The exegetical paper for this class requires you to include the following components:
Below you will find brief descriptions of each of these components along with some helpful resources to get you started.
What is Textual Criticism?
Textual criticism is establishing the original text. To do this you should identify any textual variants in your passage, compare explanations and evidence, and then come to a conclusion about which reading is most likely the original.
For more information on the task of textual criticism, see following book recommended by your professor.
The Text of the Old Testament
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Major revision of a landmark work in Old Testament scholarship Ernst Würthwein's introduction to the Biblia Hebraica has long served as a textbook for generations of students interested in the history of the Old Testament text and the problems of textual criticism. From its first appearance in 1952 to the fifth German edition in 1988, the book was faithfully updated by Würthwein himself in light of new research. But now a new edition of "Würthwein" is due. While staying true to the original structure and character of Würthwein's classic work, Alexander Fischer has rewritten the text completely to bring it up to date with the new Quinta edition of Biblia Hebraica. Besides updating information throughout, this edition includes a new chapter on the texts from the Qumran. This third edition of The Text of the Old Testament will be an indispensable resource for serious students of the Biblia Hebraica and Old Testament exegesis.
Textual Criticism with English Translations:
If you are working with English translations rather than the original language you will need to access translations from different textual traditions. Linked below are some helpful resources to get you started.
The Aramaic Bible
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The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible
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From the dramatic find in the caves of Qumran, The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible presents the world's most precious and ancient version of the Bible. One thousand years older than any existing manuscripts, these scrolls allow us to read the Bible it was in the time of Jesus. Preserving parts of all but one biblical book, scrolls confirm that the text of the Old Testament as it has been handed down through the ages is largely correct. Yet, they also reveal numerous important differences. The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible: Offers new and striking textual readings that clarify millennia-old puzzles Restores lost psalms Reveals previously unknown details about the lives of biblical figures Provides new information on how the Hebrew Bible was created The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible presents all 220 of the Dead Sea biblical scrolls, arranged to be read in canonical order. The texts are translated into English by Eugene Ulrich, one of the three general editors of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Peter Flint and Martin Abegg Jr., the directors of the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute. Commentary by the editors provides insight into the rich cultural and religious traditions behind the scrolls and the Bible itself.
Douay-Rheims Bible The English Translation of the Latin Vulgate
A New English Translation of the Septuagint
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The Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of Jewish sacred writings) is of great importance in the history of both Judaism and Christianity. The first translation of the books of the Hebrew Bible (plus additions) into the common language of the ancient Mediterranean world made the Jewish scriptures accessible to many outside Judaism. Not only did the Septuagint become Holy Writ to Greek speaking Jews but it was also the Bible of the early Christian communities: the scripture they cited and the textual foundation of the early Christian movement. Translated from Hebrew (and Aramaic) originals in the two centuries before Jesus, the Septuagint provides important information about the history of the text of the Bible. For centuries, scholars have looked to the Septuagint for information about the nature of the text and of how passages and specific words were understood. For students of the Bible, the New Testament in particular, the study of the Septuagint's influence is a vital part of the history of interpretation. But until now, the Septuagint has not been available to English readers in a modern and accurate translation. The New English Translation of the Septuagint fills this gap.
What is Grammar/Syntax Analysis:
Analyzing the grammar and syntax of a passage involves noting the word forms and arrangement of the text and how they contribute to the author's intent.
For more information on the task of grammar/syntax analysis, see the following book recommended by your professor.
From Exegesis to Exposition
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Inspires and instructs students and pastors to use the Hebrew Bible appropriately in their preaching and teaching. Includes sample sermons and lessons.
What is Semantics?
Analyzing the semantics of a passage means considering the meaning of the words themselves. This involves comparing the range of possible meanings (semantic field) for a word and the ways a word is used in the immediate and surrounding context. You should focus on words that are repeated, significant or unclear in your passage.
To find the semantic field for a given word you can consult a lexicon. Two recommendations from your professor are linked below:
The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (2 Vol. Set)
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Brill is pleased to present this Study Edition of the The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament in two handy volumes. It has proven to be a valuable resource for scholars and students. In this Study Edition the complete vocabulary of the Hebrew Bible, including those parts of books which are written in Aramaic, is available. The dictionary combines scholarly thoroughness with easy accessibility, and so meets the needs of a wide range of users. The enormous advances that have taken place in the field of Semitic linguistics since the days of the older dictionaries of Classical Hebrew are well documented and assessed, as well as the often detailed discussions in modern Bible commentaries of words where the meaning is particularly difficult. But the alphabetical ordering of entries rather than the traditional arrangement of words according to their roots is particularly helpful to the new student, and also saves the advanced user much time. This 2 volume edition is an unabridged version of the five volume edition of The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament.This set replacesn the 5-volume set with ISBN 9789004119567.
New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon of the Old Testament
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What is Compositional Analysis?
Compositional analysis is considering how the parts of the passage fit into the structure of the book as a whole. You should acknowledge the author's compositional strategy and how that impacts your particular passage.
For more information on the task of compositional analysis, see the following books recommended by your professor.
An Introduction to the Making and Meaning of the Bible
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A comprehensive and orthodox guide to biblical origins and interpretation How did we get the Bible? How do we interpret it? And what does it mean for our lives today? Michael B. Shepherd introduces undergraduates and seminarians to these crucial questions in this reliable and thorough new textbook. Shepherd covers textual criticism, formation of the canon, and history of translation, all while remaining committed to Scripture's ultimate purpose--inviting us to salvation through Jesus Christ. Showing how the Bible directs its own interpretation, Shepherd encourages learners to listen to the Word of God, rather than twisting it to fit their own ends. His section-by-section treatment of the Bible encourages students to view the Bible as cohesive, while remaining sensitive to its diverse genres. Thorough and accessible, this textbook goes beyond typical historical introductions to spiritually form students learning to understand Scripture. An Introduction to the Making and Meaning of the Bible is the serious, evangelical introduction your students need and will reference for years to come.
Introduction to the Old Testament As Scripture
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This Introduction attempts to offer a different model for the discipline from that currently represented. It seeks to describe the form and function of the Hebrew Bible in its role as sacred scripture for Israel. It argues the case that the biblical literature has not been correctly understood or interpreted because its role as religious literature has not been correctly assessed.
What is Intertextuality?
Intertextuality refers to how passages of Scripture cite, interpret, and utilize other parts of the Bible. You should identify and analyze any intertextual connections the author may be making in your passage.
Below are some helpful resources that contain intertextual observations.
The Text in the Middle
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Analysis of inner-biblical exegesis ordinarily involves examination of the intertextual relationship between two texts within the biblical corpus. But in many cases there is an often overlooked intertext that serves as a bridge between the two texts. Such an intermediary text reads the primary text in a manner similar to the way the tertiary text reads it and supplies a missing link in a very subtle yet identifiable manner. The direction of dependence between texts of this kind is not as important in the present study as the direction in which these texts were meant to be read by those who gave them their final shape.
The Twelve Prophets in the New Testament
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It has been widely recognized that the Book of the Twelve, Hosea to Malachi, was considered a single composition in antiquity. Recent articles and monographs have discussed the internal clues to this composition, but there has been little effort to understand the way the New Testament authors quote from the Twelve in light of the compositional unity of the book. The Twelve Prophets in the New Testament contends that New Testament quotations from the Twelve presuppose knowledge of the larger whole and cannot be understood correctly apart from awareness of the compositional strategy of the Twelve.
Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel
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This acclaimed book offers the first comprehensive treatment and analysis fo the phenomenon of textual interpretation ion ancient Israel. Fishbane explores the rich tradition of exegesis prior to the development of biblical interpretation in early classical Judaism and the earliest Christian communities, and analyzes four main categories of exegesis: scribal, legal, aggadic, and mantological. The paperback edition has been expanded with new material and appendices.
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
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Readers of the New Testament often encounter quotes or allusions to Old Testament stories and prophecies that are unfamiliar or obscure. In order to fully understand the teachings of Jesus and his followers, it is important to understand the large body of Scripture that preceded and informed their thinking. Leading evangelical scholars G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson have brought together a distinguished team to provide readers with a comprehensive commentary on Old Testament quotations, allusions, and echoes that appear from Matthew through Revelation. College and seminary students, pastors, scholars, and interested lay readers will want to add this unique commentary to their reference libraries. Contributors Craig L. Blomberg (Denver Seminary) on Matthew Rikk E. Watts (Regent College) on Mark David W. Pao (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) and Eckhard J. Schnabel (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) on Luke Andreas J. Kostenberger (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) on John I. Howard Marshall (University of Aberdeen) on Acts Mark A. Seifrid (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) on Romans Roy E. Ciampa (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) and Brian S. Rosner (Moore Theological College) on 1 Corinthians Peter Balla (Karoli Gaspar Reformed University, Budapest) on 2 Corinthians Moises Silva (author of "Philippians "in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) on Galatians and Philippians Frank S. Thielman (Beeson Divinity School) on Ephesians G. K. Beale (Wheaton College Graduate School) on Colossians Jeffrey A. D. Weima (Calvin Theological Seminary) on 1 and 2 Thessalonians Philip H. Towner (United Bible Societies) on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus George H. Guthrie (Union University) on Hebrews D. A. Carson (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) on the General Epistles G. K. Beale (Wheaton College Graduate School) and Sean M. McDonough (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) on Revelation