Overview and Objectives

The Old Testament can be daunting. It is perceived by long, complex, and mired in ancient some as history, and the numerous prophets who contributed to Scripture can often become confusing. However, this lesson sets the stage for a comprehensive course on essentially the second “half’ of the Old Testament. As an introduction to the course and his method, Dr. Averbeck explains the primary purpose of teaching the Bible and highlights certain attitudes that should permeate our approach to God’s Word whether we study it personally or teach it to others. Finally, he gives a of the overall biblical story and shows how the Latter Prophets and Writings fit in.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to do the following:

• State the most central purposes for teaching the Bible.
• Understand and apply the teaching of the Bible.
• Consider the dynamic of the Holy Spirit in the Bible teaching-learning process.
• Contemplate the interacting roles of God, people, and the Bible in teaching.
• Gain an introductory understanding of Creation/Corruption Theology and Redemption Theology.
• Situate the Latter Prophets and Writings in the overall biblical story.

As you proceed through this lesson have the following question in mind.
Reflect on the lecturer’s discussion of our purpose in teaching the Bible. How does his focus differ from approaches you have seen or practiced? How do you think that focus should affect the way we teach the Bible?