New Testament: Intermediate Study Bundle

by Michael S. Heiser; Logos Mobile Education; William W. Klein

and

5 more

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2013–2022

Overview

In the New Testament: Intermediate Study Bundle you’ll build a deeper understanding of the New Testament. You’ll learn about key historical moments and literary works of Judaism’s Second Temple period and the four major genres employed in the New Testament writings. You’ll also gain a unified perspective of the New Testament canon through a study of biblical theology and key themes. These courses will help you further grasp the New Testament’s background, message, and theology.

Product Details

• Title: New Testament: Intermediate Study Bundle
• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education
• Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources
• Courses: 8
• Video Hours: 64

BI101 Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2014
• 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.

NT101 Introducing New Testament: Its Structure and Story

• Instructor: Lynn H. Cohick
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 6

Gain a better understanding of the New Testament’s structure and themes with New Testament scholar Dr. Lynn Cohick. You'll examine elements such as historical context, writing techniques of the Gospel authors, developments in the early church, the settings of the epistles, the genre of the book of Revelation, and the life of Jesus.

Contents:

Unit 1: The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

• The Story of Jesus
• Creating and Searching a Custom Collection of Bible Dictionaries
• Gentile Sources for Jesus
• Jewish Sources for Jesus
• Outline of Jesus’ Life
• The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry
• Finding Old Testament Allusions in the New Testament
• Jesus’ Teaching Methods
• The Content of Jesus’ Teachings
• The Miracles of Jesus
• The Importance of the Historical Study of Jesus
• Quiz – Unit 1

Unit 2: The Gospels

• The Concept of Gospel
• Interpreting the Gospels
• The Synoptic Problem
• Comparing Gospel Accounts with Harmony Resources
• The Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John
• Quiz – Unit 2

Unit 3: The Gospel of Matthew

• The Setting and Key Verses of Matthew
• The Authorship of Matthew
• The Structure of Matthew
• The Message of Matthew
• The Kingdom of Heaven
• Miracles in Matthew
• Quiz – Unit 3

Unit 4: The Gospel of Mark

• The Setting and Key Verse of Mark
• The Structure of Mark
• Using the Exegetical Guide to Look Up Grammatical Issues
• The Message of Mark
• Jesus’ Teachings in Mark
• The Ending of Mark
• Quiz – Unit 4

Unit 5: The Gospel of Luke

• The Perspective and Key Verse of Luke
• The Setting of Luke
• The Structure of Luke
• The Prologue and Background of Luke
• Historical Accuracy in Luke-Acts
• Geography and Theology in Luke
• Searching a Bible for Louw-Nida Numbers
• Themes in Luke
• Quiz – Unit 5

Unit 6: The Gospel of John

• The Setting and Key Verse of John
• The Structure of John
• Finding Jesus’ “I Am” Statements in John
• The Message of John
• The Timing of Jesus’ Death in the Gospels
• John’s Use of “the Jews”
• Unit 6 Quiz
• Midterm Exam

Unit 7: The Story of the Early Church

• Introducing Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation
• The World of the Early Church

Unit 8: The Book of Acts

• The Structure and Key Verse of Acts
• The Growth of the Gospel in Acts
• The Conversion of Paul
• The Conversion of Cornelius
• Themes in Acts
• Quiz – Unit 7–8

Unit 9: Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles

• Paul’s Life before Christ
• Paul’s Life after Christ
• Searching for Maps of Paul’s Missionary Journeys
• Paul’s Letters
• Paul’s Theology
• Quiz – Unit 9

Unit 10: The Letters of Paul

• Galatians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• The Structure and Key Verse of Romans
• The Message of Romans
• Creating and Searching a Custom Collection of Commentaries
• Ephesians
• Colossians
• Philippians
• Philemon
• The Pastoral Epistles
• Quiz – Unit 10

Unit 11: The General Epistles

• Hebrews
• James
• 1 and 2 Peter and Jude
• The Johannine Epistles
• Using Word Lists to Identify Johannine Vocabulary
• Quiz – Unit 11

Unit 12: The Book of Revelation

• The Setting and Structure of Revelation
• Searching for Monographs and Other Similar Resources
• The Teaching of Apocalypse
• Interpreting Revelation
• The Message of Revelation
• Quiz – Unit 12
• Final Exam

Dr. Lynn Cohick is professor of New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. She has written commentaries on Ephesians and Galatians, Women in the World of the Earliest Christians and coauthored The New Testament in Antiquity.

Dr. Cohick is interested in studying how average Jews and Christians lived out their faith in the ancient settings of Hellenism and the Roman Empire, as well as how Jews and Christians today can better appreciate and understand each other. She also studies women of the ancient world—especially how they celebrated their religions—and the impact of feminist thought on New Testament studies. She also enjoys studying the Apostle Paul and his epistles within their larger Jewish and Greco-Roman milieu.

Dr. Cohick had the privilege of teaching overseas at the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology in Nairobi, Kenya for three years, and was challenged by the students’ dedication and sharp intellect.

NT211 Introducing the Gospels and Acts: Their Background, Nature, and Purpose

• Instructor: Darrell Bock
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 6

Study the key events of the Gospels and the book of Acts with prolific New Testament scholar Dr. Darrell L. Bock. Dr. Bock walks you through the pivotal events of history that shaped the social, religious, and political environment of Jesus and the early church. Find out why the religious leaders wanted Jesus crucified and how the resurrection demonstrated God’s approval of Jesus as Messiah. Discover how the early church remembered, shared, and recorded the events of Jesus’ life, and how those events became the catalyst for ministry in the book of Acts. Learn about the literary features of the gospel genre and why some “gospels” were not included in the New Testament.

Dr. Bock—an internationally recognized authority on theology and culture—developed this course for the Mobile Education platform so that you can read the Gospels and Acts with fresh eyes.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Background to the New Testament

• Understanding Backgrounds
• The Nature of Judaism
• Alexander the Great
• Hellenization and First Maccabees
• Jewish Responses to Hellenism
• The Temple Story
• The Start of the Maccabean War
• The Impact of Hellenism and the War on Jewish Identity
• The Romans in the Holy Land
• Psalms of Solomon
• The Ministry of Jesus
• Forgiving Sins: The Healing of the Paralytic
• Messing with the Sabbath
• Challenging Tradition and Ritual Purity
• Claiming to Be King
• Cleansing the Temple
• The New Testament Collection

Unit 2: The Nature and Purpose of the Gospels

• Orality and Memory
• The Value of a Voice
• The Quality and Types of Orality
• Corporate and Individual Memory
• Examples of Memory
• The Gospel Genre
• The Dates of the Gospels
• The Authorship of Mark
• The Authorship of Luke
• The Authorship of Matthew
• The Authorship of John
• The Four Gospels
• Four Perspectives
• The Missing Gospels
• Gnosticism
• The Gospel of Thomas
• Background of the Gnostic Creation Story
• The Gnostic Creation Story
• Summary of the Missing Gospels
• Summary of the Nature and Purpose of the Gospels

Unit 3: Resurrection in the Gospel Accounts

• An Introduction to Resurrection
• Resurrection in Judaism and the Graeco-Roman World
• Jesus’ Predictions about His Resurrection
• Resurrection and the Old Testament
• Jesus at His Jewish Examination
• Resurrection in Mark’s Gospel
• Resurrection in Matthew’s Gospel
• Resurrection in Luke’s Gospel
• Resurrection in John’s Gospel
• The Credibility of the Resurrection
• The Significance of the Resurrection

Unit 4: The Early Church in Acts

• The Ascension of Jesus
• Pentecost: The Spirit and the Resurrection
• Pentecost: The Exaltation
• To the Gentiles
• Jew and Gentile Together: The Jerusalem Council
• Jew and Gentile Together: Ephesians 2
• Persecution and Martyrdom: Acts 4
• Persecution and Martyrdom: Stephen
• Persecution and Martyrdom: Paul
• The Gospel Message
• The Core Message of the Gospel
• The House Church

Conclusion

• Course Summary

Dr. Darrell L. Bock, research professor of New Testament studies and professor of spiritual development and culture at Dallas Theological Seminary, serves as editor-at-large for Christianity Today, and is on the board of Chosen People Ministries and Wheaton College. From 2000 to 2001, Dr. Bock served as president of the Evangelical Theological Society.

He has earned international recognition as a Humboldt Scholar for his work in Luke-Acts, historical Jesus study, biblical theology, as well as with messianic Jewish ministries. He has published articles in the Los Angeles Times and The Dallas Morning News and is a well-known author of over 30 books. His publications include Studying the Historical Jesus: A Guide to Sources and Methods, Jesus according to Scripture, an NIV Application Commentary on Luke, Breaking the Da Vinci Code, and commentaries on Acts and Luke in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (BECNT) series.

NT222 Introducing the Epistles and Revelation: Their Setting and Message

• Instructor: David A. deSilva
• Publication Date: 2016
• Video Hours: 12

This course explores the books of Romans through Revelation with particular attention to their historical setting and culture. In addition to providing an overview of each book, topics such as authorship, audience, theology, major themes, presenting problems and pastoral strategies are discussed in depth.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course
• Our Scripture Is Somebody Else’s Mail

Unit 1: Paul’s Letter to the Galatians

• Introducing Paul the Persecutor
• Introducing Paul the Preacher
• Introduction to the Galatian Church
• Gospel of the Rivals
• Paul’s Goal for His Converts
• Who Are You Going to Trust?
• Life in the Spirit

Unit 2: The Thessalonian Letters

• The Situation in Thessalonica
• Timothy’s Visit
• Insulating the Converts from Social Shame
• Affirming the Christian’s Honor
• Answering the Converts’ Questions
• Authorship of 2 Thessalonians
• Paul’s Goals in 2 Thessalonians
• Paul and the Thessalonians: Continued Ministry and Reflections

Unit 3: The Corinthian Letters

• The City of Corinth
• The History of Paul’s Relationship with the Corinthians
• Second Corinthians: One Letter or Many?
• Pastoral Issues of 1 Corinthians: Part 1
• Pastoral Issues of 1 Corinthians: Part 2
• Paul’s Reflections on Ministry
• Paul on Stewardship
• Did 2 Corinthians Work?

Unit 4: The Letter to the Romans

• Introducing Paul’s Letter to the Romans
• Romans 1–8 as Pastoral Word
• Romans 9–15 as Pastoral Word
• Paul’s Personal Goals for Romans
• Suggestions for Further Exploration

Unit 5: Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians

• The Story behind Philemon
• Paul’s Goals for Philemon
• Paul’s Strategy in Philemon
• The Problem in Colossae
• Paul’s Goals for Colossians
• Authorship of Colossians
• Colossians as an Authentic Pauline Letter
• Authorship of Ephesians
• Situation behind Ephesians
• Central Theme of Ephesians
• Contributions of Colossians and Ephesians

Unit 6: The Letter to the Philippians

• Paul’s Relationship with the Philippians
• Paul’s Location in Philippians
• One Letter or Several?
• The Reason for Philippians
• Paul’s Strategy in Philippians

Unit 7: Letters to Paul’s Delegates: Timothy and Titus

• The Implied Setting of the Pastoral Letters
• The Question of Authenticity: Part 1
• The Question of Authenticity: Part 2
• The Question of Authenticity: Part 3
• The Question of Authenticity: Part 4
• Principal Emphases of the Pastoral Epistles: Part 1
• Principal Emphases of the Pastoral Epistles: Part 2
• Ongoing Challenge of the Pastorals

Unit 8: The Letter “to the Hebrews”

• Introduction to Hebrews and Its Audience
• Addressees’ Background and Presenting Challenges
• Who Wrote Hebrews?
• The Pastoral Strategy of Hebrews
• Despising Shame: Exemplars of the Faith
• Reinterpreting Experiences of Disgrace
• Nurturing a Supportive Faith Community
• Responding to Divine Grace with Appropriate Gratitude: Part 1
• Responding to Divine Grace with Appropriate Gratitude: Part 2
• Contributions of Hebrews to Early Christianity

Unit 9: The Epistle of James

• Introduction to James
• James as Wisdom Literature
• James and Paul
• Major Emphases of James: Part 1
• Major Emphases of James: Part 2

Unit 10: The First Letter of Peter

• The Pastoral Challenge of 1 Peter
• Who Wrote 1 Peter and When?
• Peter’s Pastoral Response and Rhetorical Strategy
• Reinterpreting Experiences of Suffering
• Redefining the “Real” Challenge
• Shaping Relationships with Outsiders and Insiders

Unit 11: Jude and 2 Peter

• Introducing Jude and 2 Peter
• The Epistle of Jude and Its Setting
• Pastoral Challenge and Authorship of 2 Peter
• Grace and Response in 2 Peter
• Censuring and Answering the Opponents
• Contributions of Jude and 2 Peter

Unit 12: The Johannine Letters

• Introducing the Johannine Letters
• Authorship and Genre
• Believing Means Loving
• Sin and Righteousness

Unit 13: The Revelation of John

• The Genres of Revelation
• Who Wrote Revelation?
• The Date of Revelation
• The Situation of the Addressees: Part 1
• The Situation of the Addressees: Part 2
• The Public Story of Rome
• The Public Image of the Emperors
• John’s Unveiling
• John’s Goals
• Keeping the Words of This Prophecy

Conclusion

• Living the Challenge of the New Testament

Dr. David A. deSilva is the trustees’ distinguished professor of New Testament and Greek at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio, where he’s taught since 1995. He’s written over 20 books in the areas of New Testament and Second Temple Judaism and is a leading expert on the cultural world of the New Testament.

NT281 How We Got the New Testament

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 4

In this course, Dr. Michael Heiser explains the story of how we got the New Testament—he guides you from the process of inspiration to the discovery and transmission of manuscripts. Dr. Heiser describes the role of scribes throughout time and discusses significant Greek New Testament manuscripts upon which modern translations are based. Because most students of the Bible read it in their own language, he also examines translation philosophies and controversies.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Preliminary Issues

• What Is the New Testament?
• The Term “New Testament”
• Exploring “Covenant” Using the Topic Guide
• The Scope of the New Testament
• Number of New Testament Books
• Order and Structure of New Testament Books
• Titles of New Testament Books
• The Authority of the Testaments
• Creating a Custom Guide to Study 2 Timothy 3:16
• Road Map for this Course

Unit 2: Inspiration

• Two Sides to Inspiration
• Flawed Conception of Inspiration
• Coherent Conception: Major Verses
• Coherent Conception: Textual Phenomena

Unit 3: The Composition of the New Testament Books

• Preview
• Researching Important Dates with the Timeline Tool
• The Language of the New Testament
• Defining “Autograph”
• Producing Documents in a Graeco-Roman World
• Understanding Technical Terms
• Amanuenses
• Use of External Source Material
• Exploring Ancient Texts Relevant to the Text of the New Testament
• Literary Intent and Occasion

Unit 4: Canonical Recognition of the New Testament Books

• Concept of Canon
• Early Development
• The Impact of Canon on Copying and Transmission

Unit 5: Manuscripts of the New Testament

• The Copying Enterprise
• The Innovation of the Codex
• Manuscript Types and Discoveries
• Papyri
• Uncials and Sinaiticus
• Using Textual Apparatuses in Logos
• Uncials: Alexandrinus
• Viewing Codex Sinaiticus in Logos
• Uncials: Vaticanus
• Uncials: Codex Bezae
• Minuscules
• Lectionaries
• Quotations from the Fathers
• Searching for New Testament Citations in the Early Church Fathers
• Early Versions of the New Testament
• Archaeological Factors in Dating Manuscripts
• Dating and the Forms of Manuscripts
• Dating and Paleography
• Carbon-14 Dating
• Manuscript Families
• Alexandrian Family
• Byzantine Family

Unit 6: The History of the Text’s Transmission

• The Early Centuries (1st–4th)
• The Byzantine Era (400–1516)
• The “Received Text” (1516–1633)
• Erasmus’ First Edition (1516)
• Erasmus’ First and Third Editions
• Later Editions of Erasmus’ Text
• The Period of Critical Research (1633–1881)
• Important Scholarly Work
• Westcott and Hort
• Positive Reaction to Westcott and Hort
• Negative Reaction to Westcott and Hort
• H. von Soden’s Text (1913)
• Eberhard Nestle (1898–1963)
• UBS First Edition
• UBS Third Edition and Nestle-Aland Edition
• Modern Majority Text Editions
• SBL Greek New Testament
• Comparing Major Editions of the Greek New Testament

Unit 7: The Impact of Textual History

• Pre-20th Century
• Evaluating Modern Translations
• The American Standard Version
• The Revised Standard Version
• The New American Standard Bible
• The New International Version
• The New King James Version
• The New Revised Standard Version
• The New English Translation
• The English Standard Version

Unit 8: Textual Criticism of the New Testament

• Preview of the Process
• Determining Variants
• Gathering Evidence: The Specialist
• Gathering Evidence: The Nonspecialist
• Using Digital Tools for Conducting Text-Critical Research
• Evaluating Evidence: Types of Variants
• Unintentional Variants: Word Division
• Unintentional Variants: Letter Confusion
• Unintentional Variants: Eye Skipping
• Unintentional Variants: Haplography
• Unintentional Variants: Dittography
• Unintentional Variants: Transposition
• Unintentional Variants: Faulty Hearing
• Intentional Variants: Clarifying the Text
• Intentional Variants: Conflation
• Intentional Variants: Harmonization and Smoothing
• Evaluating Variants
• Evaluating Variants: Internal Considerations
• Evaluating Variants: External Considerations
• Evaluating Variants: Logical Considerations
• Investigating the “Johannine Comma” with Various Tools
• Textual Criticism, Inspiration, and Inerrancy

Unit 9: The “King James Only” Controversy

• Preview of the Issue
• The Merit Argument
• The Providence Argument
• The Satanic Argument
• The Heresy Argument
• A Personal Note

Conclusion

• Course Summary

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.

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.

NT202 A Survey of Jewish History and Literature from the Second Temple Period

• Instructor: Joel Willitts
• Publication Date: 2015
• Video Hours: 10

In this course, Dr. Joel Willitts guides you through key historical moments and literary works of the Second Temple period. Discover the history between Israel’s return from Babylonian exile, beginning in 583 BC, and the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in AD 70. Develop an understanding of the beliefs of Jewish groups such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. Survey a vast array of Second Temple literature, from the Old Testament Apocrypha to the writings of Philo and Josephus.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: History of the Second Temple Period: Persian and Greek Rule

• Overview
• Accessing Second Temple Literature in Logos
• Babylonian Exile
• Persian and Second Temple Period
• Returnees: Zerubbabel and Ezra
• Returnees: Nehemiah and Samaria
• Keeping Track of Second Temple Resources with Favorites
• Alexander the Great and the Rise of Hellenism
• Alexander’s Successors: Seleucids and Ptolemies

Unit 2: History of the Second Temple Period: The Hasmonean Kingdom

• Maccabean Revolt and Rise of the Hasmoneans
• Hasmonean Army
• Early Hasmonean Kingdom
• Middle Hasmonean Kingdom: The Seleucid Connection
• Middle Hasmonean Kingdom: Aristobulus I
• Late Hasmonean Kingdom
• Final Stages of the Hasmonean Kingdom

Unit 3: History of the Second Temple Period: Jewish Sectarian Groups

• Introduction to Jewish Sectarian Groups
• Studying Jewish Religious Groups in Logos
• Pharisees: The Separate Ones
• Pharisees: Respect for Simple Living, Logic, and the Oral Tradition
• Pharisees: Theological Summary
• Sadducees: Derived from a Priestly Family
• Sadducees: Argumentative and Self-Serving
• Sadducees: Pragmatists, Opportunists, Survivors
• Pharisees and Sadducees in the New Testament
• Essenes: Urban Ascetics
• Essenes: Distinctive Practices
• Essenes: Distinctive Beliefs
• Samaritans

Unit 4: History of the Second Temple Period: The Roman Empire

• Roman Annexation of Palestine
• Exploring Second Temple People and Events
• Emergence of the Herodian Kingdom
• Herod’s Building Projects
• Herod’s Death
• Herod’s Successors and Direct Roman Rule of Judaea
• Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate
• First Jewish Revolt

Unit 5: Corpus of Literature from the Second Temple Period

• Introduction to Second Temple Literature
• Old Testament Apocrypha
• Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
• Dead Sea Scrolls
• Philo of Alexandria
• Flavius Josephus
• Ancient Greek Translations
• Aramaic Targums
• Mishnah and the Rabbinic Sages

Unit 6: Texts of the Dispersion

• Introduction to Selected Second Temple Texts
• Tobit: An Outline of the Story
• Tobit: Historical and Theological Observations
• Additions to Daniel: Susanna
• Additions to Daniel: Bel and the Dragon
• Additions to Daniel: Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men
• Letter of Jeremiah
• Studying Idolatry in the Apocrypha, Old Testament, and New Testament

Unit 7: Texts Engaging Hellenism

• Introduction to the Enoch Literature, Part 1
• Introduction to the Enoch Literature, Part 2
• Book of the Luminaries: The Schema of the Cosmos
• Book of the Luminaries: Wrong Calendar Yields Wrong Worship
• Book of the Watchers: Disorder Is Evil
• Book of the Watchers: Judgment and Explanations
• Book of the Watchers: Theological Topics
• Wisdom of Ben Sira: Overview
• Wisdom of Ben Sira: Topics Discussed

Unit 8: Apocalyptic Texts

• Introducing Apocalypticism and Apocalyptic Literature
• Researching Apocalyptic Literature with the Factbook and Sermon Starter Guide
• Jubilees
• Book of Dreams
• Using Reading Plans to Read Second Temple Literature

Unit 9: Texts Engaging the Hasmonean Dynasty

• Baruch
• Judith
• 1 Maccabees
• Finding and Understanding “Zeal” in Scripture
• 2 Maccabees
• Epistle of Enoch

Unit 10: Dead Sea Scrolls

• Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
• Identifying the Dead Sea Scrolls
• What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
• Three Basic Beliefs of the Scroll Community
• Finding Information on the Davidic Messiah with Proximity Search

Unit 11: Examples of Sectarian Texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls

• The Rule Scrolls
• The Halakhic Letter
• The War Scroll
• Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice
• The Thanksgiving Hymn
• The Temple Scroll
• The Aramaic Apocalypse
• PesherInterpretation

Unit 12: Texts of the Egyptian Jewish Diaspora

• The Letter of Aristeas and the Septuagint
• Wisdom of Solomon

Unit 13: In the Wake of Herod and the Romans

• 2 Enoch
• Psalms of Solomon
• Psalms of Solomon 17
• Similitudes of Enoch

Unit 14: In the Wake of the First Jewish War

• 4 Ezra
• 2 Baruch
• Mishnah
• Connecting Scripture with Ancient Literature

Conclusion

• Summary

Dr. Joel Willitts is an associate professor in the biblical and theological studies department at North Park University. After graduating with a BS, he spent seven years in youth ministry in Texas, Florida, and Illinois. He earned a ThM (2000), an MPhil (2002), and a PhD (2007) from Cambridge University in England.

He has a wide breadth of experience within both the church and academia. Dr. Willitts has researched and published books, essays, and journal articles on the New Testament’s Jewish context. He is currently working on a Galatians commentary, a book on Jesus as the Davidic Son, and a book about sexual abuse.

Dr. Willitts’ passion for the local church has remained strong throughout his education and professional life. He is a fellow at the Center for Pastoral Theology, a group that promotes theology in and for the local church. He has been married to his wife, Karla, for 20 years, and they have six-year-old twins, Zion and Mary. They live in Saint Charles, Illinois.

NT305 New Testament Theology

• Instructor: Douglas J. Moo
• Publication Date: 2015
• Video Hours: 12

Survey the structures and purpose of New Testament theology with renowned Bible scholar and author Dr. Douglas Moo. This expansive course looks at key concepts that emerge from the different books of the New Testament, and explains the overall message God has for the church. Dr. Moo examines the diversity of the New Testament writings, stressing the importance of reading each book in its own context, as well as the unity that arises from their divine inspiration. As he says in the course:

I understand the Bible, then, to be a divine–human book that speaks to every generation. This is its very nature. Because it’s a divine book, inspired by God, there is a unity to it that transcends time and place. But because it’s a human book, because the Bible was written by particular human individuals, it has an undeniable historical context that we have to recognize. Not to recognize that context will be to miss its meaning again and again. But the Bible is a book that speaks to every generation, and that inevitably requires that we engage in the hermeneutical task—the task of trying to understand how this ancient Word of God can relevantly address the current church.

With over 30 years of New Testament research and teaching experience, Dr. Moo is the ideal guide, helping you bridge the gap between what ancient writers meant and what the New Testament means for God’s people today.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Locating Biblical Theology

• History of Biblical Theology
• Recent Emphases in Biblical Theology
• Horizons of Biblical Theology
• Looking Up Biblical Theology with the Reference Box
• Blending the Horizons
• Exegesis and Theology
• Understanding Biblical Theology
• Issues in Theology: Canon
• Issues in Theology: Organization
• Issues in Theology: The Center
• Approaches to the New Testament
• Using the Factbook and Searching the Logos Library
• Genres: The Gospels
• Genres: The Gospels and Jesus
• Genre: Acts, Paul, and the General Epistles
• Studying Paul’s Missionary Journeys with Timelines and the Atlas Tool
• Genre: The Book of Revelation

Unit 2: The Old Testament in New Testament Theology

• The New Testament Use of the Old, Part 1
• Searching for Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament
• The New Testament Use of the Old, Part 2
• “Realm” as Organizing Principle

Unit 3: Fundamental Structures of New Testament Theology

• The Last Days
• The Kingdom of God
• The Spirit of God
• Using the Parallel Passages Feature to Find Connections in Scripture
• The Good News
• Studying “Gospel” with the Bible Word Study Tool

Unit 4: The Center of the New Realm

• New Testament Titles for Jesus
• Messiah
• Son of Man
• Israel
• The Ultimate Human
• Lord
• God (“Theos”)
• How Jesus Came to Be Viewed as God

Unit 5: Inauguration of the New Realm

• Models of the Atonement
• The Cross and the Gospels
• The Cross and the Early Church
• The Cross and Paul: Penal Substitution
• Performing a Bible Word Study on the Word “Messiah”
• The Cross and Paul: Reconciliation
• The Cross and Hebrews: Sacrifice and Presentation
• The Cross and Christus Victor
• The Cross and Revelation
• Understanding the Atonement
• Resurrection and the New Realm

Unit 6: The Old Realm

• Predicament and Solution
• The Spirit World
• The World and Sin
• Adam’s Sin and All People
• The Nature of Human Beings
• The Effects of Sin
• The Law in the Old Realm
• The Law in the New Testament

Unit 7: Entering the New Realm

• God’s Grace
• God’s Election
• Conversion and Initiation
• Repentance and Faith
• Searching for a Specific Greek Phrase with Greek Lemmas
• Following Jesus
• The Language of Justification
• The Righteousness of God
• The Reformation View of Justification
• An Introduction to the New Perspective on Paul
• Critique of the New Perspective
• N. T. Wright’s View on Justification
• Rethinking Forensic Justification
• Rethinking Justification by Faith Alone
• Rethinking “Already/Not Yet” Justification
• Comparing Bible Translations of Galatians 5:5
• Integrating James and Paul

Unit 8: Living in the New Realm

• The Overlap of the Ages
• Dead to Sin and Alive to Christ
• The Old and New Man
• Life in the Spirit: John’s Gospel
• Life in the Spirit: Paul’s Letters
• Ethics and the Kingdom
• An Inner Transformation
• The Role of the Old Testament Law
• Studying the Ten Commandments
• Matthew 5 and the Law
• The Shape of the Christian Life: Sanctification
• The Shape of the Christian Life: Sexual Practice
• Love in Action: Philemon
• Blessed Are the Poor
• Christians in Society

Unit 9: The People of the New Realm

• Israel and the Church
• Israel and the Church: The Pattern and an Exception
• “Church” in the New Testament
• Images for the Church
• Water Baptism
• The Lord’s Supper
• Spiritual Gifts
• Creating a Custom Passage Guide
• Offices in the Church
• Church Organization in the Pastoral Epistles
• Women and Ministry

Unit 10: The Consummation of the New Realm

• The Parousia
• The Olivet Discourse: Matthew 24
• Rapture and Resurrection
• Judgment of Unbelievers
• Judgment and Believers
• The Millennium and the Eternal State
• The Destiny of Creation
• Using the Text Converter Tool

Conclusion

• Course Summary

Dr. Douglas Moo teaches New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. For over 20 years, his ministry was based at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. His academic interests revolve around the interface of exegesis and theology. Dr. Moo seeks to model to students a rigorous approach to the Greek text that always asks the “so what” questions of ultimate significance and application. The Pauline and general epistles have been his special focus within the NT canon.

In the next few years, he will be writing commentaries on Galatians and Hebrews, a Pauline theology, and a theological and practical book on creation care.

Dr. Moo has also been active in his local church, serving as elder most years, teaching and preaching to the church, and conducting home Bible studies. Because of his New Testament expertise, he has served on the Committee on Bible Translation—the group of scholars charged with revising the text of the NIV and with producing the TNIV.