Reader's Resources
Background Resources for Reading the Pentateuch and Former Prophets
Reader's Guide
Treaty
of the Great King: Kline
Everyday
Life in Bible Times: Thompson
Creation
Hypothesis: Moreland
The
Prophets & The Promise: Beecher
Reading Ancient
Near Eastern Texts
Reading
Respective Bible Books
Supplementary Readings on Hebrew Narrative
- What is the main point Kline
is trying to make, and how well does he make it?
- In your judgment, how did Kline
handle the evidence?
- What new (to you) ideas or insights
did you discover from this reading?
- In what ways has Kline challenged
or confirmed your understanding of Deuteronomy?
- What clues are there with respect
to Kline's view of Scripture?
- What implications does Kline's
treatment of Deuteronomy have for you in ministry?
J.A. Thompson: Everyday Life
in Bible Times:
- What new (to you) insights have
you gained from this reading? How has it helped you read the text from the
perspective of the "first audience?"
- What are the implications of
this information for your ministry?
J.P. Moreland: Creation Hypothesis:
- What new (to you) insights have
you gained from this reading?
- What are the implications of
this information for your ministry?
The Prophets & The Promise:
W. J. Beecher
- How do you assess the evidence
Beecher adduces for his definition of messianic prophecy?
- How do you evaluate Beecher's
treatment of the N.T. data with respect to the doctrine of the promise?
- What Hebrew Bible text does
Beecher argue to be the key passage with respect to the N.T.'s treatment
of the promise?
- How does the covenant relate
to the promise?
- What is the "bottom-line" issue
of the promise in its various iterations in the Hebrew Bible?
- What are some of the key terms
associated with the promise doctrine?
Reading Ancient Near Eastern Texts:
- How does the Memphite Theology
of Creation (1st Dynasty Egypt, 3100-2890 BC) compare with the Genesis account
and how does it contrast?
- How would you describe the book's
setting? Whom was the author addressing? Was there a "secondary audience"?
What was the situation? In what ways do "setting" matters impact you interpretation
of the book?
- How would you state the book's
central theme?
- What clues do you see about genre in the language as it is used (speaker, literary motifs, syntax, etc.)?
- Can you discuss in broad strokes
how the author develops his theme? How does the author move from one part to another? In what ways do the parts contribute to the whole?
- In what ways do key characters in the narrative demonstrate transformational leadership?
- Are there elements of theology
in the book which you had not realized were there? What are they? How do
they relate to antecedent theology? To subsequent revelation?
- Are there specific issues related
to date, authorship, genre, etc.? How do you resolve those issues?
- In what ways does the author
address issues of personal spiritual formation?
- What particular distinctives
set this book apart from the others?
Supplementary Readings on Hebrew Narrative
Narrative criticism seeks to identify formal and conventional structures of the narrative. It identifies the plot, traces the development of characterization, identifies point of view and language play, and theme.
Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative. N.Y.: Basic Books, 1981
Amit, Yairah. Reading Biblical Narratives: Literary Criticism and the Hebrew Bible. Fortress, 2001. Review
Bar-Efrat. Shimon. Narrative Art In The Bible. London: T&T Clark, 2004. Review
Berlin, Adele. Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative. Sheffield: Almond, 1983. Review
Fokkelman, Jan. Reading Biblical Narrative: An Introductory Guide. Leiden: Deo, 1999. Review
Longman, Tremper. Literary Approaches to Biblical Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987.
_______. How to Read Genesis. Downers Grove: IVP, 2005
Walsh, Jerome T. Style and Structure in Biblical Hebrew Narrative. Collegeville: Liturgical, 2001 Review
