Courses

An introduction to inductive Bible study involving the steps of observation, interpretation (hermeneutics), application, and correlation. Principles in these steps are applied to several biblical passages and books. Required Prerequisite or Corequisite to all Bible Exposition courses. 3 hours.

An exposition of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Num­bers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges, with emphasis on the biblical theology of these books, their genre, and application. Prerequisite or Corequisite: BE5101 Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. 3 hours.

An exposition of the historical books (1 Samuel through Esther), Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, with emphasis on the biblical theology of these books, their genre, and application. Prerequisite or Corequisite: BE5101 Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. Recommended Prerequisite: BE5102 Old Testament History I. 2 hours.

An exposition of the preexilic, exilic, and postexilic prophets (Isaiah through Malachi), excluding Jonah but including Lamentations, with emphasis on the biblical theology of these books, their genre, and application. Prerequisite or Corequisite: BE5101 Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. Recommended Prerequisite: BE5103 Old Testament History II and Poetry. 3 hours.

An exposition of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, with emphasis on the biblical theology of these books, their genre, and application. Prerequisite or Corequisite: BE5101 Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. Recommended Prerequisite: BE5104 Old Testament Prophets. 2 hours.

An exposition of Acts and 10 of the Pauline epistles (all except Romans, Ephesians, and Philippians), with emphasis on the biblical theology of these books, their genre, and application. Prerequisite or Corequisite: BE5101 Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. Recommended Prerequisite: BE5105 The Gospels. 3 hours.

An exposition of Hebrews; James; 1 and 2 Peter; 1, 2, and 3 John; Jude; and Revelation, with emphasis on the biblical theology of these books, their genre, and application. Prerequisite or Corequisite: BE5101 Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. 3 hours.

An exposition of Ruth, Psalms, Jonah, and three of Paul’s epistles (Romans, Ephesians, and Philippians) that are not taught in the other required Bible courses, with emphasis on the biblical theology of these books, their genre, and application. This course is required for MA students and is an elective for ThM students. Prerequisite or Corequisite: BE5101 Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. Recommended Prerequisites: BE5102 Old Testament History I and BE5104 Old Testament Prophets. 3 hours.

An exposition of the biblical narrative of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation with emphasis on the relationships between the content of all sixty-six books of the Bible and the unity of what God is doing and saying throughout the entirety of canonical and biblical history. 3 hours.

An advanced study of principles of Bible study, emphasizing synthetic, historical, analytical, topical, theological, biographical, and devotional methods. 3 hours.

An examination of various genres represented in the Scriptures, including characteristics and implication for interpretation, application, and exposition. 2 hours.

A detailed study of the principles of the literal-grammatical-historical system of biblical interpretation, with practice in using those principles in interpreting representative passages. 3 hours.

A study of the hermeneutical principles applicable to the prophetic and typological literature of the Bible. Enrollment limited to 20 students. 3 hours.

A survey of the principal physical features of the land of Israel and a review of the historical geography of Israel for all the important periods in the Old and New Testaments. Attention is given to the relationship between Israel’s geography and history. The course also incorporates a variety of the most recent visual resources. 2 hours.

A study of the social and cultural milieu of Israelite, Jewish, and Greco-Roman life in the Old and New Testament periods and its impact on the historical-grammatical interpretation of the Bible. Attention is given to information and resources available in carrying out the historical and cultural part of the interpretive process. May also be credited in the Department of Old Testament Studies or the Department of New Testament Studies. 3 hours.

An expositional study of the Book of Genesis, with special attention to issues of literary narrative, setting in the ancient Near East, and grand themes of biblical theology. 2 hours.

A study of 1 and 2 Samuel, with emphasis on their historical setting, their purpose and structure, and the theological framework of the books. 2 hours.

An expositional study of the Books of Job, selected Wisdom Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, with attention to the nature of wisdom literature and to the content, structure, and relevance of each of the books. 2 hours.

An expositional study of the Book of Job, giving attention to the nature of the book, its content, and its relevance to theology and attitude toward God during times of suffering. 2 hours.

An analytical study of the Book of Isaiah, with attention to historical setting, forms of prophetic speech, messianic and kingdom themes, and suggestions for expositional preaching. 2 hours.

A detailed study of the Minor Prophets, with attention to their messianic prophecies and the promises pertaining to the future of Israel as a nation. 2 hours.

A detailed study of Matthew 5–7 and Luke 6 in light of the argument of each book, with attention to the hermeneutical system employed and the history of interpretation of the passages. 2 hours.

An analytical study of the Gospel of John, with attention to John’s thematic presentation of the Son of God. 2 hours.

An analytical and expository study of Christ’s teaching in John 13­–16. 2 hours.

An analytical study of Hebrews, with attention to the theme of Christ’s superiority and with application to the life of the believer in the new order. 2 hours.

An analytical study of Daniel and Revelation, with consideration of the many questions of interpretation and application in these important prophetic books. 2 hours.

An exposition of selected psalms, with an emphasis on the subject of the worship of God, providing an understanding of the past (Israel’s patterns) and ways of application in the present (the Christian church). May also be credited in the Department of Media Arts and Worship. 2 hours.

A thematic study of the unfolding of the theocratic kingdom program throughout the Scriptures, tracing its origin, historical development in various forms, and its ultimate consummation in the reign of Christ, together with a study of the biblical covenants in relation to the kingdom. 3 hours.

A thematic study of the earthly life of Christ, tracing in detail the movements of His presentation, authentication, opposition, and rejection. 3 hours.

An analytical and expository study of the parables of Christ, with attention to the hermeneutics of parabolic literature in the Scriptures. 2 hours.

A study of the Book of Acts from the transitional viewpoint, with attention to the problems involved. 2 hours.

A study of Christ’s teachings on the demands and definitions of a biblical disciple within their various Gospel contexts, with attention to the dispensational aspects of pre-Cross settings. 2 hours.

A biblical-theological study of themes related to the Lord’s supper and an exposition of major New Testament passages dealing with the Lord’s Supper. The course will review the contributions of the Levitical sacrifices, the Hallel Psalms, Isaiah’s Servant Songs, and New Covenant passages, as well as explore the contribution of cultural issues to the understanding of the Lord’s Supper. 2 hours.

An introduction to the discipline of biblical theology that includes study of its history, principles, and methods. Readings in significant authors will form the basis for class discussion. 3 hours.

A study of the biblical meanings and purposes of suffering, with theological reflections and application to various aspects of suffering and disability-related ministries. The course includes a number of guest lecturers, including Joni Eareckson Tada. May also be credited in the Department of Counseling Ministries (see BC5547). 3 hours.

A study of messianic prophecy in the Old Testament as it relates to Israel and the nations, showing its fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. Emphasis is given to Jewish interpretation of prophetic passages as expressed in Jewish literature. 3 hours.

An examination of the evolvement of the Jewish people and their culture from the return from the Babylonian Captivity to the present, with emphasis on the main events and significant personalities throughout the course of ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary history. Attention will also be given to the relationship of the Jewish community to Christianity. 3 hours.

An examination of the rise and evolution of Judaism and Jewish thought—including Messianic Judaism—from Second Temple Judaism through the textual and religious development of Rabbinic, Medieval, and contemporary Judaism. Students will examine the impact of modernity, the Holocaust, and the establishing of the State of Israel on the religious life and thought of the Jewish people. The course will also cover the complex relationship between Judaism and the Messianic Jewish movement. 3 hours.

An exploration of the literature of various Jewish groups and authors in the period of the Second Temple, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Philo, Josephus, and Targums. Special attention is given to the influence of these writings on early Christian thought and their role for understanding the New Testament. 3 hours.

An examination of the development of Jewish prayer and synagogue worship as it has evolved from the early rabbinical period to the twenty-first century. Students will be exposed to the basic structure, flow, and content of traditional daily, Shabbat, and Holiday services, along with the major Jewish prayers for weekdays and Shabbat. 3 hours.

A survey of church history from the early church to the present day, with emphasis on the church's interactions with the Jewish people. Attention will be given to the roots, developments, and implications of Christian antisemitism and to the Jewish people's objection to Jesus. 3 hours.

An examination of methods of Jewish outreach and apologetics. Topics addressed include biblical foundations and practical strategies for Jewish outreach, understanding and presenting the Jewishness of the Gospels, Messianic prophecy, and responding to arguments against the Messiahship of Jesus. 3 hours.

An introduction to the rabbinical writings (Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, Midrash, etc.). Special attention is given to the historical and cultural contribution of these texts, as well as to their references to the Hebrew Bible, relationship to other texts, influences on the Apostolic Writings and later Rabbinic and Christian writings, and methodological issues. 3 hours.

An introduction to traditional Jewish lifecycle events and their application within the Messianic Jewish context. Special attention is given to the Jewish calendar, including High Holidays and their messianic aspect. 3 hours.

Independent research on a biblical subject not specifically treated in other courses. Credit is allowed proportionate to the amount of work but not to exceed 4 credit hours in any one subject of study. Limited to advanced students and subject to consent of the professor. 1–4 hours.

Independent research and writing of a thesis on an approved topic under the supervision of two faculty advisors. Students will have one calendar year to complete the thesis. If the thesis is not completed by the end of a year, students will be registered in BE5903. Enrollment requires consent of the department. 2 or 3 hours.

The thesis continuation course is required of all students writing a thesis who are beyond one year in the thesis process. Thesis continuation is permitted for a maximum of one additional term (for a 2-hour thesis, including summer) or two additional terms (for a 3-hour thesis, including summer). 1 hour.

This course is designed for students who choose to participate in special conferences, training, or programs that are more formal in nature and require student participation other than a standard independent study. Approved special topics will provide expertise or training not specifically covered in the seminary curriculum. Credit is allowed proportionate to the required amount of work but is not to exceed 4 credit hours on any one topic. Enrollment requires consent of the department. 1–4 hours.

A historical-geographical study of biblical sites in Israel during a field trip. One hour of credit is given for each week in the field up to 3 hours. May also be credited in the Department of Old Testament Studies or the Department of New Testament Studies. 1–3 hours.