NT/OT/CH 711: THE INTERTESTAMENTAL PERIOD Ashland Theological Seminary Fall 2011 Friday, 8:00-9:30 a.m., 10:30-noon Dr.

David A. deSilva Office Hours: Thursday 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; Friday, 12:00-5:00 p.m. Phone: 419-289-5933 E-mail: ddesilva@ashland.edu

Ia. Course Description (catalog) This course introduces students to the history, culture, and developments of thought in Judaism during the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman periods, chiefly through the windows provided by the major documents written during this period. Students will read the Apocrypha, selected Dead Sea Scrolls, and other texts which throw important light on the world into which the church and its theology and piety were born. Ib. Course Description (elaborated) The Protestant canon can lead Christians to think that the Judaism of the New Testament period, and early Christianity itself, grew directly out of the Hebrew Scriptures. In fact, there were significant events and developments of thought during the three hundred years before the Christian era which gave a distinctive shape to the Judaism of the first century and the church that grew within that environment. This course will introduce students to the broad contours of the history of the period, the challenges faced by the Jewish people, and the way in which Judaism was taking shape in response to changing circumstances, particularly in its theological, ethical, and religious developments. We will pursue this primarily through the study of the ancient literary witnesses to the period themselves (the Old Testament Apocrypha and other early Jewish literature). We will be particularly attentive to the ways in which Old Testament traditions are developed and modulated, and to the ways in which these texts provide the foreground for the emergence of the theology, ethics, and piety of the early Christian movement. II. Relationship to Curriculum Model The Old Testament Apocrypha, select Pseudepigrapha, and other writings from the Second Temple Period have left a significant impact upon early Christian reflection on God, the person of Jesus, the place of the disciple in the economy of God, the calling of the disciple as witness and member of a covenant community, and the character that the disciple is to exhibit as a member of that community. These texts continued to be formative and, indeed, still continue to be formative for discipleship throughout the Common Era. While studying these texts and the historical and cultural movements that gave rise to the same is essential for competency in exegesis of the New Testament and in an understanding of the development of Scriptural theology and ethics, it is also anticipated that students will find each of the curricular foci nourished by the study of this literature and the challenges of the period.

III. Student Learning Outcomes 1. Core Identity rooted in Christ, as the source from which life and ministry flow. The student reflects upon expressions of core identity reflected within the literature, particularly in terms of the negotiation of the ongoing meaning of retaining ones place in the covenant people during this period of cultural, economic, and political imperialism. 2. Character that reflects maturity in Christ. The student integrates an appreciation for, and determination to emulate, the loyalty to God and the commitment to live out the life God approves displayed in the literature of this period in his or her own faith and ministry. 3. Calling that is foundational for servant leadership in the church, community and world. The student refines his or her understanding of Christian leadership, and his or her own particular call as a Christian leader, in light of the models of pastoral leadership and faithful response to the call of God in the midst of the varied challenges that occasioned these bodies of literature. 4. Competence in the disciplines and skills relevant to Christian ministry. A. Articulates, integrates, and applies Scripture, theology, church history, and religious heritage to life and ministry. The student who successfully engages this course will be able to: Assess the value and limitations of the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books in an informed manner; Explain the contributions made by intertestamental literature to Jewish ethics and to the survival of the Jewish minority culture under Gentile domination; Summarize the major theological topics and resources used by community leaders during this period to maintain the viability of the Jewish tradition and way of life; Analyze points of contact and likely points of influence between Intertestamental Jewish texts and New Testament texts; B. Applies cultural exegesis to ones life and ministry. The student formulates a more finely nuanced picture of the setting and shape of Judaism at the turn of the era. C. Practices a broad range of appropriate ministry skills. The student develops direction for his or her own further study in Intertestamental Judaism.

IV. Teaching Strategies for Student Learning The course will follow a seminar format: presentations by the professor will supplement and help synthesize the readings, but the lions share of time will be give to class discussion following the topics laid out in the syllabus and questions or issues initiated by students.
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V. Course Requirements

A. TEXTBOOKS 1. Victor Tcherikover, Hellenistic Civilization and the Jews, with a preface by John J. Collins. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1999. ISBN-10: 0801047854; ISBN-13: 978-0801047855. NOTE: As the 1999 edition is merely a reprint of the original 1959 work, any edition of this book will be acceptable for class. 2. David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha: Message, Context, and Significance. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2002. Paperback edition: ISBN-10: 0801031036; ISBN-13: 978-0801031038. Hardcover edition: ISBN 0-8010-2319-X. Either edition is acceptable. 3. Geza Vermes, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (revised, paperback edition; New York: Penguin, 2004). ISBN-10: 0-14-044952-3; ISBN-13: 978-0140449525. Note: the earlier, 1998 edition of this volume or the fourth edition of Vermess The Dead Sea Scrolls in English (1995) would also be acceptable, if you already own one of these. 4. Josephus, The Jewish War (translated by G. A. Williamson; New York: Penguin, 1984). ISBN13: 978-0140444209. While this work is widely available online for free (and you are welcome to use any translation you wish), this is an exceptionally readable translation. 5. The student will also need access to the Old Testament Apocrypha, preferably in the New Revised Standard Version or the English Standard Version. This can be purchased separately, as in The New Oxford Annotated Apocrypha. Fully revised 4th edition (ed. by Michael Coogan, et al.; New York: Oxford, 2010; ISBN: 0-19-528961-7; ISBN-13: 978-0195289619). The texts are also available in New Oxford Annotated Study Bible with Apocrypha (New York: Oxford, 2010), and the English Standard Version Bible with Apocrypha (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009). They are also generally available in Bible software programs (e.g., BibleWorks or Logos). 6. The student will also need access to selected Jewish Pseudepigrapha: 1 Enoch; Psalms of Solomon; Jubilees; Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs; Letter of Aristeas; 2 Baruch, as well as the early rabbinic text, Pirke Aboth. The majority of these texts are available on line or in the reference section of the library: see R. H. Charles (ed.), The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament. Volume II: Pseudepigrapha (Oxford: Clarendon, 1913); J. H. Charlesworth (ed.), The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (2 vols.; Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1983, 1985); H. F. D. Sparks, The Apocryphal Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon, 1984). The translations in Sparks are generally acknowledged to be the best currently available. Some online sites to consult, especially for access to full text (generally of the translations available in Charles): http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/pseudepigrapha.htm http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Resources/Texts/otPseud.html

B. ATTENDANCE See C. Assignments/Assessment Below.

C. ASSIGNMENTS/ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING 1. This course is intended to be a seminar, that is, an experience of shared responsibility for learning. Preparation, informed participation, and regular attendance will be essential to attain the course objectives, and will be weighted heavily in evaluation of the students mastery of the course content. Class discussion is intended to nurture growth toward the learning outcomes listed under all four curricular foci. The following guidelines indicate how class performance will be evaluated:
A The student has given evidence in his or her interaction in class of careful reading and critical reflection on the assignments, of integrating the material from the various sources, and of deliberation upon the questions in the study guide. The student is able to contribute meaningfully both in the information and analysis he or she can provide and in the intelligent questions that he or she brings that have arisen from this reading and reflection. The student gives evidence of having read the assigned readings and giving some attention to working through the study questions and to putting it all together before class. In class, the student can provide the information, and goes far toward contributing also at the level of analysis and integration. The student has read almost all of the assigned readings and comes with the information fairly well in mind. Processing of this information before class is rather limited. The student is coming to class, but the gaps in his or her reading and the lack of reflection on and engagement with the material seriously limits his or her contribution to the class discussion. The students attendance has been spotty, reading record poor, contribution poor. He or she is often speechless or faking it when asked a question.

B C D F

2. Each student will keep a journal as a means of collecting and preserving for himself or herself the theological, ethical, and formational insights enjoyed during the course of reading the Apocrypha, other literature of early Judaism, and the secondary resources. Your attainment of learning outcomes pertinent to core identity, character, and calling will largely come from this ongoing exercise and its synthesis. Students should also include connections they observe with Christian theology and ethics, as well as questions that arise for them in the course of their preparation each week (i.e., that can then be recalled and brought to class). This journal will be due at the end of our final class session. (Do NOT turn in your only copy; if you keep the journal by hand, submit a clear, Xeroxed copy.) 3. The student will complete an integrative essay exam, which will provide an opportunity for the student to synthesize major aspects of the course and demonstrate his or her level of mastery of the primary and secondary readings. The essay questions should be answered carefully and fully. This exercise facilitates the attainment of the objectives listed under competency above, as well as the assessment of the same.

D. CALCULATION OF GRADE Class Participation, Journal: 1/3 Final Exam: 2/3

VI. Tentative Class Schedule Please note: readings are due for the class session under which they are listed. Thus, the student is to read ahead for the first class. [Presentations listed in brackets are reminders for my benefit.] Class One: Introduction to the Intertestamental Period Tcherikover, Hellenstic Civilization and the Jews, 1-151 deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapter 1 Class Two: Conservative Jewish Responses to the Dominant Gentile Culture deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapters 7, 13. The Wisdom of Ben Sira (Apocrypha) 1 Enoch 1-36; 93:1-10; 91:11-17 (Jewish Pseudepigrapha) [Presentation on 1 Enoch] [Presentation on Hellenization] Class Three: The Hellenization Crisis and the Hasmonean Revolution (Historical Context from 175-140 BC) Tcherikover, Hellenstic Civilization and the Jews, 152-234 deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapter 2 1 Maccabees (Apocrypha) 2 Maccabees (Apocrypha) Daniel 7-12 Classes Four: Legitimation of the Hasmonean Dynasty Tcherikover, Hellenstic Civilization and the Jews, 235-265. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapters 11, 12; review 1 and 2 Maccabees Class Five: Critique of the Hasmonean Dynasty; Qumran Vermes, Dead Sea Scrolls: Introduction (all sections); Community Rule, 1QS; Damascus Document; Thanksgiving Hymns 2-7, 17; Apocryphal Psalms; 4Q434; 4Q525; Commentaries on Habakkuk and the Psalms. Josephus, Jewish War, Book 1 Psalms of Solomon (Jewish Pseudepigrapha) [Presentation on Psalms of Solomon] Optional: D. A. deSilva, The Dead Sea Scrolls and Early Christianity, Sewanee Theological Review 39 (1996) 285-302. Optional: Explore web sites on Qumran archaeology and reconstruction: http://www.ebibleteacher.com/imagehtml/qumran.html http://www.holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,2,6,175,177&thumbs=1 http://www.nelc.ucla.edu/qumran/images.html Class Six: Edifying Literature from the Second Century BC deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapters 3, 4, 8
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Tobit (Apocrypha) Judith (Apocrypha) Baruch (Apocrypha) Class Seven: Intertestamental Expansions of the Bible deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapters 5, 10, 14, 15 Additions to Daniel: Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, and Prayer of Azariah (Apocrypha) Additions to Esther Prayer of Manasseh and Psalm 151 (Apocrypha) Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (Jewish Pseudepigrapha) [Presentation on the Testaments and on Jubilees] Class Eight: Tensions in Diaspora Judaism Anti-Judaism and Counter-Critique of Gentiles deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapters 6, 9, 16. 3 Maccabees (Apocrypha) 4 Maccabees, chapters 5 and 8 (Apocrypha) Additions to Esther 13.1-7; 16.1-24 (Apocrypha) Wisdom of Solomon (Apocrypha) Letter to Jeremiah (Apocrypha) Review Bel and the Dragon (Apocrypha) [Presentation on Diaspora Judaism] Class Nine: Hellenistic Jewish Apologetics: Interaction with Greek Philosophical Ethics deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapter 18 4 Maccabees, entire (Apocrypha) Letter of Aristeas (Jewish Pseudepigrapha) Philo, Special Laws 1.1-11; 2.56-139; 4.100-142 [Presentation on Septuagint] Class Ten: The Jewish Revolt and Post-Destruction Judaism (AD 44-73) Josephus, The Jewish War, books 2-7 Mark 13:1-27; Luke 21:5-28. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, chapter 170 2 Esdras 3-14 (Apocrypha) Pirke Aboth All Assignments Due at 9 am, last day of Fall Quarter Classes. No late papers will be accepted, apart from successful petitions for an incomplete or extension prior to this deadline.

VII. Recommendations for Lifelong Learning 1. As you plan your cycle of Scriptural and devotional readings for the year, include books from the Apocrypha and some of the more influential Pseudepigrapha. Extend your familiarity with, and reflection upon, this material throughout your ministry through such regular exposure.
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2. As you study particular New Testament texts, use resources that direct you to extracanonical comparative literature (such as the Word Biblical Commentary, the Bible Knowledge Background Commentary, the Anchor Bible Commentary, and so forth), and follow the leads by reading the passages in early Jewish literature to which they refer. 3. Acquire a devotional resource, such as the Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible with Apocrypha, and work through the Apocrypha with the annotations found therein as part of your ongoing formation. 4. Teach a special study group at your church introducing the members to the books of the Apocrypha. Focus on the devotional value of texts where applicable (e.g., the Prayer of Manasseh, the Song of the Three, the Prayer of Azariah), the development of familiar Old Testament themes, and the correlations with New Testament passages.

VIII. Seminary Guidelines A. ATS Academic Integrity Policy Ashland Theological Seminary seeks to model servant leadership derived from biblical standards of honesty and integrity. We desire to encourage, develop, and sustain men and women of character who will exemplify these biblical qualities in their ministry to the church and the world. As members of the seminary community, students are expected to hold themselves to the highest standards of academic, personal, and social integrity. All students, therefore, are expected to abide by the academic integrity standards outlined in the Student Handbook. B. Academic Support Services If you need assistance with writing projects for your coursework, contact the ATS Academic Support Center. The center provides free sessions with a peer consultant who can help you with all of your concerns about academic support including writing, critical thinking, documentation, reading skills, study skills, test taking skills, time management. Contact the center if you have a question about how to complete your assignment, if you have documentation questions, or if you would like to have your paper evaluated for areas needing improvement. The ATS Academic Support Center can be reached at 419-289-5162 or by e-mail at atswc@ashland.edu. C. Students with Disabilities Students with documented disabilities who require academic adjustments for this class are requested to contact me to discuss reasonable accommodations. While not required, it is in the best interest of the student to have this conversation early in the quarter, as academic adjustments are not retroactive. In order to receive academic adjustments, paperwork from Disability Services must be provided to document this need. Disability Services is located in 105 Amstutz, Ashland University, 419-289-5953. D. ATS Grading Scale Grade A Percent 97-100 Description Superior achievement of course objectives, diligence and
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originality, high degree of freedom from error, outstanding evidence of ability to utilize course knowledge, initiative expressed in preparing and completing assignments, positive contributions verbalized in class. AB+ B 92-96 89-91 86-88

Good work submitted, commendable achievement of course objectives, some aspects of the course met with excellence, substantial evidence of ability to utilize course material, positive contributions verbalized in class, consistency and thoroughness of work completed.

BC+ C

83-85 80-82 77-79

Acceptable work completed, satisfactory achievement of course objectives, demonstrating at least some ability to utilize course knowledge, satisfactory class contribution.

CD+ D

74-76 71-73 68-70

Passing but minimal work, marginal achievement of course objectives, poor performance in comprehension of work submitted, inadequate class contributions. Unacceptable work resulting in failure to receive class credit, inadequacy of work submitted or of performance and attendance in class.

DF

65-67 Below 65

IX. Bibliography Primary bibliographic resources include the printed bibliographies in Lorenzo DiThomaso, A Bibliography of Pseudepigrapha Research 1850-1999 (New York: Continuum, 2001). David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha: Message, Context, and Significance (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2002). David A. deSilva, A Bibliographic Guide to the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, Ashland Theological Journal 42 (2010) 61-109. Craig A. Evans, Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies: A Guide to the Background Literature (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2005). John H. Hayes and Sara R. Mandell, The Jewish People in Classical Antiquity (Louisville, KY: WJKP, 1998).
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Larry Helyer, Exploring Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period (Downers Grove, InterVarsity, 2002). Students should also consult the bibliographies at the close of each relevant entry in the following dictionaries: The Anchor Bible Dictionary (ed. David Noel Friedman; New York: Doubleday, 1992) Dictionary of New Testament Background (ed. Craig Evans and Stanley Porter; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1999).