Course Catalog

BIB320E - The Pentateuch (3 Credits) 9368

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Emphasizes the historical narrative and the content of the Law of God. Special attention is given to the Genesis account of the origin of the cosmos, man, sin, and salvation. The authorship of the Pentateuch is considered.

LEARNING RESULTS
The foundation of the Old Testament is the Pentateuch. It describes the creation of the cosmos and man, the fall of man (a generic term for the human race), and the beginning of the process to provide the Messiah or Redeemer through the medium of the nation of Israel and its associated religion that eventually became Judaism. The Pentateuch has also been a key area attacked in the process of attempting to undermine the Bible and Christianity. As a result of a successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
• Understand key arguments which have been made both for and against Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch.
• Set forth key data supporting Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch.
• Distinguish the major theological concepts in Biblical cosmology.
• Explicate key issues involved in the fall of man and the subsequent consequences.
• Trace subsequent failures of mankind leading to the call of Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant.
• Develop the significance of the Abrahamic covenant.
• Explain the Exodus and Passover as they relate to salvific history.
• Distinguish between casuistic and apodictic law, and assess the role of apodictic law in ancient Israel and its application to modern societal conditions.
• Compare and contrast the concepts of sacrifice in the Old Testament with the New Testament teachings concerning the death of Christ.
• Trace the development and history of the fledgling nation of Israel from Mt. Sinai to the Transjordan.
• Evaluate key explanations of the relationship between the Old Testament law and the New Testament.
• Show the ability to do research in related topics by completing a major "exegetical" paper.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS
1. Wolf, Herbert. An Introduction to the Old Testament Pentateuch. Chicago: Moody Press, 1991.
2. Stanley Gundry. Five Views on Law and Gospel. Zondervan, 1996. 3. Hamilton, Victor P. Handbook on the Pentateuch, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing House, 2005.
4. A good study Bible, preferably in a modern translation. The New American Standard Version (NASV) or the New International Version (NIV) are particularly recommended. While a modern translation is recommended, the King James is certainly welcome for individuals who are comfortable with its archaic style. All of the Bible quotations contained within this course book will be from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
5. There is an additional reading file which contains works you may want to consult as you explore other material, and/or as you do our exegetical paper. At the appropriate times, I will refer you to this list throughout the course.

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INTEGRATION OF FAITH AND LEARNING
The integration of faith into our learning occurs as we study Scripture directly. The course description and the learning results clearly indicate some of the key elements of how we will go about integrating faith into our learning.

LEARNING DOCUMENTATION
To determine if the course learning results have been attained, students document their learning by submitting the following items:

Assignment #1 Introduction to the Attack on the Pentateuch
Assignment #2 Creation (Genesis 1-4): Introduction
Assignment #3 The Fall of Man
Assignment #4 The Flood of Babel
Assignment #5 Abraham, the Father of the Nation
Assignment #6 Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph
Assignment #7 Moses, the Passover, and the Exodus
Assignment #8 The National Covenant at Sinai
Assignment #9 The Sacrificial System
Assignment #10 National Holidays
Assignment #11 Travels and Wanderings
Assignment #12 Introduction to Deuteronomy
Assignment #13 Stipulations of the Covenant and Treaty Structure of Deuteronomy
Exegetical Paper

Lessons 1-13 are worth 10 points each, and the Exegetical Paper is worth 30 points.