This course is a 8-part video lecture series provided freely by The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as an excerpt of their 2-part graduate level Old Testament Survey course. In this course, Terry J. Betts introduces Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature in general and specifically. Each lecture is an average of 20 minutes long.

Terry J. Betts is a fourth generation Southern Baptist minister who has pastored 14 years in Ohio and Indiana. He has written Ezekiel the Priest: A Custodian of Tora. He contributed a chapter to The Challenge of the Great Commission and has written for Holman Bible Dictionary, The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, and The Tie. He has participated in an archaeological dig at Hazor. He is a frequent preacher, Bible conference speaker, and member of the Evangelical Theological Society.

Course curated by Phil Thompson

• What general observations does Betts make about Hebrew poetry?
• What other books include poetry outside the book of Psalms?
• Why do Hebrew writers use poetry?
• What are the complexities of using the term “poetry” in relation to Hebrew writing?
• What specific characteristics or features does Betts list for Hebrew poetry?

• How does Betts define parallelism? What role does parallelism play in Hebrew poetry?
• What are Robert Lowth’s three types of parallelism? Which type of parallelism is questioned by modern scholars and why?
• Why is parallelism important to the modern reader?
• What is semantic parallelism?
  • What is complete parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is compensatory parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is elliptical parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is chiastic parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism? What is being emphasized in a chiasm?
  • What is antithetical semantic parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
• What is logical parallelism?
  • What is narrative verse parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is cause and effect parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is purpose verse parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is question and answer parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is comparative verse parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is qualifying verse parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
• What is rhetorical parallelism?
  • What is comparative parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is climactic/staircase parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
  • What is numerical parallelism? What example does Betts list for this kind of parallelism?
• What broad features of Hebrew poetry does Betts list at the end of the lecture?

A Survey of the Old Testament, pages 374–399.

• What do some scholars mean by “horizontal revelation”? How does this relate with the Bible’s teachings on inspiration?
• How do the wisdom books inform our understanding of the secular and sacred?
• What two terms does Betts list for wisdom and what dimensions of those terms does he provide?
• What is the function, audience, basis of authority, objective, and scope of the “sage” in comparison/contrast to the “priest” and the “prophet”?
• What are some of the assumptions of the sages?
• What are some of the themes of the sages?
• What does it mean to live wisely?

A Survey of the Old Testament, pages 374–99 (skim and review), 480–501 (read).

• What is the keyword for the book of Job?
• What three ideas does Betts list for Job?
• What purposes does Betts suggest are at the heart of the book of Job?
• How is our theology of suffering shaped by the book of Job?
• How did people view the relationship between material blessing and godliness in Jesus’s day? How do evangelicals view it today? What balance is taught in the book of Job?
• What three things do we learn about spiritual warfare from the book of Job?

A Survey of the Old Testament, pages 400–17.

• What is the keyword for the book of Psalms?
• What five major ideas does Betts list for Psalms?
• Where does the book get its title? How is it divided and why?
• How should we understand the titles of the individual Psalms and the ones that refer to David?
• What key theological emphases does Betts highlight in the book?
• What types of Psalms does Betts list?

A Survey of the Old Testament, pages 418–39.

• What is the keyword for the book of Proverbs?
• What four major ideas does Betts list for Proverbs?
• What are the purposes of the book from Proverbs 1?
• What is the function of the book of Proverbs?
• How should we understand the general statements of Proverbs in light of the promises in the rest of Scripture?
• How does the theme of God’s sovereignty affect our understanding of wisdom principles?
• How does Proverbs help us evaluate the situational ethics of our culture?
• How is the wisdom of Proverbs exemplified in Jesus Christ?

A Survey of the Old Testament, pages 440–53.

• What is the keyword for the book of Ecclesiastes?
• What four major ideas does Betts list for Ecclesiastes?
• What are the purposes of the book of Ecclesiastes?
• How does Ecclesiastes encourage us to trust God when we do not understand why bad things happen?
• How does Ecclesiastes contradict the viewpoint of Job’s friends?
• What does Ecclesiastes teach about the idea of human control of earthly realities?
• What general observations should Ecclesiastes teach us about life?

A Survey of the Old Testament, pages 454–65.

• What is the keyword for the book of Song of Solomon?
• What four major ideas does Betts list for Song of Solomon?
• How would you define the allegorical approach to Song of Solomon? What problems does Betts suggest for this approach?
• How would you define the typological approach to Song of Solomon?
• How would you define the cultic approach to Song of Solomon? What is the main problem that Betts suggests for this approach?
• How would you define the dramatic approach to Song of Solomon? What problems does Betts suggest for this approach?
• How would you define the literal/natural approach to Song of Solomon?
• What does Song of Solomon teach us about God’s design for marriage? Why is it significant that Song of Solomon does not portray sexual intimacy as for the purpose of childbearing?
• What practical observations does Betts make from Song of Solomon 2:8–17?

A Survey of the Old Testament, pages 466–79.