Encountering the Old Testament, 4th Edition
A Christian Survey
series: Encountering Biblical Studies
Materials available for professors by request only
Chapter
19. Introduction to the Poetical Books: The Literature of God's People
Discussion Questions
- What is the value of books of the Old Testament being written as poetry?
- If you were to write a book on Christian living, would you use the chiasm as your model? Why or why not?
- What can we learn about Hebrew poetry from studying the tablets archaeologists have found?
- What does the book of Psalms say about the place of music in the life of ancient Israel and of the church today?
Class Activities
- Divide the class into groups of five or six. Assign a characteristic of Hebrew poetry to each group. Have the group identify examples in the Old Testament. Conclude with a time of sharing of the results of the group work. Class time allowed: 20 minutes.
- Divide the class into groups of four. Have the students write a six-line poem in English in the form of an acrostic. Conclude with each group reading the poem they wrote. Class time allowed: 20 minutes.