Spring 2016/Pasadena

OT527

Hays

OT527: OLD TESTAMENT EXEGESIS: ISAIAH 40–66 (HEBREW TEXT). (4 Units: 160 hours). Christopher B. Hays.

DESCRIPTION: This course is an eclectic approach to one of most revered texts in the Old Testament canon. In part, the course takes a “contextual” approach to Isaiah—that is, it attempts to understand proclamations of chapters 40-66 in their original historical and cultural contexts. This entails some study of the Babylonian Exile and postexilic Judah. The course also looks at Isaiah through diverse theological lenses, exploring the ways in which the book of Isaiah has spoken and continues to speak to readers. Finally, the course uses literary methods to study one of the greatest poets of the ancient world.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated the ability (1) to interpret Isaiah 40-66 within its socio-historical, literary, and canonical contexts; (2) to identify central issues in the critical study of Isaiah 40-66; (3) to articulate primary theological and ethical concerns of Isaiah 40-66; (4) to use Hebrew based language tools for interpreting the text; and (5) to interpret this text for faithful use of Scripture in their own lives and ministries.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours. Content will include lecture, plenary discussion, and study of individual passages in Hebrew. Classes require substantial preparation on the part of students, at least two hours of preparation for each class hour, including study of the biblical text and other specified reading.

REQUIRED READING: 500 pages required

BibleWorks 9 software, which includes the following components: an exhaustive Hebrew concordance, the text of the Hebrew Bible, Brown, F. with S.R. Driver & C.A. Briggs. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew English Lexicon. Hendrickson, 1996. Gesenius, W., E.F. Kautzsch, et al. Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar. Dover Publications, 2006. OR Joüon, P. - T. Muraoka. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew, Parts 1, 2 & 3. Biblical Institute Press, 2006. Koehler, L. and W. Baumgartner. Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. 2 Volumes. Brill, 2002. BibleWorks is priced at $359, or $259 with group discount; see www.bibleworks.com/IPP/. Currently the HALOT module is $159, the standard Greek lexicon (BDAG) is $150, and both together are $212.

Elliger, K. and W. Rudolph. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Hendrickson, 2006. Compact edition: ISBN: 978-1598561630, Pub. Price $69.95.

NRSV or CEB Bible.

Petersen, David L. The Prophetic Literature: An Introduction. Westminster John Knox, 2002. ISBN: 978-0664254537, Pub. Price $30.00 [150 pp.].

Course readings on Moodle site. [350 pp.].