OT OPENING LECTURE

I. DEFINITION OF COMMONLY USED TERMS

A. Names of God (see Special Topic: Names For Deity)

B. Names of Texts and Translations:

1. Masoretic Text (MT)

2. Septuagint (LXX)

3. Vulgate

4. Midrash

a. Halakah – commentary on the Torah

b. Haggada – stories and parables on whole OT

5. Talmud

a. Mishnah – oral traditions on Torah from older famous rabbis

b. Gemara – commentary on Mishnah by later rabbis

6. Targums

7. Dead Sea Scrolls

II. WHY STUDY THE OLD TESTAMENT

A. It was the only Scripture that Jesus and the Apostles had. They quoted from it often.

B. Everywhere in the NT that the word "Scripture" is used, it refers to the OT.

C. It is God's self revelation. It is inspired.

1. Matthew 5:17ff

2. II Timothy 3:15-17

3. I Corinthians 2:9-13

4. I Thessalonians 2:13

5. I Peter 1:23-25

6. II Peter 1:20-21

7. II Peter 3:15-16

D. It was written for us.

1. Romans 4:23-24; 15:4

2. I Corinthians 9:9-10; 10:6, 11

E. How should Christians respond to it?

1. Several historical approaches

2. keep it completely

3. ignore it completely

4. respect it as revelation but not binding

5. It is not a means of salvation

a. Romans 4

b. Acts 15; Galatians 3

c. Hebrews

6. It is God's revelation to humanity. It has a purpose in our lives. It forms the basis for the New Testament (promise to fulfillment).

F. For evidences for an inspired OT see www.freebiblecommentary.org , Video Sermons, Lakeside Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas.

III. HOW DO WE STUDY THE OLD TESTAMENT (BIBLE)

Some basic interpretive principles:

A. The Bible is written in normal human language:

1. God is not hiding truth.

2. God has accommodated Himself to our ability to understand.

B. The key to proper interpretation is the original inspired author's intent. This is found in the plain meaning of the terms as used by the author and understood by the original hearers. Therefore, to properly interpret a passage one must take into account the following info:

1. the historical setting

2. the literary context

3. the genre (type of literature)

4. the grammar (syntax)

5. the contemporary meaning of words

6. the textual design of the author

C. All the Bible is inspired (II Tim. 3:16), therefore, the best interpreter of the Bible is the Bible. We call this "the analogy of faith" or parallel passages:

1. we look for the clearest passage

2. we look for God's overarching intent

3. we look for truth presented in paradoxical pairs

D. How does one distinguish the cultural and transitory from the transcultural and eternal truth?

1. Is the OT truth confirmed by a NT author?

2. Is the Bible uniform in its presentation of this truth?

3. Is the truth clothed in obvious cultural terms?

E. For complete Bible interpretation videos (15 hours) see www.freebiblecommentary.org, Biblical Interpretation Seminar (Dallas, 2009).

IV. THE BASIC MAP OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST AS IT RELATES TO THE OT

A. Bodies of water (from west to east) [first test]

1. Mediterranean Sea (Great or Upper Sea)

2. Nile River

3. Red Sea (Lake Chinnereth)

4. Gulf of Aqaba

5. River (or brook) of Egypt

6. Salt Sea (Dead Sea)

7. Jordan River

8. Jabbok River

9. Arnon River

10. Sea of Galilee

11. Euphrates River

12. Tigris River

13. Persian Gulf (Lower Sea)

B. Countries that impact the People of God in the OT (west to east) [second test]

1. Rome

2. Greece

3. Caphtor (Crete)

4. Kittim (Cyprus)

5. Egypt

6. Philistia

7. Judah

8. Israel

9. Edom

10. Moab

11. Ammon

12. Phoenicia (Lebanon)

13. Syria

14. Hittite (Anatolia)

15. Arabia

16. Assyria

17. Babylon

18. Persia

19. Media

20. Elam

C. The capitals of the major countries [second test]

1. Memphis (Egypt)

5. Damascus (Syria)

2. Jerusalem (Judah)

6. Nineveh (Assyria)

3. Samaria (Israel)

7. Babylon (Babylon)

4. Tyre (Phoenicia)

8. Susa (Persia)

D. Other Important Cities [third test]

1. Ur

2. Haran

3. Megiddo

4. Shechem

5. Jericho

6. Bethlehem

7. Hebron

8. Beersheba

9. Avaris/Zoan/Tanis

10. Thebes

B. Mountains [third test]

1. Ararat

2. Hermon

3. Tabor

4. Ebal or Gerizim (Shechem)

5. Carmel

6. Nebo/Pisgah

7. Zion/Moriah (Jerusalem)

8. Sinai/Horeb

V. THE BASIC TIME LINE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

A. Undated events (Genesis 1-11)

1. creation

2. the fall

3. the flood

4. the tower of Babel

B. Ten dates and events:

1. the Patriarchal Period (Genesis 12-50 & Job) — 2000 b.c.

2. the exodus (Exodus) — 1445/1290 b.c.

3. the conquest (Joshua) — 1400/1250 b.c.

4. the united monarchy (Saul, David, Solomon) — 1000 b.c.

5. the divided monarchy (Rehoboam-Jeroboam I) — 922 b.c.

6. the fall of Samaria (Israel) — 722 b.c.

7. the fall of Jerusalem (Judah) — 586 b.c.

8. the decree of Cyrus (Persia) — 538 b.c.

9. the second temple — 516 b.c.

10. the close of the OT (Malachi) — 430 b.c.

C. The major enemies of the People of God:

1. Egypt

2. Canaan

3. Philistia

4. Syria

5. Assyria

6. Babylon

7. Persia

8. Greece

9. Rome

D. Kings on the time line:

1. United Monarchy

a. Saul

b. David

c. Solomon

2. Israel

a. Jeroboam I

b. Ahab

c. Jeroboam II

d. Hoshea

3. Judah

a. Rehoboam

b. Uzziah

c. Hezekiah

d. Manasseh

e. Josiah

f. Jehoahaz (3 months)

g. Jehoiakim

h. Jehoiachin (3 months)

i. Zedekiah

j. Gediliah (Persian Governor)

4. Persia

a. Cyrus II (550-530 b.c.)

b. Cambyses (530-522 b.c.)

c. Darius I (522-486 b.c.)

d. Xerxes I (486-465 b.c.)

e. Artaxerxes I (465-424 b.c.)

5. See full list of kings of Judah and Israel as well as kings of Assyria, Babylon, Pesia, and Greece at the end of I and II Kings.

Undatable Events (Genesis 1-11)

1. Creation (Genesis 1-2)

2. Fall of Man (Genesis 3)

3. Flood of Noah (Genesis 6-9)

4. Tower of Babel (Genesis 10-11)

Datable Events

1. Patriarchal Period (Genesis 12-50 and Job) 2000 b.c.

2. Exodus from Egypt (Exodus) 1445 or 1290 b.c.

3. Conquest of Canaan (Joshua) 1400 or 1250 b.c.

4. United Monarchy (Saul, David, Solomon) 1000 b.c.

5. Divided Monarchy (Rehoboam-Jeroboam I) 922 b.c.

6. Fall of Samaria (Israel) to Assyria 722 b.c.

7. Fall of Jerusalem (Judah) to Babylon 586 b.c.

8. Decree of Cyrus (Persia) to Return 538 b.c.

9. Temple Rebuilt 516 b.c.

10. Close of OT Period (Malachi) 430 b.c.

List of Kings

A. United Monarchy

1. Saul (a)

2. David (b)

3. Solomon (c)

B. Israel

1. Jeroboam I (e)

2. Ahab (f)

3. Jeroboam II (g)

C. Judah

1. Rehoboam (d)

2. Uzziah (h)

3. Hezekiah (i)

4. Manasseh (j)

5. Josiah (k)

6. Jehoahaz (l)

7. Jehoiakim (m)

8. Jehoiachin (n)

9. Zedekiah (o)

10. Gedaliah (p)

D. Assyria

1. Tiglath Pileser III (745-727)

2. Shalmanesar V (727-722)

3. Sargon II (722-705)

4. Sennacherib (705-681)

5. Esarhaddon (681-669)

6. Ashurbanipal (669-663)

E. Babylon

1. Nabopolasar (626-605)

2. Nebuchadnezzar (605-562)

3. Nabonidus (556-539)

4. Belshazzar

F. Persia

1. Cyrus II (550-530)

2. Cambees II (530-522)

3. Darius I (522-486)

4. Xerxes I (486-465)

5. Artaxerxes I (465-424)