COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

Starts June 30, 2014; MBS Campus

The primary goals of the course are for the student to become acquainted with the following:

1. To build upon the earlier courses on New Testament Survey/Introduction and Biblical Interpretation.
2. To develop the student’s skills in the interpretation of the Gospels and to cultivate sound methods in exegesis.
3. To familiarize the student with various resources for doing biblical studies including primary sources, secondary literature and online resources.
4. To serve as an entrée into scholarly questions relating to the Synoptic Gospels in general.
5. To examine the message and life of Jesus according to the Gospel of Mark in particular and their relevance for today.
6. To appreciate the distinctiveness of the Gospel of Mark in comparison with the other Gospels and its relevance for today.

Because the course will place much emphasis on the need to examine details in the light of the whole Gospel of Mark, it is imperative that we become familiar with the contents of the book as early as possible. Students are encouraged to read the entire Gospel of Mark at least twice before the beginning of the course.

Since the lectures cannot cover the whole book, students are expected to complement them through careful reading of the textbook and other commentaries on the Gospel of Mark as highlighted in the bibliography.

About the Lecturer

Rev Dr Lim Kar Yong is a pastor in charge of Christian Education at Petaling Jaya Evangelical Free Church and also teaches part-time at Malaysia Bible Seminary.  Prior to this, he was a Lecturer in New Testament Studies and Director of Postgraduate Studies at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia.

Rev Dr Lim Kar Yong is the author of The Sufferings of Christ Are Abundant in Us (2 Cor. 1:5): A Narrative Dynamics Investigation of Paul’s Sufferings in 2 Corinthians, Library of New Testament Studies 399 (London:T&T Clark, 2009) and numerous scholarly articles.  He is currently working on a major monograph, Paul’s Use of Images in the Corinthian Correspondence in the Formation of Christian Social Identity.