Jonathan S. Greer

Jennifer Jackson Greer

This concise and practical introduction helps students read and understand the whole Bible in its ancient context with an eye toward why backgrounds study matters today. With nearly twenty years of combined experience in teaching backgrounds courses, Jonathan and Jennifer Greer ably cover both the Old and New Testaments in a single, accessible, well-organized volume. The authors introduce readers to geography, history, archaeology, religion, social contexts, and literature to help them enter the ancient world before viewing each genre of the Bible--Old and New Testaments--through an ancient lens. Addressing not only the why but also the how-to of engaging the ancient world, this book shows why backgrounds study is important for understanding and interpreting the Bible, provides methods and tools for engaging the text's foreignness, and explores the difference backgrounds study makes for living faithfully in our world today. Ten illustrations are included.

A Guide for Exploring the Worlds of the Old and New Testaments

How to Read the Bible in Its Ancient Context

John H. Walton

John W. Hilber

This authoritative volume brings together a team of world-class scholars to cover the full range of Old Testament backgrounds studies in a concise, up-to-date, and comprehensive manner. With expertise in various subdisciplines of Old Testament backgrounds, the authors illuminate the cultural, social, and historical contexts of the world behind the Old Testament. They introduce readers to a wide range of background materials, covering history, geography, archaeology, and ancient Near Eastern textual and iconographic studies. Meant to be used alongside traditional literature-based canonical surveys, this one-stop introduction to Old Testament backgrounds fills a gap in typical introduction to the Bible courses. It contains over 100 illustrations, including photographs, line drawings, maps, charts, and tables, which will facilitate its use in the classroom.

Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts

Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament

In Dinner at Dan, Jonathan S. Greer offers a synthesis of biblical and archaeological evidence for sacred feasts at the Levantine site of Tel Dan from the late 10th century - mid-8th century BCE and explores their significance.

Jonathan S. Greer

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