Exegesis of the Biblical Text in Greek and Hebrew

NTS515/OTS515 - 2 credit hours

Western Seminary – Portland

James DeYoung, Th.D.

Jan Verbruggen, Ph.D.

E-Mail: ;

Office Phone: JD (503) 517-1874; JV (503) 517-1871

Syllabus – Summer 2014

COURSE SCHEDULE

This class will be held for five (5) sessions over five (5) weeks, on Monday, from 9:15 am-3:45 pm from June 9 till July 7;

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course students will learn the principles of exegesis following the steps of a method common to both Testaments with specific application to the Greek and Hebrew language. Topics include the definition and distinctions of exegesis, the relation of exegesis to other disciplines, the steps of the method, and contextualizing the text. 2 hours. Prerequisite: NTS 509 or OTS 509

COURSE OBJECTIVES

  1. The student will learn a method common for doing an exegesis of both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
  2. Much of the course will be common for students with either language background.
  3. A portion (about 5 class hours) will be language specific, and the unfamiliar part will be available by video recording for later viewing when the student is ready.
  4. The student will be introduced to those language tools essential for doing an exegesis of both Testaments.
  5. The student will further advance in his skill in the original languages by translating a section from an Old Testament book or section from a New Testament book.
  6. The student will be acquainted with how exegetical skills will enhance his personal growth and his ministry.

TEXTBOOKS

  • Either an electronic program (Logos, Bibeworks or Accordance) that has the following books, or the books in printed form:
  • NTS 515:
  • Baur, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd edition, (Chicago: University of Chicago, 2001), ISBN: 978-0226039336 Retail: ($165.00).
  • Daniel Wallace, The Basics of New Testament Syntax, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000). ISBN: 978-0310232292 Retail: ($29.99)
  • Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996) ISBN: 0-310-21895-0; ($45.00)
  • Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning, Interpreting the New Testament Text (Wheaton: Crossway, 2006). ISBN: 978-1-58134-408-0 ($32.00)
  • J. Harold Greenlee, Introduction to New Testament Textual Criticism. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993). ISBN: 978-0801046445($17.00)
  • The Greek New Testament. UBS, 4th Rev. Ed.
  • OTS 515
  • Jouon Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew, (Rome: Biblical Institute Press,2006). ISBN: 978-8876536298; Retail: $ 85:00 (it is already in BW 9:0)
  • Waltke and O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1990). ISBN: 978-0931464317; Retail: $67.50 (it is already in BW 9:0)
  • Brown, Drivers and Briggs, Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, (Hendrikson, 1996), Retail: $34.95; ISBN: 978-1565632066(it is already in BW 9:0)
  • Ronald J. Williams, Williams’ Hebrew Syntax, rev. by John C. Beckman, (Toronto: University of Toronto, 2007) (WHS), ISBN: 978-0802094292; retail: $ 27.95
  • Todd J. Murphy, Pocket Dictionary for the Study of Biblical Hebrew, (Downers Grove: IVP, 2003), ISBN 978-0830814589 retail price $ 10.00
  • Ellis R. Brotzman, Old Testament Textual Criticism, (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), ISBN: 978-0801010651, retail price: $ 21.99.
  • R.B. Chisholm, From Exegesis to Exposition, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998) (FETE), ISBN: 978-0801021718 Retail price: $ 28.00 (already bought for OTS 509)
  • Walter C. Kaiser, The Promise-Plan of God: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008), ISBN: 978-0310275862
  • Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia

You are encouraged to purchase these titles through the Amazon.com associate program; you may use the links provided above, or the search option found on the Western website under “Current Students/Portland”:

ONLINE CLASSROOM

This class has an online classroom. Your first class assignment is to access this website and take a simple quiz confirming your participation in the course. You may also be asked to use the learning center to download handouts and submit assignments.

To access the site, go to Click on ‘login’ (on the right above the calendar), use your student number for your username, and the password you received from the school. For a replacement password, click on ‘forgot your password’ or contact Jon Raibley: on-line classroom will go live no later than the first Monday of the semester.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Online Orientation (15 min.)

Before the end of the first Friday of the semester, you need to log onto the web classroom, download the syllabus for the course, and complete the report indicating that you have read and understand the course requirements. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in classes for the full length of the class. So failure to complete the online orientation on time will result in a grade penalty and may impact your financial aid eligibility.

2. Reading (10hours)

Read the required material

For OTS 515: Chisholm, R.B. From Exegesis to Exposition (Baker Books, 1998), pp. 13-28, 33-54, 187-278. At 25 pages an hour familiarity level rate, (125/25) this reading should take approximately 5 hours. Please send the appropriate teacher an e-mail to confirm that you have read the material.

For NTS 515: Bock, D. L., and B. M. Fanning, Interpreting the New Testament (Wheaton: Crossway, 2006), pp. 23-72, 135-153, 221-240, 255-276, 293-310. At 25 pages per hour on the familiarity level, this comes to 5 hours (125 pp. \25=5).

3. Exegetical Projects (50 hours)

A total of 9 exegetical projects will have to be submitted which encompass a complete exegetical study of one passage: The students in NTS 515 will study a text in Colossians; Students in OTS 515 will study a text in Malachi.

Project 1: Observation of the paragraph

Project 2: Textual Criticism

Project 3: Grammatical, Syntactical and Rhetorical Analysis

Project 4: Lexical and Conceptual Analysis

Project 5: Synthesis A: Discovering the Context

Project 6: Synthesis B: Provisional Exegetical Product

Project 7: Synthesis C: Validation of Interpretation

Project 8: Synthesis D: Final Exegetical Product: Commentary

Project 9: Contextualization

4.Class participation (27 ½ hours)

Students are required to be in class and participate in class.

5.Final Course Evaluation (15 min.)

Before the end of the last Friday of the semester, you will receive an email with a link to the final course evaluation. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in classes for the full length of the class. So failure to complete the final course evaluation on time will result in a grade penalty and may impact your financial aid eligibility.

GRADING

A+ / A / A- / B+ / B / B- / C+ / C / C- / D+ / D / D-
99-100% / 95-98% / 93-94% / 91-92% / 88-90% / 86-87% / 84-85% / 81-83% / 79-80% / 77-78% / 74-76% / 70-73%
Required Assignments / Points (tentative) / Estimated Time to Complete
Online Orientation / 1 points / 15 min
Readings / 50 points / 12 1/2hours
Projects / 900 points / 49 1/2 hours
Class participation / 48 points / 27 1/2 hours
Final Course Evaluation / 1 / 15 min
Totals / 1000 points / 90 hrs.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Subject to change, work in progress

Dates / Topic / Assignments Due / hours
6 9 / Introduction to the course; syllabus / Reading Textbook / 1
Introduction to exegesis / 1
Role of spiritual preparation / ¾
Lunch / 12:00-1:00 pm
Overview of a book / 1 ¼
Observation of a paragraph / 1
6 16 / Textual criticism / Product 1 Observation of the paragraph / 2 ¾
Lunch / 12:00-1:00 pm
Textual criticism / 1
Analysis: grammatical, syntactical, rhetorical / 1 ¾
6 23 / Analysis: grammatical, syntactical, rhetorical / Product 2 Textual Criticism / 2
lexical and conceptual analysis / ¾
Lunch / 12:00-1:00 pm
lexical and conceptual analysis / 1
Discover the larger context / 1
Provisional Exegetical Product / ¾
6-30 / Provisional exegetical product / Product 3 Grammatical, Syntactical and Rhetorical Analysis
Product 4 Lexical and Conceptual Analysis
Product 5 Synthesis A: Discovering the Context / 2 ¾
Lunch / 12:00-1:00 pm
Validation of Interpretation / 2 ¾
7-7 / Final exegetical product: commentary / Product 6 Synthesis B: Provisional Exegetical Product
Product 7 Synthesis C: Validation of Interpretation / 2 3/4
Lunch / 12:00-1:00 pm
Contextualizing the text / 1 ¾
Catch up time and review / 1
7-14 / Project 8: Synthesis D: Final Exegetical Product: Commentary
Project 9: Contextualization

COURSE POLICIES

Attendance and Late Assignments: Students are expected to attend all class meetings. Students who miss class are responsible for missed work. Absences and tardiness may impact a student’s grade. Students who anticipate an absence should discuss it in advance with the instructor. Students who miss more than 20% of the seat time for the class will not pass the course, without a request for and the completion of additional assignments. Assignments submitted after the due date and time will result in a reduction of the student’s letter grade for that assignment.

Incompletes/Extensions: The final deadline for submitting all course work is the last day of the semester as noted in the Academic Calendar and in the class schedule. In the case of serious illness, family emergency, or similar extenuating circumstances, the student may request an extension. A 1-3 week extension is typical in all except the most extreme cases, and some penalty for late work may apply. Under no circumstances will the student be given more than 5 weeks to complete all required coursework except by petition and approval of the Administrative Committee. (Extensions longer than 5 weeks are rare and should only be requested under extreme circumstances.)

If students face a personal emergency that requires requesting an extension going beyond the end of the semester, it may affect their ability to receive financial aid in the next semester, and they may face the possibility that their next semester’s course registrations will be cancelled. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance.

Audit/Enrichment Students: Enrichment students are encouraged, but not obligated, to participate in assignments and class discussions. Professors are not obligated to grade participation for these students, but may opt to do so depending on class size.

The Availability of Disability Services at Western Seminary: Western Seminary is committed to responding to the needs of students with disabilities as outlined in both the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Western students are assisted individually as their needs dictate. It is the responsibility of students with disabilities to identify themselves and the nature of the disability. Any student who has a disability should contact the seminary’s Disability (Section 504) Coordinator, Ashley Mitchell, at 503-517-1819/1-877-517-1800, ext. 1819. Her office is at the Portland campus. Students at the northern California campuses may contact Student Services Coordinator – San Jose or Director of Student Services – Sacramento, or they may contact Ms Mitchell directly. Appropriate forms will be provided and must be submitted to the Disability Coordinator’s office.

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