ET 511 Course Syllabus (2016-17)
1424 24th Street Sacramento, CA 95816 916.617.1770 www.rbseminary.org [email protected]
Course Syllabus Course title:
ET 511 Old Testament Introduction
Course description:
This course is designed to acquaint the student with the important issues related to the inspiration, canon, text, message, and relevance of the Old Testament.
Course instructor:
Robert Gonzales Jr. holds a Master of Arts degree (M.A.) in Theology and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Old Testament Interpretation from Bob Jones University. He is the author of Where Sin Abounds: the Spread of Sin and the Curse in Genesis with a Special Focus on the Patriarchal Narratives (Wipf & Stock, 2010) and has contributed to the Reformed Baptist Theological Review, The Founders Journal, and Westminster Theological Journal. Bob is also a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. He and his wife, Becky, have five children.
Course credit:
3 credits
Course requirements:
Student must satisfactorily complete the following course requirements:
(1) Lectures
The student must listen to the 31 lectures by Dr. Bob Gonzales on OT Introduction, which are available on the RBS online campus.
(2) Reading
The student must complete the assigned reading from the following works: Primary Textbook Merrill, Eugene H., Mark F. Rooker, and Michael A. Grisanti. The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament. B & H Academic, 2011. [approx. 560 pages] Supplementary Reading ________. Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible: A Basic Guide. Baker Books, 1999. [approx. 125 pages] Kaiser, Walther C., Jr. Toward Rediscovering the Old Testament. Zondervan, 1991. [approx. 200 pages] Oswalt, John N. The Bible Among Ancient Myths: Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature? Zondervan, 2009. [approx. 200 pages] The student may be allowed to substitute other reading for the requirements listed above, but he must obtain approval from the course instructor before doing so. If the student has any questions, he should contact the instructor, Dr. Gonzales ([email protected]).
(3) Study Questions
The student should complete the “Old Testament Introduction Study Guide” definitions, listings, and discussion questions, which are based primarily upon your reading in the assigned Old Testament Introduction.
(4) Exam
The student will be tested over the material covered in the study guide. The student should learn this material in preparation for the exam. The exam will consist of multiple-choice, matching, true/false, or fill-in-the-blank questions that are based on the information gleaned from the student’s study guide. The student may not use his study guide, textbooks, or Internet helps to take the exam. The final exam constitutes 40% of the student’s grade. The student will have 90 minutes to take the exam.
(5) Term Paper
The student should write a term paper on one of the following four subjects: 1. A Defense of the Essential Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch The paper should summarize and evaluate the various post-Enlightenment critical views on the authorship and composition of the Pentateuch. In addition to critiquing the various critical views, the paper should provide a biblical and cogent defense for essential Mosaic authorship. 2. A Defense of the Reliability of the Old Testament The paper should summarize the problem of the alleged discrepancies in the OT, identifying the various types (numerical, historical, doctrinal, and ethical) and providing some examples of each. The paper should also articulate a biblical defense of the inspiration and reliability of the OT as well as offer possible solutions to these alleged discrepancies. 3. Comparative Studies of the Ancient Near East and the Old Testament The paper should address both the values and also the potential dangers of studying the Old Testament in light of non-inspired ancient Near Eastern literature and archaeological data. The paper should provide concrete examples of both the misuse of ANE parallels as well as the proper use of ANE parallels. 4. The Relevance and Value of the Old Testament for the New Testament Church The paper should address the issue of the abiding relevance of the Old Testament for the New Testament church. The student should seek to address criticisms that the teachings or ethics of the Old Testament are inferior to or inconsistent with the New Testament. The paper should also demonstrate various ways in which Old Testament benefits the New Testament church. More information about any of the suggested topics above can be solicited from the instructor, Dr. Gonzales ([email protected]). The student may write on another topic not listed above but that is related to the study of the Old Testament contingent on the instructor’s approval. The student should use and reference secondary sources such as Bible dictionary or encyclopedia articles, journal articles, or books like those listed in the “Recommended Reading” below. The paper must be 10 to 12 pages and/or 3,500 to 4,200 words in length (doublespaced) with at least 2 pages of bibliography and should conform to the term paper standards set forth in the RBS “Guidelines & Expectations for Students” and more fully in A Manual for Writers of Term Paper, Theses, and Dissertations, 8th edition by Kate L. Turabian. An MS Word Turabian template is provided on the online campus. The instructor shall deduct points from papers that fall short or exceed the parameters of length or that fail to conform to the seminary’s writing and formatting standards specified above.
Course grading:
Lectures = 10%; Reading = 10% Exam over Study Questions = 40% Final Paper = 40%
Recommended Reading:
The following works are recommended reading for the subject matter of this course. The instructor recommends that the student consult some of these works if possible when writing the term paper for the course.
Archer, Gleason, Jr. New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties. Zondervan, 2001. [approx. 300 pages in OT section] _________. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 3rd edition. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994. [approx. 600 pages] Baker, David L. Two Testaments, One Bible: The Theological Relationship Between the Old and New Testaments. Third edition. Intervarsity, 2010. Beale, G. K., and D. A. Carson, editors. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Baker Academic, 2007. [approx. 1,200 pages] Beale, G. K., editor. The Right Doctrine from the Wrong Text? Essays on the Use of the Old Testament in the New. Baker Academic, 1994. [approx. 420 pages] Bell, Robert D. The Theological Messages of the Old Testament. BJU Press, 2010. [approx. 490 pages] Beckwith, Roger T. The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament Church. Wipf & Stock, 1985. [approx. 500 pages] Brotzman, Ellis R. Old Testament Textual Criticism: A Practical Introduction. Baker Books, 1994. [approx. 200 pages] Dillard, Raymond and Tremper Longman III. An Introduction to the Old Testament. 2nd edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006. [approx. 520 pages] Currid, John. Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1997. [approx. 250 pages] ________. Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible: A Basic Guide. Baker Books, 1999. [approx. 125 pages] Edershiem, Alfred. Old Testament Bible History, updated edition. Reprint, Hendricksen, 1994. [approx. 1400 pages] Gaebelein, Frank E., editor. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 1, pp. 197405. Zondervan, 1979. [approx. 730 pages] Harrison, Roland K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Reprint, Hendrickson Publishers, 2004. [approx. 1,270 pp.] Hess, Richard. Israelite Religions: An Archaeological and Biblical Survey. Baker Academic, 2007. [approx. 420 pages] Hill, Andrew E., and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament. Second edition. Zondervan, 2000. [approx. 600 pages] Hoerth, Alfred. Archaeology and the Old Testament. Baker, 1997. [approx. 480 pages] Hoffmaier, James K. Ancient Israel in Sinai: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition. Oxford, 2005. [approx. 300 pages] ________. Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition. Oxford, 1996. [approx. 200 pages] Kaiser, Walter C., Jr. Hard Sayings of the Old Testament. Intervarsity Press, 1988. [approx. 250 pages] ________. More Hard Sayings of the Old Testament. Intervarsity Press, 1992. [approx. 260 pages] ________. Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament. Baker/Revell, 2003. [208 pages]
________. The Old Testament Documents: Are They Reliable and Relevant? Intervarsity Press, 2000. [216 pages] Kitchen, Kenneth A. On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Eerdmans, 2003. [approx 500 pages] Kline, Meredith G. The Structure of Biblical Authority. Second edition. Eerdmans, 1975. [approx. 210 pages] La Sor, William S., David A. Hubbard, Frederic W. Bush, and Leslie Allen. Old Testament Survey. Second edition. Eerdmans, 1996. [approx. 850 pages] Longman, Tremper, III. Making Sense of the Old Testament: Three Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998. [approx. 140 pages] Merrill, Eugene H. Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel, 2nd edition. Baker Academic, 2008. [approx. 530 pages] Niehaus, Jeffrey J. Ancient Near Eastern Themes in Biblical Theology. Kregel Academic & Professional, 2008. [approx. 200 pages] Provan, Iain, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman III. A Biblical History of Israel. Westminster/John Knox Press, 2003. [approx. 400 pages] Schultz, Samuel J. The Old Testament Speaks. Third edition. Harper & Row, 1980. [approx. 425 pages] Walton, John H. Ancient Israelite Literature in its Cultural Context: A Survey of Parallels Between Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Texts. Zondervan, 1989. [approx. 250 pages] ________. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Bible. Baker Academic, 2006. [approx. 350 pages] Young, Edward J. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Eerdmans, 1960. [approx. 400 pages]
Course Syllabus Course title:
ET 511 Old Testament Introduction
Course description:
This course is designed to acquaint the student with the important issues related to the inspiration, canon, text, message, and relevance of the Old Testament.
Course instructor:
Robert Gonzales Jr. holds a Master of Arts degree (M.A.) in Theology and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Old Testament Interpretation from Bob Jones University. He is the author of Where Sin Abounds: the Spread of Sin and the Curse in Genesis with a Special Focus on the Patriarchal Narratives (Wipf & Stock, 2010) and has contributed to the Reformed Baptist Theological Review, The Founders Journal, and Westminster Theological Journal. Bob is also a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. He and his wife, Becky, have five children.
Course credit:
3 credits
Course requirements:
Student must satisfactorily complete the following course requirements:
(1) Lectures
The student must listen to the 31 lectures by Dr. Bob Gonzales on OT Introduction, which are available on the RBS online campus.
(2) Reading
The student must complete the assigned reading from the following works: Primary Textbook Merrill, Eugene H., Mark F. Rooker, and Michael A. Grisanti. The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament. B & H Academic, 2011. [approx. 560 pages] Supplementary Reading ________. Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible: A Basic Guide. Baker Books, 1999. [approx. 125 pages] Kaiser, Walther C., Jr. Toward Rediscovering the Old Testament. Zondervan, 1991. [approx. 200 pages] Oswalt, John N. The Bible Among Ancient Myths: Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature? Zondervan, 2009. [approx. 200 pages] The student may be allowed to substitute other reading for the requirements listed above, but he must obtain approval from the course instructor before doing so. If the student has any questions, he should contact the instructor, Dr. Gonzales ([email protected]).
(3) Study Questions
The student should complete the “Old Testament Introduction Study Guide” definitions, listings, and discussion questions, which are based primarily upon your reading in the assigned Old Testament Introduction.
(4) Exam
The student will be tested over the material covered in the study guide. The student should learn this material in preparation for the exam. The exam will consist of multiple-choice, matching, true/false, or fill-in-the-blank questions that are based on the information gleaned from the student’s study guide. The student may not use his study guide, textbooks, or Internet helps to take the exam. The final exam constitutes 40% of the student’s grade. The student will have 90 minutes to take the exam.
(5) Term Paper
The student should write a term paper on one of the following four subjects: 1. A Defense of the Essential Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch The paper should summarize and evaluate the various post-Enlightenment critical views on the authorship and composition of the Pentateuch. In addition to critiquing the various critical views, the paper should provide a biblical and cogent defense for essential Mosaic authorship. 2. A Defense of the Reliability of the Old Testament The paper should summarize the problem of the alleged discrepancies in the OT, identifying the various types (numerical, historical, doctrinal, and ethical) and providing some examples of each. The paper should also articulate a biblical defense of the inspiration and reliability of the OT as well as offer possible solutions to these alleged discrepancies. 3. Comparative Studies of the Ancient Near East and the Old Testament The paper should address both the values and also the potential dangers of studying the Old Testament in light of non-inspired ancient Near Eastern literature and archaeological data. The paper should provide concrete examples of both the misuse of ANE parallels as well as the proper use of ANE parallels. 4. The Relevance and Value of the Old Testament for the New Testament Church The paper should address the issue of the abiding relevance of the Old Testament for the New Testament church. The student should seek to address criticisms that the teachings or ethics of the Old Testament are inferior to or inconsistent with the New Testament. The paper should also demonstrate various ways in which Old Testament benefits the New Testament church. More information about any of the suggested topics above can be solicited from the instructor, Dr. Gonzales ([email protected]). The student may write on another topic not listed above but that is related to the study of the Old Testament contingent on the instructor’s approval. The student should use and reference secondary sources such as Bible dictionary or encyclopedia articles, journal articles, or books like those listed in the “Recommended Reading” below. The paper must be 10 to 12 pages and/or 3,500 to 4,200 words in length (doublespaced) with at least 2 pages of bibliography and should conform to the term paper standards set forth in the RBS “Guidelines & Expectations for Students” and more fully in A Manual for Writers of Term Paper, Theses, and Dissertations, 8th edition by Kate L. Turabian. An MS Word Turabian template is provided on the online campus. The instructor shall deduct points from papers that fall short or exceed the parameters of length or that fail to conform to the seminary’s writing and formatting standards specified above.
Course grading:
Lectures = 10%; Reading = 10% Exam over Study Questions = 40% Final Paper = 40%
Recommended Reading:
The following works are recommended reading for the subject matter of this course. The instructor recommends that the student consult some of these works if possible when writing the term paper for the course.
Archer, Gleason, Jr. New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties. Zondervan, 2001. [approx. 300 pages in OT section] _________. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 3rd edition. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994. [approx. 600 pages] Baker, David L. Two Testaments, One Bible: The Theological Relationship Between the Old and New Testaments. Third edition. Intervarsity, 2010. Beale, G. K., and D. A. Carson, editors. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Baker Academic, 2007. [approx. 1,200 pages] Beale, G. K., editor. The Right Doctrine from the Wrong Text? Essays on the Use of the Old Testament in the New. Baker Academic, 1994. [approx. 420 pages] Bell, Robert D. The Theological Messages of the Old Testament. BJU Press, 2010. [approx. 490 pages] Beckwith, Roger T. The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament Church. Wipf & Stock, 1985. [approx. 500 pages] Brotzman, Ellis R. Old Testament Textual Criticism: A Practical Introduction. Baker Books, 1994. [approx. 200 pages] Dillard, Raymond and Tremper Longman III. An Introduction to the Old Testament. 2nd edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006. [approx. 520 pages] Currid, John. Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1997. [approx. 250 pages] ________. Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible: A Basic Guide. Baker Books, 1999. [approx. 125 pages] Edershiem, Alfred. Old Testament Bible History, updated edition. Reprint, Hendricksen, 1994. [approx. 1400 pages] Gaebelein, Frank E., editor. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 1, pp. 197405. Zondervan, 1979. [approx. 730 pages] Harrison, Roland K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Reprint, Hendrickson Publishers, 2004. [approx. 1,270 pp.] Hess, Richard. Israelite Religions: An Archaeological and Biblical Survey. Baker Academic, 2007. [approx. 420 pages] Hill, Andrew E., and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament. Second edition. Zondervan, 2000. [approx. 600 pages] Hoerth, Alfred. Archaeology and the Old Testament. Baker, 1997. [approx. 480 pages] Hoffmaier, James K. Ancient Israel in Sinai: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition. Oxford, 2005. [approx. 300 pages] ________. Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition. Oxford, 1996. [approx. 200 pages] Kaiser, Walter C., Jr. Hard Sayings of the Old Testament. Intervarsity Press, 1988. [approx. 250 pages] ________. More Hard Sayings of the Old Testament. Intervarsity Press, 1992. [approx. 260 pages] ________. Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament. Baker/Revell, 2003. [208 pages]
________. The Old Testament Documents: Are They Reliable and Relevant? Intervarsity Press, 2000. [216 pages] Kitchen, Kenneth A. On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Eerdmans, 2003. [approx 500 pages] Kline, Meredith G. The Structure of Biblical Authority. Second edition. Eerdmans, 1975. [approx. 210 pages] La Sor, William S., David A. Hubbard, Frederic W. Bush, and Leslie Allen. Old Testament Survey. Second edition. Eerdmans, 1996. [approx. 850 pages] Longman, Tremper, III. Making Sense of the Old Testament: Three Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998. [approx. 140 pages] Merrill, Eugene H. Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel, 2nd edition. Baker Academic, 2008. [approx. 530 pages] Niehaus, Jeffrey J. Ancient Near Eastern Themes in Biblical Theology. Kregel Academic & Professional, 2008. [approx. 200 pages] Provan, Iain, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman III. A Biblical History of Israel. Westminster/John Knox Press, 2003. [approx. 400 pages] Schultz, Samuel J. The Old Testament Speaks. Third edition. Harper & Row, 1980. [approx. 425 pages] Walton, John H. Ancient Israelite Literature in its Cultural Context: A Survey of Parallels Between Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Texts. Zondervan, 1989. [approx. 250 pages] ________. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Bible. Baker Academic, 2006. [approx. 350 pages] Young, Edward J. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Eerdmans, 1960. [approx. 400 pages]
