Intro_OT1 The Christian Bible, Part I, RP 2250 The Bible as Literature Craig Ho

Intro_OT2 The Old Testament

Intro_OT3 Why is the Bible studied in the universities? A. Academic reasons: 1. The Bible is great and interesting literature in its own right. 2. The literature of the West has been and is being influenced by the Bible, both in world-view and language. B. Historical reasons: 1. Universities were originated from monasteries ( 修道院 ) in the Middle-Age. Monks and nuns studied the Bible. 2. It is one of the first subjects in the most ancient universities in the western (Christian) world.

Intro_OT4 Different canons of the Old Testament (OT) A canon is a standard list of books which are regarded as authoritative. The Hebrew Bible of the Jews. The OT of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches (=texts of the Hebrew Bible + 15 / 18 apocryphal texts.) The OT of the Protestant Churches (=texts of the Hebrew Bible)

Intro_OT5 The Hebrew canon The Prophets (4+4) Joshua 約書亞記 Judges 士師記 1&2 Samuel 撒母耳記 1&2 Kings 列王紀上下 Isaiah 以賽亞書 Jeremiah 耶利米書 Ezekiel 以西結書 the twelve ＋二先知書 ( Hosea, Joel, Amos 阿摩司, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi) The Writings (11) Psalms 詩篇 Job 約伯記 Proverbs 箴言 Ruth 路得記 Song of Solomon 雅歌 Ecclesiastes 傳道書 Lamentations 耶利米哀歌 Esther 以斯帖記 Daniel 但以理書 Ezra-Nehemiah 以斯拉記, 尼希 米記 1&2 Chronicles 歷代志上下 NB. Ezra and Nehemiah are one book in the Hebrew canon. } Former Prophets } Latter Prophets } Five scrolls The five scrolls are read at five main Jewish feasts: 1. Songs for Passover, 2. Ruth for the Feast of Weeks or Harvest, 3. Lamentations for the fast in remembrance of the destruction of Jerusalem, 4. Ecclesiastes for Booths 5. Esther for Purim The Law (5) Genesis 創世記 Exodus 出埃及記 Leviticus 利未記 Numbers 民數記 Deuteronomy 申命記

Intro_OT6 The Christian OT Canons The Historical Books (12) Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Easther The Prophets (5+12) Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi 39 Canonical books common to all Christian Churches (Note 1) 15 Apocryphal books common to Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches 1 Esdras 2 Esdras Tobit Judith Additions to Esther Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiastcus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirah Baruch Letter of Jeremiah Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men Susanna Bel and the Dragon Prayer of Manasseh 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees 3 extra apocryphal books in the OT canon of the Eastern Orthodox Churchers 3 Maccabees 4 Maccabees Psalm 151 Note 1: Protestant Churches accept only these 39 books as their OT canon The Law (5) Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy The Poetic and Wisdom Books (5) Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon

Intro_OT7 The Divisions of the Three Canons of the Old Testament Jewish The Law (5) The Prophets Former Prophets (4) Latter Prophets (4) The Writings (11) Protestant Pentateuch (5) History Books (12) Poetry and Wisdom Books (5) Prophetic Books (17) Catholic / Orthodox Pentateuch History Books Poetry and Wisdom Books Prophetic Books Apocrypha /18

Intro_OT8 What is the Old Testament all about? The Law (5) - consists of the books of - Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy

Intro_OT9 The Historical Books consists of the Book of Joshua, (Joshua was Moses' successor) the Book of Judges, (Judges were civil and military leaders) the Book of Ruth, (Ruth was a Moabite widow) 1 and 2 Samuel, (Samuel was the last judge and first prophet) 1 and 2 Kings, (Story of the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah) 1 and 2 Chronicles, (Story of the kingdom of Judah) the Book of Ezra, (Ezra was an expert of the Law) the Book of Nehemiah, (Nehemiah was a high official at the court of the Persian emperor)

Intro_OT10 Major Historical Events: the Exodus, political liberation from Egyptian oppression, about 1290 BC the beginning of Monarchy, 1050 BC Solomon built the Jerusalem Temple, BC the division of the united kingdom, 933 BC the fall of Israel, the northern kingdom, 721/2 BC Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem, 701 BC Josiah's religious reformation, 621 BC the fall of Judah, the southern kingdom, 586/7 BC the exile of people of Judah, 605, 597, 586 BC the return of the Jewish exile, 538 BC building of the Second Temple, founded 536, BC } Assyrian period } Babylonian period } Persian period } Egyptian period

Intro_OT11 The Historical Atlas of the Ancient Near East

Intro_OT12 The Prophetic Books consists of Amos (760), Hosea ( ), Micah ( ) Isaiah (ch. 1-39) of Jerusalem ( ) Zephaniah ( ), Jeremiah ( ) Nahum (612), Habakkauk (605, see Jer ) Ezekiel ( ) Obadiah (after 586), Lamentation Haggai (520), Zechariah (520), Malachi (440) Other prophets: Daniel (story of the Jews in exile) Isaiah of Babylon (message to encourage the Jews exile) Joel (call for repentance) Jonah (call Nineveh to repent) } Assyrian period } Babylonian period } Persian period

Intro_OT13 The Poetic and Wisdom Books consists of Job, (a philosophical and religious dialogue on God’s justice) Psalms, (hymn books for worship in the temple) Proverbs, (wise sayings of the Jewish people) Ecclesiastes, (a wise old man's inquiry into the meaning of life) Song of Solomon, (erotic love poetries)

Intro_OT14 The meaning of the Old Testament 1. Salvation History: (i.e. history as understood by God’s people, unified meaning) As a whole it tells the story of Yahweh’s dealing with his people Israel: election, blessing (land/nation and people), saving them when they were in trouble (exodus, return to the promised land from exile). 2. National literature (diversified meaning)Its different parts tell us about the Hebrew people’s life experience – religion (divine love), human relationship (love poems, love stories), philosophical dialogue (Job), stories of national heroes (Moses, David, Esther etc.)

Intro_OT15 The Basic Concerns of the OT The Torah (Law and early history) -Concerned with the SACRED: origin of the world, divine calling of the patriarchs, suffering in Egypt, miraculous delivery from Egypt, receiving of the Law The Prophets (History and social concern) -Concerned with the ETHICAL: history as stories of human failure, criticizing society from an ethical point of view The Writings (Miscellaneous) -Concerned with the HUMAN: human response to God (Psalms), human love (Ruth, Song), human suffering (Job), meaning of life (Ecclesiastes), human wisdom (Proverbs)

Intro_OT16 Overview of today’s lecture The Structures of the Three Canons of the Old Testament What is the Old Testament all about? The Historical Books Major Historical Events The Prophetic Books The Poetic and Wisdom Books Three basic concerns of the OT