REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS  

(1) To rebuild and upgrade the student’s knowledge and use of NT Greek.

(2) To utilize and develop exegetical skills.

(3) To develop a NT-based understanding of ministry.

Reading and Reacting (30-35 hours):

Abraham Malherbe, The Letters to the Thessalonians. The Anchor Bible, volume 32B. New York: Doubleday, 2000.

Reading of the Introductions to the two letters (pages 1-92 and 349-375) should be during the first week of class in conjunction with the class lectures on introductory issues. The commentary on specific passages should be read after the respective passages have been covered in class. The student is to react to the reading in the days that follow by mean of the class list serve (see below).

Study (10-15 hours):

1 and 2 Thessalonians (in your Bible)

The student is to  read, outline, and carefully study Paul's Thessalonian epistles. Method: Read the passages through three or four times (at least once in Greek is ideal), then try to outline the flow chapter by chapter in as much detail as possible without reference to the text. Check and correct the outline by means of the text. There will be a short objective examination May 21 on the content of the two epistles. See Sample Content Exam for examples of the kinds of questions on the exam.

Exam preparation (10-15 hours):

10-15 hours are specifically allotted to preparation for the two examinations.

May 21-- Content of the Thessalonian letters

June 6-- Content of class lectures and discussion

Should an exam be missed for any reason, the student will receive a different exam from the others and thus cannot receive the benefit of class averaging (see below).

For "Paul" credit:
Exegesis Paper (30-35 hours)

Select a passage from a portion of 1 or 2 Thessalonians not covered in the class lectures (see Class Schedule). The passage should be 1-5 verses in length. With the help of Gordon Fee (New Testament Exegesis, Westminster/John Knox Press) apply the following methodologies to the Greek text of the passage:
        1) Word Study (Fee, 100-113)
        2) Historical Background Study (Fee, 114-123)
        3) Literary/Structural Analysis (Fee 65-80)
        4) Syntax (Fee 92-99)
Beside the analyses in class lectures and Malherbe, examine a number of other commentaries and secondary sources after you have done your own first-hand work with the text. The finished product (in Andrews style) should be 8-15 double-spaced pages, including footnotes and bibliography

For "Gospels" credit:
Marking and Reflection (30-35 hours)

Using a Greek or English synopsis (the synopses by Aland [American Bible Society] are preferred) do the following:

By means of four non-permanent colored marking pens (such as Hi-Liter, Major Accent, or Stabilo Boss) color in the parallel materials as follows (choice of colors is optional):
        a) in yellow mark all words that appear in all three Synoptic Gospels (Triple Tradition)
        b) in pink mark all words that Mark and Luke have in common but are not found in Matthew
        c) in green mark all words that appear in Matthew and Mark but are not found in Luke
        d) in blue mark all words that appear in Matthew and Luke but are not found in Mark (sometimes labeled "Q" material).

        By default all unmarked material should be unique to each particular gospel writer. The marking should be done with great care since mistakes are almost impossible to correct and result in a messy and confusing product. It is usually wise to begin by xeroxing a few pages for practice before marking the book itself.

Keep a log (preferably typed) of time spent along with sermon ideas, devotional insights, hermeneutical observations and theological concepts that emerge from the marking. The finished log should record at least 30 hours spent and be a minimum of 5-10 pages.


List Serve Reactions: 

        Beginning as soon as you received notice from me by email and in class, a major component of the class will involve a list serve (NTST658001@andrews.edu) through which the students and teacher will communicate regarding class issues and share their findings on the text of the Thessalonian letters. Students will be graded on the quality of their submissions and the quality of their critiques of the submissions of others. A total of 20 points will be awarded for posting 20-30 substantive comments and reactions to the comments of others. The definition of "substantive" for this class normally means comments that address the Greek text of Thessalonians and the issues the text raises. At least 10 of the comments should address issues of Greek grammar and syntax directly. At least 10 of the comments also need to interact directly with material in Malherbe's commentary (obviously one can do both Greek and Malherbe in one posting, since most of his comments directly address issues of Greek grammar and syntax).
        The class procedure for the list serve will be as follows. In the first week (see class schedule), students should be reading the introductory parts of Malherbe's commentary (pages 1-92 and 349-375). Up to ten substantive reactions can address the introductory issues in the book and in the class lectures. Once the lectures move into the text of First Thessalonians, students should be studying the text in preparation for class. There will be opportunities (trials?) for students to translate the Greek text and respond to questions about it during class (see extra credit below). The portions to be prepared in advance will be announced in the previous class. Substantive comments about the text are welcome during the week before they are discussed in class. After the class has discussed a passage, students are to read the relevant portions in Malherbe (also announced in class) and offer further reactions to the text, now based on reading of Malherbe as well as personal study and class interaction.
        Since the list serve is a critical part of student learning in this class, students who cannot or will not "do email" should drop the class. Assistance in getting an email account and learning how to use it (for those who need it) can be obtained by calling ITS at campus phone number 6016. It is advisable in any case for the purposes of the list serve to have an andrews email account.  

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 EXTRA CREDIT

        Students interested in extra credit (and they are many) should be aware that class interactions and list serve comments that show an unusual diligence in working with the Greek language of First and Second Thessalonians will result in special grade consideration when final grades are determined.