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APPENDIX

A

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following is not intended as a complete bibliography but as a selected and suggestive list of books which will be extremely helpful to the Bible Student, and which will be found sufficient for ordinary class work.

American Revised Version of the Bible.

Apocrypha.

Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible.

Young's or Cruden's Concordance.

Encyc. Britannica.

Jewish Cyclopedia.

Special Articles.

Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics.

Driver's Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament.

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66

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History of the Hebrew People.

Origin and Permanent Value of the Old Testament.
Israel's Laws and Legal Precedents.

Toy-History of the Religion of Israel.

Jastrow-Civilization of Babylonia and Assyria.

Barton-Archæology in Bible Lands.

Kohler-Jewish Theology.

Moulton-The Bible as Literature.

Martineau-Seat of Authority in Religion.
Johns-Translation of the Code of Hammurabi.

B

Grateful acknowledgment is made to Rev. J. T. Sunderland, D.D., from whose valuable work, The Origin and Character of the Bible, most of the dates contained in the following tables are taken by permission.

DATES OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE

Many of these dates are only approximate

The Prophetic Narrative or "Document" of the Hexa-
teuch known to scholars as "J," compiled about
The Prophetic Narrative or "Document" "E," compiled
about

Amos, the earliest written book of the Bible

B. C.

850-800

800-750

750

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Discovery of the "Book of the Law" (Deuteronomy
Document "D") in the Temple

621

Jeremiah.

626-580

Proverbs, earliest collection (x: 1-xxii: 16) perhaps Psalms. Many individual psalms doubtless written before the Exile. (Probably no collection made until the time of Ezra, in the fifth century)

621-600

Ezekiel

593-570

Priestly Document, "P," main parts compiled

560-500

The "Second Isaiah” (Isaiah xl-Îv and perhaps lvi-lxvi)
Judges

540

560-500

1 and 2 Samuel

560-500

1 and 2 Kings (formerly one book) Joshua

560-500

450-400

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Job, possibly written during the Exile; more likely
Priestly Document, "P," published to the people by
Ezra as the "Law of the Lord," the "Law of Moses,'
The "Book of the Law"
Completion of the Pentateuch by a union of "J," "E,"
"D" and "p"

Genesis, in its present form

Exodus, in its present form
Leviticus, in its present form
Numbers, in its present form

450-400

444?

400

400

400

400

400

Canon of "The Law" completed

400-300

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Translation of the Old Testament into Greek by Jewish
Scholars in Alexandria (the Septuagint) .

250-100

A. D.

Old Testament Canon, virtual final settlement of, by the
Jews at the Synod at Jamnia .

90-100

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DATES OF IMPORTANT HISTORICAL EVENTS, BIBLICAL AND OTHER Some of these dates are only approximate

In Babylonia and Egypt powerful Kingdoms and advanced Civilization as early as

Sargon, King of Akkad, and his son Naram-Sin,
unify Babylonia and found a Semitic Empire,
which includes Syria and Palestine about .

In Egypt the great pyramid at Gizeh built by King
Khufu or Cheops. The Book of the Dead written
Code of Hammurabi of Babylon.
Palestine under Babylonian rule. Much culture,
largely of Babylonian origin. Babylonian script
in use
Migrations of Semitic Tribes, ancestors of the
Hebrews, giving rise to the Abraham, Jacob and
Joseph stories of Genesis, possibly 2000-1600,
but more likely

Palestine under Egyptian rule

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Moses, the Exodus of Israelitish tribes from Egypt about

B. C.

5000-4000

3800

4000-3500 2250

2000-1500

1700-1400

1400

1300

Conquest of Canaan; Government of tribes by Judges
or Chiefs (Period of the Judges)
Samuel (Judge and Prophet).

1300-1030

Consolidation of

tribes

Monarchy established. Saul the first King

David, King

Solomon becomes King

1050

1030-1010

1010-973 973

Homeric Age in Greece

10th to 9th century

Elijah, about

Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem dedicated

Division of Kingdom into "Israel" in the North and

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The "Moabite Stone" believed to come from about
Foundation of Rome (supposed)

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Great Creative Age of Hebrew Prophecy (Amos,
Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah).

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Kingdom of "Israel" overthrown by Assyria; many

taken away captives. ("Lost Tribes")

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8th century

721

Hezekiah's Reformation, about

715

Sennacherib of Assyria devastates much of Judah.
Jerusalem saved

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"Book of Law" discovered in Temple (followed by

Josiah's Reformation)

621

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Jerusalem destroyed; Kingdom of Judah broken up.

Many Jews carried into exile in Babylonia
Babylon captured by Cyrus the Persian

Return of Jews from exile, led by Zerubabbel
Period of Persian Rule of Palestine
Confucius, in China

Dedication of Second Temple in Jerusalem
Ezra comes to Palestine with many more exiles

Influence of Priests and Scribes increases, and in-
fluence of prophets declines

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Synagogues multiply and grow in influence Translation of Old Testament into Greek in Alexandria (the Septuagint) .

C

586

539

536

536-333

550-478

516

458

5th century

4th century

250-100

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS OF ADULT BIBLE CLASSES

For the benefit of teachers of adult Bible classes the following suggestions are made as to the best methods of using this book for class purposes. Nothing of course can take the place of thorough preparation and personal interest on the part of the teacher. Added to these should be a knowledge of correct pedagogical principles and of psychology. Thorough information alone will not take the place of skill and understanding as to how knowledge is to be imparted and the mind aroused to think and investigate for itself.

1. There should be thorough mastery of materials, a thorough understanding as to each subject treated and the reasons for its separate classification and analysis.

2. The teacher should have a general view of Jewish History and of the structure and make-up of the Bible. To this end there should be study of the results of the Higher Criticism as applied to the books, composition, dates and authorship of the Old Testament.

3. The teacher should give his classes a proper idea of the place of the Torah, or the Jewish Law, in comparison with the other divisions and parts of the Bible.

4. Teach by topics. Each subject or branch of the Law should

Suggestions to Teachers

be studied vertically, rather than horizontally.

193

What is meant

is that a definite topic, such for instance as the law of Real Estate, should be traced from its earliest beginnings down through various stages of Jewish history, showing the changes and developments that came with varying conditions of national life. A study of all phases of society that are contemporaneous may be of value for many purposes, indeed indispensable for an exact picture of life at any definite period. But for a detailed study of laws it is preferable to take up each subject topically and trace its origin, development and final form.

5. Of vital importance and the purpose to which this book is primarily dedicated, is to correlate the various ancient laws with modern laws and regulations on the same subject. This and this alone gives the study of Jewish law that freshness and interest which will make it of value. The wide-awake teacher will find on every page suggestions as to parallel laws in our modern codes. A comparison of these, with a discussion of the reasons for such parallelism, will be found of the most intense interest, and of profound value by way of observation, and reasoning on social and economic subjects. Incidentally it will also demonstrate how causes operated in that ancient world similar to those we observe all about us to-day, a valuable lesson in sociology.

6. It is scarcely necessary to emphasize the thought that the fundamental reason for Bible study is religious instruction. Any inquiry into ancient life has a certain cultural value, but it is the religious and moral element alone that justifies intensive study of the Old Testament. To learn how to live is more important than any knowledge of dry historical facts.

7. Frequent illustrations from science, literature and history should be used. Many students would be attracted by these collateral illustrations who would be unable to follow a strict adherence to the text. As an example, discuss the geological record of the earth's history in connection with the stories of Creation in Genesis. The bearing of Evolution on the doctrine of the Fall of Man will be apparent. The place of sacrifices in all religions will throw light on the various doctrines as to the Atonement. Astronomy, mathematics, biology, sociology, ethics may all contribute subject matter for discussion on various questions of theology, of religious observances, of legal regulations.

It follows that the wider the preparation and knowledge of the teacher the greater his opportunity to make the study of the Bible living and vital.

8. The teacher should emphasize the great relative value of the Old Testament as the foundation of our Christian System of

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