OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY

OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY The Geography of the Old Testament

The Old Testament World 1.) The Fertile Crescent God’s revelation in the OT took place in time and space. Many other religions cannot make this claim. 2.) Mesopotamia 3.) Egypt 4.) Anatolia 5.) Palestine THERE ARE 5 DIFFERENT COMPONENTS

Palestine Its 4 geographical regions: A great deal of the OT happened here. 1.) Coastal Plain 2.) The Central Hill Country 3.) The Jordan Rift Valley 4.) The Transjordanian Region

OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY Criticisms of the Old Testament

What is a “criticism?” Definition: The exercise of judgment and intentionality in the process of studying the Bible. Usually referred to as Biblical criticism.

1.) Textual Criticism -Even the best would make mistakes when they translated the Hebrew text. This is a “lower” criticism. -They weren’t destroyed and resulted in various readings. -Textual critics would compare these various readings to the Leningrad Text. -Best known for this today – Emmanuel Tov.

2.) Historical Criticism -This is focused on the historical method of how the text came together. Focused on the world behind the text and not the text, itself. This is a “higher” criticism. -4 sub-categories: Source Criticism, Form Criticism, Redaction Criticism, & Tradition-History Criticism.

Source Criticism -Various sources make up what we see as the one Old Testament Bible. -Source Criticism verifies those various sources. -Most well known for this – Julius Wellhasen.

Form Criticism -The OT began as spoken word. -It was to function a specific way as it was spoken out loud. -Form critics do 2 things: 1.) Figure out the “form” of the text. -Psalm, Saga [long story], etiology [origin], etc. 2.) Figure out the setting that it was used in. -Like in Jewish festivals for example.

Redaction Criticism -Redaction critics believe that the OT was made up of various sources from all different types of writers. -It was brought together by one editor or “redactor.” Most likely thought to be Ezra.

Tradition-History Criticism -The Bible, and OT in particular, is a theological book. -Because it’s mainly concerned with theology, these critics believe that what’s in the OT is not historical but rather, fictional. -Must find out what’s really true and what’s not and edit your study of it based on that.

Historical Criticism problem... Almost all of the historical critics do not believe that the Bible is literally true. -Adam and Eve -Noah and the flood -Moses and the exodus. -David and Goliath and more.

3.) Literary Criticism -This refers to focusing on the final form of the text. -The Bible is true, and at the same time, is also literature. -They react to historical critics who say Bible isn’t true. -Therefore, it should be approached as literature.

3.) Literary Criticism -There are three sub-categories: -Rhetorical criticism, canonical criticism, structural/narrative criticism.

Rhetorical Criticism -The text as a rhetorical nature. -To use “rhetoric” is to “express in terms intended to persuade or impress.” -This is used to help better communicate an idea or specific teaching.

Rhetorical Criticism -Some examples of rhetoric being used: -Alliteration -Inclusio -Chiasmus

Alliteration -Pastors/ministers/writers use this now. -ABCs of salvation -Teaching points that all begin with the same letter or in some consistent pattern. -Sermon example: God has p ower, p atience, and p assion. -Helps for memorization.

Chiasmus -Writer starts with a thought and proceeds with a literary pattern to drive a thought in. -Example of this is Psalm Repetition takes place in some way. Brings in a central point.

Chiasmus – PSALM 110:1-7

Inclusio -The beginning and the end are the same in this. -The first and last verses (1 & 9) both say this: “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” -Psalm 8 is an example. It has 9 total verses. -What do you think is the main point of Psalm 8? -The Lord is majestic in all the earth.

Canonical Criticism -This begins with the final form of the text. -Attempts to understand the theological message and content of the text to the first readers of it.

Structural/Narrative Criticism -Identifies the characters, plot, theme, and motif. -Asks the question in study: Why are they there and what does it all mean?

OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY The Message of the Old Testament

The OT is 39 books over a period of 1600 years – from Abraham to Malachi. Even more, when you include creation. Can we really boil this amount of text over this amount of time to one central theme? To one single message? Most would say no, but there is one unifying message.

The message of the OT is contained in Exodus 34:6-7: “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Why is Exodus 34:6-7 the message of the Old Testament? -Because these verses are found altogether 8 times in the Old Testament. -Numbers 14:18, Psalm 86:15, Psalm 103:8, Jonah 4:2, Joel 2:13, Nehemiah 9:17, Nehemiah 9:31. -Not verbatim (exact), but basically the same thing. -Significance? Time and location

Simply stated, the message of the OT is... The God we serve is a holy God, but he is a gracious God.

QUESTIONS?