Parallel Guide 1 - The Old Testament

Lesson 1
Learning Objectives

• Learn the name of three patriarchs in the Book of Genesis and why they were important
• Abram/Abraham
• Isaac
• Jacob/Israel
• Joseph
• A.'s role essential to Jews, Muslims and Christians. God made a covenant with him and showed him his inheritance. His destiny was to become a great nation richly blessed. He pleaded against saving Sodom. He was tested with Isaac
• Jacob, son of Isaac tricked his brother into giving away his birthright. Jacob tricked him in order to obtain Isaac's blessing.
• Jacob had 12 offspring corresponding to the 12 tribes of Israel
• Joseph, one of the offspring, was in charge of the Pharaoh's food supply. He allowed the 12 tribes to prosper in Egypt. He was part of the lineage of Jesus.
• State the main features of Abraham's character and how these relate to God's plan for redemption
• Gen15:6 Abraham believed and obeyed God. God credited it to him as righteousness. Abraham wanted fairness in judgment against Sodom if only a few righteous people remained. A. remained gracious in asking to pay for burial land.
• God redeems by asking us to believe in him and love him.
• State the significance of the Exodus from Egypt under Moses
• Moses led the Israelites from Egypt where they were living in slavery under Pharaoh to the promised land in Canaan. There they would become a great nation under God according to the covenant on Mt. Sinai.
• Identify the king who established the monarchy at Jerusalem
• Saul was the first king in Jerusalem.
• State the importance of tradition and ritual during the Exile
• In Exile times, the Levite priesthood was maintained. Prophets appeared to the diaspora and warned the followers to stay in touch with traditions and rites. To prevent assimilation into Assyrian/Babylonian culture, the Jews in captivity observed the Sabbath, practiced circumcision, and kept dietary laws. Reading the Jewish history continued in synagogues.

Assignments to Deepen Somebody's Understanding

1. Begin your log and record the following items and what they mean:
   
• patriarchs - male heads of families. Symbolically, they identify a nation of people. Often associated with legends.
• oral tradition - stories handed down from generation to generation by recitation; stories that embody the collective culture along with worship practices.
• scribal glosses - notes added by OT copyists in margins of the manuscripts to explain pointing of Hebrew consonants; glosses many times become part of the text itself. (In modern translations set off by parentheses.)
• Messiah - Greek, "anointed one", the one who would deliver Jews from enslavement as a political leader and who will fulfill promises of God; for Christians, the one who delivers from spiritual enslavement and fulfills promises of the OT; originally for the Jews, the one who was to deliver the Jews
• Torah - Law (Instruction), the first five books of the OT.
• canon of scripture - the accepted standardized, normalized set of books decreed by fiat to be definitive of holy writing inspired by God.
• Septuagint - greek translation of the OT. It includes several books not canonized by the Jews.
• Masoretes - Jewish group that standardized and normalized the OT. They assured accuracy of the sacred text 500 to 1000 C.E.
• Council of Jamnia - Jewish canonization of the OT writings in 90 C.E. 24 books. Eccl. and Song of Solomon were debated and received no official canonization.
• apocalyptic - style of writing used by Daniel and John (Revelation) concerning the end-times and deliverance. Style usually prevalent during times of occupation/enslavement.
2. Use a map of the area that you can find in a Bible atlas or in your Bible. Trace the route of the patriarchs. Make notes of significant places.
3. Construct a timeline that begins with the patriarchs and ends with the Council of Jamnia. Leave space so that you can add items later.
4. In a journal make notes about what you find important to you in this chapter.