Fall 2018/Fuller Online
OT527
Riley
OT527: OLD TESTAMENT EXEGESIS: ECCLESIASTES, Hebrew Text (4 Units: 165 hours). Jason A. Riley.
DESCRIPTION: A textual and contextual study of the book of Ecclesiastes. A close reading of the Masoretic text will familiarize students with the particular language and style of this often debated book. They will develop their exegetical skills through focused discussion of the theological, historical, and literary characteristics of the book. The class will explore the book’s role in the Church’s ongoing theological reflection as well as some of the most salient issues in current scholarly debate.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated the ability (1) to interpretEcclesiastes within its socio-historical, literary, and canonical contexts; (2) to identify central issues in the critical study of Ecclesiastes; (3) to articulate primary theological and ethical concerns in the book; (4) to use Hebrew based language tools for interpreting the text;(5) to recognize hermeneutical issues arising from the diverse contexts of contemporary readers;and (6) to interpret this text for faithful use of Scripture in their own lives and ministries.
COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.
REQUIRED READING: 900 pages required.
1) NRSV, TNIV, or CEB Bible
2) Selected readings from ancient Near Eastern literature (Provided via Canvas e-reserve) [50 pages].
3) Hebrew based language tools: To effectively conduct exegesis of the book of Ecclesiastes, students will need access to four primary resources: the Masoretic Text (i.e., Hebrew Bible), a Hebrew lexicon, a basic-intermediate Hebrew grammar, and a Hebrew syntax reference work. Additionally, students will need to be able to conduct concordance searches using either a Bible software (e.g., BibleWorks) or with a print-edition concordance of the Hebrew Bible (further explanation will be provided in the syllabus). The tools above can be accessed through the following options:
A) Electronically: Accordance Bible Software (or BibleWorks, if previously owned), 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. Accordance Academic Bundle Amber – Level 1 (which includes all of the above resources) is priced at $500 (discounted price for Fuller students). (Note: Contact the instructor for more information.)
B) Via equivalent printed resources (in consultation with the instructor)
4) Holmstedt, Robert D., John A. Cook, and Phillip S. Marschall. Qoheleth: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text. Baylor University Press, 2017. ISBN: 9781602587328. Pub. Price: $29.95. [75 pages].
5) Bartholomew, Craig G. Ecclesiastes. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms. Eerdmans, 2009. ISBN: 978-0801097447. Pub. Price: $40.00 [250 pages assigned].
6) Frankl, Viktor E. Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press, 2006. ISBN: 879-0807014295. Pub. Price: $6.99. [154 pages].
Additional required reading material is posted on Canvas, represented by authors such as E. Tamez, C. L. Seow, C. Bartholomew, M. K. George, R.N. Whybray, R. E. Murphy, M. V. Fox, and J. L. Crenshaw [380 pages].
RECOMMENDED READING:
Ellul, Jacques. Reason for Being: A Meditation on Ecclesiastes. Eerdmans, 1990. ISBN: 978-0802804051. Pub. Price: $23.00.
Enns, Peter. Ecclesiastes (The Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary). Eerdmans, 2011. ISBN: 978-0802866493, Pub. Price $25.00.
Fox, Michael V. A Time to Tear Down and a Time to Build Up: A Rereading of Ecclesiastes. Wipf & Stock, 2010. ISBN: 978-1608994960, Pub. Price: $50.00.
Johnston, Robert K. Useless Beauty: Ecclesiastes Through the Lens of Contemporary Film. Baker Academic, 2004. ISBN: 978-0801027857. Pub. Price: $22.00.
Merwe, Christo H.J. van der, Jackie A. Naudé, and Jan H. Kroeze. A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar. 2nd edition. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017. ISBN: 978-0567663337, Pub. Price: $33.95. (This may be substituted for one of the Hebrew grammars above).
Seow, C. L.A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew. Rev. ed. Abingdon, 1995. ISBN: 978-1426789076, Pub. Price $39.99.
Seow, C.L. Ecclesiastes: A New Translation with Introduction. Doubleday, 1997. ISBN: 978-0385411141, Pub. Price: $85.00.
Tamez, Elsa. When the Horizons Close: Rereading Ecclesiastes. Orbis Books, 2000. ISBN: 978-1597528559. Pub. Price: $23.00.
Williams, Ronald J., and John C. Beckman. Williams' Hebrew syntax. University of Toronto Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-0802094292, Pub. Price: $30.95.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Weekly preparation and participation in online discussions is essential for successful completion of this course. This preparation will include reading assignments, translation, and exegetical analysis of assigned passages. The final grade will be based on:
PREREQUISITES: LG500, LG502, or LG502A/B or passing grade on a waiver exam; BI500 or NE502; OT500 or OT501 or OT502.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets the Biblical Language Exegesis requirement in the 120 MDiv program. Meets the OTBE or OTCE in the 144 MDiv Program.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.