Canon
“A reed, measuring stick” A rule for what was included in the Bible. (many scrolls combined)
Council of Jamnia 90 A.D.
more a conversation than a council. not official.
Councils of Hippo and Carthage
Official,but there was already an agreement about what would be in the OT.
Testament (LT. Testamentum)
Something witnessed; will as in last will and testament
Covenant
an agreement or pact between two parties that binds them together. Demands obligations.
Limitations to word testament
- Term is not readily assoc. with covenant
- The OT and NT are not just “testament” material
- The OT contains more than one testament
Term Old?
The term old is meaningless without a new.
Can imply worn out. but was the bible of the early churhc.
Still relevant.
Many jews and christians prefer, “Hebrew scriptures”
OT in Christian Traditions (Layout)
The law- 1st 5 Histories - Josh - esther Wisdom books- Job - ss Major prophets - Isaiah - Daniel Minor prophets - Hosea - Malachi
OT in Jewish tradition ( layout )
Torah-1st 5
Nebim-isaiah-malachi, Josh-esther
Ketubim-wisdom books _ psalms and Daniel
Backbone Narrative?
Gen-Esther; Law and Histories
Stone-Age
broken into Palaeolithic, mesolithic, & Neolithic
Humans began to develop agriculture
Copper-Stone Age
Metal tools gradually displaced stone
Bronze Age
invention of writing and developed societies
Iron Age
Iron tools Major empires rise and fall (Assyria, Babylon, Persia) Key period in narratives Alex the great issues Hellenistic area Most OT books are finished
Fertile crescent (center of civilization)
Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Syria Palestine
Pentateuch names
Pentateuch, Law, Torah, Books of Moses
Source criticism (who started?)
Jean Astrue
Documentary Hypothesis (who?)
Julius Wellhausen
Multiple Authors
Form Criticism (diff forms?)
J-yahwistic
E-Elohistic
D-Deuteronomistic source
P-priestly source
Yahwistic source
Uses divine name YHWH Written from Judah Favors Davidic Dynasty Earthliest source earthly perspective
Elohistic Source
Israel written after Judah split Focuses attention away from David highlights moses more attention on locations in israel less physical God, more spiritual
Deuteronomistic
Most if not all of Deut
Priestly Source
Compiled by priests
Strengths of Documentary Hypothesis
two creation accounts
style changes
no part of scripture says it was all Moses
Who tells of his death?
Short Comings of Documentary Hypothesis
No such “source doc” have been found
assumes motivations
can lead to forget unity
“Deep” Tehom
cosmic ocean
Enuma Elish
Babylonian creation story
Tohu Vabohu
Formless and void
1st Creation Account
Polemic against Idolatry
lacks names of sun and moon (people worshiped them)
importance of human kind
significance of the sabbath
2nd Creation Account
new intro : this is the account..
Diff sequence of events
Themes: God’s special care, limitations of man, God’s desire to bless mankind, union of marriage.
focus on woman
earthly
Earthly narrative (creation)
the Lord formed from dust
yasar (mold, shape)
Play on Hb. adam and adamah - earth
the lord breathed
Eden
two meanings:
Adinu - steppe/open field
Eden - delight
Possibly mesepotamia
not lacking
The fall
arom-naked
arum-crafty
Gen never says it’s satan
curses
demonstrate pain of dissunion with God
foolishness of idolatry
Mesepotamia
between tigris and euphrates (iraq,iran,syria,lebanon)
Egypt
Gift of Nile
North ( lower kingdom )
South (upper kingdom) cos river
Syria-Palestine
not as prominent prime for trade crossroad fought over inhabited by arameans, canaaanites, phoenicians et al.
Canaan
part of syria palestine
4 topographical zones
event home of israelites
**Negeb-dry region
Lamech
cains son. first to take 2 wives. boasted of killing
Nephilim
Sons of God
Daughter of men
Giants, ancient warriors, demi gods,
Anakim, Rephaim
eres
earth or land
Regional flood?
no geological signs of global
ark dimensions not large enough for all species
maybe just mesepotamia
