Old Testament Introduction History & Methodology

Critical Study of the O.T.

History of Research Origen (c ) –Commentaries –Hexapla

Critical Study of the O.T. From

Critical Study of the O.T. History of Research Jerome (c ) –Translations and commentaries

Critical Study of the O.T. History of Research Augustine (c )) –7 days of creation

Critical Study of the O.T. History of Research Protestant reformers –Martin Luther “sola scriptura”

Critical Study of the O.T. History of Research Protestant reformers –John Calvin “waters above the heavens”

Critical Study of the O.T. History of Research Nineteenth Century & Following –Biblical Scholarship moved out of the umbrella of church authority. –Critical scholars of the 18 th and 19 th centuries did not cease to be people of faith who believed in authoritative scripture.

Critical Study of the O.T. History of Research Eichhorn, Einleitung in das Alte Testament ( ) De Wette, , the laws of the OT had grown up over centuries –Rogerson called this a “radical turn in critical scholarship that has affected the discipline ever since.”

Critical Study of the O.T. History of Research Julius Wellhausen –Prolegomena to the History of Israel

Critical Study of the O.T. Faith, Fundamentalism, & Critical Methods Does Critical study of the OT preclude faith in God, Jesus, and the truth of scripture?

Critical Study of the O.T. Faith, Fundamentalism, & Critical Methods Everyone falls on a continuum of literalness

Critical Study of the O.T. The Bible is primarily a book of faith, not history or science! 

Critical Study—Methods World behind the Text –Historical Criticism –Textual Criticism –Redaction Criticism –Source Criticism –Form Criticism

Critical Study—Methods World of the Text –Canonical Criticism –Narrative Criticism –Rhetorical Criticism –Modern Cultural Methodologies Liberation Feminist

Critical Study—Methods World in front of the text –Reader-Response Criticism

Methods A Missional Reading

History & Historiography

“The OT does not contain the history of ancient Israel!”

History & Historiography Historiography –Western assumptions of history writing Chronological Systematic Objective

History & Historiography The reality is that … –History writing is both exclusive & interpretive Orwell, 1984Orwell, 1984 –Who controls the past, controls the future: –Who controls the present controls the past.

Has archaeology proven the Bible to be true? –The walls of Jericho –The Dead Sea Scrolls Archaeology & Chronology

“In every instance where the findings of archaeology pertain to the Biblical record, the archaeological evidence confirms, sometimes in detailed fashion, the historical accuracy of Scripture. In those instances where the archaeological findings seem to be at variance with the Bible, the discrepancy lies with the archaeological evidence, i.e., improper interpretation, lack of evidence, etc.—not with the Bible” (Bryant Wood, net/archaeology/ ).

Archaeology & Chronology Preachers (and seminary professors!) do not need to produce more controversy or drive a greater wedge between themselves and the scientific and academic community at large.

World View of OT

Boundaries –God is “holy,” set apart by an invisible boundary.

World View of OT Magic –Gideon’s fleece, casting lots, sacred prostitution, and dancing prophets

World View of OT Social Organization –Tribe and Family –Nation

OT Theology “Biblical theology” “progressive revelation” or “winding quest ” W. Eichrodt Gerhard von Rad “Biblical Theology Movement”