HOUSTON GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
BI 721 Early Judaism and the New Testament
Summer 2014, June T & Th 12:30-4:30
Dr. Doug Kennard, Professor of New Testament
713-942-9505
The mission of Houston Graduate School of Theology is empowering spiritual
leadership through the intellectual, spiritual, and vocational development
of men and women in order to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ
throughout the world.
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION
A study of the life and literature of Judaism in the period from about 300 BC to AD 200, with attention to the changing historical and religious situations, along with literary works relevant for understanding the New Testament, particularly such Apocryphal works as the Books of Maccabees, the Wisdom of Jesus ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus), and the Wisdom of Solomon.
II. COURSE OBJECTIVES: The student will:
A. Describe an overview of second Temple history.
B. Interact with the written and growing oral canons.
C. Interact with and explain an issues in second Temple Judaism
D. Develop an index of second Temple Jewish issues for future retrieval and research within the NT.
III. TEXTS
Collins, John, and Daniel Harlow. Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010. 978-0-8028-2549 Article titles are given: e.g., Abraham.
A couple Kennard papers will be e-mailed to the student an indicated in the schedule by K:
Magness, Jodi. Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011. 978-0-8028-6558-8 Shown on schedule as M.
Neusner, Jacob. Judaism When Christianity Began: A Survey of Belief and Practice. Louisville: Westminster, 2002. 0-664-22527-6 Shown on schedule as N.
Nickelsburg, George, and Michael Stone. Early Judaism: Texts and Documents on Faith and Piety Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2009. 978-0-8006-6286-8 Shown on schedule as NS.
Porter, Stanley, and Jacqueline C. R. deRoo. The Concept of Covenant in the Second Temple Period. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003. 10-1589832906 Shown on schedule as P.
A document from Josephus, as indicated, the other primary sources are in Schiffman and Nicklesberg.
IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A. The student will read assignments in text books and Bible according to schedule. 20% of final grade.
B. The student will turn in an index of topics and NT text addresses as referencing where the reading provides further information. 40%
C. The student will complete one paper (approximately 3000 words). Use especially journals through ATLA since 1995. Do not cite Wikipaedia but you may use it. Only cite internet sites of JSTOR or ATLA journals or .org sites where some evidence of peer review occurs. The paper should be either Turabian or APA format, consistent with the student’s major. Also post it on Turnitin.com Course code: 7721587 password: Judaism . 40% of the final grade.
D. Any late papers will have the grade deducted at a rate of 3% per calendar day, so include the date on which you turned in the late paper, or the date on which Kennard finds it will be assigned to it.
E. Attendance is expected at all classes. Classroom participation is 10% of final grade. Students are only excused for official, school-sponsored activities. If you must miss class, be sure and get notes from another student.
F. Criteria for grading:
A 90-100 Index 40%
B 80-89 Paper 40%
C 70-79 Reading 20%
D 60-69 Participation 10%
V. SEMINARY POLICIES:
A. Seminary Plagiarism Policy: Plagiarism is presenting the work of another person as your own without giving proper credit for the use of the information. Students must not quote or paraphrase books, articles, essays, or internet sites without giving proper credit to the author(s). Guard against plagiarism by crediting the original author through use of proper citations. Internet plagiarism is a particularly easy and tempting form of intellectual theft that you must resist. You may not cut and paste sentences and paragraphs from the internet without citations. Failure to cite internet sources is plagiarism.
Any plagiarized submission will result in a failure for the assignment, notification of the Dean of the Faculty, and a conference with the professor. Any student who is found guilty of plagiarism is subject to a range of consequences including failure of this course work and dismissal from HGST.
B. EXTERNAL LIBRARY SERVICES
A student’s ability to get the most out of library resources will enhance the possibility of earning a high grade in this class. Therefore, students should consider using, in addition to the HGST library, Search HGST Library Holdings (http://66.196.218.34/common/servlet/presenthomeform.do?l2m=Home&tm=Home&l2m=Home), one or more of the following libraries.
Your ability to get the most out of library resources will enhance the possibility of your earning a high grade in this class. Therefore you should consider using, in addition to the HGST library, one or more of the following libraries.
Houston Public Library— Any resident of Texas can obtain a free Houston Public Library card. Library cardholders have access to all of the books in the library system as well as the use of free interlibrary loans, meaning that HPL cardholders can borrow almost any book available. Cardholders can use the library’s website, www.houstonlibrary.org, to search electronic research tools which include the “religion and philosophy database” by Ebesco, and JSTOR. They can also search the catalog and manage interlibrary loans. The website also contains links to WorldCat and other online databases that will enhance your research. The HPL location that is closest to HGST, the Collier Regional Branch (832.393.1740), is located at 6200 Pinemont, which is less than three miles from campus. A better option would be the newly expanded and renovated Central Library (832.393.1313), which is located downtown at 500 McKinney. In addition, HPL has many other locations. The HGST library can give you an application for an HPL library card, or you can print the application form from their website. (For more information, please visit www.hpl.lib.tx.us).
Fondren Library at Rice University— The Fondren Library (713.348.5113) is located at 6100 Main. For more information, please visit www.rice.edu/fondren. The procedure for borrowing books at the Fondren Library is, first, go to the online catalog [www.rice.edu/fondren] to search for available books; second, go to the HGST library and fill out a form, signed by HGST library personnel, to take with you to the Fondren Library for each book; third, retrieve the book(s) yourself; fourth, take the book(s) and the signed form to the circulation desk to complete checkout (return the yellow copy to the HGST library; when the book(s) are returned to the Fondren Library, they will indicate so on the pink and gold copies; return the pink copy to the HGST Library and keep the gold copy for your records).
Lanier Theological Library is a new resource for scholarly theological research in the Houston area. The library is open to the public, Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. The library is a research library with no circulation privileges. Nonetheless, students should consider Lanier Library to be a valuable research option. The catalog of Lanier Library is available online: http://alexandria.lanierlibrary.net/#_.
Cardinal Beran Library at St Mary’s Seminary—the home of an extensive theological library, St Mary’s Seminary (713.686.4345) is located at 9845 Memorial Drive, only 4.6 miles from HGST. For more information, please visit http://beran.stthom.edu. The Doherty Library on the main campus of University of St Thomas is also an option.
Library of the Presbytery of the New Covenant – as an HGST student you have borrowing privileges at this library located at 1110 Lovett Blvd, Houston. To search their online catalogue, go to http://www.pbyofnewcovenant.org/cgi-bin/rqm/rqm.cgi.
Other options include Harris County Public Library (www.hcpl.net), where cardholders may use electronic research tools including the “religion and philosophy database” by Ebsco.
Also available are the libraries at the University of Houston and Houston Baptist University.
C. Cell phones provide distractions to class. The student should turn cell phones to silence or vibrate and should only respond to calls during breaks.
D. HGST Policy on Incompletes
In cases of extenuating circumstances, and at the discretion of the instructor, a student may request and apply for an extension on all required assignments that are not completed by the end of the semester or term, subject to a half-letter grade reduction on the final grade. If an extension is granted, the instructor will record a grade of “I” (Incomplete) and set an extension of time, not to exceed thirty calendar days from the end of the class, within which to complete the work. Additional extensions may be granted only by the Dean of the Faculty and only after a student has petitioned the Dean in writing. If the course work is not completed within the extended time allotment, the grade of “I” will be converted to the grade earned by the student up to that point.The student is responsible to ensure that all necessary paperwork is submitted to the registrar’s office by the deadline published in the school calendar.
V. CLASS SCHEDULE (non-italics is from Eerdmans Dict. of Early Judaism):
June 3 Syllabus
5 N: 1-2; NS Intro & 1; CH pp 25-53, 181-99, 237-54; Daniel 7-8, 10-11; Abraham, Adiabene, Alexandria, Animal Worship, Antiochus, Apocalypse & Apocalypicism, Apollonius, Aqedah, Aramaic, Archives, Aristeas, Aristobulus, Artapanus, Ascent to Heaven, Assimilation, Astronomy, Babel Tower, Babylonian Culture, Babylonians, Behemoth, Berossus, Bickerman, Circumcision, Court Tales, Cyrus, Daliyeh, Damascus, Daniel & Additions & Pseudo-texts, David & Apocryphon, Decapolis, Diadochoi, Divination, Dream, Egypt, Election, Elect of God, Esdras, Esther, Eupolemus, Exile, Exodus, Ezra, Fortresses, Greece, Greek stuff, Hasideans, Hasmoneans, Hecataeus, Hecataeus, Heliopolis, Hellenism, Herod, Herodian Dynasty, Historiography, Idols, Idumea, Imperial cult, Ioudaios, Isaac, Itruea, Jericho, Joseph stuff, Joshua, Jubilees, Judas Maccabeaus, Julius Caesar, Kingship, Maccabean stuff, Magic, Manetho, Martyrdom, Mesopotamia, Military, Nabatea, Names, Nebuchadnezzar, Nehemiah, Pagan religions, Paneion, Parthians, Persian stuff, Phonicia, Ptolemies, Rights, Roman stuff, Ruth, Samaria stuff, Sanballat, Seleucids, Sepphoris, Sheshbazzar, Tales of Persian court, Tcherikover, Tobiads, Tobiah, Tobit, Transjordan, Tribute
10 P; N:3 & 5; K: Instances of Covenant Nomism in Second Temple Judaisms; CH pp 57-141, 201-33; Aaron, Architecture, Art, Boethusians, Caesarea Maritima, Canon, Coins, Covenant, Covenant Nomism, Decalogue, Deuteronomistic History, Faith, Gentile stuff, Geography-Mythic, Gerizim, God-fearers, Grace, Heaven, Hengel, James, Jeremiah, Jewelry, Judgment, Judith, Kingdom, Land, Manasseh, Minor prophets, Miqsat…, Monotheism, Mosaics, Moses stuff, Ordinances, Peace, Penitential prayer, Pentateuch, Persecuted righteous, Pharisees, Repentance, Restoration, Resurrection, Reworked Pentateuch, Sadducees, Sanders, Sanhedrin, Scribal stuff, Sectarianism, Septuagint, Sin, Torah & tradition, Universalism, Violence, Wilderness, Writing
12 N:4, 6 & 11-12; K: Hebrew Metaphysic: Life, Holy, Clean, Righteousness, and Sacrifice; M 2-11, 6; Agriculture, Almsgiving, Aqueducts, Associations, Atonement, Baths, Calendars, Cisterns, Cosmology, Diet, Domestic Dwellings, Family, Fasting, Festivals, Genealogies, Goodenough, Gymnasium, Healing, Herakleopolis, High Priests, Holiness, Inscriptions, Intermarriage, Jerusalem, Judah, Judea, Letters, Levi, Levites stuff, Literacy, Marriage, Meals, Medicine, Miqva’ot, Mishmarot, Mishnah, Multilingualism, New Jerusalem, Oaths, Ossuaries, Ostia, Palestinian Talmud, Papyri, Phlacteries, Pilgrimage, Pottery, Priests, Purity, Qahat, Righteousness, Sabbath, Sacrifices, Seals, Sexuality, Sickness, Songs of Sabbath sacrifice, Stone vessels, Synagogues, Temple stuff, Text types, Tithing, Tohorot, Washing, Wicked & holy, Women, Worship, Zadokites
17 CH pp 143-79; MC 4; N: 7-10; Apocrypha, Adam & Eve, Cain & Abel, Angels, Asceticism, Belial, Biblical Antiquities, Chronicles, Chronography, Clothing, Contracts, Creation, Demetrius, Economics, Education, Elephantine, Elijah, Elisha, Enoch, Entertainment, Evil, Fallen Angels, Flood, Gabriel, Garden of Eden, Genesis stuff, Giants, Hebrew, Hermon, Homily, Instruction, Isaiah stuff, Job stuff, Latin stuff, Leviathan, Lives of prophets, Mediator, Melchizedek stuff, Messianic stuff, Metatron, Michael archangel, Mystery & Mysticism, Naphtali, Noah, Novels, Paleo-Hebrew, Patriarchs, Pesharim, Peshitta, Philo stuff, Phoenix, Popular religion, Prophecy & Prophets, Satan, Serpent, Seth, Son of man, Sons of God, Stars, Suffering servant, Sun & moon, Testaments, Theaters, Theodicy, Theodotus, Therapeutae, Tiberias, Tiberius, Watchers, Wolfson, Zephaniah, Zerubbabel
19 NS 6; CH pp 257-89, N: 10, 13-14; Adversus Judaeos Lit, Akiba, Allegory, Antichrist, Apostasy, Barki Nafshi, Beatitudes, Ben Sira, Birth, Blasphemy, Bousset, Burial, Catacombs, Crucifixion, Death & Afterlife, Demons, Ethics, Galilee, Hebrews, Hymns, Jacob, Jesus stuff, Jewish Christianity, John Baptist, Judaizing, Luke-Acts, Matthew, Meander, Midrash, Miracles, Moore, Orpheus, Parting of the Ways, Paul, People of Land, Peter, Phocylides, Poverbs, , Psalms stuff, Pseudepigrapha stuff, Qoheleth, Rabbis, Sirach, Sardis, Shammai, Sibyline oracles, Slavonic, Solomon stuff, Song of Songs, Spirit Holy, Syria & Syriac, Tanhumim, Targum, Thallus, Tosefta, Wealth, Wisdom stuff, Words of luminaries
24 K: An Analysis of Theological Similarities Between the Charter of a Jewish Sectarian Association (1QS, 4Q255-264a, 5Q11) and “The Gospel of John”; Rule of Community, Catenae, Celibacy, Charles, Conversion, Copper Scroll, Cyprus, Cyrenaica, Damascus Document, Dead Sea Scrolls, Determinism, Dualism, Ein Feshkha, Ein Gedi, Essenes, Ethiopic, Florilegium, Gnosticism, Hekhalot, Hever, Hodayot, John Gospel, Jonathan the King Text, Jude, Legal texts, Liturgical works, Logos, ‘Otot, Qumran, Rule of Community, War stuff
26 NS 4-5; M 12; Mark 13; on e-resources Josephus, Jewish Wars book 5 & 6; Amulets, Aphrodisias, Apologetic Lit, Arabian Pen, Arch Titus, Armenian, Asia Minor, Babatha Archive, Babylonian Talmud, Bar Kokhba, Baruch, Diaspora Uprisings, Eschatology, Ezekiel, Gamla, Gematria, Josephus, Jotapata, Justus, Mark, Masada, Murabba‘at, Nicolaus, Resistance movements, Revelation, Revolt, Schurer, Smith, Yavneh, Yohanan
June 30 Paper Due and Index due; no class meeting.