Unit 2: Prophets and Writings of Israel

apocalypse

type of literature influenced by the prophetic tradition, characterized by elaborate visions/dreams, symbols, numerology, angels, cosmic upheavals, emphasis on the end time—including final judgment, resurrection, and eternal salvation. Term comes from Greek, apokalypsis, meaning "revelation." Purports to reveal the future or the heavenly realm to interpret the readers' circumstances. Examples: Daniel and Revelation.

Apocalyptic/Apocalypticism

complex of ideas including ethical (good/evil dualism, existence of angels and demons), spatial (supernatural world, levels of heaven, eternal places for wicked and righteous), and temporal (end-time perspective and events) dimensions. Tends to see reality in terms of two ages: present evil age, and the age to come. The transition to the age to come happens by God's intervention, including resurrection from the dead, with judgment for the wicked and vindication of the righteous.

Book of the Twelve

twelve Minor Prophets that scribes gathered together as a single prophetic collection arranged in roughly chronological order, connected with catchwords and similar themes. (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi).

Day of YHWH (day of the lord)

in the tradition of the Latter Prophets, the day of victory and reign of YHWH over those who oppose the divine will. At times, Israel is included among those who oppose YHWH because of corrupt religious and social systems.

Form Criticism

analysis and classification of literary types according to their form. Literary types—such as hymns, laments, sagas, parables, and miracle stories—are studied for their rhetorical functions within a text. Older form-critical approaches attempted to reconstruct the history of a literary form within various settings of Israel's institutions or the various activities of early Christianity.

Isaiah, book of

An OT book included in the Latter Prophets. Scholars typically argue that the book originated in stages. Chapters 1-39, Proto-___, relate primarily to the eighth-century prophet___ of Jerusalem. Chapters 45-55, Deutero-___, come from an exilic prophet who carries this tradition into the sixth century. Chapters 56-66, Trito-___, relate to the time after the return from exile.

Lament Psalms

a major type of psalm characterized by a cry out to God, a description of a crisis, a plea for help, and a statement of trust that God has heard the prayer. These psalms often conclude with a vow to praise the God who comes to deliver.

Latter Prophets

division of the Hebrew Bible that consists of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Book of the Twelve (see that term).

Pragmatic wisdom

articulates generalized truths about life; basic sayings for living as God intended. Proverbs is the chief example in the Hebrew Bible.

prophet

a messenger from a deity who speaks on behalf of the deity. Israelite versions bring ancient Israel's faith traditions to bear in interpreting life for the people of faith and apply these traditions to the present relationship of the community with YHWH.

Prophets

one of the three major divisions of the Hebrew Bible. The ____, or Nevi'im, consists of the books Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Book of the Twelve.

proverb

a compact, memorable, applicable saying about life. Provides practical instruction for living.

psalm

a song or poem used in worship. Contains various types (e.g. laments, hymns, thanksgivings.)

Rhetorical Criticism

analysis of how a text persuades or affects its readers. Attention is given to rhetorical features such as structural patterns, repetition, wordplays, forms of argumentation, and type scenes.

Speculative wisdom

literature exploring the meaning of life. Questions traditional wisdom perspectives found in pragmatic wisdom. Job and Ecclesiastes exemplify this type of wisdom literature.

Acrostic hymn

a type of poem in which the first letter of each line or paragraph follows a particular pattern. Several biblical texts are acrostics in which the first letters of each verse spell out the Hebrew alphabet in order (Psalm 119, parts of Lamentations and Nahum).

Antiochus IV Epiphanies

second century BCE Seleucid king; his assumed title, Epiphanies, means "god manifest." He brutally forced Hellenism (Greek culture) on the Jewish people and desecrated the Jewish temple, which prompted the Maccabean revolt. Many scholars see the book of Daniel as a reflection of Jewish persecution under his rule.

Benediction

a brief word of blessing and Thanksgiving to God. Usually one concludes each of the five collections of the Psalms.

Cult

a term referring to organized worship, often occurring in a temple setting. Can be specifically Jerusalem's organized worship in the temple

Idolatry

worship of idols, which were material figures or images that represented deities. Idolatry was widespread in the ancient world and is strictly forbidden in the biblical tradition. In addition, the biblical tradition forbids the fashioning of any kind of image to represent YHWH.

Parallelism

one of the major characteristics of Hebrew poetry. Matching structures in adjacent lines, words, or sections that communicate in memorable ways. The three major types are synonymous, antithetic, and stair-step.

Parallelism, antithetic

a type of parallelism in Hebrew poetry in which the second line articulates a contrast to the first.

Parallelism, stair-step

a type of parallelism in Hebrew poetry in which the second line takes the thought a step further than the first

Parallelism, synonymous

a type of parallelism in Hebrew poetry in which the sense of the second line is similar to that of the first.

Persia, Persians

One of the great empires of ancient Mesopotamia. Succeeded the Babylonian Empire in controlling Mesopotamia in 539 BCE and allowed the Israelite exiles to return to their homeland. Fell to the Greeks in 332 BCE

Postexilic

relating to the period of Israelite history following the return from the Babylonian exile in 539 BCE.

Satan

a Hebrew term meaning "accuser." Appears in the narrative of Job as the instigator of Job's accusation and testing. By the time of the New Testament, the title comes to be associated with a supernatural adversary of YHWH who leads humans to sin

Second temple

the Jewish temple in Jerusalem that was built in the late sixth century BCE at the end of the Babylonian exile. The period of Israelite history after the reconstruction of the Jerusalem temple after the Babylonian exile until the Roman destruction of the temple in 70CE is known as the "Second Temple period."

Sign act

the term given to prophecies that take the form of symbolic actions the prophet performs

Theodicy

the term given to the questions and attempted answers related to the justice of God. The traditional articulation of the issue is how one can claim the existence of an all-good and all-powerful God in the face of evil and suffering in the world.

Wisdom Literature

the name commonly given to the books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. These books are related to the Israelite wisdom movement, which was concerned with finding the best way of living a good life within an ordered universe. The tradition is associated with instruction and guidance both within family contexts and in the royal court.

Writings

one of the three major divisions of the Hebrew Bible. The ____, or Ketuvim, comprise the books Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1-2 Chronicles.

Assyria

One of the great empires of ancient Mesopotamia; capital city was Nineveh. Conquered the N. Kingdom of Israel in 722/721 BCE and sieged Jerusalem in 701 BCE. Fell to Babylon in the late 7th cent, BCE

Babylon

One of greatest empires of ANE; rose to power after defeating the Assyrians. Sacked Jerusalem first in 598/597 BCE and took many inhabitants into exile. Took Jerusalem completely in 586.