Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion you should be able to:

• Identify basic facts about the scope and structure of the OT

• Discuss the concepts of inspiration, inerrancy, and canon with respect to the OT

• Describe the development of writing and scripts

• Explain the compositional process of the OT

• Trace the transmission of the OT from its beginning to modern times

• Identify the various textual witnesses to the OT

• Describe the nature of textual variants and the process of textual criticism

• Discuss how to evaluate English translations

Course Outline

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker

• Introducing the Course

Unit 1: Preliminary Issues

• The Term “Old Testament”

• The Scope of the Old Testament

• The Number of Old Testament Books

• The Order and Structure of Old Testament Books

• Titles of Old Testament Books

• The Authority of the Old Testament

• A Roadmap for the Course

Unit 2: Inspiration

• Two Sides to Inspiration

• A Flawed Conception of Inspiration

• A Coherent Conception of Inspiration

• Inspiration Is Not Dictation: Ezekiel

• Inspiration Is Not Dictation: The Synoptic Gospels

• Inspiration Is Not Dictation: Borrowed Material

• Searching Ancient Near Eastern Literature for Old Testament References

• Inspiration Is Not Dictation: Changing Laws

• Summary of Inspiration

Unit 3: Scripts and Writing

• Summary and Preview

• The Development of Writing

• Scripts

• Early Alphabets

• The Semitic Alphabet

• Writing Materials

• Writing Instruments

• Searching Images for Information on Ancient Writing

Unit 4: The Process of Composition

• Preview of the Composition Process

• Oral Tradition

• Literary Techniques

• Known Sources

• Lost Sources

• Speculative Sources

• Original Material

• Collecting Material

• Editing

• Inspiration as a Process

• Inspiration and Inerrancy

Unit 5: Canon and Canonicity

• The Concept of Canon

• Complicating Factors for the Canon

• The Canon through History

Unit 6: Early Transmission of the Hebrew Bible

• Manuscript Evidence Prior to 1947

• The Aleppo Codex

• The Leningrad Codex

• Exploring the Leningrad Codex

• The Cairo Genizah

• Summary of Manuscript Evidence Prior to 1947

• The Dead Sea Scrolls

• Textual Evidence from Qumran

• The Hebrew Bible in the Exile

• The Old Testament from 586–400 BC

• A Book in Transition

• The Old Testament from 400 BC to AD 100

• The Rise of a Scribal Class

• The Rise of Multiple Textual Traditions

• The Local Texts Theory

• The Masoretic Text in the Local Text Theory

• The Surviving Texts Theory

• Scribal Practices at Qumran, Part 1

• Scribal Practices at Qumran, Part 2

• Viewing Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls in Logos and Online

Unit 7: A Period of Ancient Translations

• The Septuagint

• Comparing the Septuagint and the Hebrew Bible

• Aramaic Targums

• Later Translations

• Creating a Layout of Ancient Translations

Unit 8: The Hebrew Bible from AD 100–1000

• The Importance of AD 100

• The Role of the Scribes

• Scribal Innovations

• Marking Problems in the Text

• The Masorah

• Viewing and Searching for Ketiv-Qere Readings

• Vocalization System

• Variation in the Masoretic Tradition

• Important Manuscripts

Unit 9: The Hebrew Bible since AD 1000

• Transition to Modern Editions

• Pre-Reformational Editions of the Old Testament

• Editions of the Old Testament from the 1500s

• Editions of the Old Testament from the 18th and 19th Centuries

• Editions of the Old Testament from the 20th Century

• Editions of the Old Testament in the 21st Century

Unit 10: Textual Criticism of the Old Testament: Overview

• Preview of the Process

• Determining Variants

• Gathering Evidence: The Specialist

• Gathering Evidence: The Non-Specialist

• Examining Textual Variants with the NET Bible

• Evaluating Evidence

Unit 11: Textual Criticism of the Old Testament: Variant Types

• Unintentional Variants: Letter Confusion

• Unintentional Variants: Word Division

• Unintentional Variants: Vowel Pointing

• Unintentional Variants: Eye Skipping

• Unintentional Variants: Haplography

• Unintentional Variants: Dittography

• Unintentional Variants: Graphic Transposition

• Unintentional Variants: Faulty Hearing

• Intentional Variants

Unit 12: Principles for Evaluating Variants

• Determining the Best Reading

• Internal Considerations

• External Considerations

• Using Favorites to Collect Key Resources on Textual Criticism

• An Example

• Studying a Text Critical Problem in Isaiah 8:11

• Revisiting Inspiration and Inerrancy

Unit 13: The Hebrew Bible and English Translations

• English Translations

• Evaluating English Translations

Conclusion

• Summary of the Course

Details

• Title: OT281 How We Got the Old Testament

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser

• Publisher: Lexham Press

• Publication Date: 2014

• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education

• Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources

• Courses: 1

• Video Hours: 5