Biblical Interpretation: Foundational Study Bundle

by Michael S. Heiser; Logos Mobile Education; Craig S. Keener; Mark L. Strauss

and

3 more

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2013–2022

Overview

In the Biblical Interpretation: Foundational Study Bundle you’ll learn the art and science of Bible interpretation from a team of respected scholars. You’ll learn how to interpret the Bible by understanding its cultural contexts, genres, unifying story line, and philosophies of translation. These courses will help you interpret the books of the Old and New Testaments and equip you with tools for further study.

Product Details

• Title: Biblical Interpretation: Foundational Study Bundle
• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education
• Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources
• Courses: 6
• Video Hours: 28

BI101 Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2018
• Video Hours: 5

The Bible is a vast, complex book, and while some of its contents can be understood by a child, much of it requires careful thought. How do we interpret the Bible correctly? Why do biblical scholars disagree on interpretation?

Dr. Mike Heiser introduces students to the science and art of Bible interpretation. The Bible is a book written for us but not to us, so accurate interpretation needs to be informed by the ancient worldview of the biblical writers, their historical circumstances, cultural and religious beliefs of their day, literary genre, and the original languages of the Bible. Learn the necessary tools for accurate and meaningful biblical interpretation.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and Course
• My Task

Unit 1: Obstacles to Interpretation

• Meaning Is Not Self-Evident
• Obstacle #1: Presuppositions
• Obstacle #2: Author
• Obstacle #3: Reader
• Obstacle #4: Medium
• Obstacle #5: Meaning
• Obstacle #6: Translation
• Obstacle #7: Precedent
• Obstacle #8: Context
• Obstacle #9: Relevance
• Obstacle #10: Validation

Unit 2: Seeing the Bible in Context

• Reading Isn’t Seeing
• Three Biblical Contexts

Unit 3: Worldview Context

• Introduction to Worldview Context
• Historical Context
• Cultural Context
• Religious Context
• Tools for Worldview Context
• Primary Sources
• Reference Works
• Academic Monographs
• Bible Commentaries
• Devotional or Popular Commentaries
• Expositional Commentaries
• Scholarly Commentaries
• Journal Articles
• Digital Resources

Unit 4: Literary Context

• Introduction to Literary Context
• Genre
• How Genre Influences Meaning
• Genre and Structure

Unit 5: Literary Context: Old Testament Genres

• Old Testament Narratives
• Genealogies
• Legal Texts
• Psalms and Prayers
• Types of Psalms
• Psalm Interpretation
• Wisdom Literature
• Proverbs
• Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic
• Interpreting Prophetic Literature

Unit 6: Literary Context: New Testament Genres

• New Testament Narrative
• Gospels
• Epistles
• New Testament Hymns
• Domestic Codes
• Virtue/Vice Lists
• New Testament Apocalyptic

Unit 7: Literary Context: Understanding Prophecy

• Fulfillment
• Literalism and Single Intent
• Amos 9 and Acts 15: Part 1
• Amos 9 and Acts 15: Part 2
• Sensus Plenior: Part 1
• Sensus Plenior: Part 2
• Analogical Fulfillment
• Typological Fulfillment

Unit 8: Literary Context: Literary Devices

• Chiasm
• Gematria
• Hyperbole
• Imagery
• Metaphor
• Merism
• Parallelism

Unit 9: Linguistic Context

• Introduction to Linguistic Context
• Word Level
• Working at the Word Level
• Word-Level Analysis
• Summary of Three Competencies

Unit 10: Application and Conclusion

• Individual and Pastoral Application
• Conclusion to the Course

Dr. Michael S. Heiser is a Scholar-in-Residence for Faithlife Corporation, the makers of Logos Bible Software. His varied academic background enables him to operate in the realm of critical scholarship and the wider Christian community. His experience in teaching at the undergraduate level and writing for the layperson both directly contribute to Logos’ goal of adapting scholarly tools for nonspecialists.

Dr. Heiser earned his PhD in Hebrew Bible and Semitic languages and holds and MA in ancient history and Hebrew studies. He is the coeditor of Old Testament Greek Pseudepigrapha with Morphology and Semitic Inscriptions: Analyzed Texts and English Translations, and can do translation work in roughly a dozen ancient languages, including Biblical Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Ugaritic cuneiform. He also specializes in Israelite religion (especially Israel’s divine council), contextualizing biblical theology with Israelite and ancient Near Eastern religion, Jewish binitarianism, biblical languages, ancient Semitic languages, textual criticism, comparative philology, and Second Temple period Jewish literature. In addition, he was named the 2007 Pacific Northwest Regional Scholar by the Society of Biblical Literature.

BI103 Principles of Bible Interpretation

• Instructor: Craig S. Keener
• Publication Date: 2015
• Video Hours: 2

Join Dr. Craig Keener, a foremost expert in biblical backgrounds, as he provides principles for interpretation along with excellent examples. See the parable of the Prodigal Son through the eyes of a Pharisee, learn the dangers involved in using allegory rather than analogy, and appreciate the contrast between Emperor Augustus and Jesus in the story of the first Christmas. Dr. Keener draws from his meticulous research of the ancient world to show you how to interpret the Bible by understanding its cultural contexts, genres, and more.

Contents:

• Reading the Bible in Context
• Understanding the Background of the Bible
• Interpreting Different Genres in the Bible

Dr. Craig S. Keener is professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary, and is the author of 17 books, four of which have won Christianity Today book awards. One, IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, has sold more than half a million copies. He has authored scholarly commentaries on Matthew, John (two volumes), Acts (four volumes), and more briefly on Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Revelation.

BI181 Introducing Bible Translations

• Instructor: Mark L. Strauss
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 2

Bible translation expert Dr. Mark Strauss introduces the philosophies of translation in order to equip students in their selection of a specific version (or versions) of the Bible. Dr. Strauss compares functional and formal equivalence and describes the strengths and weaknesses of each. He discusses elements of language such as gender terminology, idioms, and metaphors to reveal the importance of this often-overlooked but fundamental part of preaching, teaching, and personal Bible study.

Contents:

Unit 1: Introduction to Bible Translation

• Language and Translation
• Philosophies of Translation
• Comparing Translations Using the Version River Graph
• Need for Translations
• Examining the Various Translations of “Gospel”

Unit 2: Translation Processes

• Lexical Semantics
• Studying “Grace” with the Bible Sense Lexicon
• Gender Language
• Translating Idioms
• Helpful Resources for Translating Biblical Idioms
• Translating Metaphors
• Using the UBS Handbooks to Help Translate Metaphors
• Translating Collocations
• Searching the NET Bible Notes for Collocations
• The Precedence of Meaning over Form
• Creating a Parallel Bible Layout in Logos

Unit 3: Translation Philosophies

• Strengths of Formal Equivalence
• Using Visual Filters to Highlight Greek Words in English Translations
• Strengths of Functional Equivalence
• Comparing Translations Using the Text Comparison Tool

Dr. Mark L. Strauss is the professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary in San Diego. He has written several books, including The Davidic Messiah in Luke-Acts, Distorting Scripture? The Challenge of Bible Translation and Gender Accuracy, and Luke in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary series.

BI201 The Story of the Bible

• Instructor: Michael W. Goheen
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 6

The Bible is a grand collection of 66 separate books—how are those books unified? This course introduces students to the unifying storyline that runs through the entire Bible. Dr. Michael Goheen—expert in missiology, theology, and worldview studies—shows how the drama of the Bible unfolds by tracing the major theological themes of redemption and restoration across both Testaments.

Contents:

Unit 1: Introduction

• The Three Categories of This Course
• Starting with Jesus
• Our Lives Are Shaped by Story
• The Bible as One Story
• Using Reading Plans to Help Read the Bible as One Story
• The Authority of the Biblical Story
• Two Different and Incompatible Stories
• The Drama of Scripture
• Quiz – Unit 1

Unit 2: Act 1: God Establishes His Kingdom

• Genesis 1 in Its Historical and Literary Context
• Genesis 1 in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context
• Using The Context of Scripture to Compare Creation Accounts
• Literary Structure of Genesis 1
• The Importance of Genesis 1 in the Bible Story
• Quiz – Unit 2

Unit 3: Act 2: Rebellion in the Kingdom

• Sin and Judgment in Genesis 3–11
• Genesis 3 and the Origin of Sin
• The Consequences of Sin
• Quiz – Unit 3

Unit 4: Act 3: The King Chooses Israel

• Redemption Initiated
• Sin and Promise in Genesis 3–11
• Blessed to Be a Blessing: Genesis 12:1–3
• Using Theological Lexicons to Understand the Meaning of Blessing
• From Promise to Covenant
• The Patriarchal Narratives of Genesis 12–50
• From Genesis to Exodus
• Redemption from Egypt
• God and Israel’s Covenant
• Israel’s Covenant Vocation
• The Purpose of the Law
• God’s Tabernacle Presence
• Using a Bible Dictionary to Understand the Significance of Tabernacle
• Leviticus: Repairing the Covenant
• Numbers: Through the Wilderness
• Deuteronomy: Israel Prepared to Enter the Land
• Quiz – Unit 4a
• Israel on the Land
• Joshua: God Gives Israel the Land
• Judges: Israel’s Failure on the Land
• The Storyline of Samuel
• A Faithful Covenant King
• The Davidic Covenant
• The Temple
• Using a Greek Lexicon to Look Up the Basic Meaning of Greek Words
• Historical Overview
• First and Second Kings: Israel’s Demise
• The Prophetic Message
• Return from Exile
• Ezra and Nehemiah: Post-Exilic Crisis of Faith
• The Writings
• The Intertestamental Period
• The Unfolding Story of the Intertestamental Period
• Quiz – Unit 4b
• Midterm Exam

Unit 5: Act 4: The Coming of the King

• The Kingdom of God
• Highlighting “Kingdom” in the Gospels with Visual Filters
• Jesus’ Kingdom Mission: A New Way
• Jesus Prepares for His Kingdom Mission
• Jesus Gathers His People
• Jesus Announces the Arrival of the Kingdom
• An “Already–Not Yet” Kingdom
• Jesus Reveals the Kingdom
• The Source of Jesus’ Power
• Opposition to Jesus’ Mission
• Jesus Welcomes Sinners and Outcasts
• Quiz – Unit 5a
• Jesus Forms an “End-Time” Community
• Jesus Explains the Kingdom with Parables
• Jesus Is the Embodiment of the Kingdom
• Who Is Jesus?
• Finding the Titles of Jesus with the Bible Facts Tool
• Three Symbolic Actions of Jesus
• The Context for the Cross and Resurrection
• Crucifixion and the Death of Jesus
• The Significance and Meaning of the Death of Jesus
• The Significance and Meaning of the Resurrection of Jesus
• Resurrection in Three Stages
• The Risen Lord Commissions His Disciples
• Using the Passage Guide to Find Parallel Gospel Accounts
• Quiz – Unit 5b

Unit 6: Act 5: Spreading the News of the King

• The Mission of the Church
• The Exaltation of Jesus
• Pentecost: The Coming of the Spirit
• The Story of Acts
• Prophecy Fulfilled: A Light on a Hill
• Searching for “Means of Grace”
• Witness in Judea and Samaria
• The Church as a Missionary Community
• Spontaneous Expansion of the Church
• The Pattern of Paul
• Two Perspectives on Paul
• The Teaching of Paul
• The Ending of Acts
• Our Place in the Story
• Creating and Searching a Church History Collection
• Quiz – Unit 6

Unit 7: Act 6: Return of the King

• Restoration Completed
• The End of the Story
• Quiz – Unit 7
• Final Exam

Dr. Michael W. Goheen, professor of missiology at Calvin Theological Seminary, served as the Geneva Chair of Worldview Studies at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia, and teaching fellow in mission studies at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia.

He has taught worldview, biblical theology, mission, and world Christianity at Redeemer University College and Dordt College. He began his professional life as a church planter and pastor in the Toronto area. He is also recognized as a leading scholar on the thought of Lesslie Newbigin.

Dr. Goheen has authored several books, including A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church in the Biblical Story (Baker, 2010) and As the Father Has Sent Me, I am Sending You: J.E. Lesslie Newbigin’s Missionary Ecclesiology (Zoetermeer, 2000). He also coauthored the best-selling Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story (Baker, 2004), Living at the Crossroads: An Introduction to Christian Worldview (Baker, 2008), and The True Story of the Whole World: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Drama (Faith Alive, 2009). He has also coedited two volumes on globalization and the gospel, and on the unity of the church.

Dr. Goheen lives in the Vancouver area where he is minister of preaching at New West Christian Reformed Church. He’s been married to his wife, Marnie, for 33 years and has four married children and four grandchildren.

OT201 Old Testament Genres

• Instructor: John H. Walton
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 4

Dr. John Walton guides students through the types of literature in the Old Testament. Beginning with narrative and continuing through prophecy, apocalyptic literature, wisdom literature, and the Psalms, this course explains how to best read and understand the Old Testament. Students should walk away with a strong interpretive framework through which they can grapple with the Old Testament. The course guides students into asking broader questions about the overall purpose of the Old Testament and God’s revelations throughout it.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Professor and the Course

Unit 1: Foundations

• Introduction
• Identifying Old Testament Genres
• About the Old Testament
• Introduction to Authority, Inspiration, and Revelation
• Authority
• Inspiration
• Revelation
• Literary Analysis
• Identifying Emphasis in Old Testament Narratives
• What Sort of Reader?
• Ethical Reading

Unit 2: Genres: Law

• Law: Part 1
• Law: Part 2
• Finding English Translations of Ancient Legal Texts
• Law: Part 3

Unit 3: Genres: Narrative

• The Significance of Story
• Misreading Biblical Narrative, Part 1
• Using Visual Filters to Identify God as the Subject
• Misreading Biblical Narrative, Part 2
• Finding Practical Ways to Preach Old Testament Narratives
• Writing History
• Ancient History Writing

Unit 4: Genres: Prophecy and Apocalyptic

• Prophets
• Using the Bible Facts Report to Research the Role of a Prophet
• Prophecy for the Present
• Kinds of Prophetic Illocution
• Search Parameters for the Prophetic Literature
• The Message of the Prophets
• Focusing on the Message
• Prophecy and the New Testament
• Locating Prophecies about Jesus
• Apocalyptic Literature

Unit 5: Genres: Wisdom and Psalms

• Introduction to Wisdom
• The Book of Job
• Discovering Ancient Near Eastern Parallels to the Book of Job
• The Book of Ecclesiastes
• Song of Songs
• Speaker Identifications in English Translations
• Psalms

Unit 6: Theology and Faith

• God’s Presence
• Faith

Dr. John Walton, professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College, spent 20 years teaching at Moody Bible Institute.

In his college years, he developed a passion for archaeology and Bible history. Instead of training to be an archaeologist, though, he focused his attention on studies comparing the culture and literature of the Bible and the ancient Near East. He has never lost his fascination with this subject, but comparative studies only provide one of the means by which he tries to get people excited about the Old Testament. He’s saddened by how little exposure to and understanding of the Old Testament many Christians have, but he’s passionate in doing whatever he can to remedy this spiritual and theological loss.

BI260 Interpreting New Testament Genres

• Instructor: William W. Klein
• Publication Date: 2015
• Video Hours: 9

Develop a new level of competency in interpreting the New Testament with Dr. William Klein’s guidance and insight on New Testament genres. Learn how to interpret the different genres found in the New Testament epistles. Distinguish which events in Acts are meant to be descriptive, describing what happened, and which are meant to be prescriptive, instructing on how to live. Discover how the book of Revelation combines three genres, and how this affects its interpretation.

Dr. Klein concludes each unit with practice exercises. He challenges you to interpret a passage using the methods he describes, and then shows you step-by-step how he would interpret it.

Contents:

• The Gospels
• Acts
• Epistles
• Revelation

Dr. William W. Klein is professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary and serves as Chair of the Division of Biblical Studies. He edited and was the major contributor to Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, wrote the commentary on Ephesians in the Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised Edition, and has consulted on several recent Bible versions, serving as chief exegetical consultant for the New Testament portion of The Message.