Bible as Literature ENG 077
Jonah 4.2
"... a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing."
MLK excerpt from "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
"Was not Amos an extremist for justice?" "So the question is not whether we will be extremists but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?"
Akedah
"binding" in Hebrew, as in "binding of Isaac"
Bethel
"house of God"
Naomi
"pleasant" in Hebrew, wife of Elimelech and had 2 sons, daughter in-law Ruth
Go'el
"redeemer" in Christian translations, "vindicator" in NJPS Tanakh, title given to relative (next of kin) whose sworn duty is to defend family's honor by paying ransom, restoring damage to reputation, and avenging wrongs
Hevel
"vanity," someone who frets about clothing or sits in front of a mirror all day, "vapor" or "wisp of smoke," life and joys are fleeting, God doesn't care about fame/power
Inquiring
(derash), looks for further layers of meaning, interpreting through creative storytelling /interpreting (midrash)
Plain Sense
(peshat), surface level meaning of the text
Allegorical
(remez), parallels between scriptures and abstract concepts, readings as standing for other truths
Mystical
(sod), biblical text = symbolic code, hidden wisdom and connection with divine, (kabbalah tradition)
Wisdom literature
Wisdom of Solomon and Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
Golden calf
a false idol the people of Israel worshipped, made of gold and jewels; everyday usage as epitome of avarice and materialism
"Jonah" meaning
a jinx or unlucky person, especially aboard a ship
Nazirite
a person set apart and bound by certain restrictions
Scapegoat
a person who is unjustly blamed for the sins or misfortunes of others
Prophet of Doom
a shaggy bearded individual in ragged robes, tells when bad things will happen, based on Jeremiah
What does genealogy in Ruth symbolize?
a sign of peace and prosperity and contrasts with the famine and turbulence that started the book
The Day of the Lord
a term for God's final judgement of humankind
Parable
a very short story that conveys a moral or spiritual point
Abundance of what kind of imagery but difference from other ancient literature?
abundance of nature imagery, always acknowledge sovereignty of God over creation (master of forces)
Solomon's unwise choices
acquisition of wives and concubines to ridiculously excessive lengths, wives not from Israel, built temples for wives' gods/goddesses, abandoned worship of God of Israel
Minor prophets
also known as "the twelve," most were active before or during Babylonian exile of the Jews
Birthright
an inheritance, something to which one is entitled by birth
Relationship between the Bible and Women and how competing camps have utilized the Bible either to free or hold women captive
appeals often made to biblical tradition to limit women's power and authority, but cannot be so easily reduced, women used Ruth and Esther as inspiration, can go both ways (suffragists and right to vote, abolitionist and temperance movements)
The Book of Joshua
begins with Israelites at turning point, crossing of Jordan, a book of battles (Israelites entering land already occupied), religious history from Israelites' perspective, gives God credit for victory, military loss due to unfaithfulness
Ruth and Esther
best-known women of valor and virtue, pivotal role in growth/protection of Jewish people, do not fit stereotypes, painted with individuality/complexity, transcend social and religious generalizations
Covenant
biblical term for ongoing relationship between God and humans (God's promise and response of humans), a formal, solemn, and binding agreement
Paradox of Jonah
carried reluctance to extremes, angry, didn't want to save but wanted to destroy Assyrian capital (Nineveh), unhappy with mission, went opposite direction, ship dilemma, had to go, angry and upset
Seraphs
celestial being variously described as having two or three pairs of wings and serving as a throne guardian of God
Ark of the Covenant
chest that held tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments, built by Israelites out of wood and gold, contains magical powers, placed inside tabernacle
Walzer's quote re: Uniqueness of Exodus
classic narrative; a march toward a goal, a moral progress, a transformation; "What is promised is radically different from what is: the end is nothing like the beginning. In the literature of the ancient world only the Aeneid resembles the Exodus in its narrative structure, describing a divinely guided and world-historical journey to something like the promised land."
Mitzvot (613 commandments)
commands to protect the poor and the weak, cover all aspects of human life
Ezekiel
complex/dynamic person, priest/prophet/watchman for his community, visionary mystic/heightened sense of sensory perception, encouragement to remain faithful
Literature of the Biblical Prophets' Significance
continue to be part of words/actions of people who strive to help others
Nihilism, Solace and wisdom is found where?
denial of all meaning, solace and wisdom in the way of moderation and balance, celebrating a life in which all things have their appropriate place
Narrative switch
description of Job's prosperity and piety switches to court of heaven (with God and Satan)
Plagues and Significance
diseases and other natural misfortunes that conveyed God's displeasure
Wisdom literature, Proverb
distill wisdom in short, memorable statements, rules covering a broad range of topics that govern life
"The patience of Job"
endurance in the face of great suffering, proverbial
Malachi's message
exhorted people to look forward to the coming of God's perfect reign, which would be heralded by messengers
Song of Songs
explicit, ecstatic celebration of erotic love, switches between man and woman in love, vividly describes physical attributes, no mention of God, celebrates body and sexuality
Gleaning
fathering up the stalks of grain left behind for the poor when the reapers had finished harvesting a field
Prominent theme in the Book of Esther
feasting
Manna
food from heaven provided to the Israelites during their forty years of migration in the desert
Dominion
gentle and familial relationship of dominance
Tower of Babel
great cultural impact, people tried to build a tower to the heavens but could not --> ended up being scattered around the earth, reversal of Genesis 1 --> chaos/out of order instead of order and peace, uses chiasm, results in major change in Hebrew scriptures (scattered nations to one chosen people)
Amos and Micah: the balance
herdsman and shepherd, used vivid images from animal husbandry and agriculture to indict the smug injustices practiced by leaders of society, comforted afflicted and afflicted the comfortable
Apocrypha
hidden, another name for Deuterocanonical books
Why does David have a hold on the western imagination?
his personal heroic charm and his wholehearted commitment to the God who chose him
Books of Maccabees
historical bridge between Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament, period of Greek dominion
The Importance of the Word
importance that ancient-hebrews gave to spoken and written language (God's spoken command of universe)
Book of Psalms' role in Jewish and Christian life?
incorporate psalms in public worship and in customs of private prayer, included in ritual texts for liturgy, personal meditation/private prayer, offering musical praise to God in collective worship
Midrash
interpretation or exposition
Chiasm
inverted symmetry/parallelism, repeated/developed but in reverse order, longer ones can contain turning/pivotal point, can present main theme, supposed to make memorable, intensifies interest/appreciation of text, technique of God and Christ (used when talking)
Chiasm
inverting the structure of a sentence to form a mirror image rather than a simple echo
Jephthah
judge who saved Israelites, hardly heroic, son of prostitute, chosen to lead because he was a fierce fighter, wagered with God (support in turn for sacrifice of first living thing that greeted him), it was his daughter
Kosher
kashrut; ritually acceptable; dietary/other laws that keep Jews holy and closer to God (cannot mix certain kinds of food)
Bible and Civil Rights Movement
leaders believed they had to stand apart from society, like prophets did, to force change and make people change sinful ways
Literary Structure of the Book of Judges
main body of book contains the accounts of the recurring cycles of apostasy (abandonment of one's religion or creeds), oppression, distress, and deliverance
Prophetic symbolism
metaphors/symbols that a prophet can use in a certain way to convey God's message
Book of Ecclesiastes
modern, sorrows of human mortality and joys of human life contrasted, , Greek meaning "member of the assembly," Koheleth speaker (leader of assembly), distinctive voice, questions justice, wisdom through observation
To what does Song of Songs bear witness?
moments in Israel's history, relationship between Jesus and church, human love
Elijah
moral champion, rigorously righteous holy warrior, prophet, told Ahab there would be no rain --> drought, showdown with prophets of Baal, went to horeb/Mount of God after he fled, learned lesson of Moses (patience/commitment), important place in Judaism (bris, circumcision, passover meal), taken up in fiery chariot --> Elisha
Virtues
moral characteristics
Samson
most famous hero, physical strength, nazirite, force of nature, forced through everything with abandon and self-indulgence, full of potential but morally unconscious (like Israel), moral nourishment for people and deliverance
Why was a king necessary
needed protection from outside enemies, under constant siege by the powerful Philistines (stole ark of the covenant)
Why is the Book of Esther remarkable?
not only because it focuses on women, but because it contains no mention of God
Book of Micah theme
offered promise of comfort in the midst of affliction, many of same themes as Isaiah
Who is Augustine and what did he contribute to Christian tradition?
one of more influential writers in Western Christian thought, interpreted Genesis in light of what he read in Paul's letters, developed concept of original sin
Prophet
one who speaks for God
Moby Dick and the Book of Job
opposite/inversion of the biblical text, Captain Ahab = anti-Job (rejects any authority but his own will), refuses to bend before whale --> God and devil figure, Moby-Dick ends where Book of Job begins (death and destruction)
Themes of Exodus
oppression, exile, liberation, and the journey home
Genesis
origin, narrative of creation
Parallelism and repetition
originated in oral tradition, narratives, poetry, laws memorized and chanted by heart, made easier to commit to memory
Acts of the Apostles
outlines the early growth of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome, conflict between Jewish Christians and Jew community
The Wisdom of Solomon
person who makes wise decisions, comes from when Solomon handled the plight of two mothers fighting over baby - he said he would cut baby in half and real mother agreed to give up baby to save his life --> gave her the child
Symbolic Word Choice (Diction)
personal and place names have symbolic meanings drawn from Hebrew etymologies
Mark of Cain
popularly misinterpreted as shame, sign of God's protection (so Cain will not have same fate as Abel), shows God's mercy
The Queen of Sheba
powerful woman who tested wisdom of Solomon, from Africa/Ethiopia, "black and beautiful" --> erotic passion/romance?, thirst for true wisdom symbolic of soul's thirst for God, praised God for answers
Motivation behind Job's questioning
questions to God, unshakeable faith in God's essential goodness, not his doubt and despair, that drove his questioning
Who was Job?
quintessential good man, prosperous with children, animals, and servants, offered sacrifices on behalf of children to stay in God's good graces
Prophet: main virtue
religious and speak exactly what God says to them
Jonah's message
repent, stop abusing your fellow humans, or be destroyed by the wrath of God
Two categories of Biblical women
resilient and wily matriarchs: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah evil temptresses: Delilah, Jezebel
Figures of Speech
respect for language allows for creative wordplay: simile, metaphor, exaggeration, irony, personification, captures divine within limits of human language
"Hinge" Virtues Medieval Notation
response to questions of right and wrong, Christian tradition celebrated in art and literature and present in many self-help books and advice columns today
Holy of Holies
resting place of the ark of the covenant within the tabernacle
Ark of the Covenant
richly decorated chest that held the stone tablets that bore the Ten Commandments
Ten plagues
rivers ran with blood, frogs infested the land, gnats swarmed over Egypt, flies swarmed, a deadly disease struck the livestock, festering boils tortured humans and animals, huge clumps of hail killed beasts and people, locusts devoured the crops the hail spared, a thick darkness descended on Egypt for three days, killing of firstborn children
Haggai and Zechariah's role and their greatest concerns
role of afflicting and comforting the people during the period of the rebuilding of the temple, most concerned with helping people refocus on religious practices associated with the temple and ridding them of elements of Canaanite religions or Babylonian/Persian rituals
Tabernacle
sacred tent or structure organized according to a hierarchy of holiness; the innermost, most sacred place within the tabernacle, the holy of holies, held the ark of the covenant
Hosea's message of hope
saw beyond the wrath of God to a love that would not let people be wiped out, steadfast/covenant love of God (Israel would suffer punishment but God would still restore/renew)
Archetypal Plot Motifs from Genesis 3 and 4
sibling rivalry crime and punishment murder detective story the rejected one the guilty child innocent victim (s) expulsion the wanderer
Mount Sinai
site of Moses' encounter with God and receipt of God's commandments
Samuel and why he was chosen
son of Hannah, chosen because Hannah promised God if he gave her a son that he would be vowed to God's service, Samuel obedient when he was called to
Jewish Traditions' View of Abraham and Isaac
stresses test of Abraham's faith and affirmation of God's mercy, "binding (akedah) of Isaac," binding repeated in synagogues during Rosh Hashanah to show covenant between God and Jewish people, God asking people to do hard things and people trusting God's commands and care
Polemic
strong/formal/persistent argument, a dispute
Theodicy
struggle with good and evil, "the defense of God"
Stewardship
supervising/taking care of something, humanity responsibility for maintaining and protecting the world
Who are Jacob's descendants?
the Israelites
Sheol
the abyss into which passed the spirits of the dead, according to ancient Jewish belief
Decalogue/Ten Commandments
the core expression of Mosaic law, brought down by Moses from Mount Sinai on stone tablets written upon by the finger of God; decalogue = greek term for Ten Commandments
Mosaic Law
the laws of the Sinai covenant between God and the Israelites
Israel
the new name given to Jacob as a sign of the renewal of God's covenant with the descendants of Abraham
Tetragrammaton
the personal name of God known in Greek (sacred), name consisted of four letters, vocalized Yahweh
Abyss
the primal chaos that is "formless and void"
Qur'an
the scripture of Islam
Why is Job so difficult a book?
the text provides no clear-cut moral or answer to Job's situation
Core of Ezekiel's Message
the unfolding of God's saving purpose in the history of the world - from God's withdrawal to the great redemption of God's people
Structure of the 23rd Psalm
three stanzas that use as a literary device the personification of a sheep depending on the shepherd: 1. The Shepherd 2. The Peril 3. Blessings and Benefits
Literary structure of Book of Jonah
tightly constructed in three chiasms, or inverted parallelisms
Parallelism in Hebrew poetry
verses made up of pairs of lines that parallel one another, echoing or extending the same thought in slightly different language or using inversion for contrast
Underlying message of Joshua and Judges
violence and warfare, however necessary they may be to a people's survival and growth, come at a terrible cost
Tradition of Levirate Marriage
when a married man died without children, the closest unmarried male relative (usually a brother if he had one) was obliged to marry the widow and father a child
Horeb
where Moses saw God, the Mount of God
Bathsheba
wife of Uriah (soldier) who David committed adultery with, Bathsheba got pregnant and David killed Uriah so Bathsheba was freed, married David and bore him a son
Performative Speech
words that actually bring into being what they describe
Monotheist
worshipper of the one true God (Abraham was the first), "Allah" is God in the Islam religion
Literary style of Book of Jonah
written in prose as third-person narrative, short story (48 verses), resembles children's books
Pesach (passover)
yearly Jewish festival to commemorate the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt
3 psalms and definitions
-hymns: songs of praise to God -elegies or laments: poetry of personal or communal sorrow -didactic: teaching poems
Metaphors of God's Mercy
-marriage and parenthood to express God's unconditional love -sexual fidelity in marriage symbolic of faithfulness in covenant -beloved children learning to walk with a patient parent emphasized God's inability to abandon wayward Israel (Ephraim) and Judah
Psalms: form and genre, messages conveyed, offer what to Israelites
-songs/poetry -convey all human emotion -give a sense of Israelites' close personal relationship with their God
What does Hebrew poetry do and not do that Greek and Latin poetry do?
-uses verse primarily for celebrating prophecy and liturgy in song -highlights or summarizes prose narrative -does not tell epic tales like Greek/Latin poetry -thrives on parallelism
5 techniques
1. synonymity: the first part of a verse is roughly the equivalent of the second 2. synonymity with nearly verbatim repetition 3. complementarity: the first part of a verse is complementary to the second 4. focusing, heightening, and intensifying the first part of a verse in the second 5. consequentiality: the second part of the verse shows a consequence of the first
David's wives
Abigail, Michal, Bathsheba
Christian View of Abraham and Isaac
Abraham's unquestioning faithfulness to God, willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son (foreshadowing God sacrificing his son Jesus), "sacrifice of Isaac"
Founded on original sin
Adam and Eve = original sin, infected whole human race and carried on through conception and birth, foundation for belief in need for redeemer to shed original sin
Original Sin
Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden, taking and eating the forbidden fruit
Prophetic literature
Book of Baruch and Letter of Jeremiah
Martin Luther King's allusion to Amos
Civil Rights Memorial feature words from MLK speech paraphrasing Amos 5:24, "... until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."
Absalom
David's son, had Amnon killed to avenge Tamar's honor (sister who Amnon raped), condemned by David, vain and ambitious, led rebellion against father
Prophecies' pattern
Demands for reform The people's refusal to reform Predictions of disaster is the people do not mend their ways The consequences In the face of the consequences, a reminder of God's faithfulness and promises
Deuterocanonical texts, Septuagint
Deuterocanonical part of Septuagint, Septuagint is a Greek translation of Hebrew Scriptures made two hundred years after the exile, Deuterocanonical accepted after first canon of Scriptures was set
Archetypal plot of Isaiah
Disaster --> divine redemption --> gratitude and acceptance of responsibility
God's name (part of speech)
Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh; the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob
Other influences of Civil Rights
Gandhi, Thoreau, and Eastern philosophy
Major Theme of Genesis
God's intervention in human lives to bring deliverance, blessings, and salvation
Book of Esther's villain and description
Haman: king's steward, "the foe of the Jews," descendant of Amalekites, raised to hate Jews, vowed to destroy Jews
Nevi'im
Hebrew for "prophets," historical narratives and prophetic messages, religious history of Promised Land, David/descendants, Assyrians/Babylonians, God talking/guiding his people through prophets
Torah
Hebrew for "teaching," first section of Hebrew Scriptures/Bible's first 5 books, contains central teachings and laws of Judaism, humanity's beginnings, Israel religious history, instructions for conducting worship and celebrating, genealogies/family trees
Ketuvim
Hebrew for "writings," books with dif. themes, literary forms, and styles, Israel religious history
Poetry of Proverbs
Hebrew poetic form, parallel and inverse line structure, groups of three and four, parable/teaching stories
Tanakh
Hebrew scriptures
Importance of Names
Hebrew tradition = special meaning of names, Adam = "humankind," "earth," "red," or "the man," the word "woman" means "closely related to man," the name "Eve" means "mother of all living"
Judges
Israelites found themselves in moral vacuum --> men and women who were heroic figures, earned God's favor/people's support by outstanding personal character, provided peace in times of anarchy
Messiah
Jesus Christ, leader/savior/deliverer
Bible's division
Jews and Christians share common body of writing (Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament) but view in different way, different interpretation, traditions, and use, Christians have New Testament about Messiah
What they demonstrate
Judith: God's commitment to survival of Jewish people and importance of people's faith Susanna: different from other women in Bible, shy/beautiful/quiet, firm, drew upon strength of God to deal with dire situation
Judith and Susanna
Judith: Hebrew woman under Assyrian oppression, held Judith's town, Judith saves her people by seducing and beheading king, flight of enemy and salvation of Jerusalem Susanna: beautiful, married Jewish woman, blackmailed to have sex with men but would not, condemned to death because of fake "adultery," realized a lie and lived while accusers put to death
Metaphor of Marriage
Love between God and chosen people of Israel/church/human soul Jewish people's love for Torah Groom seeking wisdom (bride)
New Testament vs Old Testament
Old Testament written in classic Hebrew, compiled over thousands of years, contains history, law,prophecy, speeches, prayers, poetry, and song New Testament written in popular (koine) Greek, in less than a century, less than 1/3 of Hebrew Scriptures, life and impact of one perfect, Christians use two parts together
Isaiah 2:4
On Isaiah Wall at UN in NYC: "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
Pagan
Paganism, in the broadest sense includes all religions other than the true one revealed by God, and, in a narrower sense, all except Christianity, Judaism, and Mohammedanism. The term is also used as the equivalent of Polytheism.
7 Deadly Sins
Pride: exaggerated sense of one's own worth that looks down on others and rejects the demands of legitimate authority Envy: refusal to acknowledge or enjoy one's gifts, while constantly yearning for more and resenting what others have Anger: unjustified or unrestrained hatred, rage, and violence Lust: mindless sexual appetite or illicit sexual behavior Sloth: spiritual and intellectual laziness, the lack of will to do what is right or to change for the better Avarice: unjust coveting or acquisition of money, property, and material goods Gluttony: overindulgence in food and drink
4 Cardinal Virtues
Prudence: applied wisdom, the habit of guiding one's choices through the use of reason, forethought, and self-control Justice: habit of fairness and honesty, as well as a willingness to consider the needs of others equally with, or even ahead of, one's own desires Temperance: the habit of moderation and balance, qualities prized in all cultures, the "middle path" between austerity and excess Fortitude: the habit of courage in choosing what is right even in the face of peer pressure or persecution, moral stamina to live by one's convictions
5 Jewish festivals and significance
Rosh Hashanah: the Jewish new year Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement Passover: celebrates freedom of Israelites Shavuot: Feast of Weeks Sukkoth: a harvest festival also known as Feast of Booths
Authorship of Isaiah
Single book written by prophet Isaiah: Orthodox Jews and Evangelical Christians Three parts, three people, three different times: Liberal Jews, mainline Protestant Christians, and Roman Catholics
Canticles
Songs
Four factors of Christian Bible
The Jewish tradition continued The law and the prophets are the foundation of Christian tradition There are two views of how the Hebrew Scriptures look to the future There are promises to be fulfilled
Seven Literary collections in the Book Proverbs
The Proverbs of Solomon, Son of David, King of Israel The Proverbs of Solomon The Words of the Wise The Sayings of the Wise The Words of Agur The Words of King Lemuel Praise for the Good Wife
Instructive narratives
Tobit, Judith, Susanna, additions to Esther
