Exploring the Bible

by Harris, Stephen

• ISBN13: 9780073407364
• ISBN10: 0073407364
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-02-26
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages

Summary

Exploring the Bibleprovides students with a clear, concise, and accessible introduction to the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. The book combines current scholarship with a fresh, readable analysis of the biblical literature, placing each document in its socio-historical context. Student-friendly, it facilitates learning with helpful pedagogical features, ranging from "Key Topics/Themes" summarizing crucial information at the head of each chapter to an extensive glossary of essential terms at the end of the book. At the close of each chapter, "Questions for Discussion and Review" contribute to stimulating class discussions. "Recommended Readings" emphasize the most current--and easily accessible--references for further study.

Table of Contents

An Introduction to the Bible and the Biblical World

The Bible: An Overview

How the Bible Was Created: Transmission, Canonization, and Translation

The Ancient Near East: The Environment that Produced the Bible

The Hebrew Bible/Old Testament

A Survey of the Torah (Divine Teaching): Themes and Theories

In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis

Freedom and Responsibility: The Book of Exodus

Law, Holiness, and Rebellion: The Books of Leviticus and Numbers

A New Vision of Moses' Teaching: The Book of Deuteronomy

The Story of Ancient Israel: How the Promised Land Was Gained and Lost

Faith and War: The Book of Joshua

Yahweh's Warriors: The Book of Judges

The Rise of David and the Birth of a Kingdom: The Books of 1 and 2 Samuel

From the Glory of Solomon to Exile in Babylon: The Books of 1 and 2 Kings

The Prophets: Proclaiming the Word of Yahweh

Prophets to the Northern Kingdom: The Oracles of Amos and Hosea

Prophets of the Assyrian Threat: The Oracles of Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, and Nahum

Prophets of the Babylonian Crisis: The Oracles of Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Obadiah

Prophets in Exile: The Oracles of Ezekiel and Second Isaiah

After the Exile: Israel's Last Prophets: The Oracles of Haggai, Zechariah, Third Isaiah, Joel, Malachi, and Jonah

The Writings: Israel's Changing Life with God

The Postexilic Readjustment: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah

Worshiping at the Second Temple: Hebrew Poetry and the Book of Psalms

Israel's Wisdom Writers: The Books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes

Festival Scrolls: The Books of Ruth, Song of Songs, Lamentations, and Esther

Reinterpreting Israel's History: The Books of 1 and 2 Chronicles

Keeping God's Law in a Hostile World: Revolt of the Maccabees and the Book of Daniel

The "Second Canon": Books of the Apocrypha

The New Testament

The World in Which Christianity Originated: Roman Power, Greek Culture, and the Cult of Deified Rulers

First-Century Judaism: Diversity, Messianic Expectations, and the Birth of Christianity

Telling Jesus' Story: The Gospel of Mark

The Synoptic Problem: The Gospel of Matthew and Its Relationship to the Gospels of Mark and Luke

Jesus as a Savior for "All Nations": The Gospel of Luke

Another Way of Telling Jesus' Story: The Gospel of John

An Account of Early Christianity: The Book of Acts

Paul and the Gentile Mission: Letters to Churches in Thessalonica, Corinth, Galatia, Rome, Philippi, and Colossae

Continuing the Pauline Tradition: 2 Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians, and the Pastoral Epistles

General Letters on Faith and Behavior: Hebrews and the Catholic Epistles

Continuing the Apocalyptic Hope: The Book of Revelation

Our Judeo-Christian Heritage: The Biblical Concept of God Glossary

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.