· web viewin trs 119, i teach outcome #1a (i.e., understanding of a religious tradition) through...

Zach [email protected]

Core Curriculum Designation Proposal

Theological Understanding: Theological Explorations

TRS 119, “Apocalypse & Eschatology”

1. Name of Proposer: Zach Flanagin2. Email address: [email protected]. Department/Program of Proposer: Theology & Religious Studies4. Name of Department/Program housing the course: Theology & Religious Studies5. Name(s) of Program Director/Department Chair (if not the proposer): Michael Barram 6. Course Acronym, Number and Title: TRS 119, “Apocalypse & Eschatology”7. Semester(s) in which course will be offered: fall and spring8. How often is this course taught? every two years9. Course Prerequisites (if any): TRS 097, “The Bible & Its Interpretation”10. Unit Value of Course: 1.011. Proper Audience for the course (delete those that don’t apply):

Sophomores Juniors Seniors 12. The Learning Goals for which the course is being submitted: Theological Understanding: Theological

Explorations

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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Teaching: A brief narrative that explains how the course will guide students to achieve the learning outcomes

In TRS 119, I teach outcome #1a (i.e., understanding of a religious tradition) through the following specific course outcomes:

1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the theology and literature of early Jewish apocalypticism;

2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the Book of Revelation as a historical and theological text;

3. Students will demonstrate knowledge of how apocalyptic literature has been interpreted in the American context;

In this context, students will be required to spend significant amounts of time reading ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic texts, with primary focus on the Book of Revelation, modern scholarly commentaries on these ancient texts, and examples of American fundamentalist readings of Revelation. These readings will be the focus of lectures and discussions in the class. (For specifics topics and readings, see the syllabus below.)

In TRS 119, I teach outcome #1b (i.e., focused study in a subfield of theology) through the following specific course outcome:

4. Students will demonstrate an ability to employ the methods and tools of modern biblical criticism in analyzing apocalyptic literature;

In this context, students will spend the entire semester working with modern academic biblical commentaries through their readings and in class discussion. Their final project is then an exegetical paper in which they must employ these skills in the analysis of a particular passage.

In TRS 119, I teach outcome #2 through the following specific course outcomes:

5. Students will demonstrate an ability to explain the ways that apocalyptic literature has been interpreted differently through historical (past), symbolic (eternal), and prophetic (future) lenses.

In this context, readings, lectures, and discussions will guide students through a variety of perspectives on the meaning of the Book of Revelation, with a special focus on the assumptions that drive these various interpretive stances and the implications that follow from them.

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Learning: A brief explanation of how coursework (e.g., papers, exams, videotaped presentations) will be used to measure student learning of the outcomes

My course outcomes #1-3 (= core outcome #1a) will be assessed by a mid-term and final exam, containing both short answer and essay questions. Knowledge of the book of Revelation will also be assessed through the final exegetical paper (see the bottom of the syllabus for details). Course outcome #4 (= core outcome #1b) will be assessed by the final exegetical paper. Course outcome #5 (= core outcome #2) will be assessed by the final exam and by the final exegetical paper.

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Syllabus

TRS 119: Apocalypse & Eschatology

Course Description: Earthquake, war, and famine...the lamb, the dragon, and the beast...persecution, judgment, and re-creation... For nearly 2000 years, the Book of Revelation has fascinated, frightened, and perplexed its Christian readers. Is it a literal prediction of the coming end of the world? Is it an elaborate, symbolic allegory about the battle between good and evil? Is it a coded message between the persecuted Christians of the first century? This course will explore the life and afterlife of the Book of Revelation: its origins in contemporary Jewish and Christian literature and world-views, its meaning for a first-century Christian readership, and the long and fascinating history of its interpretation, from the early church to modern fascination with the Antichrist, the Millennium, and the Rapture.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the theology and literature of early Jewish apocalypticism; To be assessed by the mid-term exam

2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the Book of Revelation as a historical and theological text; To be assessed by exams and the exegetical paper

3. Students will demonstrate knowledge of how apocalyptic literature has been interpreted in the American context; To be assessed by the final exam

4. Students will demonstrate an ability to employ the methods and tools of modern biblical criticism in analyzing apocalyptic literature; To be assessed by the exegetical paper

5. Students will demonstrate an ability to explain the ways that apocalyptic literature has been interpreted differently through historical (past), symbolic (eternal), and prophetic (future) lenses. To be assessed by the final exam and the exegetical paper

Course Schedule:

1. Introduction & Syllabus a. Readings: *Stephen L. Harris, Understanding the Bible, 6th ed., pp. 65-69, 305-315, 348-

3542. A Survey of the Book of Revelation – Initial Questions (Feb 9)

a. Readings: i. Craig Koester, Revelation and the End of All Things, pp. 1-40

ii. Bible, Revelation 1:1-22:21 (Do it all in one sitting.)3. The Genre of Apocalypse

a. Readings: John Collins, The Apocalyptic Imagination, pp. 1-42 (You may skim pp. 21-33, but pay very careful attention to the remainder of the chapter. It will function as the

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basis for much of what we are going to do for the next two months. Look up the words that you do not know!)

4. The First Apocalypse – 1 Enoch a. Readings:

i. *1 Enoch 1-36, 93:1-10, 91:11-17 (in this order), translated in James H. Charlesworth, ed., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vol 1: Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments (Garden City, NY, 1983), pp. 13-29, 74, 72-73

ii. Collins, The Apocalyptic Imagination, pp. 43-59, 62-655. The Old Testament Apocalypse – Daniel, part 1

a. Readings: Bible, Daniel 1:1-12:136. The Old Testament Apocalypse – Daniel, part 2

a. Readings:i. *John Whitehorn, “Antiochus IV Epiphanes,” in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol

1 (New York, 1992), pp. 270-71ii. Bible, 1 Maccabees 1:1-64; 2 Maccabees 6:1-7:42

iii. Collins, pp. 85-115iv. Bible, re-read Daniel

7. A Later Jewish Apocalypse – 4 Ezra a. Readings:

i. Bible, 4 Ezra (also called 2 Esdras) 3:1-14:48 (Please do not get confused about the name of this book. It exists under several different titles. It can be found at the end of the Apocrypha in your Bibles.)

ii. Collins, pp. 194-2128. Back to Revelation

a. Readings:i. Bible, Revelation 1:1-22:21 (re-read)

ii. Collins, pp. 269-79iii. Ben Witherington III, Revelation, pp. 32-40, 48-49

9. Authorship and the Social Context of the Book of Revelation a. Readings:

i. *G. B. Caird, The Revelation of St. John the Divine, 2nd ed., Black’s New Testament Commentaries (London, 1984), pp. 1-7

ii. Ben Witherington III, pp. 1-10, 22-32 (Do not get lost in the Greek words on p. 2; just try to get the overall contrast that Witherington is drawing.)

iii. *J. Massyngberde Ford, Revelation, The Anchor Bible 38 (1975), pp. 28-3710. Revelation 1

a. Readings:i. Koester, pp. 41-54

ii. Witherington, pp. 65-87iii. Please check the course website for an explanation of Witherington’s use of the

technical terms of rhetoric, in the “Readings” section, under the title of “The Ancient Art of Rhetoric”.

11. Revelation 2-3 a. Readings:

i. Koester, pp. 54-69ii. Witherington, pp. 87-111


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Midterm Exam – Review Session TBA



14. Revelation 7:4 and 7:9 a. Assignment: Group project - Each group (assigned in class) needs to go to the library and

examine at least four different commentaries (beyond Koester and Witherington) on the book of Revelation, focusing on how they interpret Rev 7:4 and 7:9. A large number of these are on reserve in the library under our course number. The four required must include David Aune's commentary (esp. vol. 2, pp. 440-48, 459-61, and 466-67). The choice of the other three is up to you.

15. Revelation 8-11a. Readings:






18. Revelation 17:1-19:10 a. Readings:


19. Revelation 19:11-20:15 a. Readings:

i. Koester, pp. 171-91ii. Witherington, pp. 239-52, 257-64, 286-91


i. Koester, pp. 191-205ii. Witherington, pp. 252-57, 264-85

iii. *Michael J. Gorman, Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship and Witness: Following the Lamb into the New Creation (Eugene, OR, 2011), pp. 160-68

21. 2000 Years of Apocalypticism a. Video - *Apocalypse: The Story of the Book of Revelation (PBS, 1999) – video on reserve

in library - You are required to watch from minute 47 until the end. (It is a VHS tape, so we have to measure by minutes, not by scene).

b. Readings:

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i. *Paul Boyer, “The Growth of Fundamentalist Apocalyptic in the United States,” in The Encyclopedia of Apocalypticism, vol. 3, ed. Stephen J. Stein, pp. 140-47

ii. *Robert G. Clouse, Robert N. Hosack, and Richard V. Pierard, The New Millennium Manual: A Once and Future Guide (Grand Rapids, MI, 1999), pp. 112-19

22. John Nelson Darby, Dispensational Premillennialism, and Hal Lindsey a. Readings:

i. *Boyer, pp. 147-78ii. *Clouse, pp. 56-70

iii. *Hal Lindsey, There’s a New World Coming, comic book version (1974), http://www.carpsplace.com/spire/TANWC.pdf, pp. 1-36 [Link on website]

23. Tim LaHaye and Left Behind a. Readings: *Tim LaHaye, Revelation Unveiled (Grand Rapids, MI, 1999), pp. 9-29, 35-37,

65-68, 84-87, 99-109, 132-62, 166-68, 182-91, 196-228, 250-7724. Theopolitical Readings

a. Readings: *Gorman, Reading Revelation Responsibly, pp. xi-xvii, 63-73, 31-34, 40-56, 145-50, 133-35, 176-90

Final Exam: According to College Schedule. Review Session TBA.

http://www.carpsplace.com/spire/TANWC.pdf

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Exegetical Paper - Part 1: Choosing a Passage and Initial Reactions (due by 11:59 p.m., Apr 13)

Exegetical Paper – Instructions

(based on the work of Michael Barram, with modifications)

Overall Guidelines

This paper is designed as a step-by-step reading and research project in biblical exegesis. Each submission will constitute a portion of your grade, so please upload work that has been proofread and edited—and, of course, well thought through. Please clearly label each part of your submission according to the headings given below. That is, please divide your submissions into sections that are clearly labeled (e.g., “Social Location”).

Each submission should be double-spaced, in Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins, to be saved in Word format and uploaded to the website by the due date.

At every stage of this project, be sure to be very specific about the text as you discuss it. Don’t just speak in vague generalities. Refer to specific phrases and verses in the text. For (a hypothetical) example, you might say, “John seems concerned with the way that social pressures can compromise our commitment to God, a point that comes up in verse 3, in which he says . . .” Or, for another (hypothetical) example, “John asserts that the power of the Roman empire is ultimately built on the power of Satan (v. 8).”

You’re not being graded on whether you have the “right” answers or whether you’ve interpreted the text “correctly,” but rather based on whether you show you’ve really wrestled at length and in depth with the possibilities of the passage (and the range of things you are being asked to explore). This is one of the few assignments you’ll do in which “effort” can be demonstrated.

Step 1: Choosing a Passage and Initial Reactions – Due by 11:59 p.m., Apr 13 – 10 points

Choose a Passage

I want you to choose a passage from the Book of Revelation that intrigues you in some way, whether you find it inspiring, puzzling, or problematic. The passage needs to be a self-contained unit that has a clear beginning and end. In general terms, the passage should be approximately 5-10 verses long, although this is a guideline and not a rule. Please identify and copy your chosen passage as the first item in this assignment.

First Impressions

Spend some time jotting down the first thoughts that come to your mind upon reading the text. At this stage, you're not necessarily trying to “understand” the text itself. Right now, the task is to think about your very first reactions to the text. What do you feel and/or think about when you read this passage? What questions do you have about the text initially as you think about making sense of it? Please describe your opening impressions, reactions, questions either in paragraph or list form.

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Social Location

Think honestly about who you are as a person and about your “social location.” That is, take into account your personal story and characteristics—and your presuppositions—anything that may affect how you “hear” this passage. Consider, for example, your own personal story/history, memories, experiences, gender, ethnicity, religious/faith background and/or commitments (e.g., Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, atheist, seeker), theological perspectives, family history, place of residence, education, political perspectives, economic class/status, beliefs about the world, morality, truth, etc., etc. Consider honestly how your personal characteristics and perspectives may affect your reading of the text. (For a few minutes, in other words, try to analyze yourself as you think about your initial reactions to the text.) Most importantly, be honest with yourself. This is not the place to worry about what you think a “good answer” might be. The more open and honest you are with yourself about the presuppositions, preconceptions, biases, and prejudices you may bring to the text, the more you’ll learn about the passage. Describe in some detail at least three distinct factors of your social location that you suspect influence your initial reactions to the passage. That is, how do you think your own personal background/experience and/or characteristics affect what you see (or react to) in the text?

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Exegetical Paper - Part 2: Narrative Criticism (due by class time, Apr 17)

Overall Guidelines - At each part of the exegetical process, please continue to follow the overall guidelines listed in the instructions for Part 1.

Step 2: Narrative Criticism (i.e., Narrative Analysis) – Due by class time, Apr 17 – 10 points

Narrative Characteristics of the Text

Pay very close attention to the narrative characteristics of this text. That is, think of the passage as a story, and break it down into its various components (e.g., setting, characters, plot, and so forth).

First, take account of the setting (i.e., heaven/earth, mood, etc.). Where are things taking place? When? How does the setting contribute to the story?

Second, consider the characters. Who are the characters involved—e.g., the narrator, God, angels, Satan, etc.? What information can you glean about these characters? What are they like? What do they say/do? Importantly, what is John’s attitude toward these characters, their actions, and their words?

Third, pay attention to the logic or plot of your passage. If John is describing a vision, for example, briefly describe the main plot points of the story (in your own words). What happens first? Next? After that? How does the scene end?

Fourth, describe any other components of the narrative that you notice.

(Note: You may have to search before or after your particular passage to discover the “where” or “when” elements, especially if that information is not specifically in the section you’re studying. Occasionally, the answer is that the text simply does not say, or that this component is missing. This is rare, but if it is accurate, please simply state that such a component is not indicated in the text.)

Context of the Passage within Revelation as a Whole

In which part of Revelation as a whole does your passage appear? That is, at what stage in the overall plot and/or structure of Revelation is the passage found? In other words, what is happening in Revelation’s narrative plot line when your passage appears? Often, where the passage appears in the document as a whole provides strong clues regarding its function. Reflect carefully and report on what the text’s larger context suggests to you about the meaning and/or significance of your particular passage in the context of Revelation’s overall narrative.

Immediate Context of the Passage Itself

Consider how the passage itself begins and ends. That is, first pay careful attention to how your passage starts (e.g., introductory phrases, setting, words, themes, tone, etc.). Second, think carefully about how your passage ends (e.g., concluding phrases or statements, tone, etc.). Briefly describe the beginning and ending of the passage itself.

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Next, consider what comes immediately before the passage (within a chapter? within a paragraph or two?). What comes after it? (Carefully reflect on the texts that come within a chapter on either side of your own. This is a very important part of your research.) What do the immediately surrounding texts seem to be about? Are there similar settings or themes that may connect the surrounding texts with the one you’re working on? How does the passage seem to fit and/or function within the immediate context of the passages that surround it? (Often, considering how the passage fits in its immediate context will help explain its function—and why it is written the way it is. For example, sometimes several passages in a row are all dealing with a similar theme; sometimes passages are designed to contrast with others surrounding them.) Does the surrounding material give you any deeper sense of what this particular passage is trying to say? How? As always, be specific, referring to specific details in the text.

Themes, Emphases, Tone, Style

In a final paragraph, please summarize the following: After considering the previous narrative characteristics of the passage, how would you describe the passage’s primary topics, themes, and emphases? How would you describe the overall tone / mood and the style of the passage? What seems to be the main point(s)? What in the text (i.e., evidence) specifically suggests these things to you?

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Exegetical Paper - Part 3: Literary and Source Criticism (due by class time, Apr 24)


Step 3: Literary and Source Criticism – Due by class time, Apr 24 – 20 points

Structure

Do your best to provide a brief but descriptive outline of the passage’s structure. Describe the layout or logical sections of the passage in a way that helps your reader understand the major parts of the text (e.g., introduction by the narrator [vv. 9-10]; statement by Jesus [v. 11]; description of Jesus [vv. 12-16]; reaction by John [v. 17a]; Jesus’ reassuring statement [vv. 17b-20]). In effect, you want to lay the text out and look long and hard at its individual sections and individual components. See if you can find patterns (e.g., repeated words, phrases, recurring themes, or the like). Be sure to note them.

Significant Words, Phrases, and Assumptions

Note several significant words and phrases in the text that you’ll want to think about further. Don’t assume you know what words like “heaven” or “faith” or “the kingdom of God” mean in every case. Not every biblical author uses terms and phrases in the same way all the time. Words get most of their meanings from the specific context in which they're used. (Think about how we use the word “love,” for example. “Love” can mean very different things depending on the contexts in which we use it.) Don’t assume that you fully understand the ancient social, cultural, political, religious, and/or economic contexts that the author assumes first-century readers do understand. Mark words, phrases, and concepts in the passage that you may need to study further. Identify other contextual things (e.g., social, cultural, political, religious, economic, and so forth) that a modern reader may not fully understand as well as a first-century reader would. That is, summarize what the author seems to think you and other readers already know (and thus don’t need to be told specifically). In summary, this section is entirely about asking questions that you will need to answer; however, you do not have to answer them yet.

Variations Arising From the Greek Text or Manuscript Tradition

Using the marginal notes and footnotes in at least two study Bibles, briefly discuss any possible “alternative” readings given for words or phrases in your passage. (In other words, is there a word or phrase mentioned in the marginal notes of your Bible that could be translated in a different way than the primary one given in the text? See the footnotes to Rev 1:9 and 5:9 for examples.) Sometimes these differences arise from the fact that the Greek word or phrase that has been translated into English is difficult to render adequately in our language, and thus translators will give one or more alternative translations. Other times, different translations may reflect actual variants in the biblical manuscript translation. (That is, different ancient manuscript copies of Revelation say different things. Usually, a good study Bible will let you know if there is a major difference in the manuscript tradition that gives rise to a suggested alternative translation.) Think carefully about the interpretive implications of any alternative readings you’ve just discussed. What do you suppose the different translations would make for the original readers? For contemporary readers? Report your findings. (Your AccessBible is a study

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Bible; others on reserve in the library are the HarperCollins Study Bible, the New Oxford Annotated Bible, and the New Interpreter's Study Bible.)

(If it happens that there are no significant issues that arise from manuscript tradition that affect interpretation of the passage, please offer a short paragraph summarizing your process in completing this step before you conclude that there were no significant findings.)

Comparison of Modern Translations

Read the entire passage carefully in at least two other translations. Your translation is the NRSV. You will need to find and compare at least two others: NAB, RSV, NIV, NASB, NJB, the Message, et al. Compare those translations very, very carefully with your initial translation. Note any significant differences and possible implications of those differences. That is, discuss what is different, if anything, and why those differences might be there. What difference do the varying translations make in the way you hear and interpret the passage? (Please note, that there are different publications of the NRSV that are still the NRSV. You need to compare different translations, not just different publication versions.)

Also very helpful is The Anchor Bible Dictionary – found in the reference section of the library under Ref 220.3 F875, which is not really a dictionary at all, but a very in-depth collection of encyclopedia entries on topics from biblical studies. You may find very good resources here for one element or another of your chosen verse. E.g., if you are working on the Whore of Babylon, there is a nice entry on “Babylon” in the OT and the NT. Likewise, The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament – found in the reference section of the library under Ref 225.3 T342a, is a very detailed dictionary of the variety of meanings of words found in the NT. It can be very helpful, though it is a bit more challenging to use, since it arranges the entry of the words according to their Greek spelling. (Fortunately, the explanations are in English.) For example, “seal” is not listed under “seal” but under “sphragis” (in its Greek spelling). If you want to use this resource, the NT concordance listed above will give you the Greek words that lie behind your chosen verse(s). I am also available to help you if you are having trouble.

(If it happens that there are no significant issues that arise from translation that affect interpretation of the passage, please offer a short paragraph summarizing your process in completing this step before you conclude that there were no significant findings.)

Sources Utilized in the Passage by John

In this section, your job is to consider whether there may be any “sources” that have been used in the construction of the account. That is, does the passage allude to or quote something from the Jewish Scriptures (e.g., the prophet Isaiah) or some other source? There are a number of resources that are designed for this task. Most study Bibles contain references to Old Testament sources in their marginal notes and/or footnotes. (Unfortunately, the Access Bible is pretty weak in this regard.) I would suggest exploring at least two study Bibles other than the Access Bible. Beyond study Bibles, there are other resources in the library that are designed for this. Beale and Carson, Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, 2007), which is found in the reference section of the library under Ref 225.6 B365, is a handy tool.

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If an Old Testament passage or other source is used (and it is in nearly every verse of Revelation), look up that source and describe what it seems to mean in its original literary context. Does that seem to be similar or different from how it’s being used in your passage? That is, how does John make use of the source, and what meaning does it seem to have in its new context (in Revelation)? Explain.

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Exegetical Paper - Part 4: Moving toward Interpretation (due by class time, May 1)


Step 4: Moving toward Interpretation - Due by class time, May 1 – 20 points

Interpretive Issues to Explore

In light of what you’ve learned so far, identify at least three main interpretive issues that you believe would be fairly important to unravel in order to understand the passage well. That is, identify clearly what you find to be the most uncertain, unclear, ambiguous, important, and/or significant sentences, phrases, or other things about the passage that would need to be interpreted well in order to best understand what the text is trying to say. Perhaps there are certain words or sentences or concepts that you see as being especially significant for interpreting the passage. What are the interpretive options you see for these three issues? (In other words, think, for example: ‘If I interpret statement “x” this way, the passage would be saying “y” and “z.” But if I interpret “x” in this other way, the passage would mean “a” and “b.”) This is an important stage of your research. Don’t pass over it too quickly.

Questions You Have

Ask as many questions about the text as you can think of—even what may seem to be “dumb” questions. Ask questions about anything, including things you suspect you already understand. (You may be surprised by what you learn when you explore answers to your questions.) Here are a few basic questions to get you started: “What does John (or another character) mean by _______?”; “What does the word _______ mean?”; “What political, cultural, social, economic, rhetorical, or historical information would help me understand this passage more fully?”; “Why were things in the text expressed in this way and not in some other manner?”; “How would first-century readers have reacted to this particular statement?” (There are no “dumb” questions at this stage. Try to come up with at least one or two questions about each verse; the more questions you ask, the stronger your analysis will be.) It is easiest just to list these questions.

Consulting Scholarly Interpretations

Many others have gone before you and can assist you by providing a range of insights into the specific passage you're studying. What aspects of your own thinking about your text are confirmed/clarified for you as a result of consulting the commentaries? What are the interpretive options and proposals offered by the commentators? Discuss at least five aspects (e.g., meanings of words, cultural/historical/social context, ethical implications, etc., etc.) of the passage that the commentaries may have helped explain to you. (Please number these 1-5, giving each aspect its own paragraph.) Be sure to note any significant disagreements that you see between the commentators’ analyses. (It might be interesting to focus on the interpretive issues you noted above in the section on “Interpretive Issues to Explore” above.) Be sure to cite the author and page number, using quotation marks whenever you are using words that are not your own. Even if you you’re only describing (in your own words) what the commentaries say (which is the best way to do it, if possible), you will need to provide author and page references regarding

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where you got these ideas. (Information from sources that is not adequately cited will be considered plagiarized.)

I expect to see you cite at least four different academic commentaries, including Aune’s work on your passage. (You must use the commentaries on reserve in the library). In your examination of the commentaries, you should read the section devoted to your particular passage, any parts of the commentary that introduce the larger segment of the book (e.g., the trumpets) in which your passage is found, and any reference to discussions of pertinent ideas or topics elsewhere.

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Exegetical Paper - Part 5: Interpreting the Text (due by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, May 13)


Step 5: Interpretation of the Text – Due by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, May 13 - 40 points

(This is the place where you put together everything that you have learned and offer your informed interpretation of your biblical passage. This means that you are going to need to synthesize, organize, and evaluate what you have learned before offering your expert exegesis. Obviously, not everything that you have learned will make it into this final interpretation. You have to decide what is important and how it should be presented. I look forward to seeing what you have to say!)

Putting the Pieces Together

Imagine that someone who is intelligent but not an expert in your passage approaches you and asks what your passage means. Putting together the things that you have learned over the last several weeks of research, explain to them what the passage is about. This explanation will need to include two major things: (1) a summary of the passage in your own words (i.e., paraphrasing rather than quoting) and (2) highlighting at least six or seven things in the text that you believe merit special attention from those trying to interpret the text. That is, what kinds of things should interpreters pay attention to as they try to make sense of this passage? For example, are there historical, cultural, or social issues that are important to know about? Are there particular biblical passages or themes that one needs to understand in order to interpret the passage? Are there words, phrases, or sentences that one should understand in order to understand the text more deeply?

Consider what the text may have meant to its original readers

This step of the assignment is your interpretation of what the text MEANT. In light of all you've learned, explain what you suppose the passage would have meant to its original readers (i.e., in its original historical context). How would they have understood this passage? How do you think they would have reacted to it?

Consider what the text might mean to contemporary readers

This step of the assignment is your interpretation of what the text MEANS today. What are the implications of this text for modern readers? Your answer can focus on its theological implications for Christians (or non-Christians), its implications for society (whether the church or the larger culture), its implications for how we view other people, etc. In particular, how would life be affected if readers (Christian or not) were to put the significance of this text into action in everyday life?

Finally, how is your “social location” similar and/or different to the “locations” of the text's original readers? How might your social location have affected your reading/understanding of the text?

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