Syllabus

REQUIRED READING:

Bruce, F.F. The Epistles to the Colossians to Philemon and to the Ephesians.  NICNT.  Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984. 

Towner, Philip.  1 & 2 Timothy & Titus.  IVP New Testament Commentary.  Downers Grove/Leicester: InterVarsity, 1994.

Fee, Gordon.  Philippians.  IVP New Testament Commentary.  Downers Grove/Leicester: InterVarsity, 1999.

Recommended:

Hawthorne, G. F. and Martin, R. P. (eds.). Dictionary of Paul and his Letters. Downers Grove/Leicester: InterVarsity, 1993

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Students will observe and practice exegesis of Paul’s letters.  They will improve their appreciation of these letters as literature, as historical documents, and as statements of early Christian theology and ethics.  They will become familiar with the content and major interpretive issues in the later Pauline epistles.  Students will gain appreciation for the ancient context—social, political, religious and intellectual—of Students will improve their familiarity with, and facility in using, the scholarly tools of research for Biblical studies.  Students will improve their own personal skills in reading and analyzing a letter, and in evaluating scholarly arguments for one interpretation or another.  Students will grow in their understanding of Paul’s theology as seen in these letters, especially in regard to salvation, the church, the person of Christ, Christian ethics, and the Christian ministry.

REQUIREMENTS:

Readings:  Students are expected to cover all of the required commentaries and any other readings the professor may assign.  They also must be prepared to discuss readings in class.  Students will not be held accountable for technical information on Greek words, textual variants, and theories of sources behind the literature--unless discussed in class or pointed to as important for understanding a passage. 

Assignments for reading & class discussion (TBA), 30%;

Participation:  Bring a Bible to class!  Come prepared to discuss that day’s material. Answering questions/sharing in discussion is important, and will be noted. 10%

Exams:  Quizes  (40%) and one final exam (20%).

Schedule (a rough guide to lectures and discussion areas):

Week 1 (1/14-18) 

Tu    Introduction to the Prison Epistles; Colossians 1:1-14. The problem of pseudepigraphy.  Reading: Ellis, “Pseudepigraphy and Canonicity”.

Th    Colossians 1:15-23.  “Cosmic Christology”. Pseudepigraphy discussion.

Week 2 (1/21-25)

Tu    Colossians 1:24-3:4. Gnosticism.

Th    Colossians 3:5—4:6. A code of Christian ethics.

Week 3 (1/28—2/1)

Tu    Col. 4:7-18. Paul’s companions.

Th    Test on Col.; Philemon; Ephesians: authorship, setting, relation to Colossians

Week 4 (2/4-8)

Tu    Ephesians 1:1-14.

Th    Ephesians 1:15-23. Discussion of Predestination in Paul and in Protestant theologies.

Week 5 (2/11-15)

Tu    Ephesians 2:1-10. sin & death, faith & grace.

Th    Ephesians 2:11-21. the new Israel.

Week 6 (2/18-22)

Tu    Eph. Quiz.  Ephesians 3-4

Th    No Class; February Break 

Week 7 (2/25—3/1)

Tu    Ephesians 5.

Th    Ephesians 6.

Week 8 (3/4-8)

Tu    Ephesians test.  Philippians 1:1-26

Th    Philippians 1:1-26

Week 9 (3/11-15)

Tu    Philippians 1:27—2:18

Th    Philippians 1:27—2:18

Week 10 (3/18-22)

Tu    Philippians 2:19—3:14

Th    Philippians 3:15—4:23

Easter Vacation, Sat. 3/23 to Mon. 4/1

Week 11 (4/2-5)

Tu    Philippians test.  Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles.

Th    1 Timothy

Week 12 (4/8-12)

Tu    1 Timothy 

Th    1 Timothy

Week 13 (4/15-19)

Tu    1 Timothy

Th    1 Tim. Quiz.;  1 Timothy

Week 14 (4/22-26)

Tu    Titus

Th    2 Timothy

Week 15 (4/29—5/2)

Tu    2 Timothy.

Th    (no class; = Friday)