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Definition
A 'testament' is a covenant or binding agreement and is a term used in the Bible of God's relationship with his people. The sacred writings of Judaism (the Hebrew Bible). These also form the first part of the Christian Bible in which they are described as the Old Testament and set alongside the New Testament. The Old Testament contains: a) Books of the Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. b) Historical books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel & 2 Samuel, 1 Kings & 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. c) Books of poetry: Psalms , Song of Songs. d) Wisdom Literature: Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes. e) The prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah (with Lamentations), Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
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See: How the Bible came into being
A binding agreement / treaty.
The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament scriptures inherited from Judaism, together with the New Testament, drawn from writings produced from c.40-125CE, which describe the life of Jesus and the establishment of the Christian church.
The Bible describes God as the unique supreme being, creator and ruler of the universe.
That which belongs to the divine, or holy, or to God; as opposed to secular, which is that belonging to the material world of time.
The practice of the Jewish faith.
1. Language in which the Old Testament was written.
2. Jew, Jewish; belonging to Israel
Name originally given to disciples of Jesus by outsiders and gradually adopted by the Early Church.
A 'testament' is a covenant (binding agreement), a term used in the Bible of God's relationship with his people. The New Testament is the second part of the Christian Bible. Its name comes from the new covenant or relationship with God.
1. A term for the first five books of the Bible (also called the Torah or Pentateuch). Torah means instruction, doctrine, law'.
2. Instruction and guidelines covering every aspect of life contained in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).
1. Ability to judge correctly in issues relating to life and behaviour.
2. Type of biblical literature found in including the Books of Psalms, Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes.
3. Important aspect of the character of God.
Someone who conveys God's message to human beings or speaks about the future sometimes through words alone, sometimes through dramatic actions.
The Creation; Fall of humankind and universal or original sin; Noah and the Flood; the call of Abraham (start of salvation history), followed by the stories of the other patriarchs, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.
Birth and call of Moses; Passover and deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt; giving of the law including the Ten Commandments at Sinai; God takes Israel as his covenant people; beginning of 40 years wandering in the wilderness; setting up of the Tabernacle.
Establishment of Aaronic priesthood and practice (cult) of animal sacrifice; detailed laws governing cultic purity, food laws, various animal sacrifices dealing with sin and transgression.
Israel in the desert; consecration of Levites for service in the Tabernacle (symbolising God's presence); further rulings, eg. keeping of Passover; God's guidance by pillars of cloud and fire; challenges to Moses' leadership; appointment of Joshua as Moses' successor
Restatement and reaffirmation of the Sinai covenant on the eve of the Israelites' entry into Canaan, the Promised Land, in the form of addresses by Moses to the Israelites (note especially the series of blessings and curses in ch. 27-30)
Covers the lifespan of Moses' successor, Joshuaand describes the conquest of Canaan ending with the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem, which established the tribes of Israel in united allegiance to God.
An episodic account of the completion of the conquest when individual tribes suffering incursions from hostile neighbours (e.g. Philistines). The Judges were 'liberators' whom God raised up to defeat these enemies. Chief among these were Deborah, Barak, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson. The reason for the failure of the Israelite's was that '(they) did what was evil in the sight of the Lord'.
Set in the time of the judges, a story of the faith of a Moabite girl and her sacrificial love for her Jewish mother-in-law. Descended from Ruth is King David, the ancestor of Christ the Messiah.
1 and 2 Samuel: Advent of chronological record of events, particularly the story of David; central figure of Samuel (judge and prophet); interest focused on the issue of kingship; Samuel anoints first Saul (the first king of Israel) then David. Key events include David's victory over the Philistine champion, Goliath, his affair with Bathsheba and rebellion by his son Absalom. The period covered by their reigns was 1050 BCE until 971BCE. David reigned in Jerusalem for the last 33 years of his life.
1 and 2 Samuel: Advent of chronological record of events, particularly the story of David; central figure of Samuel (judge and prophet); interest focused on the issue of kingship; Samuel anoints first Saul (the first king of Israel) then David. Key events include David's victory over the Philistine champion, Goliath, his affair with Bathsheba and rebellion by his son Absalom. The period covered by their reigns was 1050 BCE until 971BCE. David reigned in Jerusalem for the last 33 years of his life.
1 Kings and 2 Kings: Accession of David's son Solomon; building of Jerusalem Temple; the break-up of the kingdom of Israel 40 years later; rivalry between the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The prophetic activities of Elijah and Elisha are recorded, including Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal. Fall of Northern capital, Samaria, to the Assyrians in 722BCE, also Judah's capital, Jerusalem, to the Babylonians in 587BCE; exile in Babylon. Main themes of 1 and 2 Kings are the Davidic dynasty, the prophetic word of the Lord and the worship of the Jerusalem temple.
1 Kings and 2 Kings: Accession of David's son Solomon; building of Jerusalem Temple; the break-up of the kingdom of Israel 40 years later; rivalry between the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The prophetic activities of Elijah and Elisha are recorded, including Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal. Fall of Northern capital, Samaria, to the Assyrians in 722BCE, also Judah's capital, Jerusalem, to the Babylonians in 587BCE; exile in Babylon. Main themes of 1 and 2 Kings are the Davidic dynasty, the prophetic word of the Lord and the worship of the Jerusalem temple.
1 and 2 Chronicles: Similar in outline to Kings, but 1 and 2 Chronicles ignores the northern kingdom - after the reigns of David and Solomon, traces the history of Judah from Rehoboam to the exile. Most space is given to David and Solomon and matters to do with the temple. The chronicler is also interested in the part played by priests and levites as cultic officials.
1 and 2 Chronicles: Similar in outline to Kings, but 1 and 2 Chronicles ignores the northern kingdom - after the reigns of David and Solomon, traces the history of Judah from Rehoboam to the exile. Most space is given to David and Solomon and matters to do with the temple. The chronicler is also interested in the part played by priests and levites as cultic officials.
Episodic book about the rebuilding of the temple after the exile; rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah around 445BCE; various reforms regarding observance of the law.
Episodic book about the rebuilding of the temple after the exile; rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah around 445BCE; various reforms regarding observance of the law.
Story (possibly an historical novel) set in the post-exilic Persian period, about a plot to commit genocide against the Jewish nation. A young Jewish girl, Esther becomes the queen of the king Ahasuerus and helps thwart the plot. The story illustrates the overruling providence of God and explains the origin of the Jewish feast of Purim.
Essentially the hymn book of the Jerusalem temple, expressing the whole range of human emotion, from dark depression to exuberant joy; many attributed to David.
Also known as the Song of Solomon; an erotic celebration of human love; variously interpretation by Jews and Christians alike
A book of wise sayings (a kind of oriental textbook) training the young in wise and right living; stylistically, many short, sharp phrases, dramatic contrasts and unforgettable scenes from life; traditionally attributed to Solomon, Israel's 'wise' king.
A great debate on why, if God is just and good, he allows innocent people to suffer (theodicy); recognised as a literary masterpiece for the wealth and energy of its language and the power of its thought
Rather disjointed and bleak collection of thoughts and sayings about life; attributed to Solomon; conclusions are that life without God is futile and empty, the cycles of nature and history are constantly repeating themselves and that 'There is nothing new under the sun'
There are at least 2 Isaiahs: Isaiah of Jerusalem, active in the final years before the exile, warns of coming judgement; an unknown prophet after the exile proclaims hope and salvation.
Active for 40 years, Jeremiah warns of coming disaster to an unrepentant Judah; he observes the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BCE and Jewish exile. Jeremiah contains the famous prophecy of a 'New Covenant' written on the heart (ch. 31).
5 laments which reflect on the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587BCE, seen through the eyes of one unknown individual.
Ezekiel received his prophetic call during Babylonian exile; contains an apocalyptic vision of God in awesome majesty (ch1); prophecies of judgement; the vision of the valley of dry bones (ch37); eight chapters devoted to a vision of the future renewed temple.
Ch 1-6 narrate stories about Daniel and his friends, exiles who remain faithful to God in the period of the Persian and Babylonian empires; includes accounts of surviving a lion's den, a fiery furnace, the story of Belshazzar's feast when Daniel interprets the writing on the wall. Ch 7-12 are a series of apocalyptic visions depicting the rise and fall of a succession of empires culminating in the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
Active prior to the fall of Samaria in 721BCE, Hosea depicts Israel's unfaithfulness in terms of a wife who commits adultery; however God will again betroth Israel as a faithful wife after judgement]3.
Includes visions of a plague of locusts and devastating drought in Israel, seen as signs of the coming day of the Lord when God will punish his enemies; followed by promises of restoration, blessing and the outpouring of God's spirit on all people.
A contemporary of Hosea, Amos depicts God's voice as the roar of a lion; judgement is passed on each of Israel's neighbours in turn followed (to her astonishment) by Israel herself.
An oracle specifically against Edom, Israel's age-old enemy, who rejoiced at the destruction of Jerusalem; Israel's restoration is prophesied
Story of Jonah's commission to take God's message of judgement to pagan Nineveh, capital of Assyria; after disobedience and being swallowed by a large fish (whale) Jonah repents and delivers God's message; Nineveh repents and God has mercy on the city.
Contemporary of Hosea, Micah addresses Samaria and Jerusalem and denounces rulers, priests, prophets, the exploitation of the helpless, dishonesty in business and sham religion; later sees a glorious future for Jerusalem and that Bethlehem will give birth to a greater David (understood by Christians as Jesus).
Poem celebrating the fall of Nineveh, God's judgement on a cruel nation.
Habakkuk battles with the problem that while God's people suffer, the wicked prosper; God's answer is that ultimately only the man who trusts God and remains loyal to him will live.
A prophecy of judgement against Judah (probably uttered around the time Jeremiah's ministry began but before king Josiah launched his programme of reform in 621 following the discovery of the law-book in the temple).
A message for the Jews returning from exile (520 BCE), when life seems hard, with food and clothing in short supply and prices soaring; people have their priorities wrong, God is neglected and so the very things they work for elude them.
A visionary priest involved in the rebuilding of the temple; Zechariah distils the wisdom of earlier prophets and brings into sharp focus the events of the distant future; he makes references to the Messiah which Christians believe are fulfilled in Christ.
Malachi means 'my messenger'; the message (dated around 450 BCE at a time when disillusionment and an increasingly casual attitude to worship had set in), concerns God's claims on his people.