Old Testament Literature

An Introduction to the Old Testament

Old Testament Literature

History of the nation of Israel

Record of Hebrew Law

Influence of religion in Western Civilization ◦ Sources of Conflict (The Crusades)

◦ Sources of Division (The Pilgrims, Anglican Church)

Record of Ancient Times ◦ Politics

◦ Geography

Perhaps the most significant book of the Western Canon ◦ The best selling book of all time

Allusion: a brief reference intended to enhance meaning ◦ Literary Allusions

◦ Pop Culture Allusions

"Christy didn't like to spend money. She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything except the bare necessities".

"As the cave's roof collapsed, he was swallowed up in the dust like Jonah, and only his frantic scrabbling behind a wall of rock indicated that there was anyone still alive".

Understand beliefs of others ◦ 13 million Jews in the world

◦ 2.2 billion Christians in the world (33%)

◦ 5.3 million current Jews in USA

◦ 241 million Christians in the USA (78%)

Major religions use OT as spiritual authority ◦ Judaism

◦ Christianity

◦ Islam

Can help your own spiritual development ◦ Exposes faults and weaknesses

◦ Provides models of faith

Describes human nature ◦ Examples of good, evil, and the in-between

Asks questions of the purpose of life ◦ Why are we here?

◦ How should we live?

◦ Why does evil exist? Is justice attainable?

Old Testament Literature

Also known as the Hebrew Bible or the Tanakh

An anthology of diverse works by many authors ◦ 39 books (or 46), spanning approximately 2000

years of material

Originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic Translated into Greek (the Septuagint) and

Latin (the Vulgate)… and eventually English

The Pentateuch (or Torah) ◦ The Five books of Moses:

focused on God’s Covenant with Israel

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

The Historical Books ◦ Books focused on the Kingdom of Israel

Joshua 1 and 2 Chronicles

Judges Ezra

Ruth Nehemiah

1 and 2 Samuel Esther

1 and 2 Kings

The Wisdom Books ◦ Poetic books that reflect on knowing God and living

a wise life

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon

The Major Prophets ◦ Longer books that show interaction between God

and wayward Israel

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

The Minor Prophets ◦ Shorter books that show interaction between God

and wayward Israel

Hosea Nahum

Joel Habakkuk

Amos Zephaniah

Obadiah Haggai

Jonah Zechariah

Micah Malachi

Books that Jerusalem rejected as being authoritative in 100 AD, but still present in many Christian texts

Tobit

Judith

Wisdom

Sirach

Baruch

1 & 2 Maccabees

Old Testament Literature

Genesis 5:3

Job 4:16

Daniel 5:4

Jeremiah 7:12

Leviticus 6:12 – 15

Numbers 7 – 8

Exodus 15:3 – 16:4

Deuteronomy 4:6b – 8a