OT QUESTIONS

CHAPTER 2:

1. Where and when did the first writing originate? Uruk, in lower Mesopotamia (OT: Erech, Gen 10:10).

2. Who founded the world’s first empire and where?

Sumerians in Uruk.

3. During which dynasties were the great pyramids built? The Old Kingdom era (2700-2200 BC).

4. Identify the Hyksos and explain their relationship to Israel.

Hyksos means “foreign chieftans” and they migrated to Egypt from Palestine regions. The people group is semitic, although their origins are unknown. The Hyksos people seemed to have had a peaceful (and perhaps partnered) relationship with the Israelites in the delta region of Egypt during the time Joseph.

5. What key Biblical text provides information about the date of the Exodus?

1 Kings 6:1 (480 years prior to the beginning of Solomon’s temple construction was the date of the Exodus, which would have been 1446 BC). Judges 11:26 (300 years before Jephthah).

6. What is the major significance of the Amarna texts? They record voluminous amount of correspondence between Canaanite vassal states and kings to Egypt recording the “Habiru” or “Apiru” people invading Canaan and destroying all of their cities right about the time of Joshua’s conquest.

7. What empire succeeded the Neo-Assyrian regime? The Chaldeans, or the Ne-Babylonian empire.

8. Whose army was destroyed in an attempt to conquer Jerusalem? The Assyrian army under King Sennacherib.

9. Who was the first king of Israel after the division of the monarchy? Jeroboam and Rehoboam.

10. Identify Merodach-Baladan. He was a Chaldean leader during the time of Sargon II.

11. Israel is first mentioned in which extrabiblical inscription? The book records this as the Merneptah Stele, which talks of the scattering of Israel in 1230 BC. I’d argue that there is an earlier extrabiblical inscription referencing the Israelites at the Soleb temple built by Amenhotep III (built roughly 1400 BC – 1350 BC) which refers to the "land of the Shasu of Yahweh” or the nomads of Yahweh.

12. Who issued a decree permitting the Jews to return home from the exile? Cyrus the Great (Ezra 1 in about 538 BC); followed by separate decrees made by Darius I and Artaxerxes I.

13. The Tel Dan inscription provides what kind of important information? It is the earliest extant mentioning of King David (9th century BC).

14. Who is the pharaoh of the exodus according to the late date? Rameses II (the early date would be Amenhotep II).

15. Identify the Ugaritic texts and explain their relevance to the OT. They are a cache of clay tablets from Ugarit that describe details into the Canaanite religions that later influenced (negatively) the Israel people (most notably, their Baal-based gods).

CHAPTER 3:

1. What is the difference between geography and archaeology? Geography is the nature, locations and natural resources of the earth whereas archaeology is the study of ancient remains of civilizations.

2. Israel is located on the bridge of which three continents? Asia, Africa and Europe.

3. Mesopotamia is located between what two rivers? The Tigris and the Euphrates.

4. What are the four major land strips of the land of Israel? The coastal plain, the central mountain range, the Jordan river valley and the Transjordan plateau.

5. Who was the foremost biblical archaeologist of the 20th century? William Albright.

6. What is the contribution of the Tel Amarna letters to Biblical studies? They shed light on the regions of Canaan, the kings thereof, their vassal relationship to Egypt, and most notably, record a systematic overthrow of Canaan in the 14th century BC by a group of foreign people designated as the Habiru.

7. What has been considered the most significant archaeological find of the 20thcentury? The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in a cave in Qumran in 1947.

8. Where is the location of the earliest Biblical verses that have been discovered? At Ketef Hinnom, overlooking the Hinnom Valley opposite Mount Zion.

9. What contribution has archaeology made to Biblical studies? It has provided verification, harmonization and extant details that support the Biblical narrative and further elucidate our understanding and confidence in the Holy books of the Bible.

10. In what two regions did writing begin? Mesopotamia and Egypt.

11. Where did the alphabet emerge? Syro-Palestine (2nd millennium BC).

12. In what way is Israel’s view of God different from pagan perceptions? The two major differences or views of God of Israel relative to pagan worship is first, that it was monotheistic, and second that the God of the Bible does not demand to be fed, cared for or maintained. He is sovereign and needs nothing (but desires fellowship).

CHAPTER 4:

1. What are the most commonly used sources for studying ANE literature?

Ancient clay tablets like those found at Ninevah or Nuzi.

2. What are the key categories of ANE literature (based on genre and content)? The key categories are wisdom literature, Babylonian theodicy, hymns/prayers/laments, rituals and incantations, omens and prophecies, epics and legends, myths, historical literature, law codes and treaties and covenants.

3. To which Egyptian wisdom compositions do scholars often compare Proverbs 22:17-24:22 and why do they do this? What should we learn from this? This section of Proverbs is often compared to the Instruction of Amenemope. They do so because both recordings are written in acrostic dialogue format with similar format and sayings. We can learn from this that the LORD through His prophets spoke in a manner that would have been familiar to those ancient cultures. We can also learn that the biblical authors recorded God’s commands in a manner that could be easily understood by foreign nations.

4. What are some key differences between ANE incantations and rituals and activities of biblical priests and prophets? Most notably, that incantations and rituals are condemned in the OT, at the time that those very cultures practiced them. The biblical narratives also generally portray future judgement for a lack of repentance.

5. What are some key differences and similarities between ANE and biblical creation and flood accounts? Both the Atrahasis and Gilgamesh epics contains many similarities to the flood account including a great and massive flood, a large boat, a family who survives with animals, sending out a bird to find land, coming to rest on a mountain and a sacrifice once on land. The differences are also many including the recording of multiple gods, the fear of those gods with the flood itself, the names are different, a lack of judgement/repentance themes, and the issues surrounding immortality.

6. How do we explain the abundant similarities between the Law of Moses and ANE law codes (e.g. Code of Hammurabi) that predate the Mosaic law? These are all contemporaneous ancient cultures that are dealing with similar issues, value similar things (livestock, food), and are existing in historical contexts with cultural themes that we should expect to overlap (marriage, children, dowries, inheritance, farming, crops).

7. What are the extremes of explaining the relationship of the Bible and ANE literature? There are generally two extremes. One: Presupposing that there can be no miracles nor divinely inspired texts whereby the scholar then negates the narrative. Secondly, assuming a priori that any similarities between OT scripture and ANE literature must mean that the OT must be borrowing from the ANE, not vice versa. Similarly, extreme assumptions of “borrowing” in the OT rather than the recognition that we should expect overlap and similarities in cultural contexts.

8. What are the three broad levels of interaction between the biblical and ANE world? They are: Coincidental references to ANE practices or mythology, intentional references to ANE practices and mythology and third, some form of dependence.

9. What is the first of three key areas in which biblical writers interacted with the surrounding ANE world? Lexical similarity.

10. What is the second of three key areas in which biblical writers interacted with the surrounding ANE world? Shared cognitive environment (and shared social structures and practices).

11. What is the third of three key areas in which biblical writers interacted with the surrounding ANE world? Polemical attacks (or commentaries) against pagan beliefs and practices.

(Part II) - CHAPTER 5:

1. How have evangelicals customarily defined the following: inspiration, autographa, and canon? The Bible, as both a human and divine product, is God’s self-revelation. Inerrancy, properly understood, applies only to the autographic text of Scripture (the original copies of the Biblical books). The canon is the list of inerrant and authoritative books that belong in the Bible.

2. What are some of the ways God revealed what He wanted biblical writers to record? His revelation was made through prophets, face to face (Moses), through dictation, visions and dreams, and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

3. Could biblical writers make use of non-canonical written records or oral tradition in writing a biblical book? Why or why not? Yes. The biblical writers usage of non-canonical books or traditions is not a negation of their inerrancy, it is among the means by which God reveals his word in ways that contextualize or help elucidate His message in a historical setting. In this way, the readers and hearers of His words are better able to understand His words in ways that are current and relevant.

4. What is the significance of a thousand-year period during which time biblical writers composed OT books? It should serve as yet another reminder of the inspiration of the text. The fact that men and women of all walks of life composed the Holy Scriptures in a way that is consistent down through time, should serve as a witness to their supernatural source.

5. What are the five propositions offered in this chapter? The God-breathed nature of each canonical book was seen as such in each time of its revelation, God guarantees the accuracy of everything involved in the process of inscripturation, the autographa refers to the final form of the OT, the close of the OT canon is the dividing line between inspired editorial activity and uninspired scribal activity, and only recognized individuals would have been able to participate in this updating process.

6. What are the two examples of inspired textual updating? Deuteronomy 34:5-12 and Genesis 11:28,31/14:14.

7. What is the basic idea of redaction? It simply means editing.

8. What kinds of redaction do evangelicals have concerns with and why? Creative literary license being taken (in editing) and intentionality to change a message.

9. Were biblical writers totally objective or given to bias? They certainly can be given to bias, but Biblical history does not have to be without bias to be regarded as history writing.

10. Does any bias by biblical writers undercut the infallibility of the biblical books they authored? No, biblical writers can be bias (as an example) with information they choose to include and leave out without negating the infallibility of the text.

11. How does recognizing the theological agenda of a biblical writer enhance our exegesis of a biblical text? Because it should force us to interact with what was chosen to be included, and how those words focus our attention on who God is and what He has left for us as divine revelation.

CHAPTER 6:

1. What are the Hebrew and Greek etymologies of the term “canon”?

The Greek etymology is kanon from the ideas of a “rule or standard”. The Hebrew etymology is from the word qaneh meaning “measuring reed”.

2. What early Jewish council was alleged to have dealt with the issue of the OT canon? The Council of Jamnia (100 AD).

3. What is meant by Antilegomena? Written texts that are disputed in the various canon lists.

4. When was the issue of the extent of the canon settled by Roman Catholicism? At the Council of Trent in 1546.

5. Define the term “apocryphal”? They are the deutero-canonical books, or the various disputed books included in non-Protestant canon lists.

6. How many books are in the Hebrew canon? There are 22 books.

7. Name three of the five books whose canonicity was questioned by early Judaism? Esther, Song of Solomon, Proverbs.

8. In the Hebrew canon what is meant by the former prophets? The former prophets refers to the Nevi'im Rishonim group of historical books—Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.

9. What is another name for the book Ben Sirach? Ecclesiasticus

10. What is meant by the term pseudepigraphical? They are writings of books that are falsely attributed to know authors (like Moses).

11. To which book is Ruth attached in some lists of the Hebrew canon? It is attached to Judges.

12. What was troublesome to the rabbis about the book of Proverbs? Because many felt that Proverbs 26:4-5 was a self-contradiction.

13. Identify Melito. Melito of Sardis was a 2nd century Christian bishop known for his defense of Christianity, and his influential work on the Old Testament canon.

14. List at least two criteria by which a book was tested for canonicity. Eyewitness testimony of God’s approval of the writer of the scripture (visual/audible demonstration of God’s approval), and the usage of certain terms like “thus saith the Lord” or “the word of the Lord came”.

15. The order of the English canon is based on which ancient canon? The ancient Jewish canon or 22 books and the Alexandrian traditions.

CHAPTER 7:

1. How can textual criticism be defined? Involves the critical study of the available manuscripts and translations in order to determine the original reading of the text.

2. The most important witnesses of the OT text are written in what language? Hebrew manuscripts.

3. Who were the Masoretes? The were a generation of scribes from AD 500-1000.

4. What is the Masoretic text? Made up of five components: the consonantal text, para-textual elements, the Masorah (tradition, or the fence around the Law), vocalization and Cantillation signs.

5. Does the existence of textual variants undermine the authority of the OT text? No, variants and variant readings when examined do not change any substance or doctrinal issues in the text.

6. What is the contribution of the DSS to the field of OT textual criticism? They provide the overwhelming volume of the earliest Hebrew witnesses ever discovered: 221 texts and fragments from all books of OT except Esther from 250 BC – 125 AD including MT, SP, LXX variants.

7. What is the Septuagint? It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew OT.

8. How valuable are the Aramaic Targums to textual criticism? Very important, they trace back to the time of Ezra and other Israelites transmitting the text into Aramaic.

9. Which church father was especially involved in the Latin Vulgate translation? Jerome.

10. What is the Vorlage? Vorlage refers to the underlying text or “source text” that a translator or later author used when producing a new version or translation of a document.

11. Describe haplography, dittography, and metathesis. Haplography: When a copyist fails to repeat a letter, group of letters or words (or when they are written twice instead of once) Dittography: Letters written twice instead of once. Metathesis: When letters are erroneously exchanged.

12. How should a variant reading be evaluated? Should incorporate the writers style and context, translation method, number of translators, and usage of Vorlage texts.

CHAPTER 8 & 9:

1. In modern biblical studies what is the most common understanding of the term “critical”? Methodologically analytical (but often with the presupposition of skeptical or even, hostile).

2. What larger philosophical movement spawned historical critical thought and method? The Enlightenment.

3. Who was the 17th century Jewish philosopher often referred to as the “father of higher criticism”? Baruch Spinoza.

4. What was Jean Astruc’s contribution to the study of Genesis? His book Conjectures, which eventually was the front door to the Documentary Hypothesis.

5. Describe briefly JEDP. It’s the idea that the Pentateuch has four main sources: J (the Yahwist, who preferred the divine name Jehovah), E (the Elohist, who used Elohim), D (the Deuteronomist), and P (the Priestly author).

6. Who formulated the hypothesis of JEDP in its final form? K.H. Graf.

7. Name at least one conservative scholar of the 19th century who resisted the critical hypothesis advocated by most OT scholars’? G. Widengren.

8. What is the principal argument in favor of the multiple authorship of Isaiah? The main idea is the claim that the historical and contextual dislocate between Isaiah 1–39 and Isaiah 40–66. This argument posits that the detailed presupposition of the Babylonian exile and the naming of Cyrus of Persia must mean that it was written long after the events.

9. What is the best response to this argument? That best response is to point out that this point is grounded in a presuppositional dismissal; that is that it is only formed under the presupposition that prophetic revelation is impossible.

10. What is the major critical issue with the book of Daniel? It is similar to Isaiah, the argument is that it must be a later 1stor 2nd century BC document because it is presupposes that predictive prophecy is impossible.

11. What is meant by “Form Criticism”? This is the analysis of the structure, genre, setting and statement of intention of the text.

12. Briefly define “Tradition Criticism”. It assumes that both oral and written continuities play a role in the shaping of the traditions that culminated in Scripture.

13. What kind of modern criticism is Brevard Childs associated? Canonical criticism.

14. Who was mainly responsible for the so-called “Rhetorical Criticism”? James Muilenburg.

15. Define “chiasm”. A chiasm is a literary structure in which ideas are arranged symmetrically around a central turning point (the center or main point), forming a mirror pattern (A–B–C–B′–A′).

CHAPTER 10:

1. What is the impact of source, form, and tradition history criticism on the understanding of Genesis? Broadly speaking, the impact of these forms of criticism shift the focus from (Moses) authorship questions to the text’s developmental layers, form and cultural contexts.They imagine this book then as a complex literary volume that incorporates multiple authors with different theological perspectives, various cultural norms and various speculations on transmission of the text.

2. Whom does this volume present as the author of Genesis? Moses.

3. What expression serves as a structural key to understand the layout of the book of Genesis? The word is the Hebrew word toledot meaning, “these are the generations of from the idea of generations or descendents, or “this is what became of”.

4. How do evangelicals who believe in divine inspiration of the Bible explain their view of Genesis 1-2 as myth? In this form of understanding, the word “myth” does not mean fantasy. Those that hold to this view use the term more in the context of it relating to an ancient and premodern way of understanding the text, in which they are careful to point out that the account in chapters 1-2 contains factual historical data, but the form in which it is presented is in line with how someone in the ANE context of the time would have understood the account according to their historic-specific worldview.

5. How do evangelicals who reject the idea that Genesis 1-2 are myth support their view? What similarities and differences exist between the biblical and ANE accounts of creation? This viewpoint espouses and points out that chapters 1-2 (and really, through chapter 11) are written in a narrative form (is not written as poetry, and is not mythic in its context); and importantly, the chapters clearly point to a desire of God to teach His people about a set of ancient events and circumstances. Though all ANE creation accounts (non-Genesis) share some similarities, overall, they differ much more than they align. The differences between Genesis and the Enuma Elish as an example, upon closer scrutiny, barely align at all. The similarities seem to only align in instances of the separation of the firmament from the water, and that man was created from the earth (thought they differ as to what he was made from, and the breath of life is lacking outside of Genesis).

6. How should we explain the key terms in the creation/evolution debate: young earth, old earth, intelligent design? Definition of terms:

a. Young Earth: View chapters 1-2 as a narrative text that should be taken literally. Specific to the creation account, this would include viewing the days of creation as literal 24 hour periods (all creation done in six literal days), the creation of all forms of plants and animals (can allow for microevolution but not macroevolution), and this view generally views the flood narrative as encompassing the entire world (rather than a small, or large regional flood). In this viewpoint, the earth and its creation is somewhere between 6,000 and 20,000 years old.

b. Old Earth: This view also accounts for God’s creative work accounting for all of creation, but it does so over a lengthy period of time whereby God’s creation was accomplished over a long period of time through a series of, or multiple instances of, divine intervention with intervening periods of evolution in between (hundreds of millions of years)

c. Intelligent Design:

7. What are the fundamental ideas of theistic evolution?

8. What are the fundamental ideas of old-earth creationism?

9. What are some of the subvarieties of old-earth creationism?

10.  What are the fundamental ideas of young-earth creationism?

11. What are three key ideas one must consider in evaluating the different options in the creation-evolution debate?

12. What are the key theological ideas in Genesis?