ST.

FERDINAND COLLEGE
City of Ilagan, Isabela

A COURSE OUTLINE in Theology – 5: Salvation History: The Old and New Testament
Summer

Course Code: Theology – 5 Units: 3 units

Course Title: Salvation History: The Old and Time 54 Hours
New Testament Allotment: 9 Hrs/wk for 6 Weeks
Consultation To be announced by the Professor Consultation Faculty Room, College
Hours: Venue: of Accountancy

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This is a course on the study of Bible with stressing widely the stories and themes of every book/Gospel
and Letters in the Old and the New Testament and its social implications for contemporary life and times.

COURSE OBJECTIVE:

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:

1. Understand the literary and historical purpose of each book/letters/gospel in the Bible.
2. Materialize the meaning and themes in the Old and New Testament.
3. Recognize the presence of Yahweh in the Old Testament and the continuity of His
revelation in the person of Jesus in the New Testament.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Midterms………………………… 27 Hrs. Finals…………………………………27 Hrs.

Chapter One
The Bible: Meaning, Value & Nature
The Four Literary Traditions in Israel
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy
Chapter Three
The Wisdom Books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, Songs of Songs (Book of Solomon)
The Gospel of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John
The Acts of the Apostles
The Pauline Letters

Chapter Two REQUIREMENTS:

Historical Books: Joshua, Judges, 1 -2
Samuel, 1 -2 Kings, 1 -2 Chronicles, Ezra
The Minor Prophets: Amos, Jonah, Joel,
Hosea
The Major Prophets: Ezekiel, Jeremiah,
Isaiah, Daniel
Periodic Examinations, Recitation, Assignments, Quizzes, Project Paper,
Attendance
REFERENCES:
The Christian Community Bible
Boadt, Laurence. Reading the Old Testament. St. Paul Publications. Manila.
1974
Brown, Raymond. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Theological
Publications in India. 2000
www.google.com/www.jesuswalk.com

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 MIDTERM PERIOD

C H A P T E R O N E

The Bible: Meaning, Nature and Value

The Bible is a collection of many individual works. It comes from the Greek word “biblia” meaning
“books.” The Bible is divided into two books, the Old Testament containing 46 books and the New
Testament containing 27 books.

Bible contains explicit value that we can consider today:

1. The Bible is a treasure chest of the wisdom and inspiration that guided the generations before us.
2. It contains some of the most profound insight into the meaning of human life.
3. It has the most profound influence of modern religious though.
4. It is the most complete history of the ancient past that we posses.

The Bible is divided into two:

Unity

1. It is essential about God’s self-disclosure. (the Old Testament being the gradual unfolding of this
disclosure, and the New Testament being the full self-revelation of God in Jesus Christ).
2. The promise of God’s design (Salvation) is contained in the Old Testament, and the coming of
Christ in the New Testament is fulfillment of the divine purpose.
3. The story of the Bible is the story of God’s creation, subsequent human failure, God’s redemptive
activity and human response.

Diversity

1. The distinction between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
2. The different languages: the primary language of the Old Testament was Hebrew, while in the New
Testament in Greek, and some Aramaic source (Aramaic is the language of Jesus).
3. The different eras and cultures, spanning nearly fifteen hundred years.
4. The different type of literature, which include history (Books of 1 & 2 Kings, law (Exodus,
Leviticus), poetry (the Books of Psalms), and doctrine (Prophets and Proverbs).

2The Four Literary Traditions/Sources in Israel

1. The Yahwist Source/Writers (Abbreviation: J)

These are trained Scribes and Writers of the new era during the time of King David and Solomon.
They emerge when Israel was a united kingdom around the year 925 B.C.

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2. The Elohist Source/Writers (Abbreviation: E)

These are group of writers that produced a second and revised account of the old traditions. They used
Elohim as God’s. The word Elohim however can only be read in the Hebrew Bible. What we have
today is the word Yahweh in almost all English translations. The Elohist stressed the role of the
covenant of Moses over the role of the King, and avoided much of the Yahwist intimate language
about God walking with humans. They emerge around the year 795 B.C.

3. Deuteronomist Source/Writers (Abbreviation: D)

These are priests, Levites and prophets who attempted to reform many bad practices of the faith in the
Southern Kingdom of Judah. The Deuteronomist originated from the Yahwist and Elohist. They are
known of contributing some passage about law in the book of Deuteronomy. They collected covenant
legal traditions and added to them sermons stressing obedience and faithfulness to the covenant if the
people were to receive blessing in the Promised Land. These sermons were expressed by Moses. They
emerge around the year 660 B.C.

4. Priestly Source/Writers (Abbreviation: P)

These are priest who emerge in 587-B.C., under the Babylonian Empire. They gathered many
of the culture and legal traditions.

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 T H E O L D T E S T A M E N T

PENTATEUCH

The Book of Genesis

Genesis means BEGINNING. The Book has three parts:

Chapter 1 - 11 1. The Two Creation Accounts (Chapter 1 & 2: Yahwist)

2. The Fall of Humanity (Chapter 3 & 4)
3. Noah and the Great Flood (Chapter 6:5-9:29)
4. The Tower of Babel (Chapter 11:1-9)

The second part, chapters 12 – 36, recalls the life of the nomadic clans, Abraham and his descendants,
i.e. Isaac and Jacob, who believed in a God who was near and compassionate. This history takes place
in the land of Canaan at a time in which the Israelite did not yet exist (between the 18 th and 15th century
B.C.).

Part three is the history of Joseph, chapters 37 – 50, throws a first light on the meaning of our life the
tragedies that are threads in the weaving of human existence. Human being needs a Savior and
salvation comes first through those whom they persecuted and rejected.

Genesis: Authorship

There was not one author, but several. The people of Israel were formed through time by the gathering
of nomadic tribes which neither knew how to read nor write. They brought along with them the
memories of their ancestors and the signs God realized among them; these memories were verbally
transmitted.

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When these tribes settled in Palestine, they slowly entered into a new culture of the writing. Scribes
surrounding the king wrote the laws and the beliefs of the nation. During Solomon’s reign (10 th
Century B.C.) an unknown writer often called “the Yahwist” wrote a first history of God’s people. In
doing so he/they freely used Babylonian literature and its poetry about the first the first couple (Adam
& Eve) and the flood. The author used a part but deeply transformed them, so that these stories, as
comparisons would express God’s plans for his creation.

The Book of Exodus

Exodus originated from two words EX, which mean “out” and ODUS, road. Exodus narrates the
childhood and mission of Moses and the slavery of the Israelites (Chapters 1 – 12). The liberty and
escape from Egypt (Chapters 13 – 14). Yahweh through Moses and Aaron lead them in the desert to be
tested of their faith before they inherit the Promised Land: Canaan (Chapters 15 – 40).

The 10 Plagues The 10 Commandments

P P
1. Water of the Nile river turned to blood A A 1. I am the Lord you God: You shall not
2. Frogs S S have other gods beside me.
3. Mosquitoes S S 2. You shall not take the name of the Lord,
4. Horseflies O O your God, in vain.
5. Death of Egypt’s animals (Pestilence) V V 3. Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath
6. Festering Boils E E Day.
7. Hailstorm (fell from heaven) R R 4. Honor your Father and your Mother.
8. Locusts (devoured all plants) 5. You shall not kill.
9. Darkness covered the land of Egypt 6. You shall not commit adultery.
F F 7. You shall not steal.
Yahweh ordered Moses to prepare a Pass- E E 8. You shall not bear false witness against your
over Feast before the advent of the 10th A A neighbor.
plague. It is the first Passover of the Jews. S S 9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
T T 10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods
10. Death of Egypt’s Firstborn

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The Book of Exodus is dated around 1240 B.C. a little more than five centuries after Abraham. A
nomadic group pursued by Ramses – II, Egypt’s pharaoh and his army is saved by God through an
extraordinary intervention. The extraordinary intervention is the raising of Moses arm holding a staff,
effecting the division of the waters of the Red (Reed) Sea. The aftermath: the Israelites saw the
Egyptians lying dead on the seashore. Thereafter, Moses and his followers were to remain a long time
in the oasis of Sinai, and it was there that Moses would give them Yahweh’s Law.

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 The Book of Leviticus

Leviticus is in the middle of the five books making up “The Laws,” as the heart of the Old Testament.
The Law is also called the Pentateuch or The Five Books of Moses. Leviticus gets its name that of the
Levite priests, who were never mentioned in the book itself.

The core of the book is the law of holiness. This holiness is required for all people including the
priests. This is why Leviticus is also called: “Torah Hakohanim” A Priestly Manual.

In the book of Leviticus, holiness precedes cleansing, which precedes offering. The reason is that God
is “holy,” and therefore his creation must be holy. God created the world in six days, on the sixth day
he rest, and made that day Holy.

Chapters 1 – 7 : Offering: Burned, Grain, Peace, Unintentional Sin, Evildoing, Repayment.

Chapters 8 – 10 : Ordination of Priests (Aaron and his Sons/Tribe of Levi)
Chapters 11 – 15: Purity Laws: Clean and unclean Animals, Purification of a woman after childbirth,
Purification from Leprosy, Sexual Impurities.

Book of Leviticus
Focus Foundation Events Foundation People

Divisions Offerings of Praise & Dedication
Offerings of Restoration
Holy Office of the Priest
Holiness for the Individual, in Daily Life and
National Life
Holy Priests & Holy Feasts
Holiness in the Holy Land

Topics Worshiping a Holy God Walking with a Holy God

Vital Offerings Various Offerings
Place Mount Sinai / Horeb
Author Moses

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In the book of Leviticus, the spirit of the Law never changed after the revelation made to Moses, and
became its foundation. However many developments and adaptations did take place. For example, the
“Mosaic books,” as they are called, reach us in the state in which they were fixed by the Jews of the
fifth century before Jesus, at the time of the return from the Exile.

The laws form part of the Scriptures and they are the word of God. But they are words of God
addressed to a people who had not yet received Christ. Christ is only received after His disciples
realized the simplicity of His mission: The Kingdom of God.

Major Feast in Israel

Jewish Feast Hebrew Name Calendar Counterpart in the

Christian Tradition
Passover Nisan March – April Eucharist
Weeks Sivan May – June Pentecost
Rosh-Hashanah Sept. – Oct. New Year
Day of Atonement Yom-Kippur Sept. – Oct. Lent
Tabernacles/Tents/Booths Ethani/Tishri Oct. – Nov. Patronal Fiesta

The Book of Numbers

The Book of Numbers shows the Israelites wandering through the desert of Sinai. This book called
“Numbers” because it begins by listing the numbers of census of the Hebrew people. Following the
departure from Egypt, the book of Numbers is presented as a march of the people of God across the
desert.The population of Israel did not include women and children. There are 603,500 men who serve
Israel’s army and to protect the tribe. In Numbers 1: 49 – 54. The Tribe of the Levites were not
counted. They are ordered by Yahweh to set up the Tent of Testimony or Tent of Meeting and to
protect the same at all cost. The Tent of Testimony is surrounded by the Tribe of the Levites and any
layman coming near it is to be put to death. Moses is the only person who is permitted to enter the Tent
and listen to Yahweh and his demands.

The Book of Numbers

Walking Wondering Waiting
Second Census & Laws in
Focu Counting & Camping 12 Spies & Death in the Desert Israel.
s Cleansing & Congregation Aaron & the Levites in the Last Days of Moses’
Criticism & Complaining Wilderness. Leadership.
Serpents of Brass & Story of Sections, Sanctuaries &
Balaam. Settlements

Chapters 1 – 12 Chapters 13 – 25 Chapters 26 – 36

Topic Law & Order Rebellion & Disorder New Laws for the New Order
Moving Out Moving On Moving In
Place En Route to Kadesh En Route to Nowhere En Route to Canaan
Time 2 Months 38 Years A Few Months

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 The Population of Israel’s Army (20 years old – Above: To give Military Service)

North Side
Dan: 62,700
Asher: 41,500
Napthali: 53,400
Total: 157,600

West Side East Side

Ephraim: Judah: 74,600
40,500
Manasseh: Issachar: 54,400
32,200
Benjamin: Zebulun: 57,400
35,400
Total: Total: 186,400
108,100

South Side
Reuben: 46,500
Simeon: 59,300
Gad: 45,650
Total: 151,450

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 The Book of Deuteronomy

The Book of Deuteronomy means “Second law.” It was so named because this law is recorded in the
Bible after the laws of all the laws found in those books. The book was edited in the 7 th century B.C.,
more than 500 years had passed since Moses’ encounter with Yahweh. The land of Canaan had been
conquered. The Kingdom of David and Solomon had been established, subsequently it collapse and
divided. In the north is the prosperous Kingdom of Israel, the capital is Samaria. In the south is the
Kingdom of Judah, the capital is Jerusalem.

The authors of Deuteronomy placed on the lips of Moses the very discourses they themselves wanted
to address to their people. Moses foresaw the tragic fate awaiting his people. They attribute to Moses
the warnings and the laws which could still save Israel. Moses’ mission finished at Mt. Nebo. He was
denied by Yahweh to enter the Promised Land.

Decalogue (Deut 5: 6 – 21) The Deuteronomy Code

1. I am the Lord you God: You shall not 1. Listen Israel, Yahweh is the Only One.
have other gods beside me.
2. You shall not take the name of the 2. Do not forget God when you have
Lord, your God, in vain. everything.
3. Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath
Day. 3. Serve and love God.
4. Honor your Father and your Mother.
5. You shall not kill. 4. Do not be led astray.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s
wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s
goods.

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 CHAPTER TWO

HISTORICAL BOOKS

The Book of Joshua

The Book of Joshua presents a systematic conquest of the country: Canaan, led by Joshua as the head
of the clans. The Book of Joshua narrates small events that make up great history:

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 Book of Joshua
Invasion of the Subjection of Land Distribution of Land Conclusion
Land

The Jericho Reuben, Gad, ½ Cities of Separation

Commission Defeat at Ai Manasseh, Refuge
The Spying Victory at Ai Caleb’s Auto-biography, Levite Service
The Jordan Gibeonites Judah, Ephraim, ½ Towns
The Memorials Manasseh, Benjamin,
EVENTS

The Chapters 6 – 9 Simeon, Zebulun, Chapters

Consecration Issachar, Asher, 20 – 21
Northern campaign Naphtali, Dan and Joshua Civil
and Survey and War
Summary of Kings. Threat
Chapters 13 – 19 Chapters
Chapters 1 - 5 Chapters 10 – 12 Chapters 22 23 – 24

Theme Obedient faith brings abundant blessing.

The Book of Judges

7 Major Judges 7 Minor Judges

Othniel Gideon Shamgar Ibzan
Ehud Jephthah Abimelech Elon
Barak Samson Tola Abdon
Deborah Jair

The book of Judges is a book of beautiful stories. It includes the story of Deborah, Gideon, Samson
and Delilah. These narratives were passed on as popular stories served as imaged history of an epoch
(a date in time), although important is not well known. The Book of Judges presents Israel as the
“Shofetim” meaning: “Chiefs” and “Judges” For that reason, some members of the tribe became Judge.
The judges were not saints, but nevertheless, Israel saw in them the savior that God in his mercy was
sending.

Focus Deterioration Deliverance Depravity

Division Introduction to First Gideon, the Gideon’s Samson the The Example of
the Judges Five Hesitant sons and Carnal National
Judges Hero the Six Champion Degradation
Judges
Topics Situation Sin, Servitude & Salvation Shocking
Decline
Religious Laxity Political Uncertainty Moral
Anarchy
Place Canaan & Transjordan
Author Probably the prophet Samuel

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 The First and Second Book of Samuel

The Book of Samuel divided in two, marks the third stage of sacred history of Israel. Samuel, the last
of the Judge, is also a prophet. This is a time during which the disunited Israelites feel the need to have
permanent authority: a King.

1. Samuel the prophet – Educated by Eli the Priest. He was called by Yahweh to anoint Saul.

2. Saul – The son of Kish from the Tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites wanted a king. Yahweh, through
Samuel anoints Saul as king. He reigned around the year 1025 BCE. He consolidated the
tribes and set to work on the war against the Philistines. When three of Saul’s son, Jonathan,
Abinadab and Malchishua were killed, Saul committed suicide.

3. David – Born in 907 BCE, from the tribe of Judah, he reigns as king of Israel for 40 years. He made
Jerusalem the capital of his Kingdom and wastes no time to bring the Ark there. This is the
logical place to build a permanent resting spot for the most holy object that the Jewish
people have ― the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. David had six wives (Deut.
17:17) but sinned against God by marrying Bathsheba, the wife of one of his generals,
whom he ordered to be in the frontline and is killed. David died at age 70 in 837 BCE.

4. Solomon – Before David dies, he appoints as king his son Solomon, who is 12 years old. Born in
848 BCE, ruling as king for 40 years, the best years in all of Israel's history, 40 years of
peace and prosperity. He is known as "wisest of all the men." The crowning achievement
of Solomon's reign is the building of the Temple which his father, King David, had dreamt
about. The Torah placed limits on the number of wives and wealth the king could have so
that he would stay focused on his responsibilities and not be distracted and corrupted by
materialism and power. Solomon makes one serious mistake, he has 700 wives and 300
concubines.

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 1st Book of Samuel 2nd Book of Samuel
Samuel The Last Saul, the First King David’s Rise to David’s Fall
Judge Power

Birth Rejection by David: Kingdom: David’s Sin – God’s

Growth Call God Chosen, Divided - United Judgment
Change Chapters 8 – 12

Rebellion against God

Ministry Impatient Trained, - Enlarging Absalom’s Revolt
Rash Tested, David’s Restoration of the
Disobedient Protected Throne and Final Reign
Insane
Jealous
Murderous

Chapters Chapters Chapters Chapters 1 – 10 Chapters 11 – 24

1–7 13 – 16 17 – 31

Attitude of Public Public Triumph, but Transgression and Trouble

the Israelites Trust Disillusion conflict in the Conflict in the Court
ment Country

The First and Second Book of Kings

The period of the kings is the third stage in Israel’s history. It follows the period of the patriarchs
(Abraham in 1750 B.C.) and that of the conquest (Moses in 1250 B.C.). David captured Jerusalem
around 1000 B.C., after Solomon’s death in 932 B.C., the kingdom of David and his son Solomon
would be divided. In the beginning, the actual books formed one book. This work is the fruit of the
prophet’s reflection and was edited during the exile in Babylon. The second part continues to look at
the progressive decline of the two kingdoms to the North and to the South, Israel and Judah.

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 1st Book of Kings 2nd Book of Kings
One Nation Becomes Two Two Nations Becomes None

King Solomon Kingdom Divided Reign of Jeroboam Revenge of Jehu

Temple Builder Elijah: The Prophet warns King II Reforms of Jehoash
Fame, Fortune, Ahab Record of Elisha Ruin of Israel
Failure King Ahab’s Final Reign in Israel the Prophet Reforms of Hezekiah
Ruins of Judah
Chapters 1 – 11 Chapters 12 – 22
Chapters 1 – 8 Chapters 9 – 25

Jerusalem Northern Kingdom: Israel Israel & Judah Judah

Southern Kingdom: Judah
King: With a Divided Heart Downfall of Israel Disruption

Northern Southern Kingdom of

Kingdom of Judah: Jerusalem
Israel: Samaria
Assyrian Kings under
Pagan Assyrian Yahweh’s control
Kings
Heroboam, Asa,
Jeroboam Jehoshaphat, Athaliah,
Omri Jehoash, Hoshea, Ahaz
Ahab Hezekiah, Josiah
Jehu
Jeroboam II Pre-Babylonian Exile
Prophets: Zephaniah,
Prophets Nahum, Jeremiah,
Habakkuk, Ezekiel
Elijah
Elisha Babylonian Exile
Amos Prophet: 2nd Isaiah /Book:
Hosea Lamentation
Micah
1st Isaiah Post Babylonian Exile
Prophet:
Writers Haggai, Malachi,
Obadiah, Zechariah, 3rd
Yahwist Isaiah, Ezra, Nehemiah,
Elohist Jonah, Tobit, Baruch,
Daniel, Joel, Baruch
Priestly
(600 – 500 Books: 1 & 2 Chronicles,
BCE/Babylonian Psalms, Ruth, 1 & 2
Exile) Maccabees, Ecclesiastes,
Deuteronomist Esther, Judith, Wisdom,
(700 – 600 BCE) Songs of Songs

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 The First and Second Book of Chronicles

The first and second part of the Book of Chronicles was probably written together with those of the
book of Ezra and Nehemiah in the 4th century B.C., after the Jews came back from Exile:

1. The future of the Jewish people depended on their faithfulness of the Law of Moses.
2. The Jews were no longer an independent nation, but an autonomous province of the Persian Empire.
3. They look forward to the coming of “David’s Son”.
4. The author addresses the Jewish people and convince them that there is no more blessing or future
for them unless they remain strongly united around their faith, obeying the Law and the priest and
true worship in the Temple of Jerusalem.

1st Book of Chronicles 2nd Book of Chronicles

Genealogies Saul David and Solomon the King: Judah

the Glorious Reign The Nation
Consecration

Restoration
Temple Revival
Rejection

Chapters Chapter Chapters Chapters Chapters

1–9 10 11 – 29 1–9 10 – 36

Process Little made great Great becoming little

Emphasis Personal Determination National Deterioration

The Book of Ezra

The decree of Cyrus the Great, conqueror of the Chaldeans authorized the return of the Jews to their
homeland from their exile in Babylon in 538 BC. The act was a gesture which is political in nature, but
the Bible sees it in the fulfillment of God’s promises to the prophets. However, the decree did not
modify the political situation of Palestine which became a province of the Persian Empire. Ezra,
together with Nehemiah kept the Jews united among themselves.

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Ezra’s Reforms

1. Collecting the books i.e., The Pentatuech (around 400 BC ) and putting them together for the first
time, and making the Sacred book the basis of their religion.

2. The existing books of the Bible were kept only in the hands of the priests.

3. The people to attend the traditional Temple ceremonies.

4. The communal reading of the Bible would become the basis of the people’s religious life.

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