AIM Old Testament Interpretation
 
6 APRIL – 29 JUNE, 2013

Introduction

Many people think of the Old Testament as a collection of beloved stories for children such as David and Goliath, Noah's Ark, Sampson, and Daniel in the Lion's Den.  Arguments rage in the popular media over the interpretation of Genesis.  People wonder how we should understand Old Testament laws...do they still apply to us today? The beauty and majesty of the Psalms and the wisdom of the Proverbs are well known, but how are we to understand books like Ecclesiastes or the strange beasts of the apocalyptic writings of the great Prophets?  If you've ever wanted to learn how to read the Old Testament with true understanding, this course is for you.  Whether you are just beginning to read the Old Testament or have read through it several times, this course will teach you how to dig deeper into the Word of God and gain an understanding of what it meant to it's original Hebrew hearers and readers.  It will help you to know the story that God relates about himself and help you to discern the presence of his Son in its pages.  

Course objective: to redefine how the Bible is read (context) and learn how to read the OT genre by genre.

Format: Six Saturdays with 2 fifty-minute classes—12 classes in all. Teachers will teach via live two-way teleconferencing (Webex) using PowerPoint. Log in to the sessions through WebEx. Students living in the same city may join together to view the sessions – limited to a maximum of 25 cities.

Resources and Reading Requirements: Main Text: Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart’s How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth. Learn to study, preach, teach, and share confidently from the Old Testament. This course has the potential to radically change how you read and interact with God’s word.

1.  Read Fee & Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, chs. 5, 9-12.
2.  Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible Book by Book (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), SKIM pp. 1-268 (read the half dealing with the Old Testament only)

Extra Credit:
D. A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996), only if not read for NTI—3 points
Philip Yancey, The Bible Jesus Read (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999)—3 points
Jacoby, Night of Redemption: A Study of Exodus (audio series) – 3 points

What will we cover?

Exegesis and hermeneutics of the Old Testament.  Units on interpretation of: Narratives, Law, Psalms, Prophets, Wisdom Literature, Apocalyptic Literature, Poetry, and the use of the OT in the NT.

When will the classes take place?

The classes will be 50 minutes in length and will begin at 10 am and 11 am Eastern Time on the following 6 Saturdays:

April 6
The OT as a Library & the Nature of Interpretation - Joey Harris
OT Narrative - Douglas Jacoby

April 13
Primeval Narrative - Douglas Jacoby
Law - Douglas Jacoby

May 18
Wisdom Literature - Douglas Jacoby
OT Apocalyptic Literature - Joey Harris

June 1
Poetry - Tom Jones
Psalms - Douglas Jacoby

June 22
Prophecy - Joey Harris
Messianic prophecy - Douglas Jacoby

June 29
Shadows & Covenants - Joey Harris
The OT in the NT - Douglas Jacoby

What if I can't make all the sessions?

Though we encourage students to make the time to participate in all of the classes live, the lessons will be recorded and accessible online for all registered students.

Who are the teachers?

You will be instructed by AIM’s three principal teachers, Douglas Jacoby (Atlanta), Joey Harris (Augusta), and Tom Jones (Nashville).

Is this the same as the Old Testament Interpretation course listed elsewhere on the website?

This is the latest live version of the standard AIM Old Testament Interpretation course and if taken for credit counts the same as taking AIM Old Testament Interpretation in any of the other course formats we currently offer.

Is there a cost?

The entire course is $30 to audit, or $150 for AIM credit.

Who may join?

Anyone! Though we expect the majority of students will be from the Americas and Europe. The course is open to all. Sign up soon! If you're interested, please let us know by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you'd like to join, and we will send you complete information once you have registered.

NOTE:  All students taking the class for credit (existing and new registrations) will be given live viewing preference over students who are auditing the class.  We are still taking new registrations, but new registrants who are auditing the class will have to view the recordings (which should not really be an issue if you are auditing the class and not taking it for credit).  If you know someone else who lives near you or are in a group within the same congregation, you can group together with existing people in your area to view the live courses, if you are auditing and don't want to view the recorded sessions.  All sessions will be recorded and made available to all registered students.