DIVISION OF BIBLICAL STUDIES

Dr. Charles A. Ray III
Associate Dean

Faculty

Alan S. Bandy, BA, MDiv, PhD
Professor of New Testament and Greek, occupying the Robert Hamblin Chair of New Testament Exposition
Associate Dean for the Research Doctoral Program

Cory R. Barnes, BA, MA, ThM, PhD
Associate Professor of Old Testament, occupying the Nelson Price Chair of Distance Learning
Dean of Doctoral Studies and Distance Learning

Bong Soo Choi, BA, MDiv, ThM, PhD
Professor of New Testament and Greek;
Director of the Korean Theological Institute at NGA Hub

Archie W. England, BBA, MDiv, PhD
Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, occupying the J. Wash Watts Chair of Old Testament and Hebrew

Jeff D. Griffin, BBA, MLA, MDiv, PhD
Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew;
Dean of Libraries; Director of the Writing Center

Norris C. Grubbs, BS, MDiv, PhD
Professor of New Testament and Greek;
Provost, QEP Director

Ethan C. Jones, BA, MDiv, PhD
Associate Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, occupying the Don and Helen Bryant Chair of Old Testament

James O. Parker, BS, MDiv, PhD
Professor of Biblical Interpretation and Archaeology, occupying the McFarland Chair of Old Testament and Archaeology;
Executive Director of the Mike and Sara Moskau Institute of Archaeology
Associate Vice President for Operations Special Projects

Charles A. Ray III, BA, MDiv, ThM, PhD
Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek;
Director of the Accelerated BA+MDiv Program;
Associate Dean of the Division of Biblical Studies

William F. Warren Jr., AA, BS, MDiv, PhD
Professor of New Testament and Greek, occupying the Landrum P. Leavell II Chair of New Testament Studies;
Director, H. Milton Haggard Center for New Testament Textual Studies

Description of Courses

The following list represents courses and seminars offered in the Division of Biblical Studies. This list does not contain specific information regarding the session and time of offering. Specific information will be made available to the student by the Registrar’s Office prior to registration.

Biblical  Backgrounds

BBBW5300 Encountering the Biblical World (3 hours)
A survey is undertaken of a wide range of materials and issues related to the background of the Old and New Testaments, including archaeology, historical geography, religion, manners and customs, economics, social concerns, and the literature of the ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world. The course is designed to help students bridge the temporal and cultural gaps between contemporary society and the historical eras of the Bible. 

BBEC6300 Archaeology and the Early Church (3 hours)
This course is a study of the archaeology of the Early Church and its history, which includes North Africa, the Nile Valley, Asia Minor, Central Asia, the Balkans and Western Europe, Rome, and Palestine. Case studies will focus on sites in these regions and will include exploring the history and archaeology of the sites in more detail.

BBDS5302 Dead Sea Scrolls (3 hours)
A survey is made of the cultural and historical background of the Jewish sectarians who established the community by the Dead Sea in the 2nd century B.C. Students will read and interact with translations of biblical and the sectarian literature, including Apocryphal, halakhic, haggadic, pseudepigraphic, and apocalyptic literature. Implications are drawn for study of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Judaism.

BBFW5304 Archaeological Field Work (3 hours)
Participation in a major archaeological excavation in Israel provides opportunity for the observation and practice of techniques in field archaeology. During the excavation process, the student observes and participates in methods of excavation, recording, decipherment, classification, cataloging, and preservation of various finds. Lectures and field trips led by the archaeological staff provide for a comprehensive field experience.

BBFW6301 Ceramic Analysis in Field Archaeology (3 hours)
This course is an introduction to ceramics analysis, one of the key means of assessing the material cultures of the Ancient Near East (ANE). The course will be taught in connection with the NOBTS excavation in Israel. Instruction will be assisted by leading ceramics expert(s) in Israel, with daily pottery analysis, visits to archaeology labs, and textbook study. Students will learn the keys and methods for dating, analyzing, and synthesizing data from ceramics for understanding material cultures of various ANE civilizations.

BBFW6302 Advanced Ceramic Analysis in Field Archaeology (3 hours)
This course is an advanced study in ceramics analysis, one of the key means of assessing the material cultures of the Ancient Near East. The course will be taught either on-campus in New Orleans or in conjunction with the NOBTS excavation project in Israel. Instruction will be assisted by leading ceramics expert(s) from Israel, with daily pottery analysis, visits to archaeology labs, and textbook study. Students will learn the keys and methods for dating, analyzing, and synthesizing data from ceramics for understand material cultures of various ANE civilizations.

BBHG6355 History and Geography of Ancient Israel (3 hours)
This course will acquaint students with the history and geography of ancient Israel and early Judaism as it is known from biblical texts, ancient historical sources, early Jewish writings and archaeological finds and will expose students to the way history was written in the ancient world. This will be accomplished through reading and comparison of historical sources and several study tours throughout the land of ancient Israel.

BBJD5301 Introduction to Judaism (3 hours)
A survey is undertaken of the history of Judaism from its beginnings in Old Testament Israelite religion through the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. Subject areas such as Torah, sacrifice, the Jewish festival calendar, messianism, prophetism, and election will be examined in order to understand better the Jewish background of the New Testament. Special attention is given to the development of modern forms of Judaism, such as Reform and Conservative Judaism, with a view toward better understanding how to relate the gospel of Jesus Christ to persons of the Jewish faith.

BBNE6302 Archaeology of the Ancient Near East (3 hours)
A survey is made of the historical, cultural, and archaeological evidence of the rise and development of the major cultures of the ancient Near East from the Neolithic through the Persian periods. Particular emphasis is placed upon the impact of these cultures on the pre-history and history of Israel. Included in the survey are Sumer, Akkad, Canaan, Egypt, Hittite, Aram, Assyria, Babylon, and Persia. Prerequisite: BBBW5300 Encountering the Biblical World.

BBNT6301 Archaeology of the New Testament World (3 hours)
Study is made of archaeological finds from Syro-Palestine, Israel, and the Mediterranean basin which aid in the interpretation of the New Testament in areas such as history, social contexts, religion, material culture, and literary genre studies. Focus of this study is on the Late Hellenistic through Early Roman periods. Illustrated studies of major excavations which provide exemplars of each of the major periods are included. Prerequisite: BBBW5300 Encountering the Biblical World.

BBNT6302 The Life and Times of Jesus (3 hours)
This course is a New Testament backgrounds course that focuses on Historical Jesus Studies. The course is designed to present Jesus within his context. The course will take a focused look at the background, history, geography, and culture of 1st-century Palestine. The course will introduce several topics pertinent to the study of Jesus. Focus of this study is on the Late Hellenistic through Early Roman periods.

BBOT6311 Syro-Palestinian Archaeology and the Old Testament (3 hours)
Study is made of archaeological finds from Syro-Palestine, Israel, and the Levant which aid in the interpretation of the Old Testament in areas such as history, social contexts, religion, material culture, and literary genre studies. Focus of this study is on the Patriarchal (Bronze Age) through early Post-Exilic (Iron Age) periods. Illustrated studies of major excavations which provide exemplars of each of the major periods are included. Prerequisite: BBBW5300 Encountering the Biblical World.

BBIS5155-5355 Independent Directed Study in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology (1-3 hours)
(Prerequisite: BBBW5300 Encountering the Biblical World)

BBIS6155-6355 Independent Directed Study in Advanced Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology (1-3 hours)
(Prerequisite: BBBW5300 Encountering the Biblical World)

Biblical Studies

BSBB6305 Readings in Northwest Semitic Literature (3 hours)
This course is designed to introduce the student to the extant literature of the Northwest Semitic language family which are comparable to the Hebrew of the Old Testament. The study includes a comparative analysis of Northwest Semitic grammar, syntax, and other linguistic issues. Epigraphic materials in Hebrew, Ugaritic, Phoenician, Aramaic, Syriac, Moabite, Ammonite, and Edomite are translated and interpreted. Prerequisites: OTHB5351 Hebrew 1 and OTHB5352 Hebrew 2.

BSBT6300 Biblical Theology (3 hours)
This course surveys biblical theology and the theological history that produced contemporary studies in biblical theology. With this background, students will be introduced to how historically faith communities have applied the message of the Bible. This course seeks to combine textual exegesis with sound hermeneutical principles that result in God honoring application of the Word of God.

BSHM6310 Biblical Hermeneutics (3 hours)
This course addresses intermediate to advanced hermeneutical issues, covering major approaches to the study of biblical interpretation and especially focusing on how to achieve text driven exegesis. This course further intends to address the impact of theological interpretation, Old and New Testament theologies, and intertextuality on the hermeneutical endeavor. The course will emphasize proper methods for discovering the meaning of a text and applying it in teaching and preaching by modeling a genre-assisted approach to the study of biblical interpretation.

BSHS5302 History of the Bible (3 hours)
This course is a study of the history of the Bible from the time of the first written documents until the modern English translations. The three aspects of the study are the process of canonization, the transmission of the handwritten texts, and the history of the texts in print. Biblical languages are not required for this course.

BSSE6300 Biblical Studies Research and Writing (3 hours)
This advanced seminar in research and writing is intended to help prepare students for postgraduate work in future publication in biblical studies related fields. In this course, every student will prepare a final, summative writing assignment in his or her degree concentration. Those with concentrations in biblical studies may request approval to adapt this summative writing assignment into a formal thesis. Particular attention will be given to the different models of reasoning in research, the crafting an assessment of arguments, elements of form in style, and final editing. Only students within 18 hours of graduation may take this course. Also can be taken as THSE6300 Theological Research and Writing.

BSIS5199-5399 Independent Directed Study in Biblical Studies (1-3 hours)

BSIS6199-6399 Independent Directed Study in Biblical Studies (1-3 hours)

Old Testament 

OTBA6350 Biblical Aramaic (3 hours)
The student is introduced to the essential elements of Biblical and Imperial Aramaic. Grammar and syntax are studied in a semi-inductive approach which focuses upon the Aramaic portions of the Books of Daniel and Ezra. The course also includes a brief introduction to the Syriac language and script, based upon the student’s knowledge of Hebrew and Aramaic. Prerequisite: OTHB5351 Hebrew 1. 

OTEN53XX Old Testament Exegesis (English) (3 hours)
A thorough study of selected texts, through verse-by-verse and paragraph-by-paragraph analysis, comparison of various English versions, consideration of pertinent historical and cultural issues, along with consultation of comprehensive commentaries. The course will emphasize proper methods for discovering the meaning of a text and applying it in teaching and preaching. Students may repeat this course if the individual biblical books or collections being studied are not duplicated. Prerequisites: OTEN5351 Interpreting the Old Testament 1 and OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2.

OTEN5350 Prayer in the Old Testament (3 hours)
This course is designed to explore selected prayers in the Old Testament so that the student’s understanding of God, humanity, and life as an experiential matrix will deepen. This exploration will be exegetical in approach, but also by necessity and intent is designed to synthesize the results of exegesis and provide a theology of prayer derived from the Old Testament and a working theology of prayer in contemporary life. 

OTEN5351 Interpreting the Old Testament 1: Genesis-Esther (3 hours)
This course introduces the content and major interpretive issues of Genesis through Esther. The course covers literary, historical, and theological contexts as well hermeneutical principles related to reading the OT genres of law and historical narratives. This course complements OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2: Job–Malachi.

OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2: Job-Malachi (3 hours)
This course introduces the content and major interpretive issues of Job through Malachi. The course covers literary, historical, and theological contexts as well hermeneutical principles related to reading the OT genres of wisdom, poetry, and prophecy. This course complements OTEN5351 Interpreting the Old Testament 1: Genesis–Esther.

OTEN6320 Theology of the Old Testament (3 hours)
This course is designed to introduce the student to the study of Old Testament theology. The first part of the course covers the field of Old Testament theology from its beginnings to the modern day. After an initial overview of the field, the various Old Testament covenants (Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Sinaitic, Davidic, and New) are explored exegetically and theologically to help the student see how God’s plan of salvation in the Old Testament leads to fulfillment in the New Testament. 

OTEN6321 Old Testament Eschatology (3 hours)
This course studies the message of hope in the Old Testament in the light of the ancient Near Eastern world. Old Testament eschatology includes several areas of thought: death and afterlife, future hope, the (coming) kingdom of God, God’s anointed, and God’s redemptive plan. The focus of this class will be a modest introduction to the ANE contextual world of thought about the afterlife, along with a heavy emphasis upon what the Old Testament teaches about the kingdom of God and His anointed Messiah. 

OTEN6330 Old Testament Hermeneutics (3 hours)
Building upon the course Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics, this course provides an overview of the history, principles, and methods of Old Testament interpretation. The major emphasis of the course is practical application of sound hermeneutical principles and methods in the interpretation of selected Old Testament texts. Prerequisite: OTEN5351 Interpreting the Old Testament 1 or OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2. 

OTHB5351 Hebrew 1 (3 hours)
This course introduces the fundamentals of Biblical Hebrew including pronunciation, vocabulary, verbs, nouns, other parts of speech, and elements of syntax.

OTHB5352 Hebrew 2 (3 hours)
This course continues a focus on fundamentals of Biblical Hebrew including pronunciation, vocabulary, verbs, nouns, other parts of speech, and elements of syntax. This course prepares students to use Hebrew in their study and teaching. Prerequisite: OTHB5351 Hebrew 1 or its equivalent.

OTHB63XX Hebrew Exegesis (3 hours)
An advanced course giving consideration to textual, grammatical, syntactical, literary, and historical issues through verse-by-verse and paragraph-by-paragraph analysis in a variety of genres. The course will emphasize proper methods for discovering the meaning of a text and applying it in teaching and preaching. Students may repeat this course if the individual biblical books or collections being studied are not duplicated. Prerequisites: OTHB5351 Hebrew 1 and OTHB5352 Hebrew 2, or their equivalents.

OTHB6351 Advanced Hebrew for Exegesis (3 hours)
Attention is given to the syntax of Biblical Hebrew. Passages from narrative and poetic sections of the Hebrew Bible are studied with the aid of detailed Hebrew grammars and syntax volumes. Prerequisite: OTHB5352 Hebrew 2 or its equivalent.

OTIS5150-5350 Independent Directed Study in Old Testament (1-3 hours)

OTIS6150-6350 Independent Directed Study in Old Testament (Advanced) (1-3 hours)

New Testament

NTEN53XX New Testament Exegesis (English) (3 hours)
These offerings consist of a thorough study of selected New Testament books or passages through verse-by-verse and paragraph-by-paragraph analysis, comparison of various English versions, consideration of pertinent historical and cultural issues, and consultation with major literature and commentaries. The course emphasizes proper methods for discovering the meaning of a text and applying it in teaching and preaching. Students may repeat this course if the individual biblical books or passages being studied are not duplicated. Prerequisites: NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1 and NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1: The Gospels (3 hours)
The purpose of this course and the related course NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2: Acts through Revelation, is to introduce students to the literature of the New Testament. Besides an overview of the history of the canonization and text of the New Testament, this course especially focuses on studying the content and theology of the Gospels, the historical and cultural contexts surrounding them, the hermeneutical considerations for interpreting them, and certain questions addressed by contemporary scholarship related to them.

NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2: Acts-Revelation (3 hours)
The purpose of this course and the related course, NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1: The Gospels, is to introduce students to the literature of the New Testament. After an overview in the first course of Jewish history, text and canon, hermeneutics, and Gospel literature, this course advances into the content and theology of Acts through Revelation. Historical and cultural contexts of the Roman world are presented, as well as hermeneutical principles for interpreting the narrative, epistolary, and apocalyptic genres represented. Finally, key questions addressed by contemporary scholarship are explored.

NTEN5390 Backgrounds for New Testament Study (3 hours)
This course goes beyond surveying New Testament documents to investigating more in depth those political, economic, social, and cultural backgrounds that enhance New Testament study. The student is also guided through the process using a critical introduction to selected New Testament books, exploring issues such as authorship, date, and occasion and purpose. Another facet of the course is an introduction to the current state of research on methodologies employed in New Testament studies. The course is designed for MDiv students desiring in-depth study of the historical backgrounds for the NT books. Students considering PhD studies in either OT or NT are strongly encouraged to take this course. Prerequisite: NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1 or NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

NTEN5395 The Social Setting of the New Testament (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to involve the student in an extensive study of daily life in the first century. Topics include such items as honor-shame, family patterns, marriage customs, social groups, and other such social, political, religious, and economic backgrounds that can serve as aids for understanding the message of the New Testament. Selected texts from the NT are studied in light of the various aspects of the first-century social setting. Prerequisite: NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1 or NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

NTEN6310 The Historical Jesus (3 hours)
The seminar introduces students to theological, biblical, and philosophical methodological issues related to contemporary Historical Jesus research. Issues addressed include the nature of the task, the role of the historian, and tools for the task, as well as past and contemporary personalities in Historical Jesus research. The seminar will emphasize personal reading, research, and writing. Also can be taken as THEO6310.

NTEN6320 New Testament Theology (3 hours)
This study is concerned with exegetical theology and focuses on the basic themes of the New Testament. Attention is given to the methodology of New Testament theology and its current state. The distinctive elements in the respective books are observed as well as the essential unity of the New Testament. Prerequisite: NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1 or NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

NTEN6340 Christian Studies in Context (3 hours)
An examination of the biblical, theological, and historical developments of the church giving attention to major individuals, ideas, institutions, movements, and crises. The interaction of Christianity and its cultural, religious, and political environments is addressed. This course is intended to accompany a seminary-led study tour, and its parameters will be set by the context of the tour. Also can be taken as HIST6340.

NTGK5351 Greek 1 (3 hours)
This course is designed to teach the basic elements of Greek grammar to establish a foundational understanding of the language for exegesis of the Greek New Testament. This course is a prerequisite for NTGK5352 Greek 2 where students will complete their study of Greek grammar. Students with 6 hours of college Greek may be eligible to forego taking this course. Such students should consult with New Testament professors to determine the level at which they should enter the study of Greek in the seminary.

NTGK5352 Greek 2 (3 hours)
This course is designed to augment the student’s grasp of Greek grammar as presented in the introductory course. This course will focus on grammar, translation, and the exegetical significance of New Testament Greek. Greek 2, while helpful to any student wishing to go further in understanding New Testament Greek, is required for language track students. Greek 2 is a prerequisite for Greek Exegesis courses; Advanced Greek for Exegesis; Readings in Hellenistic Literature; and Textual Criticism of the Greek New Testament. Prerequisite: NTGK5351 Greek 1 or its equivalent.

NTGK63XX Greek Exegesis (3 hours)
An advanced course giving consideration to text-critical, grammatical, syntactical, literary, and historical issues through text analysis in a variety of genres. The course will emphasize sound hermeneutical principles for discovering the meaning of the text and for applying the text in teaching and preaching. Students may repeat the course for non-reduplicating books. Prerequisites: NTGK5351 Greek 1 and NTGK5352 Greek 2.

NTGK6351 Advanced Greek for Exegesis (3 hours)
Attention is given to the syntax of the Greek language. Passages from the New Testament are translated to illustrate syntactical usage. Prerequisite: NTGK5352 Greek 2 or its equivalent.

NTGK6390 Textual Criticism of the Greek New Testament (3 hours)
A study is made of paleography, the ancient witnesses to the text of the New Testament, the history of the handwritten text of the New Testament, and the actual practice of textual criticism. In connection with the last of these subjects, students learn to read the critical apparatuses of the Nestle-Aland and the United Bible Societies editions of the Greek New Testament and to evaluate significant variant readings. The course qualifies as an advanced Greek exegesis course for degree requirements. Prerequisite: NTGK5352 Greek 2 or its equivalent.

NTGK6391 Studies in New Testament Manuscripts (3 hours)
This course provides a hands-on experience for students with the New Testament minuscule manuscripts. The emphasis in the course is on the collation and study of the Greek minuscule manuscripts of the New Testament. Students are taught the details of manuscript production, how to read the cursive manuscripts, and how to collate a manuscript. Each student engages in the collation of Greek New Testament minuscule manuscripts, with the resulting information added to the database at the NOBTS Center for New Testament Textual Studies. Prerequisite: NTGK5352 Greek 2 or its equivalent.

NTGK6395 Readings in Hellenistic Greek (3 hours)
The course content consists of selected readings from Greek literature of the Koine period (332 B.C. to A.D. 330). The emphasis of the course will be on translation, but attention will be given to the background and provenance of the selected readings. The student may repeat this course for credit provided the selected readings are not duplicated. Prerequisite: NTGK6351 Advanced Greek for Exegesis.

NTHM6302 New Testament Hermeneutics (3 hours)
After an overview of the history and major principles of New Testament interpretation, this course focuses on the study and application of various methodologies in interaction with New Testament texts and on the transference process in interpretation from the ancient context to the modern context. Case studies may be utilized in the study of the transference process. Prerequisite: NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1 or NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

NTIS5199-5399 Independent Directed Study in New Testament (1-3 hours)

NTIS6199-6399 Independent Directed Study in New Testament (Advanced) (1-3 hours)