TH 201 Intro to the Bible

Bible means books

1 Book --- The Bible
2 Books --- Old Testament/New
Testament
Old Testament/Hebrew
Scriptures:
Roman Catholic 46,
Protestants/Jews 39

New Testament/Christian
Scriptures:
27 Books in the New (4 Gospels,

The Importance of the Bible:

The Bible is used for
Moral insight, religious instruction,
personal meditation and prayer,
liturgy, and as the principle source of
theology

More Biblical Importance:

Most popular/important book of all time.
Both Judaism and Christianity see the Bible
as containing the foundation story of faith.
Judaism:
Believes the Bible is Gods revelation to them and
through them to the rest of humanity

Christianity:
Similar to Judaism with a greater emphasis on NT.

Islam:
Considers it a historical and prophetic text as
background to understand Muhammed.

What does it mean to say that the

Bible is Divinely Inspired?
Does NOT mean God dictated it to the
writer.
Short answer: God speaks through the
text
Longer answer: Believes that the text is
true and consistent with Gods will
True not in the scientific sense of the word.
Religious truth the essence is true (context),
collection of memories or family stories
Belief that it is true for all times this is a
challenge!

Other vocabulary a college students

should know
Scripture means writings.
Testament means covenant.
A sacred formal agreement b/t two
parties
Why Old Testament vs Hebrew
Scriptures

Canon means measuring

stick/rule. The Bible is a
measure of faith insofar as they
are regarded as authorative for

Hebrew Scriptures:
Historical Context:
Written between 1200 150 BCE (covers
history back to circa 1800 BCE).
Long era of oral tradition before written
down.
Abraham to post-exilic Judaism
Christians retained the HS b/c it was their
history too

3 Divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures:

The Torah (The Law/Pentateuch).
The Neviim (The Prophets)
The Khetuvim (The Writings)

How to study the Bible?

2 Possible approaches:
1. Fundamentalist approach (literal).
2. Historical-Critical Method
Considers the different forms of Criticism:
- Historical Criticism
- Source Criticism
- Form Criticism
- Textual Criticism
- Redaction Criticism
Create levels/;layers of meaning
EXEGESIS is the goal

Overall Themes of the Hebrew

Scriptures:
God is a personal being who is concerned
with human affairs.
The primary way Israel learned about God
was through the things God did for Israel.
God is not only great and holy, but tender
and loving.
God constantly (faithfully) calls Israel
back into a right/conventional
relationship.
Hebrew Scriptures sets the context into
which Jesus is born.

The Patriarchs:
What do we have here in these stories?
Historical Criticism:
Culture (roles of men/women)
When? 2000-1700 BCE

Form Criticism: Folk-tales.

So, how is J. Appleseed similar to Abraham/Patriarchs?
Genuine remembrances of a core tradition (Boadt,
134)

Framing the Covenant/Promise: MAIN FEATURE

Elements of the Covenant and how were they fulfilled?
Land, Descendants and Blessed Nation
AND People to be Faithful to God!

The Exodus:
THE central faith experience of Judaism
Exodus: means going out or departure
Historical Criticism:
During the reign of Ramses II (1290-1224 BCE) the
Great Builder

Form Criticism: EPIC

Sprawling history of a hero who: goes through trials,
demonstrates bravery/wisdom, involvement of
supernatural beings, contains powerful speeches, full of
symbolism.

Relationship to the Covenant:

Purpose is to mark Israels birth as a separate nation.
10 Commandments define the boundaries of the people.