Category: Old Testament

Raymond Brown on Understanding and Teaching Complicated Historical Issues

August 14, 2018 /

Raymond E. Brown SS, was a Catholic priest and Bible scholar, known for his Introduction to the New Testament, his volumes in the Anchor Bible Commentary series, and other academic and semi-popular works. He also wrote a popular book called 101 Questions on the Bible which has some really great stuff. As you might expect from the title, he presents this in Q&A format.

Several questions address the nature of scripture and genre, but also how to teach and preach passages where there is a large difference between scholarly understanding and popular traditions. (Virtually all the italics are mine.) Continue reading

Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 30: 2 Chronicles 29–30; 32; 34

August 4, 2018 /

Here’s the link to my combined podcast of lessons 29-30, and transcript.

I find the order of the next few lessons a bit odd. Today we cover about 100+ years of major history (c. 750BC- 609BC), which happens to be the same time period and historical background for Amos (760 bce), Micah and Isaiah (735-700), Nahum (between 663 and 612), Jeremiah (627-??), Lehi, Urijah (Jer 26:20-23) and we’ve probably skipped Joel (uncertain), Obadiah (uncertain), Habbakuk (uncertain), and Jonah (set sometime before 612). (All dates are approximate.) Continue reading

Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 29: 2 Kings 2, 5-6

July 28, 2018 /
Elijah and da Bearss: 1 Obnoxious Youths: 0

Elijah and da Bearss: 1
Obnoxious Teenagers: 0
( Bundel, public domain via wikipedia)

Here’s the link to my combined podcast of lessons 29-30, and transcript. These chapters are about the transition from Elijah to Elisha and some of Elisha’ prophetic acts, which raise questions about the varying nature of prophets and prophetic succession. The manual suggests that in 2:1-10, “Elijah prepares Elisha to become the new prophet.” This kind of language assumes several things, namely, that there is only “one” prophet, namely,“the prophet,” the one prophet who is THE Prophet. Continue reading

Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 27: 1Ki 12-14, 2 Chr 17:1-10 & 20:1-30

July 8, 2018 /

In these chapters, “the golden age” of Israel comes to an end as United Kingdom of David splits into the Divided Kingdom, and things generally start going downhill. No one remembers the names of all the kings that follow Solomon, and there are two parallel kingdoms to keep track of.

The way the lesson’s stated purpose frames these chapters, you might expect that Solomon is the ideal leader but then his son goes bad. And indeed, in many ways, Solomon is portrayed as quite good. But in other ways, the things he accomplished (following in David’s footsteps) certainly had a heavy price that was not popular with his people at the time. Let’s look at this. Continue reading

Stele with hands upraised in prayer and worship to a representation of the moon, found at Hazor.

Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 26: King Solomon, 1 Kings 3-11

July 8, 2018 /

We skip chapters to move into Kings today, but it’s useful to recap the history.

David virtually passes sentence upon himself and his house in 2Sa 12:5-6, “As the LORD lives [an oath], the man who has done this deserves to die.” (NRSV)

When Nathan says to him, “Now the LORD has put away your sin; you shall not die” he’s not absolving him of adultery and murder per se (as the JST would take it), as much as “look, you’re forgiven to the extent that the Lord is not going to strike you down right here and now, which is what you said should be done to someone who has done what you did.” Continue reading

Balaam, the donkey, and the angel

Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 16: Numbers 22-24, 31(updated)

May 5, 2018 /

Balaam, the donkey, and the angel, by Jaeger. Public domain in US via wikimedia commons.

These chapters are all about Balaam, Balaam’s talking donkey, God’s power, blessing and cursing. The manual chooses as subtitle “I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord” and describes its purpose as “to encourage class members to submit to God’s will without hesitation.”

First off, I think without any parsing, that’s a dangerously overstated thing to say. And secondly, even when carefully parsed… I think it’s dangerously overstated.
Why? Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine Lesson 12: Genesis 40 onwards

March 24, 2018 /

Joseph in Egypt, by Tissot. Public domain, via wikiart.

These chapters carry on the novella of Joseph in Egypt. It’s over 10 chapters, which is a lot of time and space to devote to one story about one person; creation occupies 3 chapters, by contrast. Why so much space? What makes this story so significant that it was told and retold, and eventually merited being written down? Is there anything of doctrinal value, from an LDS perspective? What, then, from the Israelite perspective?I don’t have a good concise answer for that, but it’s a good question to think about. Continue reading