Biblical World & Cultures
A Program focused on the Historical, Cultural & Religious Setting of the Bible Enroll NowProgram Overview
The Biblical World & Cultures Program at All Nations Biblical Study Center consists of 7 courses. This program introduces students to the historical, cultural and religious setting of the Bible.
Courses in Program
The Jewish World of Jesus
This course explores the first century Jewish world of Jesus. Students will be introduced to each of the geographic regions of the Land of Israel, daily life in first century Israel, and the major religious groups of Jesus’ day. Jewish worship in the Temple, Synagogue and home will also be discussed. Exclusive high definition video footage and images from the Land of Israel are featured throughout this course.
Israel in Worship I: God’s Appointed Times
This course will introduce students to God’s Appointed Times, commonly referred to as the 7 Feasts of Israel, as set forth in Leviticus 23. This God-ordained schedule of worship kept Israel focused upon the LORD throughout the year. The sacred biblical calendar provides vital insights regarding acceptable worship for believers in every age. Class sessions will include detailed discussions on the institution and proper observance of the weekly Sabbath, the annual festivals of Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost (Shavu’ot), Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah), The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and Tabernacles (Sukkot). The national festivals of Purim and Hanukkah will also be covered. In addition, students will have the unique opportunity to participate in a Biblical/Last Supper Meal.
Israel in Worship II: Tabernacle, Temple & Synagogue
This course examines how the Jewish nation worshipped the Lord in the Tabernacle, Temple(s) and local synagogues. Course topics include: Worship before the Law, The Construction of the Tabernacle, Sacrifices & Offerings, The Ministry of the Levites & Priesthood, The Rise of the 1st & 2nd Temples, Worship & Service in the Jewish Temple(s), Jesus and the Temple, Tabernacle and Temple Imagery in the New Testament, The Rise of The Jewish Synagogue, and The Relationship between the Church and Synagogue.
Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament
This course provides a general introduction to the Jewish backgrounds of the New Testament. The following topics will be discussed during the semester: a survey of Jewish history from the Persian to the Roman period; an introduction to the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Rabbinic Literature; the various Jewish parties and sectarian groups, to include the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Herodians, Samaritans, proselytes and God-fearers; the temple and the priesthood; the Sanhedrin, rabbis and the synagogue; and Jewish festivals and holy days. Extensive visual presentations are provided for each class session.
The Origins of Christianity
This seminar explores the major issues and events surrounding the establishment of the Christian Church. Course discussions will highlight how Jewish beliefs, practices, and institutions influenced and shaped early Christianity. Class topics include: Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven; The Early Jerusalem Community, God’s Appointed Times: The Fall Feasts; Jesus the Messiah; The Mission to the Gentiles; Encounters with Paganism; Orthodoxy and Heresy; Elder and Younger Brothers: Early Debates; The Jesus Tradition: Origins of the Gospels; Conversion, Baptism, and New Life; The Eucharist and Agape Meal; The Didache: Handbook of the Early Church; and Christianity and Pagan Society.
Biblical Backgrounds I
This Biblical Backgrounds Seminar explores the Jewish world of Jesus, the first three centuries of Christianity, the literature that enlightens the Bible and the formation of the Biblical Canon. Class topics include: Jesus in His Jewish Context, Messianic Thought, Jewish Religious Groups, The Synagogue and Church: the Parting of the Ways, Life and Literature in the Early Church, What Outsiders Said About the Early Christians, Spiritual Blindness, Discovering the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Importance of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, The Book of Revelation and Apocalyptic Literature, An Introduction to the Hebrew Canon, and An Introduction to the New Testament Canon.
Biblical Backgrounds II
This Biblical Backgrounds Seminar will explore the cultural background of the Bible, significant places of the Biblical World and vital issues facing the Early Christians. Class topics include: The History of the English Bible, The Hard Sayings of Jesus, Idioms in the Bible, Manners and Customs of the Bible, Important Archaeological Discoveries, A Tour of the Biblical World, and Israel and The Land. [10 Sessions, approximately 1 hour, 20 min. each]
