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Alright, quick recap time. Two to three minutes. You’ve got this. When people say “Old Testament” and “Hebrew Bible,” they’re mostly talking about the same collection of books. But they are grouped and ordered a little differently. And that changes how the story *feels* when you read it. Think of it like the same playlist… but arranged in different folders. In the Hebrew Bible, the main grouping is called **TaNaKh**. That’s an acronym. First: **Torah**. That means “Instruction” or “Teaching.” It’s the first five books. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. This is the foundation. Creation. Covenant. Law. Identity. Second: **Nevi’im**, the **Prophets**. And this includes more than just people predicting the future. It includes history told through a prophetic lens. Think: leaders, kings, national drama… plus the message: “Stay faithful. Do justice.” Third: **Ketuvim**, the **Writings**. This is the “miscellaneous, but important” folder. Poetry like Psalms. Wisdom like Proverbs and Job. Stories like Ruth and Esther. And also books like Daniel and Chronicles. Now, many Christian Old Testaments use a different grouping. You often see: **Law**, **History**, **Wisdom/Poetry**, and **Prophets**. Same general content, but the order often places the prophetic books at the end. So it can feel like it’s building toward what comes next. If you remember nothing else, remember these takeaways: One: **Torah is the shared starting point.** It’s the anchor in both traditions. Two: **“Prophets” in the Hebrew Bible includes big chunks of history.** It’s not just fortune-telling. It’s interpretation plus warning. Three: **The Writings are a diverse collection.** Songs, sayings, stories, and reflections. Different genres. One big toolbox for faith and life. Quick self-check. Say it out loud: “**Torah is…**” Pause. “**Prophets are…**” Pause. “**Writings include…**” Pause. Nice. And one last misconception to correct: **the order of books is not the same as chronological order.** The Bible isn’t arranged like a straight timeline. It’s grouped by theme, genre, and tradition. So don’t assume “later in the table of contents” means “later in history.” Recap complete. Your brain just leveled up.

Course

Bible Survey: Canon, Storyline, Themes, and Historical-Cultural

10 units49 lessons

Topics

Biblical Studies (Old and New Testament)Historical Theology and Systematic Theology (basic doctrinal synthesis across the canon)Ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman HistorySecond Temple Judaism / Jewish StudiesHermeneutics (interpretation theory and genre)Religious Studies (comparative/critical approaches and interpretive diversity)

About this course

This course builds competence in surveying the Bible from Genesis to Revelation by mapping the canon’s structure, tracing the overarching narrative, and reading major genres with appropriate historical-cultural awareness. It situates key periods and empires (Egypt through Rome) and introduces essential Second Temple Judaism background for the Gospels and Paul. Core Bible-wide themes—covenant, kingdom, temple/dwelling-with-God, messiah, exile/return, and blessing to the nations—are tracked across both Testaments. The course also develops responsible interpretive method (genre, context, author/audience, canonical reading) and a nuanced orientation to interpretive diversity, including major approaches to historicity and miracles.