| CODE | SHG4770 | ||||||
| TITLE | Law in the Bible | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 04 - Years 4, 5 in Modular UG or PG Cert Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Sacred Scripture, Hebrew and Greek | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit probes into how the various law codes that are found in the Pentateuch originated in different epochs and contexts of the history of Israel. It also concentrates on the way the Law found its fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ and how it was interpreted by the apostle Paul. Study-unit Aims This study-unit aims at giving first a good grasp of Old Testament Law and its theology, Then, in the context of a Gospel that was born in this Jewish milieu, this study-unit also aims at giving an overview of how the Jewish law was integrated in the Gospel and in its appropriation and adaptation to different contexts and communities of the diaspora. Furthermore, it aims at showing how a "law-free" Gospel preached by the Apostle Paul does not make the law irrelevant and dated but shows how the law still remained good, although impotent to achieve what it was means to achieve: freedom to its upholders. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - examine the place of Torah in the Hebrew Scriptures and its role in the life of ancient Israel and Early Judaism; - demonstrate knowledge of the social origin of the various law codes of the Pentateuch; - evaluate the different approaches to the Law as presented in the four canonical gospels; - describe the place that the Jewish law had within the Pauline communities; - point out the different nuances and meanings of the concept of the Jewish law within Pauline preaching and theology; - demonstrate how the Jewish law, with the coming of the Gospel of Christ, remained good but impotent to achieve the true freedom it was meant to achieve. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - appreciate the importance of the Law as treated by the biblical authors. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings - BANKS R., Jesus and the Law in the Synoptic Tradition, MSSNTS 28, Cambridge 1975.- CRUESEMAN, F., The Torah: Theology and Social History of Old Testament Law. Minneaoplis: Fortress, 1996. - GREENGUS, Samuel, and SANDERS, E. P., "Law", in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 4. Edited by David N. Freedman. New York - London - Toronto: Doubleday, 1992, 242-265. - SANDERS, E. P. "Law in Judaism of the NT Period". In The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 4. Edited by David N. Freedman. New York - London - Toronto: Doubleday, 1992, 254-265. - SCREINER Thomas R. "Law of Christ". In Dictionary of Paul and his Letters. Edited by Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin and Daniel G. Reid. Downers Grove/IL - Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 1993, 542-544. - SELMAN, M. J., "Law" in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch. Edited by T. Desmond Alexander and David W. Baker, Downers Grove/IL - Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 2003, 497-515. - THIELMAN, Frank. "Law". In Dictionary of Paul and his Letters. Edited by Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin and Daniel G. Reid. Downers Grove/IL - Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 1993, 529-542. -WESTERHOLM S., "Law in the New Testament" in The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, vol.3, Edited by Katherine Doob Sakenfeld et al., Nashville 2008, 594-602. WILLIAMSON, P. R., "Covenant" in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch. Edited by T. Desmond Alexander and David W. Baker, Downers Grove/IL - Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 2003, 139-155. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Paul Sciberras |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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