{"id":28275,"date":"2013-12-04T13:17:01","date_gmt":"2013-12-04T18:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/?p=28275"},"modified":"2015-04-27T17:36:32","modified_gmt":"2015-04-27T22:36:32","slug":"old-testament-gospel-doctrine-reading-and-resources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/2013\/12\/old-testament-gospel-doctrine-reading-and-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Reading and Resources!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>December has finally arrived! For the last six months, I’ve felt like\u00a0Old Testament is just<\/em> around the corner. Finally we’re into the last loose stretch of\u00a0D&C and I can put up the first Old Testament post. With the cyclic return to the Old Testament comes the perennial question, how do I make sense of this? Where should I turn to read “out of \u00a0the best books”? Look no further, friend, for here is a scattered list. (I’ve been even busier than anticipated<\/a>, and just don’t have time to polish or add images.)<\/p>\n

First, though, a note. All the books below can be divided into two structural categories. There are those arranged by book, chapter, and verse, and those that are not. The first category includes commentaries, introductions, guides, histories (generally), and Study Bibles. These are the easiest books to use because you simply read them along with our schedule, or go directly to the chapter\/verse you need help with. Having information so focused has a downside, namely, that it tends to be narrow.<\/p>\n

The second category of books includes dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, general books, monographs, journals, and most reference materials. \u00a0Building a broad knowledge of the history, culture, and thought of the Israelites and their neighbors takes time, study, and reading, mostly of this second kind of book. Even though category II books often contain scriptural indexes, these are usually to verses cited in that volume, not all the verses they are applicable to. \u00a0In other words, some of the most useful and broad knowledge may not have an immediate interpretive payoff.<\/p>\n

I understand time is limited, so I’ve tried to categorize and prioritize this list to be as useful as possible. Let’s\u00a0“make use of the means the Lord has provided” and get studying! (Alma 60:21)<\/p>\n

First,<\/strong> and I cannot stress this enough, if there is only one thing you can do, read a second Bible translation<\/em>. It will make a huge difference. (If that’s a problem for you, read this<\/a>.) I should note that the increased clarity of a newer translation does not decrease the foreignness or strangeness of the Old Testament, just as, say, speaking Japanese fluently would not make you culturally<\/em> fluent or comfortable. But there are great reasons for reading different, newer translations. I often deal with translation questions at my Old Testament Gospel Doctrine blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Picking one is potentially very difficult, so I’ll jump right to recommendations without justification.<\/p>\n

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Bibles<\/strong><\/div>\n
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