UNIT 3 DAILY SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS FOR THL 201-N Spring 2015
Wed Apr 8 ………………………………………………………………………………………….
In Exile! Primal Screams in Anger, Questioning, and Despair. With life in ruins, everyone is wondering what in the world the Lord might be thinking and doing–if anything. Some powerful feelings of the time are recorded along with their interpretation based in faith. Three moving examples can be found in: the Book of Lamentations; Psalm 137; and the Book of Obadiah.
The Book of Lamentations. Tradition says the prophet Jeremiah felt the fall of Jerusalem so keenly that he composed a series of laments, like funeral dirges, over the event. Read the introduction to the Book of Lamentations in TOT, 343-344.
· Now read the Book of Lamentations itself. What can we learn about the Judeans and their felt experience of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple?
Psalm 137. The exiles are in despair. The homeland is destroyed, the survivors shipped across the map to Babylon. Read Psalm 137 and picture it composed by Judean temple singers now in Exile. What might it tell us about their experience? How should we understand verses 7-9?
The Book of the Prophet Obadiah. Meanwhile, back in the ruined former land of Judah, the survivors have some powerful feelings of their own.
· Read the introduction to the Book of Obadiah in TOT, 272c-273. What might help you understand the Book of Obadiah?
· Now read the huge long Book of Obadiah itself, straight through, and absorb the content in light of the situation at the time. How should we understand this?
Life in Exile and the Big Issues.
· For a short summary of this complex and important period, and what the pastor prophets said, first read the online document: “Meta-narrative…,” “Part Four: In the Babylonian Exile” (pp. 10-11), along with the Bible passages mentioned there.
· Then read TOT, 61d-62c for another take.
· In more detail, read the online document “Notes on the Babylonian Exile and Return,” “Part One: Life in Exile,” also with the passages mentioned there.
· What happens in this period? More specifically:
(1) What is the situation of the Judeans in exile?
(2) What are the key issues, and how to prophetic voices address them?
(3) Pay special attention to the prophet Ezekiel.
Ezekiel the Prophet: Pastor and Theologian. The outstanding voice in this time and situation came from the great Ezekiel, prophet and leader on location in the exile.
· Read a survey of the messages of Ezekiel in their historical setting in TOT, 274-279d.
· What happens in this period? More specifically:
(1) What are the main issues addressed by Ezekiel, and what does he say about each?
(2) Which of his messages seem interesting to you? Why?
Preparing for Return from Babylonian Exile. After a couple generations in the Exile, an unknown prophet whom we can call “Isaiah of the Exile,” and whose teaching is found in Isaiah 40-55 (“Second Isaiah”), begins to proclaim: “You will soon return! Get ready!” (40:3-5). Incredibly, this happens.
· For an introduction to this period and its circumstances, read TOT, 62c-63b.
Return from Exile! The unbelievable happens.
· For a short summary of the remarkable events of this period, first read the online document: “Meta-narrative…,” “Part Five: Return to Jerusalem” (p. 11), along with the Bible passages mentioned there.
· In more detail, read the online document “Notes on the Babylonian Exile and Return,” “Part Two: Return from Exile,” also with the passages mentioned there.
· What happens in this period? More specifically:
(1) What makes the return possible, humanly speaking?
(2) What are the stages or phases of return?
(3) How well do things go, and why?
(4) What is the story on Jerusalem and the temple at this point?
(5) What are the prophetic voices?
Wed Apr 15 ………………………………………………………………………………………..
Ezra’s Reform and Nehemiah the Governor. A few generations after the two initial phases of return, two new groups arrive with capable and energetic leaders.
· For a short summary of this brief but vivid and influential period, first read the online document: “Meta-narrative…,” “Part Six: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Mosaic Law,” along with the Bible passages mentioned there.
· In more detail, read the online document “Notes on the Babylonian Exile and Return,” “Part Three: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Mosaic Law,” also with the passages mentioned there.
· What happens in this period? More specifically:
(1) What does Ezra do?
(2) What does Nehemiah do?
(3) What is the outcome for religion?
(4) What does the prophet Malachi in particular say about some of this?
Third Isaiah and the Open Community. Meanwhile, at about this time we get the anonymous prophetic voice, “Isaiah of the Return,” collected in Isaiah 56-66, commonly called “Third Isaiah.” For his messages in that situation, see the online document “Meta-narrative…,” Part Six.
Meet “The Writings”: A Diverse Collection. Part Three of the Hebrew Bible is called in Jewish tradition “The Writings,” which simply means a miscellaneous collection of sacred writings that don’t fit into Part One (The Torah) or Part Two (The Prophets). The Writings include some famous and well-beloved parts of the Old Testament, such as the Psalms and the Proverbs. The final section of our course will sample the most important of the Writings. Read about this collection in TOT, chapter 23.
The Book of Psalms. In the Bible we find a collection of hymns and prayers of extraordinary power and beauty, and this is the Book of Psalms. Some of the oldest ones have been sung and prayed continuously for almost 3000 years.
· Responding to God and Life. The Old Testament as a whole tells Israel’s story in light of belief about what God says to them and how God works with them. Now in these prayers the people respond. They provide words and thoughts for responding in faith to the gifts and reversals of life, in joy or in sorrow, as individuals or the united community of faith.
· A Collection of Prayers and Hymns. These prayers were collected over many centuries, much like a church prayer book or hymnal. The original circumstances for most of them have been lost. This is because the ones which were kept were general enough that many different people could identify with them in many different situations.
· Read and absorb Dennis Bratcher’s “Introducing the Psalms” in online documents.
Types of Psalms. Many psalms are similar in nature and can therefore be classed in the same general category or type, such as “Lament Psalms,” “Thanksgiving Psalms,” and “Hymns.” To understand any given psalm, such as the rightly famous and beloved Psalm 23, the most valuable thing we can do is start by recognizing which type or category it belongs in, learning the features of that type, and going from there.
· Now read and absorb Dennis Bratcher’s explanation of the types of psalms in “Patterns for Life . . . in the Psalms” in online documents.
(1) What do you find interesting or unexpected here?
(2) Why do you think the psalms still speak so directly to so many people today?
Wed April 22 ……………………………………………………………………………………….
Wisdom Literature and Proverbs. Scripture that does not exactly appeal to revealed truth? Read Dennis Bratcher’s “The Character of Wisdom: An Introduction to Old Testament Wisdom Literature” in online documents.
· What is the wisdom literature all about?
· How is it different from, say, the prophets?
The Book of Proverbs. A stitch in time saves nine, right?
· Read “Proverbs, The Book of” by Brennan Breed, in online documents.
· In plain English, in your own words, how would you explain what is in that book?
The Dissident Voice of Job. What if experience contradicts everything our faith normally teaches about justice and rewards in this life?
Read the online document “Notes on the Book of Job.”
· What are the fundamental questions addressed in the Book of Job, and how does the author deal with them?
· What do you think of the way those questions are handled?
Skepticism! Is life worthwhile? Does all our activity have any meaning? One take: “Doesn’t look like it, but. . . .”
· To learn about a Bible book that doesn’t look like one, read the introduction to the Book of Ecclesiastes in TOT 334-337. What might help you understand this book?
· Now read this short but surprising little book itself, straight through, and absorb the content in light of the situation at the time.
(1) What does it say? Not say?
(2) To whom might this be addressed, and what are the circumstances?
Keeping Torah in a Changing and Hostile World: The Hellenistic Period. One empire after another! Changes, changes, changes! After the return from Exile, the Jewish communities in various lands found themselves facing one issue after another for self-identity and self-preservation. A natural result of that experience was to produce more thought, more writings, and more reflection on that experience.
· To learn about this period and its importance, read TOT, 63b-64c, and all of chapter 29.
· For a short summary of this complex and important period, read the online document: “Keeping Torah in a Changing and Hostile World.”
· What happened? How did various Jewish communities cope? What were the results?
· In particular, what writings were produced and what were the issues they addressed?
Wed April 29 ……………………………………………………………………………………….
Secondary Books: The “Second Canon,” Called the Books of the Apocrypha or the Deuterocanonical Books. Some early Jewish tradition, and much of early Christian tradition, included some extra books in the collection which we now call the Old Testament. These books were produced in the Persian and especially the Hellenistic periods. They are now in their own sub-category, and are commonly called the “Apocrypha” as a group, or the “Deuterocanonical” books.
· To learn about this collection, read TOT, chapter 30; for a short summary, read the online document: “Apocrypha.”
· What are these books like? What kinds of writings do they include?
· What do they add or contribute to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible collection as a whole?
The Process of Formation: How the Old Testament Came to Us. Ancient writings and collections don’t just appear out of the blue. They result from a situation of some kind, and address a target audience of people in their needs and circumstances. This is entirely true of the Old Testament writings and we want to be aware of this for our final, overall understanding of the collection as a whole.
· Read and absorb TOT, Chapter 2, “The Process of Formation,” pp. 21-32c; for a short summary, read the online document: “Process of Formation.”
· What did you find interesting or unexpected or surprising here?
· How might your knowledge of the process of formation affect your perspective on its credibility as sacred Scripture?
Using the OT as Christian Scripture. The 2000 year old question: How might people of the Christian faith read the Old Testament as Scripture for theology–that is, for belief and actions–in light of the New Testament, and since then to the present day?
· Read the online document “Using the Old Testament as Christian Scripture.”
· What would this suggest for using the Old Testament as Christian Scripture today?
· What other considerations might we bring to the subject?