The Bible: The Basics

201 Pages·2010·1.15 MB·English

by  John Barton

THE BIBLE
THE BASICS
‘This book introduces some of the enduring and endlessly interesting questions
abouttheBibleanditsculturalinfluence.Thewritingisclearandfluid,butnever
overlysimplifying…highlyrecommended.’
TodLinafelt,GeorgetownUniversity,USA
‘With characteristic lucidity and freshness, John Barton offers firm foundations
for the modern student. He addresses key questions that remain relevant for the
twenty-firstcenturyinabalancedandthoroughlyaccessibleway.’
GeorgeBrooke,UniversityofManchester,UK
The Bible: The Basics is a compelling introduction to the Bible as both a sacred
text,central tothefaithof millions,anda classicwork ofWestern literature, con-
taining a tapestry of genres, voices, perspectives and images. This masterly guide
skilfullyaddressesbothaspectsoftheBible’scharacterbyexploring:
(cid:2) the rich variety of literary forms, from poetry to prophecy and epistles to
apocalypses
(cid:2) thehistorical,geographicandsocialcontextoftheBible
(cid:2) contemporaryattitudestotheBibleheldbybelieversandnon-believers
(cid:2) thestatusofbiblicalinterpretationtoday.
Includingmaps,achronologyanddetailedsuggestionsforfurtherreading,thisisan
idealstartingpoint foranyonestudyingtheBibleinanysettingorsimplywanting
toknowmoreaboutthebest-sellingbookofalltime.
JohnBartonisOriel&LaingProfessoroftheInterpretationofHolyScriptureat
the University of Oxford. His previous books include Reading the Old Testament,
TheNatureofBiblicalCriticismandWhatistheBible?
The Basics
ANTHROPOLOGY LANGUAGE(SECONDEDITION)
PETERMETCALF R.L.TRASK
ARCHAEOLOGY(SECONDEDITION) LITERARYTHEORY(SECONDED)
CLIVEGAMBLE HANSBERTENS
ARTHISTORY MANAGEMENT
GRANTPOOKEANDDIANANEWALL MORGENWITZEL
BLUES MARKETING(SECONDEDITION)
DICKWEISSMAN KARLMOOREANDNIKETHPAREEK
BUDDHISM OPERA
CATHYCANTWELL DENISEGALLO
CRIMINALLAW PHILOSOPHY(FOURTHEDITION)
JONATHANHERRING NIGELWARBURTON
CRIMINOLOGY POETRY
SANDRAWALKLATE JEFFREYWAINWRIGHT
ECONOMICS POLITICS(FOURTHEDITION)
TONYCLEAVER STEPHENTANSEYANDNIGELJACKSON
EUROPEANUNION(SECONDEDITION) THEQUR’AN
ALEXWARLEIGH-LACK MASSIMOCAMPANINI
FILMSTUDIES RELIGION(SECONDEDITION)
AMYVILLAREJO MALORYNYE
FINANCE ROMANCATHOLICISM
ERIKBANKS MICHAELWALSH
FOLKMUSIC SEMIOTICS(SECONDEDITION)
RONALDCOHEN DANIELCHANDLER
INTERNATIONALRELATIONS SHAKESPEARE(SECONDEDITION)
PETERSUTCHANDJUANITAELIAS SEANMCEVOY
INTERNET SOCIOLOGY
JASONWHITTAKER MARTINALBROW
ISLAM TELEVISIONSTUDIES
COLINTURNER TOBYMILLER
JAZZ THEATRESTUDIES
CHRISTOPHERMEEDER ROBERTLEACH
JUDAISM WORLDMUSIC
JACOBNEUSNER RICHARDNIDEL
T H E B I B L E
THE BASICS
John Barton
Firstpublished2010
byRoutledge
2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,OxonOX144RN
SimultaneouslypublishedintheUSAandCanada
byRoutledge
270MadisonAvenue,NewYork,NY10016
RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2010.
To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.
©2010JohnBarton
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedorutilisedin
anyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,orothermeans,nowknownorhereafter
invented,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orinanyinformationstorageor
retrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublishers.
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Barton,John,1948-
TheBible–thebasics/JohnBarton.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferences.
1.Bible–Introductions.I.Title.
BS475.3.B372010
220.6’1–dc22
2009030702
ISBN 0-203-85998-7 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN10:0-415-41135-1(hbk)
ISBN10:0-415-41136-X(pbk)
ISBN10:0-203-85998-7(ebk)
ISBN13:978-0-415-41135-6(hbk)
ISBN13:978-0-415-41136-3(pbk)
ISBN13:978-0-203-85998-8(ebk)
For Mary

CONTENTS
Figures viii
Preface ix
1 The Bible in the modern world 1
2 The nature of the Bible 21
3 Major genres 48
4 Religious themes 79
5 The Bible and history 109
6 The social world of the Bible 134
7 Biblical interpretation today 156
Bibliography 178
Index 183
FIGURES
1 Books of the Hebrew and Greek Bibles 28
2 Traditional datings of persons and events in the
Hebrew Bible 113
3 The Near East in ancient times 115
4 Palestine in the time of Jesus 121
PREFACE
Some people love the Bible and some hate it; but few read it.
Anyone who studies the Bible, whether as part of a course in
theology or religious studies or for personal interest, is in a minority
in the modern world. The aim of this book is to make their task
easier, by providing some of the background information that can
make what is now often an alien text come alive. What may
happen next depends on the reader. For some a more intensive
knowledge of the Bible becomes a strong support for faith, but for
others it seems to reduce the text’s religious claims. I have not
written with any religious intention, but simply to elucidate what is
often a difficult and complex book. The only underlying assump-
tion is that the Bible is important—not a trivial or uninteresting
text. It has not maintained its centrality in Western culture by
sleight-of-hand, but through having things to say that still demand
our attention, whatever conclusions we come to about them. But
the book is emphatically not a work of Christian apologetics or
evangelism, and I do not believe that only believers can understand
the Bible properly.
In reading the book it will help to have a Bible to hand. I have
quoted a good deal verbatim, but there was not space to quote
every passage I wanted to refer to. My quotations are from the
Revised Standard Version, which I believe is the best modern
translation; but it is going out of print, and readers may therefore
have to manage with the New Revised Standard Version, which