Introduction to the English Bible

The English Scriptures as Literature

Class Guidlines
This class approach to the bible is ACADEMIC, NOT DEVOTIONAL.
The school may strive for student awareness of religions, but should NOT press for student ACCEPTANCE of any religion. The school may sponsor study ABOUT religion, but may NOT sponsor the PRACTICE of religion. The school may expose students to a diversity of religious views, but may NOT IMPOSE, DISCOURAGE, or ENCOURAGE any particular view. The school may educate about religion, but may NOT PROMOTE or DENIGRATE any religion. The school may inform the student about various beliefs, but should NOT seek to CONFORM him or her to any particular belief.

The bible
66 (Protestant) or 73 (Catholic) books Written over the span of 1500 years.

Ancient Near East

At least 40 different authors

3 original languages.

How is the bible divided?

Hebrew bible (Old Testament)
Jewish Scriptures 75% of the bible

New Testament
Christian books

25% of the bible

Old Testament
39 (Protestant) or 46 (Catholic) books

The story of Israel

Mostly Hebrew language and a little Aramaic Written from approximately 1400 - 400 BCE

Hebrew
Alphabet

Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)

The Law Historical books

Poetry
Wisdom literature

Prophets

New Testament
Written after Jesus crucifixion 27 books

Approximately 9 authors
Written in Koine Greek

Common trade language of the people

Greek
Alphabet

New Testament
The Gospels

Acts of the Apostles

The Epistles (Letters) Revelation

History of English Bible Translation

Christianity in Europe
Christianity reached Britain by the 3rd Century 389 CE Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire included all of Europe. Previously, polytheism (belief in many gods) was the popular religion.

The Middle (Dark) Ages : 500-1500AD

Common people could not read. No English translation Church used the Latin bible. The language of the Roman Empire Used by scholars

John Wycliffe

1328 1384CE

Translator of the first complete English Bible Declared a heretic by the Roman Catholic Church

William Tyndale
-

1492 1536 Defied the ban on English translations First to translate directly from the original Greek and Hebrew language texts

Executed

The Printing Press

The bible was the first mass printed book. Common people learned how to read through the bible.

Translation Philosophies
Formal Equivalence Word-for-word translation Literal Traditional view Dynamic Equivalence Thought-for thought translation Less literal than Formal Equivalence translations Modern translation philosophy NIV

Paraphrase

Freely change the wording from the original Least literal Technically not a translation A modern view

Introduction to the Hebrew Bible:

The Five Books of the Law

Genesis Beginnings Exodus Saved out of slavery in Egypt Leviticus Priestly laws Numbers Census Deuteronomy 2nd Law

The Five Books of the Law

In Hebrew, these books are called the Torah, which means law.
Contain the law that governed ancient Israel

These books are the center of the Old Testament.

Authorship

Moses

14th Century BCE

End of the Bronze Age

Raised and educated in Pharaoh's household Called a prophet

Described as speaking face-to-face with God Received the Law

Leader of the Exodus

Support for Mosaic authorship:

Exodus 24:4: Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said. Deuteronomy 31:9 So Moses wrote down this laws and gave it to the priest, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. Jesus and other biblical authors refer to Moses as the author (John 5:46)

Problems with Mosaic Authorship

Moses death is narrated

Deuteronomy 34:5-8: And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. 6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

Problems with Mosaic authorship

Deuteronomy 12:3

- Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.

References to place names that didnt exist at the time of Moses

Documentary Hypothesis

Developed by Julius Wellhausen (18441918 AD) Believed that the text was composed from four different sources.

What is Genesis?

The title means Beginnings.

First book of the Bible

Prologue to the Law

Gives an introduction to the history of Israel

Outline of Genesis
I.

I.

Primeval History (1 11) A. Creation (1 3) B. Descendants of Adam & Eve (4 5) C. Flood (6 11) Patriarchal History (12 50) A. Abraham (12 25) B. Isaac (25 26) C. Jacob (27 36) D. Joseph (36 50)

Creation

Genesis 1

Genesis 2:5

And no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground.

GENESIS Continued

Outline of Genesis
I. Primeval History (1 11) A. Creation (1 3) B. Descendants of Adam & Eve (4 5) C. Flood (6 11) II. Patriarchal History (12 50) A. Abraham (12 25) B. Isaac (25 26) C. Jacob (27 36) D. Joseph (36 50)

Creation of Man

Creation of Man
Adam created first Created good

Adam made out of the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7)

Breathed into his nostrils the breathe of life (Gen. 2:7)

Creation of Eve
Eve made from Adams rib
A suitable helper for Adam Does not denote weakness--same word used of God

Cultural Mandate
Genesis 1:28: Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea an d over the birds of the heavens and over ever living thing that moves on the earth

The Command to Adam

Genesis 2:16-17: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of ever tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Analysis of the Command

Arbitrary command
No reason given A pure test of obedience

Tree of the knowledge of good or evil

Shows the purpose of the test

Threatdeath
Physical? Spiritual?

The Fall
Disobedience of Adam and Eve Talking snake?
Reversal of created order Satan?

Tells about the entry of evil but does not directly explain the origin of evil.

The Curse
Woman Adam Genesis 3:16: I will surely Genesis 3:17-19: Cursed multiply your pain in is the ground because of childbearing; in pain you you; in pain you shall eat of shall bring forth children. it all the days of your life; Your desire shall be for thorns and thistles it shall your husband, and he shall bring forth for you; and you rule over you. shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.

Protoevangelium?
Genesis 3:15: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

The Deluge
Global or local flood?
Traditionally thought to be global Modern scholars argue that is was local

Rained 40 days and 40 nights

Flood lasted 150 days

Noahs Ark
300 cubits = 140 meters Pair of every animal on the earth

Covenant
Central concept in the Hebrew Bible Promise

A binding agreement between two parties

Common in the Ancient Near East
Usually between Kings and their vassals

Noahic Covenant
Genesis 9:8-11: Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendents after you and with every living creature that was with youthe birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with youevery living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.

Rainbow
Genesis 9:12-17: And God said This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generation to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of ever kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow

Patriarchs

The Origin of Israel

Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis 12: Promised Blessings
Promised Land Descendants

Circumcision
Genesis 17

12 Tribes of Israel