Old Testament Studies at Redeemer
Nothing is more foundational to Christian ministry than a full-orbed knowledge and embrace of the gospel. The Old Testament department is committed to teaching the first thirty-nine books of the Bible, with all the aspects entailed, as the anticipation of the glorious climactic fulfillment of redemption in Jesus Christ. To this end, the Old Testament curriculum enables students:
- To acquire a reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew
- To acquire a knowledge of the content of the Old Testament
- To grapple with the challenges of biblical interpretation
- To evaluate the ways in which the Old Testament has been interpreted in the past
- To perceive the unity of the Old and New Testaments and the hermeneutical significance of their unity
- To understand and value the historical context in which God gave his redemptive revelation, how it began in the Old Testament period and then culminated in the glorious and extraordinary climax to that history in Christ and his work in Christ as interpreted in the New Testament
- To identify the major biblical-theological themes of the Old Testament and to recognize their importance for understanding the gospel
- To develop skill in understanding and applying each of the books of the Old Testament
- To learn to communicate the gospel through the Old Testament
- To be encouraged to embrace the gospel in continuing and vital ways through the glory of God’s self-disclosure and to fear the Lord and love him with the whole heart
“It must be apparent to anyone who reads the Gospels carefully that Jesus Christ, in the days of his flesh, looked upon that body of writings which is known as the Old Testament as constituting an organic whole. To him the Scriptures were a harmonious unit which bore a unique message and witness.” – E.J. Young
OT011 Hebrew I
Purpose of Hebrew I, II, III: To teach students elements of the Hebrew language; to expose the student to a significant amount of biblical Hebrew through extensive translation of portions of the Hebrew Bible; to prepare the student for further exegetical work in Old Testament courses. Topics covered include orthography, phonemics, morphology, and syntax. The third semester is devoted to extensive reading and translation of narrative and poetic materials from the Hebrew Bible. 3 semester hours. Auditing not permitted. (M.Div. requirement)
OT012 Hebrew II
Two semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
OT013 Hebrew III
Four semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
OT113 OT Introduction
Purpose: To introduce students to the complex hermeneutical, theological, and doctrinal issues surrounding OT interpretation. Topics covered in the course include the history of the Hebrew text; the use of the OT in the Pseudepigrapha, Apocrypha, and NT; the major critical methods and postmodern interpretation; and Biblical Theology. Prerequisite, Hebrew I or equivalent completed or in progress. 3 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
OT211 Old Testament History and Theology I
Purpose: To provide an introduction to the theology of the Pentateuch; to engage in the exegesis of selected passages from the Pentateuch with particular attention to their relationship to ancient Near Eastern literature, the theology of the Pentateuch as a whole, and to the history of redemption as it reaches its climax in the gospel. Topics covered include the narrative structure of the Bible, the Pentateuch and the history of redemption, Genesis 1-3 as an entry point to biblical theology, and the book of Exodus. Prerequisites Hebrew III or equivalent and NT 123. 3 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
OT223 Old Testament History and Theology II
Purpose: To explore the relationship among literature, history and theology in the books of Deuteronomy through Ezra/Nehemiah; to provide a knowledge of the content of this section of canon; to give a biblical-theological framework for using these books in life and ministry. In addition to laying out the theology and content of each of these books, we will cover such topics as the relationship of Deuteronomy to the other books. Additional topics covered include OT historiography; OT theology; the relationship between revelation, history, and theology; and covenant. Prerequisites, Hebrew III and NT 123. 3 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
OT311 Old Testament Prophetical Books
Purpose: To provide knowledge of the content of this portion of the canon; to study the role of the Hebrew prophets in Israelite society and the nature of Israelite prophecy; to give a biblical-theological framework to understand the prophetic books in life and ministry. Topics covered include the structure, content, and theology of the prophetic books and Daniel, the ancient Near Eastern setting of prophecy, the history of interpretation of the prophetic literature, and the role of the prophets in redemptive history. A portion of the course involves seminar discussions with the professor. Prerequisites, Hebrew III and NT 123. 3 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
OT323 Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom
Purpose: To gain a strong familiarity with the nature of Hebrew poetry; to explore the theological context of the wisdom books (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes), Psalms, and Song of Songs; to discuss the theology of OT wisdom vis-à-vis the gospel. Topics covered in the course include the nature and diversity of OT wisdom books; characteristics of Hebrew poetry; exegetical studies of various psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs; and wisdom and the NT. Prerequisites, Hebrew III and NT 123. 2 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
