Old Testament Overview
Old Testament
(Review from 9/4/25):
Why do we have this class? What do we hope to learn/gain? Does it matter?
What it’s NOT about
Checking this off parents’/grandparents’/ list of religious things we’re supposed to do
Getting to heaven
Learning all the right answers
What it’s about
Asking questions
Learning more about God and ourselves
Getting a better idea of what Christian faith and life might mean in our future
Homework & where to find it
Sermon Notes & where to find it
Expectations for class/worship (15 sermon notes)
What this year will be about: Old Testament
Video: Old Testament Quiz
(Today’s Homework: 9/16/25)
How would you describe the Bible? What words would you use to tell people what it’s all about?
Canon = “measuring stick” or “rule”
The ‘canonization’ of the Bible is the process in which the faith leaders chose which books would be included and which would not. There were lots of other books that didn’t make it into our Bible. And there are other Christians groups that recognize certain books that Protestants don’t.
Catholics include books written during the brief time of Israel’s independence between the Greek and Roman possession (100’s-10’s BCE). The Protestant Churches chose not to. They based their Old Testament collection on the Tanakh—the Hebrew Bible as collected and seen as authoritative by the Jewish scholars. The New Testament is a little messier, but we’re not going to get into that today.
List the Old Testament stories you remember, have heard about, or know a bit about.
As you watch the video, keep track of the stories you’ve never heard about.
What surprised you as you watched the video?
Watch: Video—Bible Project: “Old Testament Summary”
