The Bible As It Was

The Bible As It Was PDF Author: James L. Kugel
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674265238
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 700

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Book Description
This is a guide to the Hebrew Bible unlike any other. Leading us chapter by chapter through its most important stories--from the Creation and the Tree of Knowledge through the Exodus from Egypt and the journey to the Promised Land--James Kugel shows how a group of anonymous, ancient interpreters radically transformed the Bible and made it into the book that has come down to us today. Was the snake in the Garden of Eden the devil, or the Garden itself "paradise"? Did Abraham discover monotheism, and was his son Isaac a willing martyr? Not until the ancient interpreters set to work. Poring over every little detail in the Bible's stories, prophecies, and laws, they let their own theological and imaginative inclinations radically transform the Bible's very nature. Their sometimes surprising interpretations soon became the generally accepted meaning. These interpretations, and not the mere words of the text, became the Bible in the time of Jesus and Paul or the rabbis of the Talmud. Drawing on such sources as the Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient Jewish apocrypha, Hellenistic writings, long-lost retellings of Bible stories, and prayers and sermons of the early church and synagogue, Kugel reconstructs the theory and methods of interpretation at the time when the Bible was becoming the bedrock of Judaism and Christianity. Here, for the first time, we can witness all the major transformations of the text and recreate the development of the Bible "As It Was" at the start of the Common era--the Bible as we know it.

The Bible As It Was

The Bible As It Was PDF Author: James L. Kugel
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674265238
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 700

Get Book

Book Description
This is a guide to the Hebrew Bible unlike any other. Leading us chapter by chapter through its most important stories--from the Creation and the Tree of Knowledge through the Exodus from Egypt and the journey to the Promised Land--James Kugel shows how a group of anonymous, ancient interpreters radically transformed the Bible and made it into the book that has come down to us today. Was the snake in the Garden of Eden the devil, or the Garden itself "paradise"? Did Abraham discover monotheism, and was his son Isaac a willing martyr? Not until the ancient interpreters set to work. Poring over every little detail in the Bible's stories, prophecies, and laws, they let their own theological and imaginative inclinations radically transform the Bible's very nature. Their sometimes surprising interpretations soon became the generally accepted meaning. These interpretations, and not the mere words of the text, became the Bible in the time of Jesus and Paul or the rabbis of the Talmud. Drawing on such sources as the Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient Jewish apocrypha, Hellenistic writings, long-lost retellings of Bible stories, and prayers and sermons of the early church and synagogue, Kugel reconstructs the theory and methods of interpretation at the time when the Bible was becoming the bedrock of Judaism and Christianity. Here, for the first time, we can witness all the major transformations of the text and recreate the development of the Bible "As It Was" at the start of the Common era--the Bible as we know it.

The Bible as Book

The Bible as Book PDF Author: Scot McKendrick
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
This volume covers a wide range of topics that bear on the textual criticism of the Greek Bible, including: the relationship between Jewish scribal culture and early Christian literary practices; Greek biblical texts uncovered in the Judaean Desert; the New Testament miniscule tradition; and New Testament biblical papyri. Fresh studies are presented of Codex Sinaiticus, Codes Bezae, and Codex Alexandrinus. Featuring contributions from an international group of biblical scholars, the book aims to make a significant contribution to the study of the Greek Bible.

Traditions of the Bible

Traditions of the Bible PDF Author: James L. KUGEL
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674039769
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 1078

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Book Description
From the creation and the tree of knowledge through the Exodus from Egypt and the journey to the promised land; James Kugel shows us how the earliest interpreters of the scriptures radically transformed the Bible.

How to Read the Bible

How to Read the Bible PDF Author: James L. Kugel
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451689098
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 850

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Book Description
James Kugel’s essential introduction and companion to the Bible combines modern scholarship with the wisdom of ancient interpreters for the entire Hebrew Bible. As soon as it appeared, How to Read the Bible was recognized as a masterwork, “awesome, thrilling” (The New York Times), “wonderfully interesting, extremely well presented” (The Washington Post), and “a tour de force...a stunning narrative” (Publishers Weekly). Now, this classic remains the clearest, most inviting and readable guide to the Hebrew Bible around—and a profound meditation on the effect that modern biblical scholarship has had on traditional belief. Moving chapter by chapter, Harvard professor James Kugel covers the Bible’s most significant stories—the Creation of the world, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and his wives, Moses and the exodus, David’s mighty kingdom, plus the writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the other prophets, and on to the Babylonian conquest and the eventual return to Zion. Throughout, Kugel contrasts the way modern scholars understand these events with the way Christians and Jews have traditionally understood them. The latter is not, Kugel shows, a naïve reading; rather, it is the product of a school of sophisticated interpreters who flourished toward the end of the biblical period. These highly ideological readers sought to put their own spin on texts that had been around for centuries, utterly transforming them in the process. Their interpretations became what the Bible meant for centuries and centuries—until modern scholarship came along. The question that this book ultimately asks is: What now? As one reviewer wrote, Kugel’s answer provides “a contemporary model of how to read Sacred Scripture amidst the oppositional pulls of modern scholarship and tradition.”

Westminster Guide to the Books of the Bible

Westminster Guide to the Books of the Bible PDF Author: William M. Ramsay
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
ISBN: 9780664253806
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 586

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Book Description
This comprehensive introduction to all the books of the Bible, including the Apocrypha, is written in a clear, easy-to-read style, and is an ideal learning tool for laity, students, adult study groups, and ministers. The one-volume format is convenient for individual study groups, and this revision reflects the most up-to-date biblical scholarship. Based on the NSRV Bible. Notes; index; charts.

The Bible as History

The Bible as History PDF Author: Werner Keller
Publisher: Barnes & Noble Publishing
ISBN: 9781566198011
Category : Bible
Languages : en
Pages : 412

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Book Description
The Bible As History by Werner Keller, will take you on a breathtaking journey to the heart of Holy Scripture as it pieces together one of the most stunning spiritual puzzles in the history of mankind.

Making Sense of the Bible [Leader Guide]

Making Sense of the Bible [Leader Guide] PDF Author: Adam Hamilton
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN: 1501801325
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
In this six week video study, Adam Hamilton explores the key points in his new book, Making Sense of the Bible. With the help of this Leader Guide, groups learn from Hamilton as his video presentations lead groups through the book, focusing on the most important questions we ask about the Bible, its origins and meaning.

A History of the Bible

A History of the Bible PDF Author: John Barton
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0143111205
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 642

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Book Description
A literary history of our most influential book of all time, by an Oxford scholar and Anglican priest In our culture, the Bible is monolithic: It is a collection of books that has been unchanged and unchallenged since the earliest days of the Christian church. The idea of the Bible as "Holy Scripture," a non-negotiable authority straight from God, has prevailed in Western society for some time. And while it provides a firm foundation for centuries of Christian teaching, it denies the depth, variety, and richness of this fascinating text. In A History of the Bible, John Barton argues that the Bible is not a prescription to a complete, fixed religious system, but rather a product of a long and intriguing process, which has inspired Judaism and Christianity, but still does not describe the whole of either religion. Barton shows how the Bible is indeed an important source of religious insight for Jews and Christians alike, yet argues that it must be read in its historical context--from its beginnings in myth and folklore to its many interpretations throughout the centuries. It is a book full of narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, poems, and letters, each with their own character and origin stories. Barton explains how and by whom these disparate pieces were written, how they were canonized (and which ones weren't), and how they were assembled, disseminated, and interpreted around the world--and, importantly, to what effect. Ultimately, A History of the Bible argues that a thorough understanding of the history and context of its writing encourages religious communities to move away from the Bible's literal wording--which is impossible to determine--and focus instead on the broader meanings of scripture.

Books of the Bible

Books of the Bible PDF Author: John H. Hayes
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780687055197
Category : Bible
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Over 300,000 people have studied Books of the Bible. Now, the study has been updated, based on the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Using a workbook style, Books of the Bible allows you to discover the biblical text on your own or with a group. This 26-session book-by-book survey covers all the books in the Bible. Designed for persons who are not well-acquainted with the Bible, this resource is clearly written and easy-to-use, drawing the reader into the biblical text. Although you will "page through" the entire Bible by the end of the study, Books of the Bible only deals with major themes. An excellent primer for persons to gain confidence to tackle a more in-depth study, such as Genesis to Revelation, Journey Through the Bible, or Disciple Bible Study. Books of the Bible has informational articles about major sections of the Bible, and review pages at the end of major portions of the study. Questions for group discussion are included in all 26 sessions. In addition, there is an article for the leader and a pronunciation guide at the end of the study. 26 sessions / 60 minutes

The Harlot by the Side of the Road

The Harlot by the Side of the Road PDF Author: Jonathan Kirsch
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 030756763X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 411

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Book Description
Sex. Violence. Scandal. These are words we rarely associate with the sacred text of the Bible. Yet in this brilliant new book, Jonathan Kirsch shows that the Old Testament is filled with some of the most startling and explicit stories in all of Western literature. These tales of seduction and rape, voyeurism and exhibitionism, intermarriage and illegitimacy, assassination and murder have been suppressed by religious authorities throughout history precisely because they are so shocking. "You mean that's in the Bible?" is the common reaction of the contemporary reader to the stories that Kirsch retells and explores. In The Harlot by the Side of the Road, Kirsch recounts these suppressed and mistranslated tales in the grand storytelling tradition. Here is the tale of Dinah, the young Israelite daughter raped by a princely suitor. The price for her hand in marriage? The circumcision of every man in his kingdom. Here, too, is the story of Lot's daughters, who, when faced with the possibility that they are the last survivors on earth, must copulate with their drunken father to continue their race. And the story of Tamar, the harlot by the side of the road, who must disguise herself as a prostitute and seduce her father-in-law in order to bear the child who has been promised her. Kirsch places each story within the political and social context of its time, and delves into the latest biblical scholarship to explain why each story was originally censored. He also brings to light when and where each story was first written down, and how it found its way into the Bible. And he shows how these stories have something important to say to contemporary readers who might never pick up a Bible. Kirsch reveals that the Bible's real power lies in its unflinching lessons in human nature. And he illuminates the surprising modernity of the Bible's characters: these were, like us, people delicately balanced between their destructive and generous natures. Certain to excite controversy and ignite intellectual debate, The Harlot by the Side of the Road will undoubtedly be one of the year's most talked-about books.