1. The Three Worlds of the Bible by Chaplain Ron McCants, M.Div, M.Ed.

2. Literary World

3. Historical World

4. Contemporary World

5. Why study the Bible? The Bible is fundamental to the identity of Christians. Issues: Abortion, race and immigration, sex and gender, capital punishment, etc.

6. God Sanctified Marriage: Genesis 2:21-24 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.“ 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

7. Abrahamic Religions

9. Holiness Code in Leviticus Chapters 17 – 19 Chapter 17: Where to offer Sacrifices Vs. 6-7 The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle … They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, Vss. 10-16 Do not eat blood Chapter 18: Forbidden Sex Vs. 6 You may not have sex with anyone who is a near kin relation: Vs. 22 You may not have sex relations with men, as you do with women: it is a disgusting thing. Chapter 19: Moral and Religious Laws Vs. 11 'You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. Vs. 15 Be fair, no matter who is on trial – don’t favor either the poor or the rich.

10. Holiness Code in Leviticus Chapters 20 – 26 Chapters 20-22: Penalties for Disobeying God’s Laws, Instructions for Priests, The Offerings are Holy Chapter 23: Religious Festivals-Passover, First Part, Harvest, Trumphets, Great Day of Forgiveness, Shelters Chapters 24-25: Caring for the Lamps and The Seventh Year Chapter 26: Blessings for Obeying the Lord Vss. 3-4 Faithfully obey my laws, and I will send rain to make your crops grow and your trees produce fruit. Vs. 10 Your barns will overflow with grain each year.

11. Interpreting the Bible As one rabbi wrote, interpreting Jeremiah 23:29 "Is not My word like a fire?" says the Lord, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? The rabbi’s interpretation was “Just as a rock is split into may splinters, so also may one biblical verse convey many meanings.”

12. The Three Worlds

13. Class Assignment Read “The Contemporary World” Case Study on Page 24 * Answer the three questions at the end of the case study. * Submit the questions with your answers on paper to the teacher. * Be prepared to discuss your answers in class.