Note: COURSE CONTENT MAY BE CHANGED, TERM TO TERM,

Transcription

1 Note: COURSE CONTENT MAY BE CHANGED, TERM TO TERM, WITHOUT NOTICE. THE INFORMATION BELOW IS PROVIDED AS A GUIDE FOR COURSE SELECTION AND IS NOT BINDING IN ANY FORM.

2 COURSE DESCRIPTION Syllabus You have chosen to embark on an analytical and practical study of one the greatest pieces of literature ever written! There is not even another book like it in the Bible. It contributes greatly in connecting the Old Testament to the New Testament, and it marvelously presents the Lord Jesus as the Messiah who is the completion of all the Old Testament hopes and program. He is God's provided object of faith who fulfills God's promises and meets all of human need. The book of Hebrews answers all religions based on works-righteousness, ancient or modern. It demonstrates the uniqueness of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures that they are God-given and in no way merely a human production. The promises clearly spelled out in the Old Testament are connected to their fulfillment in Christ in the New Testament. What some people see as a difficult book to understand is, one that is quite clear in its overall message. Yes, there are some parts that are hard to interpret; but there are good answers. Hebrews is a book that provides assurance of a perfect salvation in the one-and-only Perfect Priest, the God-man. It encourages us and challenges us to a life of faith that pleases God and has great benefits for us. ter of God's revelation and who should be the center of the believer's attention. In short, we want to exalt Him that we will love Him more. COURSE OBJECTIVES This course is a study of the New Testament book of Hebrews. In it, we will analyze the book so as to understand its major message, its movement of thought, and its major contributions to our concept of Christ and His great salvation. Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to: grasp the content of Hebrews in order that you may trace its argument (development of the theme), explain its message and its interpretation problems, and capsulize its main doctrines. explain the significance of the historical-cultural setting of the book as it affects the meanings of the terms, quotations, and allusions to the Old Testament and biblical doctrines. explain concerning Christ, how He is the Author and Perfecter of salvation, the fulfillment and the end of the Mosaic Law system, and the Son who is greater than angels, Moses, and Aaron. grow spiritually from the teaching of Hebrews and be able to address the practical issues of answering legalistic approaches to doctrine and living, assurance of the believer's perfect acceptance in Christ, dedication and discipline in Christian living, and defending and promoting the Christian faith as genuine and unique. apply the teachings of Hebrews to your life and ministry. TEXTS MacArthur, John Jr. Hebrews Chicago: Moody 1983 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Copyright 2001 by Moody Bible Institute. All rights reserved. Syllabus: Page 1

3 Unless otherwise specified, the materials and services on this website are for your personal and non-commercial use, and you may not modify, copy, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any information, software, products or services obtained from the website without the written permission from Distance Learning Center, Moody Bible Institute, 820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, Illinois Syllabus: Page 2

4 Introduction TABLE OF CONTENTS Lesson 1: The purposes of Introductory Matters Lesson 2: Overview of Hebrews Perfect Priest and His Perfect Salvation Lesson 3: Christ's Superiority to Angels Lesson 4: Christ's Superiority to Moses Lesson 5: The Danger of Departure Lesson 6: Our Qualified High Priest Lesson 7: The Danger of Defection Lesson 8: Promise of Encouragement Lesson 9: Parallel with Melchizedek Lesson 10: Better Ministry and Better Covenant Lesson 11: Better Sanctuary and Better Sacrifice Lesson 12: Mission: Perfection Accomplished Practice of Believer Priests Lesson 13: Take Hold, Take Heed, Take Heart Lesson 14: Evidence of the Life of Faith Lesson 15: Enduring in Faith Lesson 16: Obligations of Grace Unit 4 Unit 5 Syllabus: Page 3

5 GRADING Your grade for this course will consist of: Reading the book of Hebrews 10% Reading MacArthur 10% Paper 1 15% Paper 2 15% Interview Paper 15% Exam 1 10% Exam 2 10% Threaded Discussion 15% Total 100% Letter grades are determined by the following scale: A 95% or higher C % A % C % B % D % B % D % B % D % C % F Below 70% Requirements. Communication. 1. Discussion Board Participation - One of the great advantages of an online course over a traditional correspondence course is the ability to communicate and share ideas. You will be required to participate in a number of regular (usually weekly) discussions on select topics. You should check the Discussion Board in the Blackboard course site frequently and participate in any active discussions. Successful participation in a course discussion typically includes the following: You post one new message of your own for any given topic, the week that it is being discussed. You read the messages posted by others and reply to at least one of them in a reasonable amount of time or as otherwise instructed by your professor. Your postings should be thorough and thoughtful. Just posting an I agree/disagree with your comment or an I think the same to someone else s thoughts is not considered to be Syllabus: Page 4

6 an adequate response You will on occasion need to send an to the instructor. Due to the large number of messages received by the instructor, it is very important that all messages that you send meet the following criteria: The subject line MUST contain with the course name or ID. This lets the professor know which course you are sending me a message about. You need to include your full name somewhere in the message. It is not always possible to tell what a person's name is from his or her address. Please remember to do this for all s, not just the first one. If you do not include these things in an that you send your professor, then they cannot promise that they will get to your message in a timely manner if at all. Lesson Activities There are often smaller activities that are assigned in any given week that are designed to help you further understand the concepts or applications being taught. It is expected that you complete these activities as you progress through the related lesson materials. Unless it is otherwise stated in the syllabus, lesson activities usually are not graded and do not affect your final grade. However, your completion of these activities may help you do better in other assignments in this course. Reading Assignments One of the essential aspects of each course is the reading assignments. It is expected that you will complete all the required reading, the week that it is assigned so that you are able to effectively participate in the online discussions as well as for your own benefit in being able to grasp the concepts being taught in the lesson. Papers and Assignments. Always follow the instructions given for any particular paper or assignment if there is ever a discrepancy with the guidelines listed here. Assignments must be submitted electronically, only in a Microsoft Word compatible file using the digital dropbox located in the Tools area of the Blackboard course site. Within the Microsoft Word document, your assignment must take the following format: prefaced with a separate title page, which should include the title of the paper; the name of the course; the date; your name and address; and your student identification number On 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper Font size 12 Double-spaced Bordered by a one-inch margin on all sides Syllabus: Page 5

7 Correct in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. No more than four errors per page are acceptable Documented in MLA style if citations are necessary (see the Student Union, How to Write a Paper, and other MLA resources for more details On MLA style) A list of resources used in this course is located in the Syllabus. This list of resources may be helpful in your research as you prepare the papers assigned for this course. Possible places that you could find these resources, include your pastor, a friend, or a library (church, school, or public). If the library nearest you does not have the book you want, they may be able to obtain it through an inter-library loan program. You may even wish to purchase some of these books for your own personal library. You are encouraged to consult any outside references and it is recommended that you also cite other applicable Scriptures. Research Paper - Topic 1 Topic #1 - "Rest" in Hebrews Find and present the major uses of the word rest in the Old Testament, noting particularly Psalm 95. Find and present the uses of the word rest in Hebrews 3:16-4:10. Find and present the point of logic based on the lapse of time presented in Hebrews 4:7-9. Summarize the main progression of thought in 3:16-4:10 in several brief sentences. How does the Old Testament Jewish viewpoint of the writer and readers affect the interpretation of rest in this context? How does this help you in your spiritual outlook? Research Paper - Topic 2 Topic #2 - Renewal to Repentance Describe the spiritual condition of the readers as found in Hebrews 5: What are the possible causes for this condition? Note the changes in two places (i.e., verses) of grammatical person ( we and you, then those and them, and back to we and you ). What kind of persons are addressed, then, in the various sections of this warning? Syllabus: Page 6

8 What privileges do these people have, and what danger do they face according to Hebrews 6:4 6? What reason does the author give for the impossibility of renewing some to repentance? What is the point of the illustration in Hebrews 6:7 8, and how is it connected to Hebrews 6:4 6? How does this relate to the security of your salvation? Research Paper - Topic 3 Topic #3 - The Abrahamic Covenant in Hebrews From the study guide and textbook, summarize the significance of the Abrahamic covenant (not Mosaic covenant) to the Jewish nation and readers. Locate and list the references and allusions to the Abrahamic covenant in Hebrews. Summarize the doctrine of Hebrews regarding this covenant according to the major emphases of the author. (Each major section of mention has a different, but related, emphasis.) What hope does this hold out for the Jewish nation, and when will it be completely fulfilled? How does this covenant hope affect your life and expectation? Research Paper - Topic 4 Topic #4 - The Old and New Covenants This research will aid in your understanding the contrast and connection of these two covenants, one of the main emphases of Hebrews. Define and differentiate the first covenant and the new covenant, which are treated by the author in Hebrews 8 9. Where is each covenant found in the Bible in its first revelation? (Note the references from Hebrews to the Old Testament writings). On what occasions or at what time in Israel s history were they first revealed (not necessarily instituted)? What is the relationship of the first to the new covenant? How is Christ related to each of these covenants? What are the two tabernacles mentioned, and how do they relate to each other? Research Paper - Topic 5 Syllabus: Page 7

9 Topic #5 - The Day of Atonement Summarize the teaching of Hebrews, particularly chapter 9, as to how Christ fulfilled this Old Testament feast described in Leviticus Specifically treat: When did this feast occur in the Hebrew calendar, and in what month of our calendar is this observed today? What sacrifices were offered? Who was the priest, what did he do, and where did he perform these actions? How does this relate to Christ and His work? Note the similarities and contrasts. Briefly relate what you have found to the statements found in Hebrews 10:1 4 and 10: How might this study help in witnessing to a Jewish friend? Research Paper - Topic 6 Topic #6 - Christ s Return and Kingdom The book of Hebrews builds on Old Testament promises and relates them to Christ. In view of this, search out and present the following: Locate and list the references and allusions to Christ s second coming. Note the emphasis the author makes in each major passage. What is the connection of the Second Coming to the covenant, the promises, and the inheritance promised to the Jewish nation? What does this doctrine mean to the Jewish nation? How does this affect your present outlook and hope? How would this research help you to relate the gospel to Jewish friends? Research Paper - Topic 7 Topic #7 - God s Chastisement of His Children Syllabus: Page 8

10 Analyze Hebrews 12:5 11 as it relates to chastisement. Present your findings, using and explaining the terms of the text. Note: God s purposes; our attitudes, negative and positive; our actions or responses; the good results; the connection of Hebrews 12:5 11 to the context of Hebrews 10:36 12:4 and to the circumstances in which the readers found themselves in that time. How does this affect your attitude toward the circumstances in which you find yourself? Interview Response Paper There are many opinions about the book of Hebrews and a variety of responses. Recognizing these can help you understand some of the impressions and problems people face in trying to understand this part of God's revelation. Interview three or four people. One should be a pastor or a teacher of the Bible. One may be a family member, and another a friend who professes to be a believer. If you can, interview a Jewish Christian. Check: their understanding of the general message of the book, their understanding of Christ as both genuine God and genuine man, their reaction to the fact that He is the only mediator and priest between God and man, what they think the sacrifice of Christ accomplished, and how they think the sacrifice of Christ relates to them. Write up the results of each interview. It may be that some are not as complete as others, but present the results and your impressions to each one and to the profit of this assignment. Exams and Quizzes Check the Grading section of the syllabus to find out how each exam/quiz contributes to your final grade. All of the exams/quizzes will be available online, anytime during the week that it is to be completed, according to the schedule in the syllabus. The exams/quizzes are located in the Assignments area of the Blackboard course site. Although you are not required to secure a proctor, you are still not allowed to use any books or other materials (unless otherwise instructed by your professor or noted for a specific exam). You will have a limited amount of time to complete each exam and once you have started an exam, you will not be permitted to close it and return later (it must be completed in one sitting). Syllabus: Page 9

11 Note: Many courses include self-check quizzes. Self-Check Quizzes are for review purposes only and do not contribute to your final grade. You are encouraged to take the self-check quizzes as many times as you like - they often include questions that are also given in the exams. Exam 1 Exam 1 covers Lessons 1-8 Exam 2 Exam 2 covers Lessons 9-16 Syllabus: Page 10

12 Procedures Each week you are expected to visit the course site a minimum of 2 to 3 times. What specific day or time is really up to you, unless your professor informs you otherwise. Each time you visit the course site you should do the following: Read any new Announcements that have been posted Read any new messages in the Discussion Boards Respond to these new Announcements and Messages appropriately At some time, each week, you should study the lesson(s) assigned, actively read any reading assignments, complete and submit any exams or assignments if there are any due for that given week. Also, in anticipation of some of the major assignments, you ought to be aware of the next major paper, project or exam so that you are ready to submit that when it is due. If you are ever not going to be unable to meet an assignment deadline, you should contact your professor (they may be able to work with you in either arranging makeup or permitting you to submit an assignment late - any late penalties will be determined by your instructor). Syllabus: Page 11

13 References MacArthur, John Jr. Hebrews Chicago: Moody 1983 Syllabus: Page 12