The Bible and Its Influence
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Transcript of The Bible and Its Influence
The Bible and Its Influence
CHAPTER 1THE HEBREW SCRIPTURE
Tanakh
The Jewish title for the Hebrew Scriptures.Acronym formed from Torah, Nevi’im, and
Ketuvim.The books share one central theme: the
relationship between God and humans.Israel is God’s “chosen people,” set apart to
be an example to the world.
The Three Divisions of the Jewish Bible
Torah- “Teaching” Includes the first 5 books of the Bible.
Contains the following information and accounts: central teachings and laws of Judaism, humanity’s beginnings, religious history of Israel, instructions for conducting worship and celebrating
festivals, genealogies.
The Three Divisions of the Jewish Bible, continued
Nevi’im- “Prophets” This section includes both historical
narratives and prophetic messages. Religious history of Israel from the arrival in the
Promise Land to the fall of the kingdom of David Destructive conquests by the Assyrian empire Conquests by the Babylonians Poetic messages addressed to the people of Israel
The Three Divisions of the Jewish Bible, continued
Ketuvim- “Writings” The assortment of literary forms include
Prayers Poetry Wise sayings Short narratives The continuation of Israel’s religious history
How Jews Read the Bible
Jews may draw on one or any of these ways to understanding the Bible. Plain sense-surface meaning of the text Inquiring-interpretive reading Allegorical-looks for parallels between scripture and
more abstract concepts Mystical-a symbolic code
Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moses
Christians and the Hebrew Scriptures
Ordering of the books is different.Christians see Hebrew text as pointing
toward Jesus Christ and a new covenant established in the New Testament.
Christians call the Hebrew scriptures the Old Testament.
Characteristics of Hebrew Literature
The importance of word The entire universe comes into being at God’s spoken
command.Symbolic word choices
Personal and place names have symbolic meanings.Parallelism and repetition
Made it easier to commit to memory.Figures of Speech
Simile, metaphor, hyperbole, irony, and personification
Midrash
A Jewish tradition of free and creative commentary on the Scriptures.
Uses storytelling to illustrate point of teaching.Rabbis would suggest possible interpretations
of biblical texts by inventing their own narratives, describing what might have happened, often drawing on clues they perceived hidden in the biblical texts’ wording.
See handout for example.
Biblical Allusions
Macbeth, William ShakespeareAbsalom, Absalom, William FaulknerJohn Donne“Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” T. S. Eliot60% of allusions on Advanced Placement
Exams are biblical allusions.See list of most common biblical allusions.
Chapter 1 Vocabulary
1. Torah2. Nevi’im3. Ketuvim4. Tanakh5. Plain sense6. Inquiring7. Allegorical8. Mystical9. Midrash
Literary Analysis
The introduction to the Hebrew Bible indentified various genres contained in the Hebrew Scripture. How do these genres parallel those used in the selections from your literature textbook?
Use specific examples in your response.
CHAPTER 2GENESIS -ORIGINS
The Bible and Its Influence
Genesis- “origin”“When God began to create heaven and
earth-the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water-God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light”—Genesis 1:1
God creates by spoken command.
God the Creator
The abyss-the primal chaos that is “formless and void”
It is not an evil force that must be overcome. Rather, the abyss needs to be ordered to reach its full potential.
The God of Genesis, who needs nothing, chooses to create anyway.
Genesis gradually reveals a God who loves zealously, who chooses favorites, who inflicts terrible punishments, and shows mercy beyond measure, but who is never distant or detached.
7 Days
Complete the following chart:
Pairing of Days and WorksDay One Day Four
Day Two Day Five
Day Three Day Six
Stewardship of Creation
According to Genesis 1:26-28, what distinguishes humans from other created things?
What is the relationship of the human beings to nature?
Themes of the Creation Account
Creation has the responsibility to obey the limits set by the creator.
Humans are intended to be social, to find community with other humans.
The relationship between men and women was intended to be fundamentally good and holy.
A Note on Names
Adam- “humankind” or “earth”Woman- “closely related to man”Eve- “mother of all living”
“Never Again Would Birds’ Song Be the Same”—Robert Frost
Who is the “he” in the poem?Who is the “she”?What “belief” of Adam’s does the poem
describe?To what common human experience does this
poem allude?