Transcript Unit 2: Reading Scripture within the Catholic Tradition

Unit 2: Reading Scripture
within the Catholic Tradition
Section 2:
Introduction to the Old Testament
Introduction to the Old Testament
• The Bible (The Christian Scriptures)
– The Story of God’s actions in history and
humanity’s response to God’s actions
– The relationship between God and humanity is
usually referred to as a Covenant (solemn
agreement)
• Two Major Parts
– The Old Testament (The Hebrew Scriptures)
– The New Testament
Introduction to the Old Testament
• The Old Testament (The Hebrew Scriptures)
– The Story of God’s Original Covenant
Relationship with the Chosen People of Israel
• The descendants of Abraham were originally called
Hebrews, later Israelites, and finally the Jewish
people
• The New Testament
– The Story of God’s New Covenant Relationship
with All People through Jesus
Introduction to the Old Testament
• Salvation History
– The Story of God’s actions in history and
humanity’s response to God’s actions
The
The
People of
God
Jesus
The Creation People of
of the World
God
qahal
Israel
The 21st C.
World of
Today
ekklesia
Passion – Death
Resurrection
The Stories of the Jewish people
included in the Old Testament
Church
The Stories of the Christian people
included in the New Testament,
Lives of the Saints, and other
Histories
Introduction to the Old Testament
The Old Testament (The Hebrew Scriptures)
Jewish TaNaKh “Bible”
Three Parts
1. Torah
•
•
•
The Law
Books of Moses
Pentateuch (5 Books)
2. Nevi’im
•
•
•
•
16 Books
3. Wisdom Books
•
7 Books
4. Prophetic Books
The Historical Writings
Contains 36 Books
5 Books
2. Historical Books
The Prophets
3. Ketuvim
•
Catholic Old Testament
Four Parts
1. The Pentateuch (Torah)
•
•
18 Books
Contains 46 Books
Introduction to the Old Testament
The
Historical
Pentateuch Books
Wisdom
Books
Prophetic
Books
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Wisdom
Sirach
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Tobit
Judith
Esther
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
Introduction to the Old Testament
Biblical Passage Citation
• Three Parts of the Citation
1. Book
– Abbreviated Title of Book
– Might be a Number before the
Name
2. Chapter
– Number
– After title of book
– Separated by a dash (-)
3. Verse
– Number
– After a colon (:)
– Separated by a dash (-)
• Examples
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Gn 5
Ex 10-12
Ex 12: 14
Mt 5: 1-12
Acts 1: 8 – 2: 42
2 Cor 3-5
2 Cor 3: 5
Jn 3: 14
1 Jn 3: 14
Introduction to the Old Testament
• The Bible should be considered a Truthfilled, Mythical Text
– The authors were not interested in historical or
scientific facts
– They were interested in communicating the
deeper meaning and the eternal or universal
truths about the world and human nature
– They help us to understand
• Who we are as humans
• How we relate to nature
• How we relate to the divine (GOD!!!)
Introduction to the Old Testament
• The Biblical authors told Mythical Stories in
order to "re-member" the past
• “Re-membering” – to make present again
– It is not simply a memory exercise
• Reuniting mentally, physically, emotionally, and
spiritually with people and events of the past
• To make the past “real” again in the present world
– A process of becoming a member of the
community in which these Biblical events
happened
Introduction to the Old Testament
• Consider how Storytelling (The Prophet
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal) and the
Symbols & Rituals (praying the Shema,
worship at the Temple) of the Cycle of
Meaning enabled the Jewish people to
become a “member” of the Chosen People
of Israel and “re-member” that Yahweh is
the one true God
Introduction to the Old Testament