Keith Essex
Part I: Introduction to Bible Study

Old Testament Studies I
Dr. Keith Essex

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 1: Introduction to Old Testament Studies.

1. Introduction to Bible Study [MSB, xxi-xxix; ESVSB, 2561-75; RSB, 2358-63]
   1. Observation: Reading (and Rereading again and again) the Biblical Text
      THE BIBLE

      THE OLD TESTAMENT
      Before Christ

      
      The Life of Jesus Christ

      THE NEW TESTAMENT
      After Christ

      78%

      22%
      1. Content [CBCOT, 12]
         1. Bible Blocks [see WOTA, 26-54]
            1. The Old Testament [BTSB, 3-7]
               1. The Law (Torah)
                  • - Genesis
                  • - Exodus
                  • - Leviticus
                  • - Numbers
                  • - Deuteronomy
               2. The Prophets
                  1. The Former Prophets
                     • - Joshua
                     • - Judges
                     • - Samuel
                     • - Kings
                  2. The Latter Prophets
                     • - Isaiah
                     • - Jeremiah
                     • - Ezekiel
                     • - The Twelve
               3. The Writings
                  • - Psalms
                  • - Job
                  • - Proverbs
                  • - Ruth
                  • - Song of Solomon
                  • - Ecclesiastes
                  • - Lamentations
                  • - Esther
                  • - Daniel
                  • - Ezra / Nehemiah
                  • - Chronicles
                  THE OLD TESTAMENT

                  LAW
                  Torah

                  PROPHETS
                  Nebiim

                  WRITINGS
                  Ketubim

                   

                  FORMER

                  LATTER

                   

                  Genesis
                  
                  Exodus
                  
                  Leviticus
                  
                  Numbers
                  
                  Deuteronomy

                  Joshua
                  
                  Judges
                  
                  Samuel
                  
                  Kings

                  Isaiah
                  
                  Jeremiah
                  
                  Ezekiel
                  
                  The Twelve

                  Psalms
                  Job
                  Proverbs
                  Ruth
                  Song of Songs
                  Ecclesiastes
                  Lamentations
                  Esther
                  Daniel
                  Ezra / Nehemiah
                  Chronicles

                  OT

                  22.7%

                  23.5%

                   

                  26.3%

                  46.2%

                  27.5%

                  OT & NT

                  17.7%

                  18.3%

                   

                  20.5%

                  36%

                  21.5%
            2. The New Testament [BTSB, 1681-86]
               1. The Historical Books
                  • - Matthew
                  • - Mark
                  • - Luke
                  • - John
                  • - Acts
               2. The Epistles
                  1. Pauline
                     • - Romans
                     • - Corinthians (2)
                     • - Galatians
                     • - Ephesians
                     • - Philippians
                     • - Colossians
                     • - Thessalonians (2)
                     • - Timothy (2)
                     • - Titus
                     • - Philemon
                  2. Non-Pauline
                     • - Hebrews
                     • - James
                     • - Peter (2)
                     • - John (3)
                     • - Jude
               3. The Apocalypse
                  • - Revelation
            THE NEW TESTAMENT

            HISTORY

            LETTERS

            PROPHECY

            PAULINE

            NON-PAULINE

            Matthew
            Mark
            Luke
            John
            Acts

            Romans-Philemon

            Hebrews-Jude

            Revelation

            NT

            22%

            12%

            60%

            34%

            6%

            OT & NT

            4.9%

            2.6%

            13.2%

            7.5%

            1.3%
         2. Bible Books
            1. Book as a whole
            2. Divisions
            3. Sections
            4. Segments [chapters]
            5. Paragraphs
            6. Sentences [verses]
            7. Clauses
            8. Phrases
            9. Words
      2. Purpose, Themes, and Literary Structure
         1. Purpose:
            • The reason why the book was written
         2. Themes:
            • Terms, persons, places, events, and/or ideas used repeatedly in the book.
         3. Literary Structure (or, Compositional Shape):
            • "The comprehensive plan in the textual fabric of the book by means of which it exhibits meaningful cohesion and thoughtful direction reflective of an authored strategy. It encompasses both the organizing framework that defines the literary contours and the embedded patterns that fill out that framework, thereby displaying how the whole and the network of relations among its constituent parts are fashioned into a grand design for a desired effect." (Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch [DOTP])
   2. Interpretation: Determining the Meaning of the Biblical Text Using the Historical-Grammatical Method (BBI; IBI)
      1. History [articles in ABD; ISBE; ZEB]
         1. Historical Texts:
            • ANET;
            • RANE (OT);
            • Barrett, The NT Background; RFCW (NT)
         2. Historical Events ("what")
            • MKP;
            • GTS (OT);
            • Barnett, JREC;
            • Bruce, BNTH (NT)
         3. Historical Chronology ("when")
            • Finegan, Handbook of Biblical Chronology. [HBC]
         4. Historical Geography ("where")
            • Aharoni, Avi-Yonah, Rainey, & Safrai, The Carta Bible Atlas. [CBA]
            • Beitzel, The New Moody Atlas of Bible Lands. [NMAB]
            • Brisco, The Holman Bible Atlas. [HBA]
            • Currid & Barrett, ESV Bible Atlas. [ESVBA]
         5. Historical Culture ("why")
            • Gower, The New Manners & Customs of Bible Times.
            • Mathews, Manners & Customs in the Bible.
            • King & Stager, Life in Biblical Israel. (OT)
            • Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity. (NT)
            • Jeffers, The Greco-Roman World. (NT)
            • Scott, Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament. (NT)
      2. Grammar
         1. Lexicology:
            • the study of the lexical components of language [TWOT; NIDOTTE (OT); NIDNTT (NT)]
         2. Syntax:
            • the study of the sentence structure of language
         3. Genre:
            • the study of the type or category of literary composition [COTC (OT); Aune, The New Testament in its Literary Environment (NT)]
   3. Application: Relating the Meaning of the Biblical Text to Present Life
      1. Personal
      2. Public (i.e. Expository Preaching)
   4. Bibliography
      1. The Entire Bible:
         • Walvoord & Zuck (ed), The Bible Knowledge Commentary. 2 vols. [BKC]
         • Gaebelein (ed) / Longman & Garland (eds), The Expositor's Bible Commentary. 12/13 vols. [EBC1; EBC2]
      2. The OT:
         • Keil & Delitzsch, Commentaries on the Old Testament. [KD]
         • VanGemeren (ed), New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. [NIDOTTE]
   5. Excursus: An Introduction to Biblical Theology [see BTSB, 2321-27]
      1. The Different Types of Theological Study (i.e., study concerning God and His Works & Relationships)
         1. Exegetical Theology:
            • the study of God in an individual passage within a book of Scripture (i.e., Psa 19; Rom 3:21-26)
         2. Biblical Theology:
            • the study of God in books, sections, testaments, and the entirety of Scripture (see below)
         3. Systematic Theology:
            • the study of God based on the collection and understanding of all the relevant passages of Bible (i.e., Grudem, Systematic Theology)
         4. Philosophical Theology:
            • the study of God using the tools and methods of philosophical reasoning applied to what can be known of God from observing the universe (i.e., Aquinas, Summa Theologica)
         5. Historical Theology:
            • the study of God in the history of the Church (i.e., Allison, Historical Theology)
      2. The Relationship of the Different Types of Theological Study
         1. Foundation: Exegetical Theology
         2. Development: Biblical Theology
         3. Refinement: Historical Theology
         4. Result: Systematic Theology
      3. The Different Types of Biblical Theology
         1. The Theology of a Biblical Book (i.e., the theology of Isaiah or Matthew)
         2. The Theology of a Biblical Writer (i.e., Mosaic or Pauline Theology)
         3. The Theology of a Biblical Testament,
            • either book by book (i.e., House, Old Testament Theology; Marshall, New Testament Theology)
            • or by major themes (Merrill, Everlasting Dominion [OT]; Schreiner, New Testament Theology [NT])
         4. The Theology of the Entire Bible (i.e., Kaiser, Jr., The Promise-Plan of God)
         5. The Tracing of a Theological Theme through the Entire Bible (i.e., McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom)
      4. A Proposed Biblical Theology: The Grand Narrative of the Bible
         Act 1: The Creation of the Universe by God and the Establishment of Mankind as God's Rulers over the Earth (Gen 1:1 - Gen 2:25)

         •   The Eternal Power and Deity of God
         •   The Glory of and Duty of Mankind: Made as the Image of God

         Act 2: The Rebellion of Mankind and the Nations against their Creator (Gen 3:1 - Gen 11:26)

         •   The Justice, Grace, and Salvation of God
         •   The Depravity of Mankind

         Act 3: The Choosing of and Redemption of Israel by the Lord God to Be His Servant Nation and Israel's Rebellion against their Lord God (Gen 11:27 - Mal 4:6)

         •   The Holiness of God
         •   The Idolatry and Unholiness of Israel
         •   The Promise of a Messiah (The Savior and King of Israel Who Will also Bring Salvation and Blessing to the Nations ["Gentiles"])

         Act 4: The Coming of the Messiah to Israel: His Rejection by Israel as King, but His Provision of Forgiveness of Sin through His Penal Substitutionary Death (Matt 1:1 - John 21:25)

         •   The Faithfulness of God
         •   The Unfaithfulness of Israel

         Act 5: The Salvation from God through the Messiah Received by Faith by a Remnant of Israel and by a Greater Number of Gentiles Who Are Incorporated by God into the Church of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:1 - Rev 3:21)

         •   The Wisdom of God
         •   The Unity of Jewish and Gentile Christians in the Church (The Humility of Believers)

         Act 6: The Judgment of God against the Human Rebels and the Establishment of His Reign through a Man [His Messiah] over the Earth (Rev 4:1-20:15)

         •   The Wrath and the Sovereignty of God
         •   The Total Rebellion of Satan and His Angelic and Human Associates against God and His Messiah
         •   God's Blessings upon Mankind Associated with Him though His Salvation

         Act 7: The Eternal Rule of God over All Creation in a New Heaven and a New Earth (Rev 21:1 - Rev 22:21)

         •   The Ultimate Revelation of God and His Dwelling among Mankind
         •   The Complete Obedience of Redeemed Mankind to the Creator and Saving God
      5. Bibliography
         1. Biblical Theologies:
            • Alexander, From Eden to the New Jerusalem.
            • Gamble, The Whole Counsel of God. 2 vols.
            • Gentry & Wellum, Kingdom through Covenant.
            • Goldsworthy, According to Plan.
            • Hamilton, God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment.
            • Johnson, A Dispensational Biblical Theology.
            • Kaiser, Jr., The Promise-Plan of God.
            • Kimble & Spellman, Invitation to Biblical Theology.
            • McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom.
            • Mathison, From Age to Age.
            • Sauer, From Eternity to Eternity.
            • Schreiner, The King in His Beauty.
            • Vlach, He Will Reign Forever.
            • Vos, Biblical Theology.
         2. OT Theologies:
            • Bell, The Theological Messages of the OT Books.
            • Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty.
            • Dumbrell, The Faith of Israel. 2nd Ed.
            • House, Old Testament Theology.
            • Merrill, Everlasting Dominion.
            • Van Pelt, ed., A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament.
            • Waltke, An Old Testament Theology.
            • Zuck, ed., A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament.
         3. NT Theologies:
            • Beale, A New Testament Biblical Theology.
            • Guthrie, New Testament Theology.
            • Kruger, ed., A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the New Testament.
            • Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament.
            • Marshall, New Testament Theology.
            • Schreiner, New Testament Theology.
            • Thielman, Theology of the New Testament.
            • Zuck, ed., A Biblical Theology of the New Testament.

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.