Final Grades in Prophetic Literature Course 2007-2008

First, I would like to acknowledge the summa cum laude in this course: C. S. Kabamalan and D. M. A. Malabuyoc.

Second, your final grade is now submitted to the Registrar. Since the SVD seminarians wrote a letter not to post grades publicly, you would then have to go personally to the office.

Third, here's how your final grade is computed:

Average of 5 Quizzes - 10%
First Major Exam - 20%
Academic Paper - 25%
Final Exam - 45%
----------------
Total = 100%

N.B. according to our Syllabus, quizzes should have been 30%, but since there are only 5 quizzes, percentage is reduced to 10. Consequently, percentage of the Final Exam increased from 25 to 45 like the price of rice. Fortunate or unfortunate, that happens when we are not faithful to our Syllabus.

Result of the Final Exam and Revalida

FINAL EXAM
Total points in the Final Exam = 50
Passing score = 25

If you do not find your booklets in the registrar’s office, that means you passed the final examination. You do not need to do a revalida.

Passing the final exam does not mean passing the course. Other areas still have to be considered: quizzes, Ceresko exam, and paper.

Since SVD students have raised a problem in public posting of grades (see SVD scholastics letter), you will then have to check with the registrar your final grades every now and then. April 14 is professors’ deadline of the submission of final grades.

REVALIDA
Coverage of the revalida is the same as in the final exam posted in this blog, see previous posts below. Questions may and may not be repeated from the final exam last March 10. New questions may or may not come out.

Date of Revalida: March 19, 2008
Time: 8:00 – 9:00 am
Place: T2 classroom

Note:
If you pass the revalida your final exam grade is 75%. This is NOT your final grade as there are other areas to be considered (quizzes, Ceresko exam, and paper). You can still get a final grade higher than 75 as well as you may receive a failing mark.

Some revalida students have their second booklet (essay part) unchecked for the reason that even with a perfect score in the essay part (14 points) that will not be enough to obtain a passing mark.

Format of the Final Examination

Part I: Identify terms, places, dates, including names of modern OT scholars.
Part II: Write a brief comment on each of the following issues.
Part III: Essay type questions

Pointers for the Final Examination

Introduction to Prophetic Literature

Puncta pro examinatione

Randolf C. Flores, SVD

March 10, 2008

Chapter 1: Basic Questions about Prophetic Literature

Sources: Powerpoint presentation with handouts

Lead article: David L. Petersen, “Introduction to Prophetic Literature” in The New International Bible Commentary, vol. 6, pp.1-23.

Contents:

1. What is the scope of prophetic literature?

2. What does “prophet” mean?

3. When did the prophetic movement begin?

4. What is the social status of the prophet?

5. What are the different literary forms used in prophetic literature?

Conclusion: (1) The prophetic books in the Hebrew Canon; (2) The Latter Prophets

Chapter 2: Prophecy in the Ancient Near East

Sources: Powerpoint presentation with handouts

Lead articles: David L. Petersen, “Introduction to Prophetic Literature” in The New International Bible Commentary VI, pp. 9-11; Robert R. Wilson, Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980), see chapter 3: “Prophecy in Ancient Near East”, pp. 89-133.

Contents:

1. Non-Israelites prophets in the Bible

2. ANE Prophecy from extra-biblical sources

3. Conclusion (3 points)

Chapter 3: The Former Prophets

Sources: Powerpoint presentation with handouts

Article: Steven L. Mckenzie, “Deuteronomistic History” in Anchor Bible Dictionary II: 160-168.

Contents:

1. The terms

2. The Deuteronomistic History

-Martin Noth’s Four Periods of History

-Theology of DH

-Criticisms of Martin Noth’s Hypothesis

3. The Significance of the Division “Former Prophets”

Chapter 4: Prophetic Literature in the Eight Century B.C.

AMOS

Sources: Handouts

Articles: Marvin Sweeney, pp. 191-195; Anthony R. Ceresko, pp. 194-203; J. Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel (revised and enlarged; Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster john Knox Press, 1996), pp. 72-82.

Contents:

A. Preliminary Remarks including major commentaries on Amos.

B. Commentary on:

Part I: Oracles against the Nations and Israel (1:3 – 2:16)

Part II: Mishpat and Zedaqah in the Central Section of Amos (chapters 3-6)

Part III: Amos’ Five Visions (chapters 7-9)

C. Conclusion (3 points from Blenkinsopp)

HOSEA

Sources: Handouts

Article: Gale Yee, “Hosea,” in Women’s Bible Commentary, pp. 195-202.

Contents:

1. Recommended Commentaries

2. Historical Context

3. Structure of the book

4. The Theological Problem of the Metaphor of Faithless Wife (Chapters 1-3)

ISAIAH 1-39

Sources: Handouts, please take note of the references/articles mentioned in every topic:

Contents:

Introduction

1. A Biographical Profile of the Prophet

2. The Prophetic Ministry of Isaiah (in Four Stages)

3. Structure of Chapters 1-39

A. The Prophet as a Social Critic (Is 5:1-7)
B. A Political Intervention of a Prophet (Isa 7:1-17)
C. The Future of Mount Zion and Mission (Is 2:2-5)
Conclusion

Chapter 5: Prophetic Literature during the Exile and in the early years of the Return

ISAIAH 40-55

Sources: Handouts
Lead article: Charles Conroy, “The Servant(s) of the Lord in the Book of Isaiah,” in Journeys and Servants: CBAP Lectures 2003 (Manila: CBAP, 2003).
Contents:
A. General Introduction
1. Commentaries
2. Unity of the Second Isaiah
3. Structure of Second Isaiah
B. Elaboration of the theme of the Suffering Servant of YHWH

JEREMIAH

Sources: Handouts

Lead article: John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible with CD-Rom (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2004), pp. 334-347)

Contents:

1. Brief introductory remarks

2. Literary history

3. Structure

4. Some Pointers for the Reading of the Book

(1) The Call of Jeremiah (1:4-19)

(2) Jeremiah and the Deuteronomic Reform

(3) A Sense of Impending Doom

(4) The Critique of the Kingship

(5) The Critique of the Prophets

(6) The Positive Attitude to Babylonian Rule

(7) Hope for the Future?

(8) The Confessions of Jeremiah

EZEKIEL

Sources: Handouts

Lead article: John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible with CD-Rom (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2004). Read the section on Ezekiel (pp. 353-374).

Contents:
Book I: Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem (Chaps. 1-24)
A. Glory and Destruction (Chapters 1-11)
1. The Opening Vision (chaps. 1-3)
2. Symbolic Actions
3. The Abominations in the Temple (chap. 8)
4. The Vision of Destruction (chaps. 9-10)
B. Oracles of Judgment (chaps. 12-24)
1. The Useless Vine (chap. 15)
2. The Promiscuous Woman (chap. 16)
3. Riddles on Politics (meshalim in Hebrew, singular is mashal)
4. Individual Responsibility (chap. 18)
5. Death of Ezekiel’s Wife (24:15-17)

Book II: Oracles of Hope and Consolation (chaps. 25-48)
A. Oracles against the Nations (chaps. 25-32)
B. Oracles of Restoration (chaps. 33-48)
1. One Shepherd
2. New Spirit
3. The Valley of the Dry Bones (chapter 37)
4. Gog of the Land of Magog (chaps. 38-39)
5. The New Jerusalem (chaps. 40-48)

Online Resources/Studies on Prophets

This is a link to the webportal of Prof. R. W. Kleins with numerous links to free online resources on the Old Testament, Ancient Near East, History of Ancient Israel and Prophet. Click on R. W. Kleins.

Baal and Jesus

The Judean Desert

Here's a reflection I wrote last year for the first Sunday of Lent on the First Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness where I read the text in the background of Baal worship. Click The First Temptation: Bread.

Baal

Ba'al with raised arm, 14th-12th century BC,
found at Ras Shamra (ancient Ugarit), Louvre
Photograb: wikipedia

This article presents Baal in the Ugaritic texts which would give us a good background to understand the Baal polemics in Hosea 2. Click on this "Baalism in Canaanite Religion andIts Relation to Selected Old Testament Texts" Greg Herrick Th.M., Ph.D.