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BEX500 Foundations of Biblical Exegesis
Cincinnati Bible Seminary
Spring, 2011 Tuesdays 3:20-6:00
Dr. William R. Baker
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A survey of issues and methods of biblical exegesis with a view to the needs of practical ministry. This course prepares students to produce sermons, lessons, and small group studies.
RATIONALE
The Bible is the foundational preaching and teaching resource for the church. Those who serve the church in leadership capacities must understand the basic theories and practices and develop the interpretive skills in order to provide sound and inspiring messages for inquiring believers. The course supplies critical groundwork for upper lever Biblical Interpretation courses, Old and New Testament courses, and Homiletics courses.
OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, the student will:
1) recognize the centrality of good interpretive abilities for successful, Christian life and ministry.
2) be equipped to study the Bible in depth independently.
3) be motivated to make study of the Bible a lifelong project.
4) understand and be able to implement the step-by- step procedures involved in producing a quality exegesis of a short, Bible passage.
5) understand and be prepared to implement the varied procedures for understanding the varied types of biblical contexts.
6) develop confidence in presenting views derived from biblical study.
7) learn how to use and evaluate commentaries and other interpretive resources.
Required Texts
Fee, Gordon D. and Stuart, Douglas. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. Third Edition Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003.
Stein, Robert. A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994.
Baker, 2004.
A GUIDE TO EXEGESIS (Course Pack, available on Moodle)
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Adam A. K. M, et al. Reading Scripture with the Church: Toward a Hermeneutic for Theological Interpretation. Baker: Eerdmans: 2006.
Blomberg, Craig. A Handbook of New Testament Exegesis. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2010.
Duvall, J. Scott, and Hays, J. Daniel. Grasping God’s Word: A Hand’s On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001.
Erickson, Richard. A Beginning Guide to New Testament Exegesis. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2005.
Fee, Gordon. New Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors. Third Edition. Louisville : Westminster John Knox, 2002.
Fee, Gordon, and Strauss, Mark. How to Read a Translation for All Its Worth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010.
Goldingay, John. Models for Interpretation of Scripture. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995.
Green, Joel and Pasquarello III., Michael, eds. Narrative Reading, Narrative Preaching.Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003
Kaiser, Walter C. Toward an Exegetical Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981.
______and Silva, Moises. An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
Klein, William W., Blomberg, Craig L., and Hubbard, Robert L., Jr. Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Dallas, Word, 1993.
Marshall, I. Howard. Beyond the Bible: Moving from Scripture to Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004.
Meadors, Gary, ed. Moving Beyond the Bible to Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
Osborne, Grant R. The Hermeneutical Spiral. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1991.
Ryken, Leland. How to Read the Bible as Literature. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984.
Terry, Milton. Biblical Hermeneutics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.
Vanhoozer, Kevin. Is There a Meaning in this Text? Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998
MAJOR LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND COURSE REQUIRMENTS
1) Read the textbooks assigned, answer study questions when provided, and be prepared to discuss them when called upon as scheduled in the syllabus. Answer “yes” to reading when no study questions are assigned.
2) Analyze four interpretive situations: a TV commercial, a newspaper article, a song, a visual art or political cartoon.
For each: a) summarize briefly; b) state the main point (what does it want you to think, believe); c) list elements placed in this medium by the creator to help lead you to the main point or central message; These factors will vary for the medium involved. You will need to think hard about this. You cannot get a top grade for your analysis without doing thoughtful work on part c.
3) Complete an interpretive project on a significant portion of Scripture. It must be taken from a short New Testament book (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John), be a paragraph four or 5 verses long, be a passage that interests you. This will become the basis for applying the step-by-step procedure taught in this class. These will be spelled out and demonstrated in class. No later than the second week of class you must submit your first and second choice passage. You will be advised of your passage by the third week.
COURSE EVALUATION
10%Reading and Study Questions
20%Interpretive Assignments
25%Course Exam
45%Interpretation Project (30%--steps, 15%--paper)
ODDS AND ENDS
Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend each class session. Out of courtesy students should notify me in advance when they know they will be absent with an explanation of the reason. Unless an absence is totally unexpected, all assignments remain due as noted on the course syllabus. Reductions of grade form absences will conform to CBS policy.
Late Work Policy: No late work is acceptable. Appropriate grade reductions will be assessed. This includes work due the first day of class.
Extensions: See the seminary office for an official extension for course work beyond the final due date.
Contact: I am normally in my office (in the basement of the seminary building) and around campus on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check my office door for hours. You may contact me anytime at my personal e-mail () or home phone (513-683-6058) and this will usually achieve the quickest results, but also at my office phone (513-244-8688) or campus e-mail (). I am happy to schedule an appointment or lunch (best on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday).
Cell Phones: TURN THEM OFF. DO NOT RECEIVE OR MAKE CALLS DURING CLASS
Social Activity: Lets plan a inexpensive dinner outing after our last class on the
COURSE SCHEDULE
TopicReadDo
Jan 18Syl, Intro, Definitions
Jan 25Necessities and Challenges Fee, 1; Stein, 3commercial
Feb 1The InterpreterStein, 1 and 2article; Task One
Feb 8Goal of Interpretation; WordsFee, 3; Stein 12song; task 2
Feb 15Contexts of InterpretationFee, 4art; tasks 3, 4, 5
Feb 22Translations; Textual CriticismFee, 2task 6
Mar 1Interpreting Genres; NarrativeStein, 4; Fee 5task 7
Mar 8SPRING BREAK
Mar 15Interpreting ActsFee, 6; Stein 11task 8-9
Mar 22Interpreting GospelsFee, 7task 10a, 10b
Mar 25-26EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY MEETING (HERE!)
Mar 29Parables; HyperboleFee, 8; Stein, 9, 10task 10c
Apr 5Law; ProphecyFee, 9, 10, Stein 6,13tasks 11, 12, 13
Apr 8-9SCJ CONFERENCE (HERE!)
Apr 12Psalms, Wisdom, RevelationFee 11, 12, 13------
Stein, 5, 7
Apr 19COURSE EXAM
Apr 26Commentaries------Task 14
May 3Psalms, Wisdom, RevelationFee 11, 12, 13------
Stein, 5, 7
May 10EXEGESIS DUE: oral report; DINNER OUT after class
BEX500
Course Exam Study Guide
- Matching
- Stein, ch. 2 and 4--- terms
- Textual criticism—terms
- True/False
- Fee and Stuart, chaps 1-4. Key statements, italics.
- Short Essays (Based on lectures and handouts)
- Holy Spirit
- Translation types
- Meanings for words
- Pre-supposition/ Pre-understanding
- Sinaiticus and vaticanus
- distance factors in hermeneutics
- exegesis, eisegesis, exposition
- Major Essay
A. BIG SECRET but related to key discussions we have had in class.
GUIDELINES FOR TERM PAPERS
Dr. William R. Baker
Cincinnati Bible Seminary
November 1, 2008
This is not intended to replace all the information graduate students receive in the “Mini-Manual of Form and Style Rules at CBC&S.” It is intended as a supplement to clarify particular concerns that may puzzle students. It only applies to my courses as standards for grading. The letters next to each section are codes for identifying shortcomings in your paper.
The Best Guide for Term Papers in Biblical Studies
The Chicago Manual of Style, which is the official manual for most graduate schools, is not itself readily available. Most schools depend on books that explain this standard, including especially the Manuel of Form and Style by Kate Turabien, which has been edited and revised many times. In biblical studies, however, the most helpful adaptation of Chicago is the SBL Handbook of Style, edited by Patrick Alexander et al. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1999). This provides how to’s for various footnote/bibliography issues but also supplies standard abbreviations for biblical and extra-biblical books commonly employed in the field. It is available free from the Society of Biblical Literature website. Not only that, but a student can look at copies of the Journal of Biblical Literature on any library shelf or go to Stone-CampbellJournal.com for examples of how everything is done. If you plan to do an M.A. thesis in biblical studies and continue on in this field you absolutely must purchase a copy of the SBL Handbook of Style. It is worth your while to get used to doing things according to the stylebook as soon as possible. I will include their biblical book abbreviation guide with this document. Note thea
(C) Changes from CBC&S Guide
1)Please use Times New Roman font at either 11pt or 12pt size.
2) Please use Ibid when a footnote source is exactly the same as the source in the previous footnote. You simply write Ibid. or Ibid, with the different page number if that is not the same.
3) Put books, journals, etc in italics not underlined.
4) Use short titles after the first reference to a source(Hays, First Corinthians, p. 23).
(F) Form Expectations (Points taken off if not followed)
1)Include a title page plus one blank page (for my comments) at the beginning. The title page should include the student’s e-mail address and postal address. This includes papers turned in attached from e-mail.
2) Repeat the title of the paper on the first page.
3)Number each page, except the title page and blank page. It is very common for students to turn in unnumbered term papers since this must be inserted in documents and is not done automatically.
4)Use a one-inch margin all around the paper. Word automatically does 1 ¼” on the left and right, but this is not necessary unless you plan to have your paper bound (as you would a thesis). The only exception is the first page, which should have a two-inch top margin.
5)Use a short title in footnote when repeating a resource. Ex. Alexander, Handbook, p. 35.
6)If a paper is more than 5 pages in length, it should have subdivisions: Introduction, Body, Bibliography, Conclusion. The introduction should orient readers to the subject plus contain a thesis statement (what you think or what you will prove) plus a layout of how this thesis will be proved or examined (subsection titles.). The Conclusion should summarize what the paper has done, reaffirm or state a modified form of the thesis based on the results in the paper, and then look to wider areas of application, theologically, biblically, in the church, personally, or for current culture.
7)Authors of articles in Bible and theological dictionaries should be part of footnotes and bibliography. Example: L. Morris, “Faith,” pp. 285-291, in Dictionary of Paul (ed: Gerald Hawthorne et al; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1993).
(S) Style Expectations (Points taken off if not followed)
1)Use SBL abbreviations for Bible books (listed below). Do not use a period after the abbreviation.
2)When referencing a single psalm do not use the plural: Psalm 140:1. When starting a sentence with a biblical reference, write out the name of the book in full: First Timothy 3:4 is a great verse. Otherwise, it may be abbreviated: I love 1 Tim 3:4. When mentioning the chapter only, you must write out book name: I love 1 Timothy 3. Never use ff following biblical references or pages. Be exact. Rom 3:4-6 not Rom 3:4ff. pp. 3-5 not pp. 3ff.
3) Do not capitalize pronouns that refer to God.
4)Capitalize Bible and Scripture but not biblical and scriptural,
5)Do not punctuate a subordinate clause as if it is a complete sentence.
6)Do not begin sentences with “but” or “and.” Change “but” to “However,” Eliminate “And”.
7)When using “but” in a complex sentence, do not precede it with a comma, unless the subsequent clause is complete (has a subject and a verb): He went to the store but did not buy bread. He went to the store, but he did not buy bread.
8)Make sure your verb and subject are in agreement (plural-plural, singular-singular)
9)Do not quote lengthy portions from your resources. Only quote when the author says something particularly well, and even then, keep it to the best part, maybe a sentence, or a portion of a sentence you can include in your sentence. You can summarize in your own words what the author says as much as you want. If it is a primary, hard-to-access ancient resource, like from Qumran or Greek philosophers or something, lengthier quotations are acceptable but they usually should be done as a block quote.
10)Footnotes or in-text notes are acceptable, though footnotes provide you more latitude to comment on or quote from the references.
(W) Writing Style Advice
1)Avoid using very weak words like “very,” “pretty,” “a lot,” “clearly.”
2)Never begin sentences with “I think,” “I feel,” “It seems”, “It is” or “There is/are.” Make whatever you are talking about the subject. I think the sky is blue today> The sky is blue today.
3)Use active rather than passive verbs.
4)Find something stronger than “is/are” as a verb. Use a thesaurus.
5)Avoid “I” as much as possible. Think in terms of a wider scope, like “Many Christians” or “Most People.”
6)Write in gender inclusive language but do not use he/she. The best way to keep from writing yourself into a corner on this is too write in the plural. Rather than writing, “A Christian should keep himself (herself?) pure,” you can write, “Christians should keep themselves pure.”
(R) Research Guidelines
1)Do not rely on internet resources. Even though they are convenient to access, these are usually inferior to published work.
2)Make time to go to the library or use Ohio Link.
3)Focus on the best and most recently published work. Give yourself a stop point at 10, 15, or 20 years back. Anything further back, if it is really important, will be referenced by current work. Then, you might want to look at it.
4)Use New Testament Abstracts (available in our library) to locate outstanding articles you can get through interlibrary loan.
5)Follow up on footnotes, resources noted there. They might lead you to the gem of a book or article that provides information to make your paper really successful.
6)Use sources recommended in the syllabus.
(B) Bible Abbreviations
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Gen
Exod
Lev
Num
Deut
Josh
Judg
Ruth
Sam
Kgs
Chr
Exra
Neh
Esth
Job
Ps/Pss
Prov
Eccl (or Qoh)
Song (or Cant)
Isa
Jer
Lam
Ezek
Dan
Hos
Joel
Amos
Obad
Jonah
Mic
Nah
Hab
Zeph
Hag
Zech
Matt
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Rom
Cor
Gal
Eph
Phil
Col
Thess
Tim
Titus
Philm
Heb
Jas
Pet
John
Jude
Rev
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