Major Messianic OT Hebrew Texts (OT604)
Fall 2012
Richard P. Belcher, Jr
rbelcher@rts.edu
Course Description
The major OT texts that have traditionally been considered to be Messianic will
be the focus of this course. They will be read in the Hebrew and their meaning in
the OT context will be explored. The way these texts anticipate the Messiah will
also be discussed with attention given to how these texts have been interpreted
by others.
Note: this course is a little lighter on the translation of the Hebrew and a little
heavier on the reading, so any reading finished before the class starts will benefit
the student, especially the articles by Charlesworth, the Foreword to Mowinckel's
work by Collins, and then Mowinckel's work itself (all are written from a more
critical perspective and serve as background to our discussions)
Course Objectives
1) To better understand key Messianic texts through a detailed look at the
Hebrew.
2) To solidify and build on the foundation of Hebrew language and grammar.
3) To be exposed to the different approaches to the concept of the Messiah and
to the different understanding of Messianic texts.
4) To gain an appreciation for the development of the concepts related to the
Messiah and their connection to Jesus Christ.
Assignments
A) Reading Assignments
1) Each student will read the following works in addition to any reading that will
be assigned weekly in relationship to the translation of the Hebrew texts
J. H. Charlesworth, "From Jewish Messianology to Christian Christology: Some
Caveats and Perspectives," in Judaisms and their Messiahs at the Turn of
the Christian Era (eds. Jacob Neusner, E. S. Frerichs, and W. S. Green;
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987), 225-264
Messianic Texts Syllabus
2
J.H. Charlesworth, "From Messianology to Christology: Problems and
Prospects" in The Messiah (ed. J. H. Charlesworth; Minneapolis: Fortress
Press, 1992), 3-35; [have Ken order for our library]
John J. Collins, "Mowinckel's He That Cometh in Retrospect," in Sigmund
Mowinckel, He That Cometh: The Messiah Concept in the Old Testament
and Later Judaism, with a foreward by John J. Collins (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, ET 1956, 2005)
J. Gordon McConville, "Messianic Interpretation of the Old Testament in Modern
Context," in The Lord's Anointed (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1995), 1-18
Richard S. Hess and M. Daniel Carroll R., eds., Israel's Messiah in the Bible and
the Dead Sea Scrolls (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003); Part 1 of this work is
read in connection with the translation of Deuteronomy 18 and Part 2
deals with the concept of the Messiah at Qumran
Walter C. Kaiser, The Messiah in the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1995)
Sigmund Mowinckel, He That Cometh: The Messiah Concept in the Old
Testament and Later Judaism, with a foreward by John J. Collins (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, ET 1956, 2005), 1-260
2) Each student will consult a major work on the Messiah in the OT besides
Kaiser. The student should become familiar with the author's approach
and should come prepared each week to report the author's view if he
covers the text we are translating in class.The work must be chosen from
the following list (or a work approved by the professor if not on the list):
a) E. W. Hengstenberg, Christology of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Kregel
Publications, 1970 reprint)
b) Philip E. Satterthwaite, Richard S. Hess, Gordon J. Wenham, eds., The Lord's
Anointed: Interpretation of Old Testament Messianic Texts (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1995)
c) Gerard Van Groningen, Messianic Revelation in the Old Testament (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1990)
d) Gerhardos Vos, The Eschatology of the Old Tesament (ed. James T.
Dennison; Philipsburg, NJ: P & R, 2001)
3) There will be a specific reading assignment for each week of class that will
coincide with the text we are translating (see the schedule below)
Messianic Texts Syllabus
3
B) Translation of texts
1) The text should be translated and the verbs parsed.
2) Two commentaries should be read, one older and one modern commentary
that deals with the language. For modern commentaries it may be helpful
to think in terms of a commentary series (NICOT, NAC, Expositors Bible
Commentary, WBC, AB, OTL). Older commentaries could include Calvin,
Keil and Delitzsch, Leupold, Geneva Series, etc.
3) The student should come with one grammar question from the text that arose
as they translated the text or read the commentaries (grammars that can
be used are Arnold/Choi, Waltke/O'Connor, Jouon, Gesenius)
4) A major book on the Messiah in the OT should also be consulted in
relationship to the text translated for class (see above)
C) Project on the Son of Man
1) The Son of Man concept in Daniel 7 should be examined (this is Aramaic so
you may be limited in looking at the original language)
2) Articles or chapters on the Son of Man should be read. The following are
suggested but your reading should not be limited to the following:
a) Mowinckel, Behold He Cometh, pp. 346-468 (read enough to get his view; also
check the Foreward to this work by Collins)
b) F. H. Borsch, "Further Reflections on 'The Son of Man:' The Origins and
Development of the Title," in J. H. Charlesworth, The Messiah, 130-144
c) John J. Collins, "The Danielic Son of Man," in The Scepter and the Star:
Messianism in light of the Dead Sea Scrolls (2nd ed.; Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 2010), 191-214
d) John J. Collins and Adela Yarboro Collins, King and Messiah as Son of God
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008), three chapters are pertinent to the topic
e) Oscar Cullman, The Christology of the New Testament (Philadelphia:
Westminster Press, 1963), pp. 137-192
f) Van Groningen, Messianic Revelation in the Old Testament, 810-818
3) Jesus use of the Son of Man in the Gospels should be examined
4) An Essay will be written that will cover
a) the various views concerning the meaning and origen of the Son of man
b) the view of the Son of Man in Daniel 7
c) how Jesus uses the concept Son of Man in the Gospels
d) some comment about the source of the concept as used by Jesus
Messianic Texts Syllabus
4
Evaluation
1) The Project on the Son of Man will be worth 40%
2) The reading will count 30%. Each student must hand in a list with page
numbers of what they have read.
3) Classroom preparedness and participation will count 30%.
Schedule
August 22
Introduction to the Course
Lecture on the Messiah in the OT
August 29
Key Text:
Others:
Reading
Westermann, Genesis 1-11, 256-261
Gen 3:14-15
Gen 4:1; 5:28-29
T. Desmond Alexander, "Messianic Ideology in the
Book of Genesis," in The Lord's Anointed, 19-32
September 5
Key Text:
Others:
Gen 49:8-12
Ezek 21:30-32 [25-27]
Reading
Westermann, Genesis 37-50, 227-231
Vos, The Eschatology of the OT, 89-104
September 12
Key Text
Others:
Reading
Noth, Numbers, 192-193
Num 24:15-19
Num 23:10, 23-24
K. Cathcart, "Numbers 24:17 in Ancient Translations
and Interpretations," in The Interpretation of the Bible,
ed. J. Krasovec (Sheffield, 1998)
Messianic Texts Syllabus
5
September 19
Key Text:
Deut 18:15-19
Reading
Block article and responses in Israel's Messiah in the
Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls, 17-84
September 26
Key Text:
Others:
Reading
Michael D. Oblath, “Job's Advocate: A Tempting
Suggestion,” BBR 9 (1999): 189-201
Job 19:23-27
Job 9:33, 16:19
Read Clines, Job 1-20 (WBC) on the texts listed
above
October 3
Key Text:
Others:
Amos 9:11-15
Acts 15:13-20
Reading
Stuart, Hosea-Jonah, 395-400
Calvin, [403-413]
October 10
No Class: Reading Week
October 17
Key Text:
Others:
Reading
Seitz, Isaiah 1-39, 60-75
Robert Reymond, Jesus Divine Messiah, 89-106
October 24
Key text:
Others:
Isaiah 11:1-2, 6-9
Isaiah 4:2, Jeremiah 23:5-7
Reading
NIDOTTE on
rc,nE and xm;c,
October 31
Key Text:
Isaiah 53:1-12
Reading
Childs, Isaiah, 410-423
Isa 7:10-16
Isa 8:1-4; 9:6-7
Messianic Texts Syllabus
6
November 7
Key Text:
Dan 9:24-27
Reading
Goldingay, Daniel, 257-263, 266-268
Assigned commentaries:
Walvoord, Daniel, 216-237
Young, Daniel, 195-221
Adams, The Time of the End
November 28
Key Text:
Others:
Reading
Meyers and Meyters, Zechariah 9-14, 261-281, 296303
Zech 11:7-14
Zech 9:9-10; 12:10
Assigned commentaries: Leupold, Boda, KD