First Paper Assignment

Perspectives on the Hebrew Scriptures

Prof. Frederick J. Murphy

Due in Class or by e-mail: October 20, 2005

Your assignment is to write a four or five page paper on a short passage in the Old Testament.  The passage can be anywhere from one verse long to a few paragraphs.  You have complete flexibility on what passage you choose, and your process of choosing is itself part of the task I am setting for you.  Feel free to discuss your choice with me before or after class, or through e-mail or on the phone.  This paper is meant to be an exegetical exercise.  I am not requiring consultation of any sources other than what we have already read in class and the book by Gorman.

In all cases, what I am looking for is evidence that you understand the particular way in which we are approaching the text.  We are "critical scholars," rather than simply readers looking for our own spiritual insights or preachers looking for useful theological points.  We are trying to see the texts in their own historical, literary, and theological contexts, which may have little to do with our own modern contexts, questions, and needs.  We are trying to read the text itself closely to be on guard against reading things into it.

Writing on a passage will automatically give your paper some focus.  Your task is to explain the passage as well as you can, using as a model the way I talk about passages in class and the way Collins discusses passages in the textbook.  Although this is oversimplified, you should try to explain what you think the original author(s) meant by the text and how the original hearers would have heard it.  Our annotated Bible will help you, as will the textbook.  You are welcome to consult other sources.  You can find many useful aids in libraries such as those at Anna Maria or Holy Cross.  But you are not required to do any research aside from our study Bible, Boadt, and class notes.

Keep in mind the following questions as you write.  What does the passage mean?  What is its significance for ancient Israel?  How does it fit into its immediate context, the broader context of the book in which it is found, and the still broader context of the Bible as a whole?  What are the problematic aspects of the text?

As you write the paper, I encourage you to "think out loud."  I do not expect a "professional" exposition as would be done by someone with a complete background in the languages and history of ancient Israel.  I will be quite happy if you can explain how you might go about explaining the text if you had more time and broader expertise.  For example, if you are writing on a passage that involves a lot about family relationships, you can note that the family structure and dynamics are not the same as modern America, and you might comment on what you would need to find out that would help you to understand the passage better.  Again, think out loud.

The book by Michael Gorman, Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers, should be a valuable resource for you as you write the paper.  I do not expect you to follow all of his steps in writing a paper in order (in fact, neither does he, as he makes clear).  But his discussion of the elements of exegesis should alert you to ways you can address your own text and produce an informed discussion of it.