Bible Survey Course  --  Written and published by Ronald W. Leigh
Copyright © 2000, 2001, Ronald W. Leigh
Assignments (tentative)

Class meets from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays in BECK A250.

In each class session we will discuss the assigned Bible chapters and other assigned reading.  Then, as time allows, we will discuss the additional topics listed in many of the sessions below.

The average reading assignment for each session includes 10 or 11 chapters in the Bible plus additional readings.  Please note that some sessions have heavier reading assignments than others, so plan ahead.

Old Testament

Session
Day
Date
Bible Reading Assignment
(124 chapters)
Read & sum. before class
Additional Reading Assignment
in NIV Study Bible, URLs, etc.
Read before class
1
Thur
9/6/01		 (none) ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    (from Your Bible, I & II)
        Description & relevance
        Types of published editions
        Organization of the English Bible
    (from Periods of Biblical History)
        Periods of biblical history (handout)
    The days of creation
2
Tue
9/11/01
Cancelled due to
 terrorist attack
3
Thur
9/13/01		 Genesis 1-9, 11-12 READ:
    Your Bible, III
    NIVSB, Intro. to Genesis
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Creation of man in God's image
    Translations and translation styles
4
Tue
9/18/01		 Genesis 15-17, 21-22,  24, 27-30 READ:
    Your Bible, VI
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    The Abrahamic covenant
    Inspiration
5
Thur
9/20/01
 Genesis 37, 39-47, 50, READ:
    Your Bible, VIII
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Old Testament canon and Apocrypha
6
Tue
9/25/01		 Exodus 1-7, 11-14 READ:
    NIVSB, Intro. to Exodus
    Metzger, Appen. II (pages 277-286.5)
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Authorship of the pentateuch
7
Thur
9/27/01		 Exodus 19-20, 32
Leviticus 9, 20
Numbers 13-14
Deuteronomy 28-29, 31		 READ:
    NIVSB, Intro. to Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
8
Tue
10/2/01		 Joshua 1-3, 6, 8-10
Judges 4, 6-7		 READ:
    NIVSB, The Conquest & Ethical . . . , Intro. to Joshua, Judges
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
9
Thur
10/4/01		 Judges 13-16
Ruth (none)
1 Samuel 1, 3-4, 8-10, 15-17		 READ:
    NIVSB, Intro. to 1 Samuel
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
10
Tue
10/9/01		 2 Samuel 2, 5-7, 11-12
1 Kings 1, 3, 10-12		 READ:
    NIVSB, Intro. to 2 Samuel, 1 Kings
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Hermeneutics
11
Thur
10/11/01		 1 Kings 17-18
2 Kings 2, 4-5, 17, 22-23, 25
1 & 2 Chronicles (none)		 READ:
    Leigh, Direct Bible Discovery, Ch. 11, Literary Interpretation
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Figures of Speech
12
Tue
10/16/01		 Ezra 1, 3, 6-7
Nehemiah 1-2, 4, 8-9
Esther (none)
Job 1-2, 42
Isaiah 53		 READ:
    NIVSB
        Intro. to Ezra, Nehemiah
        Wisdom Literature (all)
        Intro. to Job (Author, Date, Language & Text,
            Lit. Form & Structure)
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Sequence of eight nations controlling "the land"
    Context
O
M
I
T		 Psalms 1, 19
Proverbs 1, 3
Ecclesiastes 1
Song of Songs 1
Isaiah 1, 7-9
Jeremiah 25
Lamentations (none)		 READ:
    NIVSB
        Intro. to Psalms (Name, Literary Features, Theology)
        Intro. to Proverbs (all)
        Intro. to Ecclesiastes (all)
        Intro. to Song of Songs (Title, Author & Date, Interpretation)
        Intro. to Isaiah, Jeremiah
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    The meaning of "fulfilled" in the New Testament
13
Thur
10/18/01		 Ezekiel 36-37
Daniel 1, 2, 7, 9
Minor Prophets (none)

Review & Sample questions

 READ:
    NIVSB, Intro. to Ezekiel, Daniel
    Metzger, ch. 2, I 
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:

Session 14 -- Tue, 10/23/01 -- Midsemester Exam

New Testament

Session
Day
Date
Bible Reading Assignment
(136 chapters)
Read & sum. before class
Additional Reading Assignment
in Metzger, URLs, etc.
Read before class
15
Thur
10/25/01		 Mark ch 1 - 8:26 READ: 
    NIVSB, The Synoptic Gospels (before Matthew)
    Metzger, pages 17 - 25.3, 32-33
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    The trinity
16
Tue
10/30/01		 Mark 8:27 - ch 16 READ:
    Metzger, pages 39.5 - 43.4, 119.3 - 126.8
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
17
Thur
11/1/01		 Matthew 1, 5-7
Luke 1-2
John 1, 3-4		 READ:
    Metzger, pages 132.3 - 135
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
18
Tue
11/6/01		 John 9-12, 16
Matthew 27-28
Luke 24
John 19-21		 READ:
    Metzger, pages 126.8 - 132.3
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    The physical & spiritual death of Christ, and
        his resurrection
19
Thur
11/8/01		 Acts 1-7, 9-10
(no summary needed
of chapter 7)		 READ:
    Metzger, pages 169 - 173.3, 178.8 - 180
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
20
Tue
11/13/01		 Acts 13-17, 19, 23, 28 READ:
    Metzger, pages 199.9 - 201.8 and Appendix I
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
21
Thur
11/15/01		 Romans 1-8 READ:
    Metzger, pages 229.4 - 231.7
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    The incarnation & deity of Christ (cf. creation of man
        in God's image) 
22
Tue
11/20/01		 Romans 12-16 READ:

ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Content of the gospel
  (no class, Thur, 10/22/01)  
23
Tue
11/27/01		 1 Corinthians 1, 3, 8, 12-13, 15
2 Corinthians (none)
Galatians 1-2, 5		 READ:
    Metzger, pages 224.7 - 228.1
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
24
Thur
11/29/01		 Ephesians 2, 5-6
Philippians 1-2
Colossians 1-3		 READ:
    Your Bible, X
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
25
Tue
12/4/01		 1 Thessalonians 1-5
2 Thessalonians (none)		 READ:
    Faith, A thru C
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Faith, definitions & misconceptions
26
Thur
12/6/01		 1 Timothy 1, 3
2 Timothy 2
Titus (none)
Philemon (none)
Hebrews 1-2, 8, 11		 READ:
    Faith, D & E
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
27
Tue
12/11/01		 James 1-3
1 Peter 3
2 Peter (none)
1 John 1, 5
2 & 3 John (none)
Jude (none)		 READ:

ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
    Christianity vs. mysticism
28
Thur
12/13/01		 Revelation 1-3, 4-5, 20-22

Review & Sample questions

 (none)

Final Exam  -- TBA


A few other possible topics for class discussion:
Archeological discoveries in Bible lands
Prophecies fulfilled by Christ
Evolution (views of Michael Denton)
Liberal & NeoOrthodox views of the Bible
Miracles
The origin of evil
The uniqueness of God compared to other gods
The cultures of
    (1) Early Mesopotamia, (2) Early Canaan, (3) Egypt, (4) Assyria,
    (5) Babylonia, (6) Media, (7) Persia, (8) Greece, (9) Rome
Ancient languages & writing
Family relationships in Bible times
Home