL
Gleason Archer. The Expositor's Bible
Commentary.
Joyce Baldwin. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
John Goldingay. Word
Biblical Commentary.
Hartman and DiLelia. The Anchor Bible.
Tremper Longman. The NIV Application
Commentary.
W. Sibley Towner. Harper's Bible Commentary.
Edward J. Young. Daniel.
THE REST OF THE PRE-EXILIC AND
EXILIC PROPHETS
Peter Craigie. The Daily Study
Bible. 2 volumes.
Homer Hailey. A
Commentary On The Minor Prophets.
Abraham Herschel. The
Prophets.
Klaus Koch. The
Prophets. 2 volumes.
Jack Lewis. The
Minor Prophets.
George Adam Smith. The Expositor's Bible.
--not
the same as The Expositor's Bible Commentary.
William Vangemeren. Interpreting
The Prophetic Word.
Gerhard von Rad. The
Message Of The Prophets.
EZRA-NEHEMIAH
F.C. Fensham. New
International Commentary On The Old Testament.
Derek Kidner. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
Jacob Meyers. The Anchor Bible.
H.G.M. Williamson. Word Biblical Commentary.
ESTHER
Bernard Anderson. The
Interpreter's Bible.
Joyce Baldwin. Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries.
Carey Moore. The Anchor Bible.
D.F. Payne. The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
Revised.
HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH, AND MALACHI
Joyce Baldwin. Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries.
R.K. Harrison “Haggai.” The
Zondervan Pictorial Bible Encyclopedia.
Walter Kaiser. Malachi:
God’s Unchanging Love.
Merrill C. Unger. Zechariah.
Hans Walter Wolff. The Continental Commentaries.
Abraham Heschel. The Prophets.
Jack P. Lewis. The Minor Prophets.
Gerhard von Rad. The Message of the
Prophets.
Kyle M. Yates. Preaching From The
Prophets.
Edward J. Young. My Servants The Prophets.
THE “APOCRYPHA" or
"DEUTEROCANONICAL" DOCUMENTS
Raymond Brown, editor. The Jerome Biblical Commentary.
R.K. Harrison. Introduction
To The Old Testament.
Charles Laymon, editor. The
Interpreter's One Volume Commentary On The Bible.
James L. Mays, editor. Harper's Bible Commentary.
Bruce M. Metzger. The
Apocrypha.
The
(See also the volumes on individual Apocryphal
books in The Anchor Bible and
Hermeneia.)
The Babylonian Talmud.
Samuel E. Karff.
Religions Of The World.
Jacob Neusner.
Invitation
To Mishnah.
.
Invitation
To Talmud.
. The Talmud.