Criswell College
R. Alan Streett
214-818-1343
NTS 550L00.A NEW TESTAMENT BACKGROUNDS
Course Syllabus
Spring 2016
- COURSE DESCRIPTION
An advanced study of the Jewish and Greco-Roman historical, social, andliterary contexts of the New Testament. (Prerequisites: NTS 501, NTS 601, or equivalents)
II.COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of the course, the student should:
A.Be able to articulate the history of the Jewish people from ca 200 BC–AD100,
B. Understand the socio-political structure of the Roman Empire in the first century,
C. Be familiar with the key personalities, sects, authors and writings of this period.
D. Be aware of the main scholarly resources available that deal with this period.
III. COURSE TEXTBOOKS
A.Carter, Warren. The Roman Empire and the New Testament (Nashville: Abingdon, 2006.
B.Streett, R. Alan. Subversive Meals. (Eugene, OR: 2013)
C.Suetonius. The Twelve Caesars (New York: Penguin Classics, 1989).
D. Vermes, Geza. Who’s Who in the Age of Jesus (New York: Penguin, 2005).
IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A.CLASS ATTENDENCE
Since class participation is vital to learning, absences should be taken only when absolutely necessary. More than three (3) absences for block classes will result in an automatic grade of “F” for the course.
Students missing more than thirty (30) minutes at the beginning or end of a block class will be counted as absent.
One absence is allowed without penalty (though it may negatively affect the student’s participation grade). Each subsequent absence will deduct eight points from your final course grade. Thus, if you miss two classes, the highest possible grade you can make in the class is a B+ (92); if you miss three classes the highest possible grade you can make is C+ (84). If you miss more than 3 classes, you will receive an automatic 'F. Students are responsible for absences due to late registration.
B.READING AND QUIZZES
Weekly reading will be assigned from the textbook. Quizzes covering the content of the assigned reading for the week will be administered at the beginning of each class session. Students are encouraged to prepare for these quizzes by mastering the major themes, points, arguments and evidence presented by each author. The lowest quiz grade of the semester will be dropped. Cumulatively, the quizzes will comprise 40% of the final grade.
- CLASS DISCUSSION
Students should come to class prepared to discuss the issues and topics for each class. Every student is expected to offer comments and asks questions each class period. A participation grade will be assigned each day of class. 20% of final grade.
D.EXAMS
A mid-term exam will be given at week 8 and cover the class lectures and assigned reading. 20% of final grade. A final exam will be given at the end of the semester and cover the remaining class lectures and additional assigned reading from the textbooks. 20% of final grade.
E.GRADING SCALE
The significance of letter grades is as follows:
A 97-100 4.0 grade points per semester hour
A- 93-96 3.7 grade points per semester hour
B+ 91-92 3.3 grade points per semester hour
B 88-90 3.0 grade points per semester hour
B- 86-87 2.7 grade points per semester hour
C+83-85 2.3 grade points per semester hour
C 80-82 2.0 grade points per semester hour
C- 78-79 1.7 grade points per semester hour
D+ 75-77 1.3 grade points per semester hour
D 72-74 1.0 grade point per semester hour
D- 70-71 0.7 grade points per semester hour
F 0-69 0.0 grade points per semester hour
Incomplete grades:
Students requesting a grade of Incomplete (I) must understand that incomplete grades maybe given only upon approval of the faculty member involved. An “I” may be assigned only when a student is currently passing a course and in situations involving extended illness, serious injury, death in the family, or employment or government reassignment, not student neglect.
Students are responsible for contacting their professors prior to the end of the semester, plus filing the appropriate completed and approved academic request form with the Registrar’s Office. The “I” must be removed (by completing the remaining course requirements) no later than 60 calendar days after the grade was assigned, or the “I” will become an “F.”
V. RELATED ISSUES
A.COMPUTERS
Since laptops and wireless internet combine to create an almost irresistible temptation to text, surf the web, check email, and play games in class, students will be asked to put computers and smart phones for the duration of the class period. Each student will bring a print copy of the Bible to class for use.
B.LEARNING DISABILITIES
If you have learning or other disabilities, please inform the professor at the beginning of the course. Our intention is to help all students learn. We will try to accommodate your needs if at all possible.
C.OFFICE HOURS
Please make an appointment (through email) with me if you wish to meet. The following are times when I will generally be on campus and available to meet with you:
Monday 10:00‒1:00Tuesday 9:30–11:00; 1:00–1:30
VI.COURSE SCHEDULE
1/19Martin Luther King Holiday – NO Classes
1/25Syllabus, Course Introduction
2/1Seutonius, chapter 2; Carter, chapter 1
Quiz
2/8Seutonius, chapter 3; Carter, 2
Quiz
2/15Seutonius, chapter 4; Carter, 3
Quiz
2/22Seutonius, chapter 5; Carter, 4
Quiz
2/29Seutonius, chapter 6; Carter, 6
Quiz
3/7Seutonius, chapter 9 & 10, Carter, 7
Quiz
3/14-18SPRING BREAK
3/21Midterm Exam on lectures, Seutonius (11), Carter 8, Postscript
3/28Streett, chapters 1-2
Quiz
4/4Streett, chapter 3
Quiz
4/11Streett, chapter 4
Quiz
4/18Streett, chapter 5
Quiz
4/25Streett, chapter 6
Quiz
5/2Streett, chapter 7
Quiz
5/9Final Exam on lectures and assigned reading (Streett, chap 8 & Conclusion
Selected Course Bibliography
***All items are available through Criswell College’s Wallace Library
Aune, D. The New Testament in Its Literary Environment. Westminster, 1987.
______. Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Ancient Mediterranean World. Eerdmans, 1983.
Barrett, C. K. ed. The New Testament Background: Writings from Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire That Illuminate Christian Origins. HarperSanFrancisco, 1987.
Bruce. F. F. New Testament History. Doubleday, 1972.
Carter, Warren. The Roman Empire and the New Testament. Abingdon, 2006.
Cohen, Shaye J. D. From the Maccabees to the Mishnah. Westminster, 1987.
Daniel-Rops, Henri. Daily Life in the Time of Jesus. Servant Books, 1980 (1961).
Daube, D. The New Testament and Rabbinic Judaism. Athlone, 1956.
Evans, C.A. Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation. Hendrickson, 1992.
Ferguson, E. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. Eerdmans, 1987.
GarcíaMartínez, F. The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English. 2nd ed., Eerdmans, 1992.
Hellholm, D., ed. Apocalypticism in the Mediterranean World and the Near East. J. C. B. Mohr, 1983.
Hengel, M. Jews, Greeks and Barbarians: aspects of the hellenization of Judaism in the pre-Christian period. trans., John Bowden. Fortress, 1980.
______. Judaism and Hellenism. 2 vols.; Fortress, 1974.
Jeremias, J. Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus. Fortress, 1969.
Kee, H.C. The Origins of Christianity: Sources and Documents. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: 1973.
McKnight, S. A Light Among the Gentiles: Jewish Missionary Activity in the Second Temple Period. Fortress, 1990.
Meeks, Wayne A. The Moral World of the First Christians. Westminster, 1986.
Moore, G.F. Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian Era. 2 vols.; Harvard, 1927, 1930. Reprint by Schocken Books, 1971.
Murphy-O'Connor, J. & J.H.Charlesworth, edd. Paul and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Christian Origins Library, 1990.
Neusner, J. Judaism in the Beginning of Christianity. Fortress, 1984.
______. The Rabbinic Traditions about the Pharisees before AD 70. 3 vols.; Brill, 1971.
Nickelsburg, G.W.E. Jewish Literature Between the Bible and the Mishnah. Fortress, 1981.
Reasoner, Mark. Roman Imperial Texts: A Sourcebook. Fortress, 2013.
Russell, D.S. Divine Disclosure: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic. Fortress, 1992.
Sanders, E. P. Judaism: Practice and Belief 63BCE-66. Trinity, 1992.
Stambaugh, John E., and David L. Balch. The New Testament in Its Social Environment. Westminster, 1986.
Stone, M.E. ed., Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period: Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Qumran Sectarian Writings, Philo, Josphus. CRINT; Fortress, 1984.
Stowers, S. Letter Writing in Greco-Roman Antiquity. Westminster, 1986.
Suetonius. The Twelve Caesars. Penguin Classics, 1989.
Urbach, E.E. The Sages: Their Concepts and Beliefs. 2 vols.;Magnes, 1975.
Vermes, Geza. Who’s Who in the Age of Jesus. Penguin, 2005.