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. 66 History of the Hebrew People. Origin and Permanent Value of the Old Testament. 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. 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- Amos, the earliest written book of the Bible B. C. 850-800 800-750 750 Discovery of the "Book of the Law" (Deuteronomy 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) 540 560-500 1 and 2 Samuel 560-500 1 and 2 Kings (formerly one book) Joshua 560-500 450-400 Job, possibly written during the Exile; more likely Genesis, in its present form Exodus, in its present form 450-400 444? 400 400 400 400 400 Canon of "The Law" completed 400-300 Translation of the Old Testament into Greek by Jewish 250-100 A. D. Old Testament Canon, virtual final settlement of, by the 90-100 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, In Egypt the great pyramid at Gizeh built by King Palestine under Egyptian rule 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 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 The "Moabite Stone" believed to come from about Great Creative Age of Hebrew Prophecy (Amos, Kingdom of "Israel" overthrown by Assyria; many taken away captives. ("Lost Tribes") 8th century 721 Hezekiah's Reformation, about 715 Sennacherib of Assyria devastates much of Judah. "Book of Law" discovered in Temple (followed by Josiah's Reformation) 621 Jerusalem destroyed; Kingdom of Judah broken up. Many Jews carried into exile in Babylonia Return of Jews from exile, led by Zerubabbel Dedication of Second Temple in Jerusalem Influence of Priests and Scribes increases, and in- 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 |